Cherreads

Chapter 14 - One Day Remaining

The global message appeared in silence, white text against black sky, as if written on the back of Riku's eyes.

"Blood Moon Event: 24 Hours Remaining."

"Top 100 Sovereigns Will Be Ranked. Rewards Distributed Accordingly."

No sound. No trumpet. No explanation.

Just time.

And truth.

Riku stood atop the obsidian tower, looking out across the southern cliffs where the mist hadn't broken in three days. From this height, the heat shimmer blurred everything at the horizon. He could almost imagine distant lights in the fog. Almost.

Below, his camp was still.

Sira ran drills with the elite ten—Draganoids handpicked not for size, but for silence, for efficiency. Tharn oversaw final trap placements, reinforcing stone-triggered spike loops in a spiraled kill-zone pattern outside the main gate. Kael was drawing blood-thread maps now, carving elevation markers into hide with the sharpened tip of a feather quill.

They didn't speak much anymore.

They didn't need to.

Everything had a place.

They had:

– Full infrastructure rebuild.

– Tier-2 Forge, dual-core venting.

– Multi-layer fire defense.

– Three full sets of weapons, all mirrored.

– Ten elite fighters, tested.

– Zero alliances.

– No contact. No broadcasts. No exposure.

No one knew who AshEdge was.

That was his greatest advantage.

From the tower's upper floor, he returned to the storage ledge where they kept emergency weapons. Just a side check. Habit.

And that's when he saw the third set of spears.

Ten of them. Balanced, fire-treated, hooked tip with anti-scald grip.

Last night, there had been four.

Now there were ten.

Identical down to the scratch on the third grip.

He didn't move.

Didn't exhale.

Then came the flicker—low, like a heartbeat behind the skull.

[Weapon Folded – Hooked Spears | Original: 4 | Multiplier: x2.5 | Final: 10]

He picked one up, tested the weight.

Perfect.

He returned it and logged the event hours later, alone in the vault room.

#10 – Hooked Spears | Quantity Fold x2.5 | Final: 10

Triggered in inactive storage. No observed contact.

The fire-root beside the forge had grown taller. It pulsed now at dusk, even without wind. A warm pulse, matching the rhythm of the heat. Almost like breath.

Riku touched the wall and felt the stone respond.

Tomorrow, the dome would fall.

Not just his.

Everyone's.

And when the Blood Moon rose, the world would be watching.

But still—no one was watching him.

More Chapters