the truth(53)

(The memory starts. A grand estate, surrounded by lush greenery. The morning sun shines through the windows of a luxurious mansion, bathing the room in golden light. A young boy, no older than three, sits on the floor, staring at his tiny hands. His name is Dakota.)

(Dakota's parents, noble and powerful mages, stand near the doorway, watching their child curiously.)

Dakota's Father (Leon):

"He's been sitting like that for an hour. What do you think he's doing?"

Dakota's Mother (Elena):

"Who knows? He's always been different."

(Dakota suddenly lifts a hand. A spark of mana flickers into existence, forming a small flame at his fingertips. His father's eyes widen in shock. His mother gasps.)

Leon (stunned):

"Magic…?! At this age?! Impossible!"

Elena (eyes wide):

"Dakota, dear, did you just… awaken magic?"

(Dakota, mentally much older than his physical age due to his reincarnation, smirks slightly. He already knew this world's magic system. He knew how to manipulate mana instinctively. His past life's memories gave him an edge over everyone else.)

Dakota (grinning slightly):

"Guess I did."

(His father immediately kneels, placing a hand on Dakota's back. He channels a small thread of mana to examine Dakota's core—what he finds leaves him speechless.)

Leon (whispering in disbelief):

"His magic core… It's fully developed already… This is unheard of."

Elena:

"Dakota, my dear, do you know what this means? No child has ever awakened magic before the age of six, and you—!"

(Dakota looks at his parents, feigning childish innocence but internally, he knows exactly what this means. This was his first step to greatness.)

Dakota (smiling mischievously):

"Does this mean I'm special?"

(His parents exchange glances before nodding.)

Leon (grinning proudly):

"Yes. You're a genius, Dakota."

(Time skips forward. Dakota, now four, is practicing magic under his father's watchful eye. He effortlessly controls elements—fire, wind, water, and earth—all at an age where most children hadn't even felt their mana yet.)

(His rapid progress shocks not only his family but the entire noble society. Word spreads fast—"A genius is born.")

(A gathering of noble families watches Dakota as he demonstrates a high-level spell.)

Noble 1:

"He's only four? This is beyond comprehension!"

Noble 2:

"The boy is destined for greatness."

(Dakota barely listens. He already knows he's ahead of everyone. Instead, he's focused on something else—preparing himself for what's to come. This world wasn't just a fantasy anymore. It was real, and he was living in it.)

(Age six. Dakota enters a prestigious magical academy for young noble children. Here, he meets the first friends he would make in this world.)

(A training field. Dakota stands opposite three students—Lucas, Ava, and Mia—while Liam watches from the sidelines. They are all skeptical of him at first, having heard the rumors of the "Genius of the Leal Family.")

Lucas (smirking, crossing his arms):

"So you're the famous Dakota? Hope you're not just talk."

Ava (nodding, her arms glowing with fire magic):

"Let's see what you've got."

Mia (calmly, adjusting her gloves):

"I'm curious to see if the rumors are true."

(Dakota simply grins, raising a hand. Instantly, a powerful burst of mana erupts from him. The sheer pressure alone causes the ground to crack. Lucas, Ava, and Mia freeze in shock.)

Liam (eyes widening, whispering):

"Holy shit."

(The spar begins. Dakota dominates effortlessly. He dodges their attacks, counters with perfect precision, and displays power far beyond what a six-year-old should be capable of.)

Lucas (panting, dropping to one knee):

"Alright! Alright! I give up! What the hell, dude?!"

Ava (gasping for breath):

"No six-year-old should be this powerful!"

Mia (smirking despite her exhaustion):

"Incredible… You're truly something else."

(Dakota extends a hand to help Lucas up, grinning.)

Dakota:

"Told you I wasn't just talk."

(From that moment on, they became friends. And Dakota, for the first time since arriving in this world, felt something warm—something real. Friendship.)

(Age thirteen. Dakota steps onto the grand campus of the Heroes Academy. The place where the strongest young talents in the world gather. But to him, this wasn't just any academy—it was where the story he wrote was supposed to begin.)

Dakota (to himself, looking at the grand gates):

"So I finally made it here. Well… it's time for my story to actually begin."

(He walks through the entrance, scanning the crowd. And then—he sees him.)

(The protagonist of his novel. The character he created. The one destined to change the world.)

(Henry Banks.)

(Dakota stares, taking in the sight of the boy who was supposed to be the hero.)

Dakota (smirking to himself):

"Guess I should introduce myself soon."

(Over the next few weeks, Dakota meets the other main characters—Amelia, Luna, and Jack. He watches them closely, comparing them to how he wrote them in his novel. And, amusingly, he starts predicting everything before it happens.)

(The memory fades. Dakota and the others return to the present.)

(Henry crosses his arms, looking at Dakota with an unreadable expression.)

Henry:

"So… that's how you first met us, huh?"

(Dakota shrugs.)

Dakota:

"Yeah. I thought of you as characters at first."

Henry (raising an eyebrow):

"Characters? You didn't think of us as people?"

Dakota (defensive):

"Okay, maybe I did, but not now, alright? What else was I supposed to think of you as?"

Henry:

"I don't know… Maybe friends?"

Dakota:

"I did think of you as friends. Just… a week or a month after we met."

Henry (grinning slightly):

"So you thought of us as puppets before?"

Dakota (annoyed):

"No, no! Characters, not puppets! Characters!"

Jack (smirking):

"What's the difference?"

Mia & Amelia (together):

"Yeah, what's the difference?"

Dakota (groaning, rubbing his temples):

"There is a difference! Shut up, man. Whatever. Let's just get one more memory, okay? One more, and then we're done."

(The others nod, still amused.)

(Dakota sighs, preparing for the final memory.)

Dakota (quietly, to himself):

"After this… it'll all be over."

Dakota thinking: finally after I show them this memory it will all be over with, this memories will finally end and after that it will just be chaos.