[240] Scripting the Dead
"Incredible! Absolutely incredible!!"
"The twists and turns in this episode gave me chills!"
"Most importantly, the first episode wastes no time in making its theme clear!"
"Without forensic specialists, a seemingly ordinary yet truly suspicious death would have been hastily dismissed!"
"Without their relentless efforts, the virus leak would have gone unnoticed, causing more harm! And without their unwavering pursuit of the truth, the real culprit would have never been uncovered!"
"What's even more remarkable is how the main story flows seamlessly while subtle side plots are skillfully woven in."
"Even though these details are only briefly mentioned, they enhance the depth of the narrative."
"The breakup at the end of the episode, for example, felt inevitable, considering the build-up."
"Given Babai's backstory, it's clear that the next episode will revolve around her!"
"But seriously, how did such a well-structured story come together in such a short time!?"
"If it were anyone else, I might have doubted it, but if it's Akifumi, I totally believe it!"
"This is the same person who wrote Madoka Magica and Steins;Gate! You can't judge him with ordinary logic!"
"Still, even if he's a genius, coming up with such a perfect story on the spot seems impossible! He must have had this idea long ago and refined it just in time for the competition."
"That actually makes a lot of sense!"
"Yeah, that explanation is much easier to accept."
"But either way, it's still insanely impressive!"
"Unfair! Everyone else is making up stories on the spot, but Contestant #13 gets to use his old work!"
"That's like failing an exam because you never studied, then complaining that others finished too quickly!"
"Seriously, why shouldn't he use the stories he's built up over time?"
"Instead of questioning him, maybe ask why the other contestants didn't have a story prepared in their minds?"
"..."
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As debates raged in the livestream chat, Akifumi, having completed the first episode, finally leaned back on the sofa, deep in thought.
His expression suggested he was already planning the next installment.
Meanwhile, in the official judges' stream with Kana and the other three panelists, they had shifted their focus to other contestants.
After all, this was a competition, not Akifumi's personal showcase.
No matter how compelling his story was, they couldn't just focus on him alone.
As a result, none of them realized he had already completed writing the first episode in its entirety.
After a brief rest, Akifumi returned to the blackboard and began outlining the next episode.
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Episode 2: The Last Words of the Dead
The Unnatural Death Investigation Lab, where Mikoto works, receives a request from the police to examine a group suicide site by carbon monoxide poisoning.
Four bodies are discovered. Detective Mori insists it's a simple case of suicide, but Mikoto insists on an autopsy!
The results confirm that three of them died from carbon monoxide poisoning, consistent with suicide. However, the last victim, a young girl, was found to have died from hypothermia!
Even more shocking, Mikoto finds a handwritten plea for help inside the girl's stomach!
It was murder!
Despite their superior Kurasawa's objections, Mikoto and her colleague Rokuro decide to investigate the message, determined to uncover the truth.
As they get closer to solving the case, they unexpectedly find themselves in danger.
With their lives on the line, Mikoto sends the only data she managed to collect.
Relying on that limited information, Nakado finally pinpoints their location just in time to save them.
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Episode 3: The Unexpected Witness
Mikoto testifies in court as a witness for a murder case that happened six months ago, where a housewife was killed.
The defendant, her husband, Yoichi, pleads guilty, claiming he killed her because he could no longer endure her psychological abuse.
However, during the trial, Mikoto notices something unusual—the knife presented as evidence is not the actual murder weapon...
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Episode 4: Who Do We Work For?
Sano, a devoted husband and father, dies in a sudden motorcycle accident one night.
Without life insurance, his wife and children are left without financial support. Desperate, the widow seeks help from the law firm where Mikoto's mother, Natsuyo, works.
Three possible causes of Sano's accident emerge:
Extreme fatigue due to excessive overtime at the factory.
A mechanical failure caused by a botched repair job.
A misdiagnosis by his new physician, who failed to detect a critical illness.
Each scenario points to a different responsible party.
But when Mikoto conducts the autopsy, the cause of death is officially ruled as an accident. However, is that really the full story?
As the investigation progresses, the hidden truth slowly emerges.
Meanwhile, the Unnatural Death Investigation Lab receives a death threat, and Nakado's dark past begins to surface...
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Episode 5: Revenge From Beyond the Grave
Tired of Nakado's abrasive personality, Sakamoto finally quits.
With staff shortages, the two smaller teams are merged into one. Nakado is assigned to assist Mikoto's team.
That day, a young man named Suzuki visits the lab, requesting an autopsy for his drowned wife.
Though eyewitnesses claim she jumped into the river herself, Suzuki refuses to believe his wife would commit suicide. He pleads for them to find the truth!
Mikoto proceeds with the autopsy, until the funeral director, Mokurin, rushes into the lab in a panic.
He reveals that the body was stolen from the crematorium!
In other words, Mikoto, as the lead pathologist, has just committed corpse desecration!
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