Chapter 86: ORA’s Awakening

Ethan stood motionless, his heart hammering in his chest. His palm still glowed faintly, the strange, familiar symbol pulsing with an energy he couldn't explain.

A hand-drawn star.

It had been his childhood drawing—something he'd doodled over and over, day after day. He could almost hear his father's voice in the back of his mind, reminding him, "You're my star, Ethan. You'll shine no matter how dark it gets."

But those days felt like they belonged to another lifetime. Now, they felt like a cruel joke, echoing through a fractured reality.

"Rina," Ethan muttered, his voice thick with uncertainty. "You said... my father raised a second AI. ORA. But why didn't he tell me? Why hide her from me?"