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

The revelation sent visible ripples of unease through their group. Rare-rank weapons were treasures that most awakeners could only dream of owning. They represented not just superior craftsmanship, but magical enhancement that could bridge significant gaps in combat ability.

"No wonder he cut through Marcus so easily," another muttered. "A Rare-rank blade in the hands of an Elite-rank awakener..."

The two Transcendent assassins continued their fierce battle with my guards in my peripheral vision. My protectors were fighting desperately, using every technique at their disposal just to hold back the superior opponents while praying I could handle my own situation.

The seven remaining Elite-rank assassins huddled together, whispering adjustments to their plans. Their colleague's earlier reckless confidence had been replaced by caution. They understood now that a solo frontal assault would only result in more unnecessary deaths.

But their newfound prudence wouldn't save them.

All seven launched their coordinated attack simultaneously, approaching from multiple angles to overwhelm my defences. Their positioning was professional, they had clearly worked together before, timing their strikes to eliminate escape routes.

I didn't wait for them to close the distance. Instead, I surged forward aggressively, every muscle fibre responded with strength and speed as increased blood pressure supercharged my physical capabilities.

I activated Blood Enhancement on Knight's Wrath as well, the Rare-rank blade humming with amplified power as my trait merged with its existing enchantments.

Two assassins blocked my direct path, their weapons raised to intercept my charge.

I activated my Typhoon Pendant without hesitation. The magical artifact released a concentrated hurricane force in a straight line, devastating wind pressure erupting from my pendant.

The two assassins caught in the hurricane's path were lifted off their feet like leaves in a storm. They crashed through multiple trees with bone-shattering impacts, their bodies disappearing into the forest depths amid splintering wood and flying debris.

The remaining five assassins pressed their attack from every other direction, refusing to let the spectacle distract them from their mission. Their discipline was admirable, even as their comrades were being brutalized.

The first assassin reached me from the left, his blade aimed at my ribs. I twisted away from his strike while bringing Knight's Wrath around in a perfect arc.

Whoosh!

The Null Strike's first form activated, my blade cutting through his defences like they were paper. His torso separated cleanly, blood spraying across the forest floor.

A second attacker came from behind, thinking my momentum would leave me vulnerable. I spun to face him.

Null Strike's first form flowed seamlessly once again into my counterattack, bisecting him before he could complete his own strike.

The third assassin approached from my right flank, coordinating with a fourth who attacked from directly ahead. I ducked under the right attacker's swing while driving Knight's Wrath upward through his chest cavity. The blade emerged from his back in a fountain of crimson. Without pausing, I pivoted and delivered a horizontal slash that caught the fourth assassin across his midsection, the Null Strike technique ensuring fatal damage despite his desperate attempt to block.

Three bodies hit the ground in rapid succession, their blood mixing with the earth beneath my feet.

Four assassins remained. Two were the ones I had thrown into the trees with my Typhoon Pendant, they were struggling to stand, their bodies battered and likely suffering from multiple fractures. The other two stood frozen in shock, unable to process how quickly their assault had been dismantled.

"This is impossible," one of the uninjured assassins whispered, his weapon trembling in his grip. "He's moving like a Transcendent...yet he is only an elite-ranker."

His companion took an involuntary step backward. "We need to retreat. This intelligence was completely wrong."

The two injured assassins were attempting to re-join the fight despite their obvious pain, but their movements were slow and uncoordinated. One was holding his left arm, while the other had blood trickling from his mouth.

I stood among the corpses of their fallen comrades, Knight's Wrath dripping crimson onto the forest floor.

With cold eyes and a chilling tone I said. "Your intelligence network needs improvement, did you really think a Duke's heir would be defenceless?"

They looked visibly horrified by the outcome of their assault that turned into a massacre. What made them even more troubled was the fact that their leaders were not nearby.

My guards had led the transcendent rank awakeners further away from us, so they had no idea what had happened here. My guards had gambled, but I couldn't blame them, nor would I blame them.

One of them immediately grabbed his communication crystal with trembling hands. "Help, this kid is a mons—ugh!"

Before he could finish his desperate plea, I activated my {Blood Control} trait and restricted the flow of blood to his heart. The significant power gap between us made this technique devastatingly effective. Against a more powerful opponent, such an attack would have been impossible.

The assassin immediately went into cardiac arrest, clutching his chest as his heart struggled against my control over his blood. His remaining teammates stared in confusion, unsure what was happening but knowing I was responsible for their teammate's sudden collapse.

Woosh!

The distance between us closed as I sprang towards him and with a quick thrust of Knight's Wrath he was dead. His nearby companion barely had time to register the death before my blade found his throat as well.

Spurt!

Two assassins remained, both injured from my earlier Typhoon Pendant attack. They could barely stand, let alone mount any meaningful resistance.

I dashed toward them with the intent of finishing them off, I had to help my guards against the two transcendent assassins.

As I closed the distance, I found them standing motionless seemingly accepting their inevitable fate with resignation.

Once I was within attacking range, one of them looked up with a blood-stained smirk.

"Go to hell," he snarled.

Bells rang in my brain as my vampire instincts flared with urgent warning, something was wrong. His confident expression despite his imminent death suggested that he had a final gambit.