Art style: Dark Comic.
A rapid montage of fear symbols: stock tickers of other companies rising, social media posts inducing FOMO, pressure from unseen figures, the Younger Self constantly rushing and looking over his shoulder.
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FINAL STYLE ENFORCEMENT (this is the authoritative rendering directive — it overrides any style wording elsewhere in the prompt):
Render this image in the following art style:
dark graphic-novel illustration — gritty comic book art style, heavy black inking, bold outlines, detailed cross-hatching and dramatic shading. Exaggerated character features, intense expressions, deep wrinkles, highly defined musculature. High contrast lighting. Desaturated grim background colors (grays, browns) with stark contrasting pop-color elements. Satirical and edgy atmosphere, masterpiece comic art.
Every surface, skin, fabric, material, and environmental element must be rendered in this idiom.
Character appearance reference (MUST match exactly):
- Maria (Present): A 35-year-old woman with a peaceful, wise, and confident expression. She has kind eyes, a relaxed posture, and is dressed in comfortable yet elegant clothing. The style is mature and realistic, reflecting her inner calm.
- Younger Self: A 32-year-old man, visually similar to Maria (Present) but marked by stress and exhaustion. His eyes are tired, his posture is tense, and he has a lost, fearful expression. He wears business attire but looks disheveled.
