Daily Rewards! Transmigrating into a novel as a side-character!

"Adrian," she said slowly, her voice carrying a note of genuine surprise, "that was…impressive. Your power enhancement technique is quite remarkable. I haven't seen anything quite like it before."

She paused, clearly processing what she'd witnessed a moment earlier. It seemed like the killing intent I had unconsciously released was still fresh in her mind.

"Whilst it was really good, I noticed your technique could use slight refinement. The attack was almost flawless for a finishing strike, the only improvement I could current think of would be adding more unpredictability to your attacking position. Another thing to consider is resource management. That level of enhancement must consume considerable energy, so learning to manage your reserves effectively will be crucial for extended fights."

I nodded respectfully, appreciating her analysis.

As I walked back to re-join my classmates, I could feel their eyes tracking my every movement.

Meanwhile, Sylvia's thoughts were racing as she watched me return to the group.

That killing intent… it wasn't the harmless aura of someone who had only trained against practice dummies. There was genuine lethality in it, the kind that only came from life-or-death combat.

The student before me must have killed many beasts to develop that kind of predatory presence.

His power output was also far beyond what a typical Elite-rank awakener should be capable of. Even with enhancement techniques, reaching over 9,000 points requires either exceptional bloodline quality or traits.

Adrian Blackwood… what exactly have you been doing? The rumours do not fit this demonstration at all. Either those reports were wrong, or something fundamental has changed about this young man.

She made a mental note to keep a closer eye on Adrian during future training sessions. Students with that level of combat capability and killing intent needed careful observation.

Once I returned to my previous position, Elen kept staring at me strangely until I turned toward her and sighed. "What's wrong? You keep staring at me, is there something on my face?"

She shook her head immediately. I noticed a faint blush creeping across her cheeks, probably from embarrassment at being caught despite trying to be discreet about her staring.

"I-I just... didn't expect you to be so powerful. That attack of yours was really impressive. You must've really trained hard to reach that stage."

I smiled before responding, "Thanks. Your water attack was powerful too. You should be really proud of it."

Elen's face lit up with a happy smile at my compliment. "Thank you! I've been working on that technique for weeks. But seriously, where did that strength come from? I mean..." she paused, seeming to struggle with how to phrase her question tactfully.

"You mean considering my previous reputation?" I asked with an understanding chuckle. "Let's just say I've been doing a lot of private training recently. Sometimes people change when they realize they need to take things more seriously."

She nodded, accepting my explanation without pressing for more details.

"Well, it's definitely working, keep it up. That score was incredible. You are probably the strongest person in terms of attack power in the class" Elen said, before I saw her eyes wander to the students that hadn't tested yet, as if speculating if they could break it.

Around us, other students were still stealing glances in my direction, clearly trying to process the disconnect between Adrian's former reputation and what they'd just witnessed. The social dynamics of our class had definitely shifted after that demonstration.

.....

A few more students came forward after me, achieving scores around 2,000-4000 points. But after my performance, those numbers seemed considerably less impressive to the watching crowd.

I casually observed each demonstration until one particular student stepped forward, ready to perform his strike.

The person before me was one of the characters I specifically wanted to befriend. After all, he was destined to become a more developed third-rate villain who would eventually die at Kyle's hands. I felt he was one of the few people with genuine personality depth, he didn't deserve to die simply because the protagonist had a habit of collecting enemies like trading cards.

I wasn't going to let the author's plot kill such a talented character.

Emmet Cole possessed a bloodline that allowed him to control fire. His primary weakness was his fiery temper, which would lead him into several conflicts with Kyle that would eventually develop into a deadly hatred between them.

Emmet had black hair with red streaks running through it like extensions. He was of average height and looks, and nothing particularly stood out at first glance.

The temperature around us began to rise noticeably as a fireball started forming in Emmet's outstretched hand. The sphere of flame grew steadily until it reached the size of a large basketball, crackling with intense heat that made nearby students step back to avoid its radiating heat.

Emmet drew back his arm and hurled the fireball with explosive force. It struck the training dummy and engulfed it in flames before gradually dissipating, leaving scorch marks across the reinforced surface.

The display screen flickered before showing his score.

[7,903]

"Tsk," Emmet grunted as he saw the number, his competitive nature clearly frustrated that his score fell significantly short of mine. His jaw clenched as he stared at the display with obvious annoyance.

Our eyes met across the training area, and I simply gave him a respectful nod. I knew that trying to console him about how impressive his score was, or offering empty platitudes, would only anger him further. The way to reach someone like Emmet was to acknowledge his feelings without belittling his competitive drive.

His eyes studied me for a moment before he returned the nod, a grudging respect flickering in his expression.

Sylvia gave Emmet an advice, before announcing the end of the lesson.

"Alright everyone. This is the end of today's session. Your assignment is to train and improve your scores. The next time you perform this attack in class, you'll need to demonstrate that you've worked on the advice I've given you. I expect to see an increase of at least 100 points in the scores of those below the top 5. As for the top 5 highest scorers, 50 points will be sufficient."

With the lesson concluded, everyone was free to leave and do as they pleased. Students began filing out of the training hall, chattering about their performances and planning their practice sessions.

As I turned to leave with the rest, Sylvia's voice entered my ears.

"Adrian. Wait, I need to have a word with you."

The way she said it made the remaining students in earshot pause momentarily, sensing something significant in her request. Elen shot me a questioning look, but I waved her on to indicate she should go ahead without me.

Emmet Cole and Marcus Ironhold both stared at me for a second longer before leaving.

As the training hall emptied, leaving just Sylvia and myself in the vast space, the atmosphere grew noticeably tense. Her striking blue eyes held an intensity I hadn't seen during the regular lesson.

I wasn't sure why she wanted me behind, but knowing her personality it must've been something important.

I remained where I was, waiting for her to speak.