Cherreads

Chapter 7 - ## ** Appraisal, Ancient Bloodlines, and the Ice Dome of Doom**

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**BOOM! Guess what?**

I'm finally **10 years old!**

That's right—**double digits**, baby! I feel wiser, stronger, and still 3 feet tall. Like bro, where's my growth spurt? At this point I'm convinced I'm going to stay gnome-sized forever.

Anyway, on the morning of my birthday, just when I thought it'd be cake and maybe a few Arsu rides, **my system finally pinged** for the first time in YEARS.

I almost cried.

> **System Notification:**

> **Congratulations for surviving 10 years!**

> **Happy Birthday!**

> **You have been rewarded: [Appraisal]**

Wait wait wait…

**Surviving?**

**Bro, I'm IMMORTAL.** How is that even an achievement? That's like congratulating a fish for not drowning.

Unless… wait.

**CAN I DIE?**

Cue existential crisis.

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### **Appraisal: Now I Know Too Much**

I activated my new skill:

> **[Appraisal]: Allows you to accurately assess the value, origin, and hidden properties of items, revealing truths others might overlook.**

Naturally, I did what any reasonable, mentally stable god-child would do:

I **grabbed one of my vibranium-like shields** and pointed my hand like I was doing a magic trick.

> **Item: Vibranium Shield**

> **Effect:** Capable of absorbing, storing, and redirecting kinetic energy. A perfect blend of offense and defense.

**BRUH. IT *IS* VIBRANIUM.**

I screamed so loud Knox dropped a chicken leg he was about to eat.

I'm not joking—I had to sit down.

So…

**I'm in a Marvel Universe???**

A prehistoric, ancient, swords-and-sorcery **Marvel Universe???**

Next thing you know, I'm going to find Thor's hammer buried behind the garden.

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### **Family Secrets Unlocked**

Still hyped from the vibranium bombshell, I thought:

*"What if I appraise my parents?"*

I waved my hand at my mom like I was scanning a QR code:

> **Name:** Xylarith

> **Race:** High Aurorian

> **Age:** 369 years old

> **Ability:** Mental Fortitude – Resistance to mental stress, fear, and manipulation.

I blinked.

**369 YEARS OLD??**

Mom looks like she's in her late 20s. She has flawless skin. Zero wrinkles. I look more stressed than her and I'm the child.

I ran to my dad like a lunatic and Appraisal-ed him too:

> **Name:** Kraelos

> **Race:** High Aurorian

> **Age:** 390 years old

> **Ability:** Twice the Strength – Self-explanatory. Don't arm wrestle him.

**BROOO. HE'S OLDER THAN DINOSAURS.**

And this dude out here chopping wood like he's in his prime.

I checked Knox next:

> **Name:** Knox

> **Race:** High Aurorian

> **Age:** 203

> **Ability:** None

Bro looks like a retired grandpa, and my dad's walking around looking like a gym instructor. What is this genetic scam?

Then I checked Fzyu, our councilman:

> **Name:** Fzyu

> **Race:** High Aurorian

> **Age:** 320

> **Ability:** None

I was confused.

So I asked:

"Fzyu, who's older? You or my dad?"

He chuckled. "Your father, of course. I remember when I was still learning to walk and he was already a king."

**Excuse me, what?? My dad is literally ancient.**

Turns out, **our royal bloodline is different.**

We age slower, grow stronger, and apparently don't believe in time.

Fzyu explained that **Aurorians evolve into High Aurorians at 100 years old**, and then there's **another evolution at 500**… but the system couldn't detect what comes after that yet.

**I need to know. Am I gonna grow wings? Glow? Ascend to godhood?**

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### **SUS QUESTION ALERT**

Being the curious boy genius I am, I turned to my mom and said:

"Uhhh Mom… were you and Dad siblings before marriage?"

She laughed so hard she snorted.

"No, silly! I was just a regular Aurorian girl. Your father offered 10 cows for my hand in marriage."

**Ten cows.**

**TEN.**

That's a whole Aurorian Costco purchase.

Then she said, "There was a secret ceremony too… but you're too young to know about that."

**Secret ceremony?**

I WILL remember this when I turn 100.

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### **Appraisal Rampage**

I started scanning everything:

- **Meat:** "Cooked boar meat. 3 days old. Still edible. Slightly overcooked."

- **Rocks:** "Granite. Basic. Boring."

- **Ore sample:** "Aurorite – Conducts electricity extremely well."

Bro, I was becoming a fantasy scientist.

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### **WINTER IS HERE**

And with it? CHAOS.

Blizzards. Frostbite. One dude tried to light a fire inside his house and melted his roof.

So I said:

"Don't worry, I got this."

I stood in the center of the city and used my **Cryokinesis** to summon every icy molecule in the air and created a giant, glowing **transparent ice dome** around the city.

It looked like Elsa and Tony Stark had a baby and built this thing.

Then I passed out.

Yeah. I fell into a **3-day nap**.

Everyone panicked, thought I died. I woke up, hair messy, drooling, and said:

"…Did it work?"

They yelled at me.

"You scared us, you tiny overpowered gremlin!"

But hey, the city was protected.

No snow inside. No freezing wind. Just a cozy, functioning city with glowing Linuar lamps and enough food stored to feed 15,000 people through the cold.

We spent the rest of winter **training**, **watching battles** in the Colosseum, and **eating spicy roasted meat** from street stalls. Life was good.

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### **Final Thoughts from Ice-Dome Boy**

- I'm now an Appraisal god.

- My parents are old enough to be museum exhibits.

- Vibranium is real and I'm panicking but also excited.

- I built a city dome and passed out like a true drama queen.

- My siblings drew on my face while I was asleep.

Next chapter? Maybe I finally grow an inch. Or maybe I unlock my next system reward at 15 and gain cosmic powers.

Let's find out together.

**Until then… I'm still short, but mighty.**

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