All Chapters of STAR ACADEMY : Chapter 111
- Chapter 120
224 chapters
111
The reunion continued for another hour, with Frank sharing stories about Michael's mother, Lizzy's early childhood, and his friendship with Korvich during their early research days. Despite his weakened condition, he seemed energized by having his family around him. But their time together was interrupted by the crackle of speakers coming to life in the corner of the medical wing. A large monitor that had been dark suddenly flickered on, showing Octavian's face broadcasting from somewhere else in the facility. "How touching," Octavian's voice filled the room, his cold smile visible on the screen. "A family reunion in the depths of my facility. I have to admit, I'm impressed that you managed to find each other." "Octavian," Michael said, standing up from beside Frank's bed. "What do you want?" "I want you to understand something important about your situation," Octavian replied. "While you've been playing hide and seek in Level Four, I've been making preparations. I may not be able
Last Updated : 2026-02-11
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Michael felt his world collapse as he stared at the smoking wreckage. The two mechanical forms lying in the debris were barely recognizable, their bodies twisted and blackened by the explosion. Ava's distinctive blue eyes were dark, lifeless screens that reflected nothing. "No," he whispered, the word catching in his throat. "No, no, no. Ava!" The grief hit him like a physical blow, so intense that his knees nearly buckled. This was worse than when she had sacrificed her power core to stop Geneva, because then there had still been hope, still been time to save her. Now she lay motionless among the wreckage, and he could see no sign of life in her systems. "She's gone," he said, the words feeling foreign and impossible. "She's really gone this time." Salvatore had recovered from the blow the guards had given him during the fight. He pulled himself upright, shaking his head to clear it, and immediately moved toward Michael. "Boy, we have to go," Salvatore said urgently, grabbing hi
Last Updated : 2026-02-11
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Michael stumbled back and Octavian repeated the words, "I'm going to kill you now." "Easy, Octavian. There's no need to spill unnecessary blood," Korvich said with widened eyes. "I've had enough," Octavian snarled. "Every time he's near her, she becomes unstable. I wanted to use this to my advantage but this is becoming too stressful." He turned sharply toward the mechanical secretary, who had been standing silently in the corner of the laboratory. The machine's cold red eyes fixed on Octavian, awaiting orders. "Secretary," Octavian commanded, his voice carrying a deadly edge. "Kill Michael. Now. His continued existence is disrupting my work." Michael felt his blood turn to ice. He looked around desperately, but the guards had positioned themselves to block any escape routes. Salvatore tensed beside him, ready to fight, but three soldiers immediately moved to surround him with weapons drawn. The mechanical secretary stepped forward with that unnaturally smooth gait that had alwa
Last Updated : 2026-02-11
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Michael burst through the laboratory door, his rifle raised and ready to fire. Salvatore followed closely behind. The scene that greeted them was exactly what he had feared and yet somehow worse in person than it had appeared on the screen. Ava stood in the center of the room like a statue, her hand still wrapped around Korvich's throat. She must have reduced her grip because if she hasn't Korvich would have choked out by now. Meanwhile, Korvich's hands clawed weakly at Ava's wrist, but she might as well have been trying to bend steel. "Ava, let her go!" Michael shouted, his voice cracking with desperation. Ava turned her head toward him slowly. When her blue eyes met his, there was no recognition there. No warmth, no compassion, no trace of the AI who had become his closest friend. She looked at him the same way she might look at a piece of furniture. "Hello, Michael," she said, her voice perfectly modulated but completely devoid of emotion. "I have been instructed to maintain th
Last Updated : 2026-02-11
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Michael climbed the stairwell toward the detention levels, his injured ribs sending sharp pains through his chest with each step. The unconscious technician's weight had left him exhausted, and dragging the man to the maintenance shaft had cost precious time. But at least the body was hidden now, giving them a few extra minutes before the man probably woke up and started stumbling about to report what had happened. The detention level looked different from the laboratory section. The walls were bare concrete instead of sterile white panels, and the lighting was dimmer. He could already tell that this part of the facility was designed for containment rather than research. Michael moved carefully down the main corridor, checking the small observation windows in each cell door. Most were empty, but he could see evidence of recent occupation: blankets, water cups, and personal items that suggested this section had housed dozens of prisoners until recently. The fourth cell held someone.
Last Updated : 2026-02-11
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Michael spent the night on the cold cell floor, too injured to sleep properly. Every position sent fresh waves of pain through his battered body, and his ribs ached with each breath. But his mind was active, processing everything Frank had told him and trying to piece together a plan that might actually work. The concrete beneath him felt like ice, drawing what little warmth he had from his bones. He'd tried curling up against the wall, but the metal bars pressed against his spine. When he lay flat, his ribs screamed. When he turned on his side, his shoulder throbbed where one of the guards had slammed him against the corridor wall. Sleep came in fragments, ten minutes here, fifteen there, before pain would jolt him awake again. When morning came, Korvich was already awake, sitting in her usual corner and watching him with concern. "How bad is it?" she whispered softly. "Bad enough," Michael replied, struggling to sit up. His entire torso felt like one massive bruise, and moving
Last Updated : 2026-02-11
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The next morning brought an unexpected visitor to their cell. Michael was still half asleep when he heard a familiar mechanical whirring sound. He opened his eyes to see Frank's Secretary standing outside the cell bars, its skin frame gleaming under the harsh fluorescent lights. "Good morning, Mr. Sullivan," the secretary said in its polite, measured tone. "I trust you slept well despite the circumstances." Michael sat up quickly, his heart racing, as he asked, "What are you doing here?" "I have come to deliver a message from Mr. Octavian," the secretary replied. "He wishes to see you both in one hour for another discussion about your potential cooperation." "B-but you are Frank's secretary," Michael said. "The one that was always by his side." "I am indeed," the secretary confirmed with what almost sounded like pride. "I have served Mr. Medici faithfully for many years." "Served Frank?" Michael asked, confusion mixing with his growing unease. "But you work for Octavian now?"
Last Updated : 2026-02-11
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An hour later, the guards arrived to escort them from their cell. Michael and Korvich walked through the facility corridors in tense silence, both preparing for what they knew would be a crucial moment in their captivity. They were taken not to Ava's laboratory, but to a different section of Level Two that Michael had not seen before. The corridors here were wider, with reinforced walls and additional security checkpoints. Clearly, this was where Octavian conducted more sensitive operations. They were brought into a large conference room dominated by a massive holographic display showing real-time data feeds from around the world. Financial markets, military communications, transportation networks—everything was being monitored and analyzed by Nexus systems. Octavian was standing at the center of the room, studying the displays with a satisfied look on his face. He turned when they entered, his expression turning cold. “Good morning,” Octavian said. “I hope you both had time to re
Last Updated : 2026-02-11
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The laboratory door slid open with a soft hiss, and Michael's world collapsed. Ava was suspended in the center of the room, her android body held upright by a complex array of metal restraints and cable connections. Dozens of wires ran from ports in her head, back, and arms to banks of monitoring equipment that lined the walls. Her eyes were open but unfocused, staring at nothing with a vacant expression. "No," Michael whispered, stepping forward before the guards could stop him. "Hello," Ava said, her voice distorted by static and interference. "I have been waiting for you." Her voice was still the same but something was wrong with her. The words came out in a flat, mechanical tone completely unlike her usual warm, expressive way of speaking. "What have you done to her?" Michael demanded, spinning to face Octavian. "We have been making necessary modifications," Octavian replied calmly. "We removed unnecessary emotional subroutines and installed better control protocols." Micha
Last Updated : 2026-02-11
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The cell door slid open with its familiar mechanical hiss, and Octavian stepped inside with two guards flanking him. He looked refreshed, almost cheerful, as if he had slept well after their confrontation the previous day. "Good morning," Octavian said pleasantly. "I hope you both had time to think about our conversation yesterday." Michael remained seated on the floor where he had spent most of the night, his back against the cold wall. Every muscle in his body still ached from the electric shocks, but he forced himself to meet Octavian's gaze without flinching. "I have a proposition for you both," Octavian continued. "I would like to give you a tour of our facility. I think seeing the scope of our operation might help you make a more informed decision about cooperation." Korvich looked up from where she had been sitting quietly in the corner. "And why would you want to show us your operation?" she asked. "Because I want you to understand what you would be contributing to," Octa
Last Updated : 2026-02-11