the truth(52)

(A dimly lit apartment. Papers are scattered across a cluttered desk, some filled with scribbled-out words, others blank, as if mocking the writer who couldn't find the right words. A young man sits hunched over, his fingers poised over a keyboard but not moving. His name is Michael Leal.)

(Michael's eyes are hollow. Dark circles weigh down his face. The glow of the computer screen casts an eerie light on him, emphasizing just how drained he looks. He exhales, rubbing his temples.)

Michael (muttering to himself, voice strained):

"Damn it… Why am I even trying?"

(He stares at the screen, a blank document staring back. His mind is exhausted. His life has been a downward spiral, a series of failures that have led him here—rock bottom. He lost his job. His friends drifted away. His family barely talked to him anymore. He had no purpose, nothing left to hold onto.)

(Then—an idea.)

(A single spark in the vast darkness of his mind. A memory from childhood, a dream he once had of creating a world where anything was possible. Where characters were more than just words—they were alive. They had emotions, dreams, struggles.)

(His fingers twitch. Then, they move.)

Michael (whispering, almost to himself):

"I Got Reincarnated Into a Magical World."

(His fingers dance across the keyboard. Words begin to form. A world starts to take shape.)

(Days pass. Then weeks. Michael barely sleeps, barely eats. The world outside his apartment fades away as he becomes lost in his story.)

(A world of magic. A protagonist named Henry. A complex web of characters, each with their own purpose, their own desires. The concept of power tied to knowledge. The struggle against fate. A hero who wasn't truly a hero, but an anti-hero—someone who walked the thin line between light and darkness.)

(And people noticed.)

(His first few chapters gained traction. The numbers climbed. Comments flooded in.)

"This story is insane!"

"Holy shit, the plot twists are crazy!"

"I NEED MORE CHAPTERS!"

(For the first time in years, Michael felt something ignite in his chest. People cared about his work. They cared about his world, his characters. They believed in the story he was telling.)

(His novel became a sensation. It was his success, his own achievement. No one could take this away from him.)

Michael (smiling to himself, reading the newest comments):

"I did it. I actually did it."

(His life, once falling apart, was now moving forward. He could see a future again.)

(And then…)

(A month later. Michael was typing the final chapter of I Got Reincarnated Into a Magical World. The climax. The moment everything built toward. Henry was about to kill his greatest enemy—Blazer.)

Michael (grinning to himself):

"This is it. The end."

(Before he could finish the last paragraph—)

(CRASH!)

(The sound of glass shattering. Michael's heart stopped. His fingers froze over the keyboard. The air turned cold.)

(Then—footsteps.)

(Heavy. Slow. Purposeful.)

(A shadow moved in the darkness of his apartment.)

Michael (panicked, standing up):

"Who's there?!"

(No answer. But he wasn't alone. He knew he wasn't alone.)

(A figure emerged from the shadows. A knife gleamed in the dim light. Michael's breath hitched.)

Michael (shaking, stepping back):

"Wait—please, I—"

(A flash of silver.)

(Cold pain. Burning. The sensation of something wet pooling at his stomach.)

(His legs gave out. He collapsed onto the floor, his vision blurring. His laptop screen flickered, the unfinished final chapter still open.)

(He heard footsteps retreating. The door shutting. Silence.)

(His breath grew weaker.)

(His body felt light.)

Michael (whispering, a weak smile on his lips):

"So this is how it ends, huh…?"

(The world faded to black.)

(A distant voice.)

(???: "Wake up.")

(A cold wind. A sky that wasn't the one he knew. A body that wasn't his own.)

(He opened his eyes. And in that moment, Michael Leal was no more.)

(He was Dakota now.)

(The memories ended. Dakota stood still, watching as his friends processed everything.)

(Henry was the first to speak.)

Henry (exhaling sharply, eyes wide):

"So… that's how you died."

(Dakota nodded.)

Henry (narrowing his eyes, crossing his arms):

"And you got reincarnated into our world, huh? The world you created?"

Dakota (calmly):

"Yeah, I did."

(Henry shook his head, still trying to wrap his mind around it.)

Amelia (softly, almost in disbelief):

"But why? Why were you reincarnated into this world? It doesn't make sense."

Dakota (looking at the ground, then back at them):

"I don't know. But maybe…"

(Dakota clenched his fist.)

Dakota (serious, eyes darkening):

"Maybe when I finally kill Blazer, I'll get the answer."

(Henry blinked.)

Henry (curious, but skeptical):

"Huh? Why would killing Blazer give you the answer?"

Dakota (shrugging, but with certainty in his voice):

"I don't know. I just have a feeling. Like… that's the reason I was reincarnated. To kill Blazer. Maybe that's my purpose in this world."

(Henry was silent for a moment before nodding.)

Henry (grinning slightly):

"Well, shit. If that's your purpose, then I guess you better make it happen."

(Dakota smirked.)

Dakota:

"Yeah. I guess I should."

(The memories had ended. But Dakota wasn't finished.)

(He turned to his friends, eyes gleaming with something unreadable.)

Dakota (smirking):

"Now, why don't I show you how I reacted and adapted to this world? And my real first reaction to seeing you guys."

(Henry raised an eyebrow.)

Henry:

"Huh. Yeah, why not? Show us."

Jack (grinning):

"I kinda wanna see this."

Luna (crossing her arms, smirking slightly):

"This should be interesting."

Amelia (nodding):

"Alright, Dakota. Show us."

(Dakota exhaled, closing his eyes.)

Dakota:

"Well… let's begin."

(The world around them shifted once more.)

(And so, the next memory began.)

Dakota thinking: well I'll just show them like two more memories and after the memories will finally end. and then after that I guess my friends will be waking up with their memories back, oh after this memories ends I'll have a lot of things to do I'll be busy, busy as hell god damn it can't wait to get this over with.