3 Up for a challenge?

Takumi gasped for breath, sweat trickling down his face like raindrops on glass. His mind swirled with confusion and disbelief, unable to reconcile the surreal events that had transpired. Part of him wished it was all a dream, but logic swiftly dispelled that notion. After all, he had just been struck by a truck, confronted by a demon, and somehow returned to life after striking a deal with said demon. What possible explanation could there be for any of it? At this point, calling out to logic was pointless.

"I really am alive?...right?" He whispered, then suddenly sprang up into a seated position.

With a quick scan, he recognized his surroundings instantly. The familiar mess greeted him; clothes strewn across the bed and floor, empty cans of instant noodles piled in one corner, a narrow window, and a small desk with a laptop. There was no mistaking it—this was his college dorm, and he was certain of it. Takumi was never one to maintain his rooms but in some way, his dorm room was way more recognizable than all the other places he'd ever slept in.

Just to make sure, he quickly got out of bed and hurried to the mirror at one end of the room. The reflection staring back at him was all too familiar, yet left him speechless. It was his younger self, skinny, slightly pale, and tired. Despite being only 23, he appeared older and more worn out than usual—a problem he'd address later. For now, Takumi was more interested in savoring the moment he had been granted. He felt like a walking fortune teller, with a certainty of 100%.

At that moment, Takumi realized he had everything he needed, far exceeding his initial expectations. If he had known he would be reborn with all his memories, he wouldn't have hesitated to accept the offer. Why? Because of the incredible progress the world had made! Countless business opportunities lay before him, even before they officially existed. It was truly remarkable!

A wider smile spread across his face as he stepped away from the mirror and settled back onto the bed. The next step was what bothered him now; some business opportunities were still on the horizon, while others seemed out of reach. To make swift progress, he needed a carefully planned approach. His first task was to assess the current opportunities available to him, a task he wasted no time in tackling. With swift movements, he powered on his worn-out phone, his gaze fixated on the date displayed before him.

"20/5/2060" was all he could see from the cracks of his screen.

His joy was evident as he glanced at the date; it exceeded his expectations. In just a week, the global launch of E-coin would be announced—a development that initially wouldn't draw much attention. However, within a few months, its value was expected to soar from 30 credits to thousands. For Takumi, this signaled a pathway to wealth. Yet, acquiring those initial 30 credits posed a challenge, as there weren't many businesses around to help him accumulate them quickly. He'd need to save for half a month to reach that goal. A sigh escaped him as the thought of losing the E-coin loomed; the next big opportunity wouldn't come for years, and he wasn't willing to wait that long.

"My goodness you are one hell of a drag!" a familiar female voice echoed in his room, startling him slightly.

The tight space was filled with a sweet, floral scent, catching Takumi off guard as his bed suddenly creaked. Instantly alert, he didn't need to see her to know it was the demon. Her silent entry into the room and her casual demeanor on his bed surprised him. He nearly jumped into a defensive stance at the unexpected intrusion. What more could he anticipate from a demon's visit?

"Can't you just enjoy your new life without stressing over trivial matters? You've been reborn, for hell's sake!" she exclaimed, before effortlessly conjuring a modern beauty magazine from thin air and assuming a comfortable reading position.

The remark initially surprised him, and he felt the urge to retaliate... but a quick thought held him back. He realized he not only had been reborn with his memories intact but also had acquired demonic abilities through the pact he formed with the demon. Could he harness these abilities to generate income? It seemed like a stroke of genius! Surely, they couldn't be useless; after all, he hadn't even begun to explore their potential.

"you know what? maybe I can! with the help of your abilities!" Takumi mumbled out, not bothering Kurayami in any way, but only slightly capturing a portion of her attention. 

"And how do you plan to make use of them? They're not exactly the type to make you a hero." She remarked, casually flipping through her magazine.

This comment nearly caused Takumi to lose his cool. How could he even entertain the idea of becoming a hero when all he desired was wealth and cool abilities? While he had considered the advantages, such as popularity, the disadvantages seemed overwhelming. With his physique, heavy lifting would be exhausting. Moreover, he wasn't one to work late hours, making heroics out of the question. Besides, he wasn't fond of social interactions—more of an antisocial type, to some extent so shrugging off this idea wasn't hard for him in anyway. 

"You've misunderstood me. I never intended to be a hero in any way. I simply want to earn money as quickly as possible," he explained, his gaze shifting between his phone and the clock, his sense of urgency palpable. "I need to come up with 30 credits before the end of the week. How can I use your demonic abilities to help me achieve that?"

At first, Kurayami simply shot a quick glance at Takumi. But once she'd seen that he was serious, all she could do was let out a sigh before closing her magazine and disposing it into the thin air she had first gotten it from.

"If you're serious about this that much then maybe I can find a way to put those powers into good use. The real question is, are you up for the challenge?" she responded, studying Takumi intently as if assessing his readiness. 

A challenge? This gave Takumi pause, but he quickly brushed aside his doubts. He needed the cash, and if she truly knew how to help him leverage his newfound powers, he was willing to do whatever it took...or so he believed. However, his hesitation resurfaced when he learned the specifics of her plan. It wasn't something everyone would readily agree to; it seemed like a risky endeavor, bordering on suicide!