Fourteen days.
That was the number Elara had just spoken in front of the most powerful people on Earth.
Fourteen days before the world economy collapsed.
Fourteen days before chaos.
Fourteen days before the game Damien Volkov had secretly been preparing for years would finally begin.
And now…
every eye in the hall was locked on Elara Hart.
Waiting.
Judging.
And fearing that she might actually be right.
---
The summit hall exploded with noise.
Leaders stood from their seats.
Reporters rushed forward.
Voices overlapped.
"This is outrageous!"
"You can't make a claim like that!"
"Where is the proof?"
Ares stepped forward slowly, standing beside Elara.
His presence alone forced several people to step back.
Calm.
Cold.
Unshaken.
But his eyes were fixed on Damien Volkov.
Because Volkov was smiling.
Not surprised.
Not angry.
Amused.
Marcus muttered under his breath.
"Yeah… that's not the reaction of an innocent man."
---
Elara raised a single hand.
The hall slowly quieted.
"If you want proof," she said calmly.
"I will give you proof."
The giant screen behind her lit up again.
Charts appeared.
Complex financial models.
Global supply chain movements.
Energy reserve manipulation.
Currency flow predictions.
Elara walked toward the screen.
"Three months ago," she said, "a hidden network of shell corporations began purchasing massive quantities of rare energy metals."
Another chart appeared.
"Those metals are used in energy grid stabilizers."
The audience leaned forward.
Because suddenly—
this was starting to make sense.
Elara continued.
"Seven weeks ago, those same corporations quietly began shorting international power infrastructure companies."
Marcus whispered.
"Oh damn…"
Luca nodded.
"They're preparing for energy collapse."
Elara turned toward the crowd again.
"And once energy collapses…"
She paused.
"…every economy collapses."
The room went completely silent.
---
A voice broke the silence.
Volkov.
Slow clap.
Again.
"You're brilliant," he said calmly.
"But brilliance doesn't equal power."
Elara met his gaze.
"You're planning to crash the system."
Volkov smiled slightly.
"I'm planning to rebuild it."
Gasps spread across the hall.
He spread his hands slightly.
"The current system is fragile."
"Corrupt."
"Controlled by old money and outdated institutions."
His voice grew colder.
"So yes."
"I plan to break it."
Some leaders looked horrified.
Others looked thoughtful.
Because part of what he said…
wasn't wrong.
Ares stepped forward now.
His voice calm.
"But you won't control what happens after the collapse."
Volkov turned toward him slowly.
"That's where you're wrong."
He looked at Elara.
"Because she will."
The room froze.
Marcus blinked.
"…what?"
---
Volkov pointed toward Elara.
"She built the only predictive system capable of stabilizing the next global economy."
He smiled.
"And once the current system crashes…"
His voice lowered.
"…the world will beg for Helios."
Suddenly everyone understood.
Helios wasn't just technology.
It was the replacement system.
Volkov's entire plan was to destroy the old economy—
so that Helios would become the new foundation of global power.
Luca whispered slowly.
"This man wants to reset the entire world."
Marcus replied.
"Yeah… small ambition."
---
Elara's eyes hardened.
"You think I'll help you."
Volkov shrugged.
"You don't have a choice."
The room tensed.
"You built the future," he said calmly.
"And when the old system collapses…"
"Every government will force you to activate Helios."
He leaned closer slightly.
"You will save the world."
His smile returned.
"And I will control it."
---
Ares moved closer to Elara.
Protective.
Dangerous.
But Elara didn't step back.
Instead—
She smiled.
A small smile.
But confident.
"You made one mistake."
Volkov tilted his head.
"Oh?"
Elara looked around the room.
At the leaders.
At the cameras.
At the world watching this moment live.
"You assumed Helios can only stabilize a broken system."
She tapped the screen.
The entire model changed instantly.
New numbers appeared.
New simulations.
New predictions.
Volkov's smile slowly disappeared.
Because the numbers showed something impossible.
Helios could stop the crash.
Before it even happened.
The room erupted again.
People shouting.
Leaders standing.
One man yelled loudly.
"You can prevent the collapse?!"
Elara answered calmly.
"Yes."
Volkov stared at the screen.
For the first time—
genuinely shocked.
"You're lying."
Elara met his gaze.
"No."
She stepped closer.
"And now your plan is finished."
---
But Volkov suddenly laughed.
Loud.
Uncontrolled.
"You still don't understand."
His eyes darkened.
"I don't need the collapse anymore."
The room went silent again.
Because his next words were worse.
Much worse.
"I only needed the world to believe it was coming."
Elara froze.
Ares's eyes sharpened instantly.
Volkov smiled.
"Because fear…"
He gestured toward the cameras.
"…is the most powerful weapon on Earth."
The world now believes a global crash is coming.
Markets are already reacting.
Stocks falling.
Energy prices surging.
Governments panicking.
And Damien Volkov just proved something terrifying.
He doesn't need to destroy the world.
He only needs to make it believe it's about to collapse.