Chapter 3 (Part 1) - The Demonstration

Detective L found himself up against a particularly cunning adversary. His team, made up of members of the SPK, worked tirelessly to track down the new Kira. They analyzed every detail of the messages broadcast on SakuraTV, desperately searching for a clue that might lead them to him.

L (talking to his team): "We need to find a way to track down this new Kira. It's essential to put a stop to his actions before things get out of hand."

But L soon realized that this would be no easy task. The new Kira was extremely cautious, leaving no trace behind. His communications with the world were through the SakuraTV television channel, making any identification of his identity virtually impossible.

L (continuing to discuss with his team): "This individual didn't pay any attention to this new law we'd introduced, because he knows his plan is infallible. He only communicates via SakuraTV, and he seems to have taken every precaution to protect his identity. We need to find a way to break through his anonymity, but it won't be easy."

Moreover, L's astute observation began to notice disturbing similarities between the methods used by this new Kira and those previously employed by A-Kira, the Death Note salesman. However, he doubted it was the same person.

L (thinking): "This Kira is different. He's targeted a smaller age group, so we can assume he's between 16 and 26. We need to be even more resourceful to stop him."

Looking more closely at the figures, L noted a subtlety in Kira's asking price. The sum strangely corresponded to the sum of the GDPs of Asia's biggest economic powers. However, there was an enigmatic element: Kira had also included the United States in the calculation. L wondered why Kira had taken this precaution. What's more, he'd included China, but the chances of them cooperating were risky. What was Kira's real intention in adding the USA and China to the equation?

L was facing a formidable adversary, but his determination to protect society from the abuses of the Death Note was undiminished. The mental duel between the renowned detective and the new Kira would continue, with each side seeking to gain the upper hand.

As L and his team struggled to track down the new Kira, a rumor began to circulate on social networks, spreading panic among the population. The story told of the tragic death of a 102-year-old woman, who was killed by her own son using the Death Note. Rumor had it that pages from the Death Note had become entangled in the white leaves that Ryuk had thrown from the sky, causing the woman's death.

This terrifying news spread like wildfire, fueling the population's fears and worries. People began to fear that anyone, anywhere, could unknowingly fall victim to the Death Note, that deadly pages would slip through innocuous leaves.

The city was plunged into a climate of mistrust and fear, with people dreading that the power of the Death Note could turn against them at any moment. Peaceful days were now tinged with anxiety, as no one knew who might be the next victim of this deadly notebook.

Shōhei, watching events unfold from his room, smiled wryly as the rumor of the 102-year-old lady who had died because of the Death Note spread like wildfire. Ryuk, floating beside him, looked at him curiously.

"You were expecting that, huh?" he asked, a mocking smile in his squeaky voice.

Shōhei nodded, replying: It was inevitable. Humans are ready to seize any opportunity to sow even more chaos than it already is. It's in their nature.

Ryuk, understanding the viciousness of human nature, burst out laughing. "You've really managed to get them on board with your game, breeding paranoia and rumors. They're so easy to manipulate."

Shōhei nodded, replying: It was inevitable. Humans are ready to seize any opportunity to sow even more chaos than it already has. It's in their nature.

Ryuk, understanding the viciousness of human nature, burst out laughing. "You've really managed to get them on board with your game, breeding paranoia and rumors. They're so easy to manipulate."

Shōhei went into a fit of giggles too: It was just a matter of time. People love the idea of mystery and danger. They rush to fill in the blanks with crazy stories.

Ryuk, satisfied with the predictable human reaction, shook his head. "They'll never change, will they?"

Shōhei smiled, replying, "No, and that's precisely what makes them interesting."

To calm the population and counter the growing panic, Shōhei decided to intervene through the SakuraTV channel. Once again, he used Ryuk as his messenger to transmit his announcement to the world. Millions of viewers saw a sign floating mysteriously in front of the TV cameras.

On it, Shōhei had written a reassuring message: 

「The rumor that people have gained access to Kira's power is probably unfounded. The chances of this happening are only 0.002%. To allay your fears, we are offering permanent compensation for the power of Kira. For the next 24 hours, anyone wishing to receive compensation should make a donation of 867,501 Yen ($5782) to NPO Senior Support Japan. We thank the association's staff that the conditions are being met.」

Shōhei's message, broadcast live on television, was intended to calm the population and offer compensation to an organization that was helping the elderly. Ryuk, true to his agreement with Shōhei, acted as messenger.

The compensation proposal was designed to allay concerns and attempt to bring some serenity back to a society traumatized by the recent Death Note rumors.

"NPO Senior Support Japan! Isn't that an association that helps the elderly?"

L quickly noticed that the new Kira, whom he decided to call R-Kira (Rogue-Kira) in reference to her rebellious, outlaw and crook, seemed to be deliberately complicating the situation by asking for transactions involving different methods. This strategy was probably intended to confuse him and lead him down the wrong path.

L (chatting with his team): At first, I thought R-Kira might be a young adult, as when he first applied, he involved adults up to 26. However, the situation has evolved. Now it seems clear that he wants everyone to benefit.

"Do you think he's trying to lead us down the wrong path, L?"

L: That's one possibility. He might also want to demonstrate his ability to reach a wider audience. But we can't be sure until we know more about him.

Elsewhere, in a conversation between two friends, the discussion turned to R-Kira's ads.

"Don't you think this is all too weird? I mean, the fact that even Japanese forces can't stop it?"

"Yeah, it's creepy, man. I've heard of some youtubers claiming to have gotten pages of Kira's power for real. They post videos where they point to people, and a few minutes later, they're supposed to die."

"Honestly, do you believe it?"

"I find it hard to believe, but there have been some scary stories floating around, like the famous streamer fps_shaka apparently witnessing a live demonstration of the power. It's creepy."

"Yeah, I've heard about that too. But hey, you never know with this internet stuff. Maybe it's just staged, like there are plenty of them."

"Yeah, I heard about that too. But then again, you never know with this internet stuff. Maybe it's just staged, like there are plenty of those out there."

"It's true that it's worrying, but have you seen the terms of the compensation? They want us to donate 867,501 yen to the NPO Senior Support Japan organization. That's way too expensive for me."

"You're right, the money would be welcome, but I can't afford to donate such a sum. Besides, there's only a 0.002% chance of it actually happening, isn't there?"

"Yes, you're right. I don't think it's worth spending so much money on something so unlikely. I'm simply going to be more careful and avoid putting myself in danger."

"That's a wise decision. Let's hope it doesn't happen again and that it's all just a rumor."

Initially, the sum requested for compensation was indeed so high that only a few well-to-do people, including international public figures, could afford to pay. In fact, many of them used these donations to present themselves on social networks as supportive and altruistic individuals, thereby reinforcing their public image. However, the situation changed dramatically when a desperate mother, worried for her daughter's safety, decided to make a financial sacrifice.

Mother (addressing her husband): Kazuki, I can't bear to see our daughter like this. She's terrified, and I'll do anything to protect her.

"But darling, you know that this sum is enormous. We can't afford to lose so much money."

"I know, Kazuki, but I can't bear to leave our daughter in this situation. If it will protect her, I'll pay it."

Her decision was made. The mother went to the Kyoto bank and paid the ¥867,501 needed to compensate her daughter for the Death Note. She waited anxiously, hoping that her decision would put an end to her daughter's anguish.

After the mother had paid the compensation, word quickly spread, and SakuraTV reported that someone had indeed paid the sum requested for her daughter's safety. Ryuk then approached Shōhei, curious as to what the next step would be.

Ryuk: "So, what do you plan to do now, Shōhei?"

Shōhei, confident in his plan, explained to Ryuk that he intended to prove publicly that the compensation was real.

Shōhei: There's an experiment I'd like to try with this Death Note, and I intend to try it now. The world will want proof that I'm not lying, and we're going to provide it.

Shōhei once again relinquished his claim to the Death Note, allowing Ryuk to make his way to the SakuraTV television set.

On the spot, Ryuk held up a sign on which he had written a crucial message for L and the rest of the world. He explained that in the next few minutes on SakuraTV, presenters would be asked to write the name of the daughter of the lady who had requested the indemnity, Harumi Yuki. If Harumi didn't die, this would prove the veracity of the Death Note.

Ryuk added an important element to this statement: if L suspected that the presenters were simply writing on a normal piece of paper, he only had to observe their reaction. Indeed, as soon as the presenters touched the Death Note's piece of paper, they would be able to see Ryuk, which would be irrefutable proof of the notebook's authenticity.

As the SakuraTV presenters prepared the piece of paper on which they were to write the name "Harumi Yuki," they discovered that the paper was in fact an assembly of two pieces held together by scotch tape. One of the presenters, a man with an anxious face, dared to touch the piece of paper. At that moment, he felt a shiver run down his spine, but he wasn't ready for what was to come. When he looked up, he found himself face to face with Ryuk's bulging yellow eyes, floating right next to the piece of paper. The man panicked and stepped back, knocking over his chair. Ryuk, invisible to the other spectators, whispered to him: "If you don't write down the name, no one will believe you. Just do it." 

Trembling, the man replied, "Yes... Yes I will..."

When the time came, Harumi Yuki manifested herself by making a live video call to SakuraTV. Everyone could watch, and as the presenters wrote down her name, the concern was palpable. 

Trembling at Ryuk's threat, the man finally relented and wrote the name "Harumi Yuki" on the piece of paper.

He then transcribed Ryuk's words, asking the audience to wait 40 seconds.

The 40 seconds passed slowly, and the spectators held their breath. However, to everyone's surprise, Harumi did not die.

The whole world witnessed the event live, and the proof that she had been compensated was now undeniable. Shōhei had succeeded in demonstrating the power of the notebook while maintaining his own safety.

Presenter: (incredulous) She... She's still alive!

The audience began to murmur amongst themselves, some realizing that they had witnessed a supernatural event live on television. Doubt had given way to a certain belief in the veracity of Shōhei's announcement.

L, for his part, began to take the investigation seriously, as he was confronted with irrefutable proof of the Death Note's existence.

Just as everyone seemed to be rejoicing, Ryuk showed a new sign to the audience. This one was addressed directly to L.

「L, if you're really determined to get your hands on Kira's power, I offer to purchase it for ¥220,000,000,000 ($1,474,051,874). Should you accept this offer, a wager will be organized for adults aged between 26 and 50 residing in Japan, where each must wager at least ¥157 ($1). The wager will be on your success in possessing Kira's power. You will be required to divide your sum and the entry fee equally between all the winning bettors.」

The audience was divided. Some saw this new offer as a chance to put an end to all this murderous madness, while others remained skeptical about the reality of the proposal. Murmurs and discussion intensified as people debated what to do next.

"It's incredible! If L accepts this offer, we could finally be safe."

"Plus there's a huge sum to be won!"

After posting the message on the sign, Ryuk quickly returned to Shōhei so that the latter could reclaim his rights to the Death Note. Meanwhile, viewers, torn between hope for a peaceful resolution and fear of further shenanigans, preferred to sign up en masse for the proposed bet. The SakuraTV studio was abuzz with excitement, as many young adults rushed to place their bets in the hope of winning big money, even though L had yet to announce his decision...

"I went to bet, that's it. I hope I win."

"L, you can't ignore this opportunity. This is our chance to end this threat eh."

"We don't care about the opportunity, the most important thing is to bet!"

"Did you see that, man? That bet's easy money!"

"Yeah, it sure is! L can't refuse. Kira knows that very well Haha."

"Exactly! And with the amount he's asking, we can make a nice little fortune if we bet correctly."

"We're all going to bank on L getting the Death Note. It's a no-brainer, right?"

"Totally. I mean, who could resist a power like that? If he refuses, there'll be suspicion on him. Kira's really played a master stroke."

"We'd better get our bets right. I don't want to miss this opportunity."

"Haha I only earn ¥148,016 ($991) a month. You'd better take the L offer!"

As the bets piled up, tension mounted throughout the country, as everyone eagerly awaited L's reaction to Shōhei's bold proposal.

Ryuk, back with Shōhei to reclaim his rights to the Death Note, couldn't help but ask a question that had been nagging at him.

Ryuk: Tell me, how did you manage not to kill Harumi when the presenter wrote her name on a real piece of the Death Note?

Shōhei replied with a smirk, revealing his trick.

Shōhei: It was bound to happen that way. The rule says you have to write the person's first and last name. But what if I wrote it in the Death Note but on several different pages? I simply tore off two pieces of Death Note from two separate pages and stuck them together with a piece of tape. In this way, I ensured that only Harumi's name could be written, thus avoiding any other unfortunate consequences. And as a result, the viewer actually wrote on two separate pages of the Death Note.

Ryuk, always eager for tricks and stratagems, could only stand in awe of Shōhei's ingenuity. The Death Note was a powerful instrument, but there seemed to be many secrets yet to be discovered.

Ryuk: You based your plan on a simple theory. It was risky...

Shōhei: If it hadn't worked, I would have simply made the Death Note available to everyone, because that would mean I'd lost. Dude I don't care about your notebook, if I use it it's simply because I'm bored.

Ryuk: You know, you could be killed by this power.

Shōhei: Apart from a few students who know me, I'm very discreet in the school. And even if I were, people often misspell my first name.

Faced with the enigma represented by this new Kira, L realized that he had few means of tracking him down. This Kira's actions were skilfully orchestrated, and he communicated with the world only through the SakuraTV channel, leaving very little trace behind him. No fingerprints were left on the signs either.

L, having carefully considered R-Kira's demands, was beginning to understand the subtlety of her plan. The exorbitant price of compensation was a deliberate strategy to ensure that only the wealthiest public figures could afford to pay. R-Kira had sensed their desire to boost their public image by showing their generosity. It was a master stroke at manipulating the elite.

As for the seemingly simple bet, L was wary of its simplicity. He wondered if R-Kira hadn't concealed something more complex beneath the facade. He knew that underestimating his opponent could be fatal, especially when it came to someone as cunning as R-Kira.

But faced with this impasse, he made an unexpected decision. He realized that the best option for ending this threat was to accept Shōhei's offer. He had no other choice, as the stakes were too high and the new Kira was far too elusive.

It was thus that, despite his pride and determination to solve cases on his own, L resolved to accept Shōhei's offer, ready to pay the price demanded to obtain the Death Note. This decision would inevitably change the course of the investigation and the confrontation between L and the mysterious Kira, whose identity remained carefully hidden.

~ How to use it LIII:

The Death Note will not take effect if you write a specific victims name using several different pages.

But the front and back of a page is considered as one page. For example, the Death Note will still take effect if you write the victim's surname on the front page and given name on the back.