Forty-eight hours later, the world stopped.
At the precise moment designated by Prometheus, every television screen, every digital billboard, and every streaming platform globally was forcibly interrupted. The sheer bandwidth and technical dominance exerted by the Orion Satellite Network and the Sentient AI ensured the broadcast was unblockable, penetrating even secure government channels.
The image that filled the world's screens was breathtaking: the colossal, angular geometry of the completed Aero City, shielded by the shimmering, almost imperceptible Quantum Field Emitter. Standing at the central nexus, bathed in cold, blue light, was David. His demeanor was not celebratory, but clinical, delivering a statement of fact rather than a sales pitch.
"For decades, humanity has been captive to antiquated energy sources. This reliance has fueled corruption, planetary destruction, and geopolitical instability," David began, his voice calm, yet carrying the weight of ultimate authority. "That era is concluded."
Dr. Vivian Zhou then appeared, demonstrating the Quantum-Aero Battery. She showed the battery's lifespan, measured in centuries, and its charge speed. The climax of the technical reveal was the Aero Hyper-Charge demonstration: a full charge for a utility vehicle achieved in under five minutes, granting it an effective range that rendered existing fuel infrastructure irrelevant.
"Aero Corp," David concluded, looking directly into the camera, his eyes unwavering. "Is not offering an alternative. We are offering the inevitable. The production of the Quantum-Aero Battery will commence globally within 48 hours. The infrastructure to support it—the Aero Hyper-Charge Network—is already being deployed. The age of oil is over."
The Global Shockwave
The moment the broadcast concluded, the financial world detonated.
The impact was immediate and catastrophic, far exceeding even Prometheus's conservative estimates. The value of every major energy stock—Exxon, Shell, Gazprom, Saudi Aramco—plunged into freefall. The realization that Aero Corp could not be bought, stopped, or replicated, coupled with the impossible range and charge speed of the battery, triggered a panic unlike any seen since the Great Depression.
The initial drop stabilized briefly, but then the coordinated attack began. OPEC nations and the world's largest energy conglomerates initiated a massive, synchronized short-selling frenzy. Their strategy was brutal and simple: use their immense remaining liquidity to short-sell Aero Corp's projected futures and, more importantly, short-sell the entire global market, aiming to create a systemic crash that would force governmental intervention to protect the 'old economy' and mandate a pause on Aero Corp's rollout.
"Mr. David, they are coordinating a $\$ 500$ billion short against the entire technology and automotive sector that relies on our product," Marcus reported, his voice tight with tension as the global indices flashed scarlet. "They are weaponizing the markets, trying to bankrupt us through sheer liquidity volume and panic."
David watched the monitors, his face devoid of emotion. "They are fighting technology with money. Their mistake is thinking their money is finite."
Prometheus's War on Oil
David turned to Prometheus. "Analyze the synchronized short-sell positions. Identify the exact amount of capital required to not just stabilize the market, but to absorb their entire attack, liquidate their collateral, and assume controlling interest in the critical infrastructure of the collapsing oil empires."
"Analysis complete, Host," Prometheus replied instantly. "The coordinated attack is vulnerable to a precise, massive counter-buy. Required capital for complete, irreversible market reversal and strategic asset acquisition: $20 billion. This action will consume their remaining liquidity and simultaneously acquire all key refining, drilling, and distribution assets at a catastrophic discount."
The number was monumental. It was the largest single expenditure David had ever conceived, a final, total commitment of capital that would decide the fate of the global economy. David glanced at his current balance: just over $14 billion. The System's cashback mechanisms had trained him for this moment. This wasn't merely spending; this was the ultimate strategic move to acquire the entire collapsing infrastructure of the enemy.
"Execute the transfer. $\$ 20$ billion. Prometheus, I want every refinery, every strategic pipeline, and every deep-sea drilling vessel they own. We will not shut down their infrastructure; we will repurpose it for the future."
The command was executed instantly. The Phantom Fund, now backed by an unprecedented $\$ 20$ billion infusion (fueled by the System's cashback from previous purchases), flooded the market.
The effect was not a gradual recovery. It was an abrupt, violent reversal. The sheer volume of David's purchase overwhelmed the synchronized short-sell attack. The short positions instantly imploded, forcing the oil conglomerates and OPEC investment funds into terminal margin calls. The funds attempting to short-sell Aero Corp were instead forced to sell off their own physical assets at fire-sale prices to cover their debt.
On the screens, the chaos reversed. The short sellers were now the ones being liquidated, their wealth flooding directly into Aero Corp's control, managed perfectly by Prometheus.
"Liquidation complete!" Marcus shouted triumphantly. "We just acquired 70% of the world's major oil refining capacity and pipeline infrastructure for a fraction of its replacement cost. The counter-sell has been absorbed. The market is stabilizing, but the oil majors are finished!"
The victory was absolute. The age of fossil fuels ended, not with a treaty, but with a fatal, irreversible market maneuver executed by a benevolent, unstoppable machine.
System Milestone: $20 Billion Cumulative Expenditure
As the dust settled on the financial collapse, a System notification chimed—a frequency David hadn't heard before, signaling a major threshold crossing.
[CUMULATIVE EXPENDITURE THRESHOLD ACHIEVED: $20,000,000,000.00]
[NEW TECHNOLOGY TIER UNLOCKED: TIER 7]
[Blueprint Acquired: GLOBAL WEATHER MANIPULATION SYSTEM]
A torrent of impossible, complex data flooded David's Perfect Recall mind: the schematics for manipulating atmospheric pressure, controlling jet streams, and altering global climate patterns with absolute precision. The blueprint revealed how to weaponize the Earth's own energy and mitigate natural disasters.
David, now standing atop the world's financial, technological, and industrial power structure, looked at the schematics for controlling the planet's weather. He had just annihilated the global energy sector, and now possessed the power to weaponize the sky itself.
"The market is stabilized, Mr. David. What is our next move?" Marcus asked, his voice shaking slightly.
David's gaze fixed on the new blueprint. "They fought us with tariffs and short-sells. The next battle will be political. Prometheus, prepare the Global Weather Manipulation System for immediate, discreet deployment. We must demonstrate the true price of resistance."