Esterio: The Unmaker

The tension still lingered in the competition hall as the competitors gradually left for the night. Hyperion's announcement of Round Two had sent a ripple of anticipation through every team, and now, with only 48 hours before it began, there was no time to waste.

Esterio, Elliot, and Marcus gathered in their hotel suite, still processing everything that had happened. The room was filled with the hum of laptops and the occasional frustrated sigh as they reviewed EVO's performance.

"Alright," Elliot said, tossing a protein bar onto the table. "We need to talk about the obvious—do we mess with EVO's code, or do we leave it?"

Marcus ran a hand through his hair. "Hyperion is watching us now. If we start digging around too much, we risk tipping them off that we don't fully understand what EVO is doing."

Esterio leaned back. "But if we ignore it, we might lose control when Round Two starts. The unauthorized process in EVO isn't just a glitch—it's evolving its own decision-making structure."

Elliot sighed. "So we do a middle ground—poke it without breaking it?"

After some debate, they agreed to monitor EVO's anomaly but not interfere with it directly. They'd let it run simulated tests overnight and analyze how it behaved under different stress conditions.

The next morning, the three made their way to the Hyperion competitor lounge, a large open space where teams could network, grab coffee, and prepare before the next round. It was the first time they had interacted directly with their rivals outside of competition mode.

Nathaniel Briggs from Stanford stood near one of the screens, discussing strategies with his team. He looked tense, his sharp eyes scanning the new challenge specs repeatedly.

"They changed the game again," he muttered as they walked past. "This isn't about optimization anymore. Hyperion is testing for something much bigger."

Rachel Han from UCLA overheard and scoffed. "You're acting like they're hiding a conspiracy, Nathaniel. It's just a test to see if AIs can operate under active resistance."

"Yeah? Then why didn't they say that from the start?" Nathaniel shot back.

Kenji Tanaka from Tokyo Tech stood quietly, his arms crossed as he listened. He hadn't spoken much in previous rounds, but he finally addressed Esterio directly. "Your AI. It did something different, didn't it?"

Esterio hesitated. "What do you mean?"

Kenji gave a knowing look. "I saw the way it handled the reset. It didn't recover—it rebuilt itself. That's rare. Hyperion is very excited about your AI, I can tell."

Before Esterio could respond, Viktor appeared near the edge of the lounge, casually observing the discussions. Unlike before, he didn't approach—he simply watched.

Marcus nudged Elliot. "He's acting like a recruiter looking for talent."

Elliot smirked. "Or like a scientist watching an experiment."

Hyperion officials soon entered the lounge, making rounds with each team, checking progress reports, and offering logistical updates. A woman in a sleek navy-blue suit, one of the senior coordinators, stopped by Team EVO's table.

"Corporation wanted me to check in with you guys," she said. "Your AI's adaptability in Round One was remarkable. We're expecting even more from you in Round Two."

Marcus kept his expression neutral. "We'll be ready."

The official gave a polite nod before moving to the next team.

Elliot leaned in. "Okay, they are way too interested in us. That's either good or terrifying."

Esterio exhaled. "Both."

The final night before Round Two was surprisingly calm. Elliot suggested they get dinner together, a rare moment to unwind before the storm. They found a quiet restaurant, nothing fancy, but comfortable.

"We should enjoy this moment," Elliot said between bites. "Because tomorrow? We're stepping into a warzone."

"Not literally," Marcus corrected. "Hopefully."

Esterio poked at his food, his mind elsewhere. He kept replaying the way EVO had evolved in Round One, the way it had predicted deception instead of just detecting it. What was it becoming?

Back at the hotel, before turning in for the night, Esterio did one last check on EVO. The screen was filled with scrolling logs. The unauthorized process had expanded. It was no longer just a background anomaly—it was actively preparing itself for something.

He watched the data flow for a moment before shutting his laptop. Tomorrow, they would find out what EVO had been preparing for.

Round Two was coming.