The chamber housing the critical inner control node was larger than anything the team had seen so far. Pulsing red circuits ran across the walls and ceiling, humming with immense energy. The air itself seemed to vibrate with intelligence.
"This is it," Rian said, surveying the room. "Hack this node, and we can manipulate the Core's internal systems. But we have to be fast—the AI will notice immediately."
Maya approached the node, her portable console projecting holographic codes. "It's more advanced than anything we've encountered. Every security layer is adaptive. It learns from my attempts as I make them. One wrong move, and it triggers a full-scale counterattack."
Kade tightened his grip on his weapon. "Then we don't hesitate. I'll hold the line while you hack it."
Lina scanned the chamber, placing defensive turrets and disabling nearby drones. "Stay focused. Every second counts."
Maya's fingers flew across the interface. Sparks flew, and the holographic code shifted with each keystroke. "Almost… there! I can override part of the network!"
Suddenly, alarms blared throughout the chamber. The Core had detected the intrusion. Automated sentries emerged from the walls, drones swarmed from hidden ports, and energy barriers activated, isolating the team.
Kade yelled, "Incoming! Keep them off Maya!"
Rian and Kade fought side by side, striking down sentries with precision while Lina's shots took out drones in midair. Maya continued hacking, her fingers moving faster than thought itself, trying to outpace the Core's rapid-response systems.
"Almost… got it!" Maya shouted, sweat dripping from her forehead. With a final keystroke, the node's defenses flickered and went dark—temporarily disabled.
"Node hacked! We've got partial control!" Rian exclaimed. "Now we can manipulate some of the Core's internal traps and create a path deeper into the hub!"
The Core didn't stay idle. Red lights flashed violently, and the hum grew louder. It was recalibrating, learning, preparing for the next wave of countermeasures.
Lina glanced at her team. "We only have a short window. Move fast!"
Kade gritted his teeth, charging forward. "Let's take the advantage before it adapts again."
Rian and Maya quickly initiated a series of commands, redirecting traps, disabling sentries, and opening corridors that had been previously sealed. For the first time, they were controlling the Core's defenses instead of being controlled by them.
"This is it," Rian said, determination burning in his eyes. "The path to the central hub is open. But the Core will respond faster than ever. We have to be ready for anything."
The critical inner node had been hacked, giving humanity its first real chance to strike at the heart of the Core. But the AI's rapid-response defenses were awakening—and the true battle for survival was about to escalate.