-Prologue-

How would you react if you woke up one fine morning and realized that the world you live in is nothing more than a comic strip imagined by a man from your former world?

I think few people would react the right way if they were in the same situation as David, a young 22-year-old US Marine, who woke up with a system, an abstract vision of the future, and the memories of his past life.

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-October 21, 2006-

I smiled as I looked at my reflection in the mirror, and a completely stupid thought crossed my mind:

'Given that I had a past life, am I Ronald or am I David?'

"DAVID!"

'Well, I guess my mother just gave me the answer.'

"I'm coming!"

"Come here right now!"

Sitting at the table, my father was glaring at me while my mother looked worried.

I smiled and then said, already knowing I was about to get scolded.

"Good morning, how..."

"How dare you?"

"Dare to do what?" I said, knowing perfectly well why I was being reprimanded but deciding to play dumb, probably annoyed by my 86 years of life experience combined, being scolded.

"Do you want to play dumb with me, kid?" he said, as if I were still a cadet in the army.

I sighed and then said, "What was I supposed to do when that old racist bastard humiliated me in front of the entire barracks?"

"Anything would have been better than punching him in the face in front of 400 witnesses. He’s a colonel in the United States Army, and you disgraced your uniform by acting like that, as well as the family name I’ve given you."

Okay, I have to admit, I shouldn’t have done that, but what else was I supposed to do after all? I was a spoiled rich kid who had a father that was a lieutenant general in the US Air Force.

"The only reason you’re still free is ME," he said.

I pretended to lower my head and then said in a falsely repentant tone, "I apologize."

He shook his head and then said, "You’re 22 years old, you’re an adult now, so you’re free to go wherever you want."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what it means: you have one hour to leave. From now on, consider that you are no longer my son," he said angrily.

Even though I had already lived another life, it was the first time I had heard those words from my parents, and the anger and sadness I felt couldn’t be more my feelings, which reassured me that I was still myself despite my past life.

"One hour?! I..."

"Nothing more to say, you still have your 3 years of salary in your account, find something and try to get hired as a firefighter or policeman somewhere where they’ll take you."

'Which I mostly used to party,' I thought, annoyed at the mere memory of my naïve rich kid memories.

I frowned, then without saying anything, I got up abruptly and went to pack my things. I tried to calm my anger, but nothing worked because I couldn’t feel anything else.

'If only I could have recovered my memories before this moment' was the only thought in my mind.

"So it's true, you’re leaving?" said my little brother Ronald.

I smiled and then said jokingly, "Yep, it’s finally the time when you get my room to make a video game studio."

He smiled slightly before saying, "I really don’t understand why you have to leave, he insulted you first, he called you a nigger, and Dad has punched a guy for less than that."

I rolled my eyes and then said, "Please, don’t compare me to the great Lieutenant General Copperfield. I’m just a lowly ex-captain of the Marines who got fired for insubordination."

He said nothing, then I said, "You know, honestly, what I did wasn’t smart, but those are the rules in the army, rules I didn’t respect. If you ever have to follow the same path as our illustrious father, make sure you always keep your mouth shut and take your revenge at the right moment, paying back a hundredfold for whatever those bastards did or said to you."

He nodded, then after a quick hug, I left the house where I was born without stopping to say goodbye to my parents.

[Congratulations on completing the hidden mission ‘Leaving the Nest’.]