The world reeled in the aftermath of Lukas Martin's audacious oil deal. Headlines blared from every network and newspaper: ONE MAN STABILIZES ENERGY MARKET. Some called it brilliance, others tyranny. But as markets absorbed the shock, another wave of panic struck. Lukas's own companies—his vast empire spanning tech, media, logistics, and finance—suffered a brutal reaction. In a single week, share prices plummeted, wiping $500 billion off his net worth. Analysts screamed of overextension, of hubris, of a bubble ready to burst.
Wall Street buzzed like a hive of hornets. Traders dumped Martin Global stock. Pundits declared the emperor finally naked. Rivals whispered gleefully that his empire would break under its own weight.
But Lukas? He did not flinch.
