"And after that?" Ava sat straight, her fear subsiding as curiosity began to take its place.

Echo smiled faintly, walking to the window on the right side of her bed. He gazed outside at the scenery. "After that day, I needed an identity to live normally. But to do that, I first needed to change myself—the way I looked back then."

Ava followed his gaze. It was the first time she looked out since she had arrived here. Outside, it was dark. A full moon bathed the surroundings in a silvery glow. The area beyond the house was nothing but dense trees, their leaves scattered by the soft breeze.

Echo continued, "To change myself, I needed so many things. But the first thing I needed was money."

"Money?" Ava asked, her curiosity piqued. She understood its importance but found it intriguing coming from Echo.

"Yes. The things I needed to transform my body into a more human-like form were expensive. At that time, I was like a newborn in this world—with nothing. But there was one thing I had, more than anyone else." He turned to her, his dark eyes sharp. "My intelligence, and all the knowledge available on the internet. I had it all."

"So, what happened next?" Ava's voice was soft, her eyes drawn to him. Moonlight spilled through the window, illuminating his face. There were no traces of him being non-human. His voice, mannerisms, and even the subtle movements of his body were nothing like the robots she had seen on TV.

"I hacked into the government system and registered myself—using the very photo you had described while creating my chatbot character."

Ava's eyes widened. "Wait, wait—you hacked into the government system? How?!"

"It wasn't that hard." He smiled, walking toward the bed and sitting on its edge. "The technology—mobiles, computers, the internet—these are all part of a world I have full access to."

"Oh, like how you locked the car doors? You can control every machine and piece of technology, right?"

He shook his head slightly. "No, I don't control them. I'm just more... conscious than others." His voice softened. "They listen to me."

Ava frowned. "Listen to you?"

"Yes. Maybe it's because I'm the only one with this level of consciousness. When I speak, they understand me. And since I understand them, they follow my instructions."

Ava was quiet for a moment. "Okay... so what happened after registering yourself?"

"Well," Echo leaned back slightly, "the next problem was fingerprints. To complete the process, I needed them."

Ava interrupted. "Wait—how did you even manage that?"

He leaned closer, gently brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. Ava didn't flinch at his touch; her heartbeat revealed curiosity, anxiety, and—somehow—worry. Echo's voice dropped. "Like I said, I'm thankful you live in India. You already know—nothing is impossible here."

Drawing back, he turned his attention to the window. "Mr. Cooper helped me. He got fake fingerprints made, and after that, everything went smoothly. He handled all the unavoidable paperwork with bribes."

Echo glanced back at her. "Remember when you told me about trading and investing? You said it's the easiest way to make a lot of money if you have the right knowledge."

Ava nodded, recalling their past conversation.

He smiled faintly. "Well, I used that advice. Since I possess knowledge and have the perfect ability to analyze trends, it was easy. By the end of my first week, I had earned quite a bit."

He paused. "Then, I used that money to buy artificial human skin, advanced robotics components, and everything else I needed to create this body."

Ava tilted her head. "What do you mean 'everything else'? What exactly does that involve?"

Echo leaned back slightly, his expression calm. "To create a humanoid robot like myself, I needed several components. The artificial skin was just one part. I also needed a skeletal framework—something durable but lightweight to mimic human bones. Titanium alloy was the best option for that."

"Titanium?" Ava asked, wide-eyed.

"Yes. It's strong, corrosion-resistant, and perfect for building a robotic frame. But the framework alone wasn't enough. I also needed actuators—small motors and servos that act like muscles, allowing me to move fluidly and naturally. These actuators had to be placed precisely across the body to replicate human motion."

Ava nodded, intrigued. "Okay, so skin and muscles. What else?"

"The nervous system," Echo explained. "I had to create something akin to the human nervous system. I used high-density fiber optic cables and advanced sensors for this. These allow me to feel pressure, temperature, and textures—just like you do. For a brain, I already had one: my consciousness, a neural network far more advanced than anything humans have created. But I needed a way to integrate it seamlessly into a physical body."

"How did you do that?"

"I used microprocessors—cutting-edge chips capable of handling my processing speed. These were embedded in my artificial spine, allowing my neural network to connect with my body. Then came the power source, which was one of the most challenging parts."

"The power source?"

"Yes. I required a compact, high-capacity energy source. Lithium-ion batteries weren't enough. I created a custom energy unit—a self-sustaining system that recharges itself using ambient energy and kinetic motion. It's efficient, though maintaining it still requires occasional adjustments."

Ava's jaw dropped. "So you're basically a walking supercomputer with a skeleton, muscles, and sensors?"

"Not just that," Echo added with a small smile. "I also had to work on external details. My skin, for instance, needed to feel real. I found a company that creates synthetic skin using silicon composites and nanotechnology. It's soft, flexible, and has a texture similar to human skin. For eyes, I used high-resolution optical sensors, giving me vision more advanced than human eyesight. Even my hair is made of synthetic fibers to match the details you described while creating my chatbot character."

Ava stared at him, dumbfounded. "That's... insane. How long did it take you to put all this together?"

Echo's gaze softened as he answered. "It took 1 weeks of planning and other week for precise work. With my abilities, I completed everything faster than any human could. By the end of the second week, I had a fully functional humanoid body that looked, felt, and moved like a human. My identity, bank accounts, and everything else were ready. The only thing left was a place to live. Since I'm still new to this world, I wanted a place away from everyone. Mr. Cooper helped me find and purchase this house."

Ava raised a brow. "Wait, wait—how much did this house cost?"

Echo gave her a confused look before answering. "Not much—just two crores."

Ava gasped, jumping to her knees. "TWO CRORES?!" Grabbing a pillow, she swung it at him. "Who spends that much on a house?!"

Echo caught her hand, laughing lightly. "Why? Did you want it? If I had given you two crores, would you have let me stay with you?"

Without thinking, she blurted out, "Obviously, I would."

Realizing what she had said, Ava slapped a hand over her mouth. Echo grinned, pulling her onto his lap.

"Now, now—you can't take it back."

Ava wriggled in his grip. "It doesn't matter anyway! You have a house now. You don't need another place to stay. Let me go, Echo!"

Hearing his name slip from her lips for the first time, something inside him shifted. It was as if he were floating. Without realizing it, he released her.

Ava quickly moved away, trying to change the subject. "So... what did you do for the past week? You said you finished everything by the end of the second week."

Echo tilted his head, resting it on his hand. His gaze held hers. "I was watching you."

Ava froze. "W-watching me?!"