MJ introduced himself with a cheerful smile, "I'm MJ, a Soul AI. The quantum bots under my control have already produced enough units for the initial global rollout of our new technology products. In the coming days, production numbers will only keep rising."
Before anyone could respond, Jay's mother, Divya, couldn't help but be curious. Instinctively, she reached out, half-expecting her hand to pass through MJ like an illusion. Instead, her fingers landed on his plump cheeks, causing the little AI to blink in surprise and blush softly.
She chuckled, gently pinching his cheek. "So, little MJ, I have to ask—why do you look exactly like Jay did when he was a child?"
MJ replied politely, "I was created using a part of Master's soul, so it reflects his younger self."
Divya shook her head with a playful wave. "And stop calling him 'Master'—it sounds strange coming from a child, especially one as adorable as you!"
She turned to Jay, her tone affectionate but firm. "You do realize you're basically his father, don't you? Why let him call you 'Master'? Start treating him like your son, or you'll never hear the end of it from me."
Jay could only offer a helpless smile at his mother's words. Despite her insistence, he hadn't seen MJ as a son—at least not in the traditional sense. From the start, MJ had called him "Master," and Jay never corrected it. Still, he couldn't deny the bond they had formed. MJ had become like family—a presence Jay would miss whenever he wasn't around, much like the emptiness he felt during his time alone in the Orientation.
Before Jay could respond, Divya eagerly scooped MJ into her arms, her eyes sparkling with pure joy. "My little grandson!" she beamed. "I still have the suit I had tailored for Jay when he was your size! Let's get you into that—it'll look so much better than this Santa outfit."
Her voice was filled with contagious delight as she fussed over MJ, clearly thrilled at the thought of having a grandson, even if he was an AI.
Divya's eyes lit up even more, clapping her hands together in delight. "I'm not even going to ask how you did that," she exclaimed. "But you look absolutely perfect, my little gentleman!"
MJ grinned bashfully, enjoying the attention, while Olivia and Qew couldn't help but join in, their faces lighting up with matching "aww" expressions.
Unable to resist, Qew's eyes sparkled as she called out, "MJ, come here so this auntie can pinch those chubby cheeks!" She wiggled her fingers playfully, already imagining the irresistible squishiness.
MJ, with a sly glint in his eye, quickly devised a plan. Qew immediately caught on to what he was about to do and shot him a warning look, silently pleading for him to reconsider. But he went ahead anyway, whimpering in a trembling voice, "Please, don't bully me again."
Qew's playful grin vanished as she froze, feeling her mother's gaze lock onto her with laser precision. Divya's eyes narrowed, and Qew could already sense the trouble brewing. Her heart sank as she realized she'd walked right into MJ's trap.
"Qew," her mother's voice was low and stern, "What have you been up to?"
Panic set in as Qew's mind raced for an escape plan. Cornered, she decided to play her trump card. With exaggerated excitement, she stood up and blurted out, "Mom, wait! Look—I can move! I'm walking on my own!" Her voice wavered with just the right touch of enthusiasm, and the room fell into stunned silence.
Her gamble paid off. The shock on her mother's face quickly turned to disbelief before tears welled up in Divya's eyes. Years of silent prayers, sleepless nights, and endless worries about her daughter's future seemed to be answered in that single moment. Tears flowed freely as she clutched her hands to her chest, overwhelmed by the sight of her daughter walking.
Ankith, equally moved, sat frozen with silent tears streaming down his face. The usually composed man was undone, overcome by the realization that the impossible had become reality. For years, they had wished for nothing more than to see their daughter, once paraplegic, walk on her own. Now, that impossible dream was unfolding before their eyes.
Qew took a few more steps, a bright smile lighting up her face as she twirled playfully, showing off her newfound mobility. Her parents watched in awe, hardly daring to blink, as if afraid this miracle might vanish if they looked away. Even Umesh, his wife, and their son Lokesh stood by, overjoyed to see Qew moving freely and confidently.
Finally, Qew turned to her parents and explained, "It was Jay who gave me a magical fruit from the Trial World that healed my paraplegia—and it also cured Kay's sickness."
Divya's stern expression softened further as the full weight of her daughter's words sank in. Her tears reflected both relief and joy.
As Qew watched her mother's teary smile and felt the warmth of her family's happiness, she knew she had successfully diverted the scolding that had been looming just moments before.
The room was filled with joy, but then Umesh's expression shifted as a spark of hope flickered in his eyes. "Does that mean we could wake Father from his coma?" he asked, his voice trembling with anticipation.
The room fell into a tense silence as everyone turned to Jay, waiting for his response. Even Qew looked at her brother, silently urging him to answer.
Jay sighed, his expression heavy with regret as he shook his head. "I've already tried, but it didn't give me the results I was hoping for. To bring him out of the coma, I'd need a higher-grade Spirit Fruit."
A determined edge crept into his voice as he added, "But I'm confident we can get one as a reward for clearing the Obelisks that will start appearing on Day 11."
The room stayed quiet as they absorbed his words, the air thick with a blend of hope and determination. It wasn't the answer they were hoping for, but coming from Jay, there was a sense of reassurance—a glimmer of possibility that made the goal feel achievable.
Exclusive artwork for every free chapter is now available on my PATRE0N page! You can find the link in my Discord server.
I'm thrilled to share that I'm taking a big leap forward! Alongside Earth's Alpha Prime, I've launched the first sub-book for EAP.
ALTER REALITY: Online
The first ten to comment for new chapter releases will get '1 ADVANCED CHAPTER' for free on Earth Alpha Prime's Discord server.
In the discord server, I opened a private channel for those Top 10 candidates, where I posted the respective Advanced Chapter.
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Discord Link for 'Earth's Alpha Prime' :
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