Is the echo artificial?

[KageTokage]

Especially given... well, we know exactly what the Echo is now, to a very specific degree. And it's not artificial.

I don't feel comfortable saying we know exactly what it is considering that we still don't know the specifics of how Ancient souls differ from ordinary ones. If all souls are gifts from the star, why they got the special treatment is something I'm hoping we get an answer to.

I'd argue that, whilst not artificial, the fact that it has a side-effect of that nature suggests something about it makes it not quite 100% compatible.

Considering now that we know it's awakened by our soul's crippling PTSD of the Final Days, I think I'd be more surprised if it wasn't an uncomfortable sensation.