“Blyat!!” A loud curse resounded through the air, startling those nearby.

That was a trip down the memory lane that Viktor didn’t want to see a repeat of.

He gritted his teeth furiously, resisting the urge to curse at the voice that was laughing at his misfortune. However, as he opened his mouth, he let out an enraged scream instead.

But then, he suddenly realized that he was on his bed in the bunker. To be exact, he just woke up.

“Huh… so, that was all just some very bad, crazy dream?!” muttered Viktor as he tried to make sense of what he had just experienced.

However, Viktor must admit that when he woke up, his body was drenched in sweat, as the luxurious clothes he wore clung tightly on his damp body. His breathing was labored as if someone had stepped on his chest, and his head felt like he had just been banging it against a wall.

He had drunk himself to sleep so many times with all the wild parties he held, but this hangover certainly made it to number one in the list of the worst hangovers he had ever had in his life.

“What exactly did I drink last night to have this shitty dream..?”

As Viktor stood up, he could clearly feel the alcohol in his system still exist as his head was spinning. Stabilizing himself, he then took careful steps to the bathroom to wash his face. He splashed a large amount of freezing cold water on his face in hope that the awful feeling would swiftly go away.

However, a voice came back like a fleeting whisper in his ears._-.

<I wonder what you’re going to do now?>

Surprised, Viktor turned around on instinct to see who said it, only to discover that there was no one else with him.

“Ooo my god… I must have gone mad!” said Viktor with a horrified look.

Viktor decided to quickly wash his face in ice-cold water and pinched his face just in case before he walked out of the room. However, as soon as he did, there was a knocking sound on the door.

“Viktor!! Let’s go!! It won’t be as fun without you!”

He opened the door, only to see half a dozen girls had already waited for him in front of his room. They were all clad in small bikinis showing off their luscious body and pure-white skin, and the moment he stared at them, they pulled his hand, inviting him to join in the fun with cheerful laughter.

Their curves and the feel of smooth skin holding him had always brought a smile to his face. However, the little voice he heard and the awful dream he just experienced left him unable to enjoy it. The sense of deja-vu as he followed them and entered the warm jacuzzi room was fresh in his mind.

Everything was, action for action, the same as his dream, mere hours before that baneful monstrosity’s attack claimed their lives. On the other hand, though, he had enjoyed similar activities daily in the last two years, so it was hard to be sure which was true and which was false.

A few minutes passed, and Viktor still submerged in his thoughts as he watched his friends cheerfully talk and laugh with each other. Like a persistent pull, his gut feeling kicked in, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on edge.

He decided to walk out of the jacuzzi, wrapped himself with a towel, and walked towards the entrance.

As he stared at the steel door, he could feel his heart beat faster.

<kekeke, awful gut feeling? You are quite good>

Viktor took a deep breath, looked around to ensure no one was there, and said to empty air.

“Tell me I didn’t go fucking crazy.”

<You did not.>

“Arrrghhh!” Viktor hit his head hard and thought that was exactly what his crazy mind would say to himself. But if there was any chance that this really was true then he would be in mortal danger any second now.

<Actually I can help you with that… let me show you something.>

This time it was not a voice, it was more like a message that enter directly into his mind

[You received a Quest]

[Congratulations for being alive. Define your destiny and evade your untimely death. You have 3 hours to survive]

[Quest reward: one Battle art – Rank C]

[You have 2 hours and 17 minutes left]

When Viktor heard the explanation, he once again laughed at the absurdity of all this. There was no way drinking could make him imagine all this. Perhaps if he took drugs… But he had never taken any, for it was not good to maintain his youthful skin.

He walked toward the living room, headed to the minibar and took some time to make himself a glass of orange brandy, the best drink for such a stressful situation. As he sipped on the drink, all those experiences that happened before, the black monster entering and killing everyone was again played in his mind.

He took a large gulp, finished the whole glass, calmed himself down, and said.

“You are listening, aren’t you?”

<Yeah>

Viktor took a deep breath and said, “Tell me who you are, and explain this situation in detail.”

<kekeke.. Good question.. I am the all-powerful Djinn and the Divine Fate has linked us together. You Viktor Romanov have been given a second chance of life>

Viktor wasn’t satisfied hearing such an answer.

“What does it actually mean? And what’s with the quest and reward? What is a freakin’ battle art?!”

<Unfortunately I was bound not to say much. As powerful as I am, I am destined just to be your guide.. Let’s just say that fate took an interest in you. If you do the task correctly, you will get a reward>

Viktor was annoyed, because this Djinn seemed to always talk in riddles.

“Ok… What will happen if I don’t do the task?”

<Keke.. Fate had just saved your life moments ago. Let just say Fate owns your life now.. So be a good kid and do the task given… and I am sure it will worth your time kekeke>

Viktor couldn’t believe such a thing was happening to him. He was glad to be alive, but to be bound with a nonsensical being in his head was just another level of craziness.

<Before you decide to do anything, may I suggest you do one little thing first?>

The next sentence that the Djinn spoke made Viktor quickly head toward his room in a rush. It was because this would have been proof that this was all true or he had simply lost his mind.

When he entered his room, Viktor set out a long sigh. There it was, an old bronze Persian lamp under the cover of his blanket.

A treasure that was supposed to be inside the vault and the one he touched before he died.

Viktor once again took a deep breath. He was somehow having this vision that his years of decadent life were finally over.

A Djinn and a lamp, isn’t it supposed to grant him wishes? Why is his the other way around? Telling him he needs to do tasks and stuff.

With a quick thought about the quest, a message once again entered his mind.

[You have 2 hours and 5 minutes left]

Well, he really couldn’t argue if the quest is about saving his own life, right?