- D-Kira

October 2023.

Shohei was slumped over his desk, looking relaxed, his eyes riveted to his phone. He paid little attention to the bickering of his classmates, absorbed in the video he was watching. On the screen, a mathematician was calmly explaining that it was now statistically impossible for anyone to win the lottery for three consecutive years. What's more, he added that the sum had exceeded 1.2 billion yen, a figure never reached before.

It was then that a curious classmate looked at the screen of Shohei's phone.

- Oh, have you heard the controversy too? According to some scientists, the government rigged the draws to ensure that nobody won.

Another comrade, always ready to add insult to injury, said:

- They're politicians, they'll do anything to line their own pockets!

A third, thoughtful comrade took his turn, looking serious.

- Next Friday, the largest sum ever recorded will be up for grabs: 1,334,567,890 yen. Just imagine if someone won...

Shohei suddenly snapped out of his silence, his casual tone contrasting with the conversation going on around him.

- Seriously, guys, can you hear yourselves talk? It's been three years since anyone's won, as if only now things were going to change.

His comrades, a little taken aback by his intervention, glanced at each other, but one of them replied with a smirk:

- Anyway, I'm going to play next week. If I win, I'll give you nothing, haha.

The rest of the discussion continued in a relaxed atmosphere, but Shohei, distracted by his own thoughts, didn't pay much attention.

That evening, after leaving the university, Shohei returned home, his mind still a little haunted by the day's discussions. As he scribbled absent-mindedly in his notebook, a strange figure suddenly appeared in front of him, obliterating all traces of calm. Before he had time to react, the entity placed a notebook on his head.

Panic-stricken, Shohei fell from his chair, fear knotting his stomach. But the moment he stood up, a flood of memories resurfaced, like a sudden mist dispelling years of oblivion.

- Ah, it's you, Ryuk," said Shohei, recognizing the familiar figure.

- Yes, I've been eating my apples for three years now," replied Ryuk with his mischievous smile.

Shohei then showed him a basket full of apples.

- Here, help yourself," he said, a touch amused.

Without hesitation, Ryuk grabbed an apple and nibbled noisily. As he savored his fruit, he turned his gaze to Shohei, looking interested.

- So, what's next for you?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Shohei, concentrating on his thoughts, replied with icy assurance:

- We're finally going to be able to tell them.

Ryuk raised his eyebrows in puzzlement.

- You're going to ask them to give you the money, but how are you going to recover such a large sum?" he asked, a toothy grin spreading across his face.

Shohei let out a slight laugh, as if the whole thing had already been well calculated.

- Let's move on to the main part of my plan," he replied calmly. I'm going to ask them to rig the draw and give me the winning code directly.

- L, the Japan Lottery has sent us Kira's new letter," announced a member of the team, bringing the envelope to the detective.

L took the letter, his eyes scrutinizing every word with intense concentration. He unfolded the paper, reading it silently, before letting out a slight sigh.

「The allotted time is now up. You are now required to handle the Loto 7 draw scheduled for October 11, 2024, ensuring that the winning code is communicated to me in advance.

You will write this code on this paper and deposit it in the same place where it currently stands tomorrow at 8pm.」

L then turned to his team, his gaze cold and methodical.

- This confirmed Kira's intention to manipulate the print run.

Team members exchanged glances

Team members exchanged knowing glances, some letting out a slight smile.

- But that's the best-case scenario, isn't it? There's little chance of more than one person winning the draw. Then we can go straight back to Kira,

remarked one of them with a gleam of satisfaction in his eyes.

- Yes, what's more, even if he asks someone else to play for him, it'll be impossible for him to hide such a large sum.

added another member, a little more pensive, but clearly confident in the outcome.

The members of the SPK suddenly seemed more serene, a false note of nervousness gone. Their conviction was growing, as they believed they had discovered a flaw in Kira's plan. The trap now seemed perfectly set.

- Well, in that case, let's keep an eye on what's going to happen next," said L, looking thoughtful. Has Kira already found a way to get the money back without getting caught, or is he going to rely on the lottery luck excuse?

A heavy silence settled around the table, each member of the team measuring the significance of this question.

- Whatever his plan," continued L, straightening up slightly, "we have to be ready for every eventuality. Kira's always one step ahead, but this time he won't escape our vigilance.

Their eyes met one last time, determined not to let any false leads sow doubt in their minds.

But one person posed a dilemma.

- But what if Kira decides to do what A-Kira did?

All eyes turned to the voice that had just raised a crucial question. L, ever calm, took a moment to think before answering.

- Let's call him D-Kira," he finally declared. There's no way he'd do it that way. Otherwise, he wouldn't have asked to organize the biggest lottery draw. That would cost him money. Unlike A-Kira, D-Kira wants to pocket as much money as possible. Asking to divide it up among thousands of bank accounts won't do him any good.

L paused, his piercing gaze sweeping over the team members.

- D-Kira has chosen a different, bolder approach. He wants the money to come directly to him, without detours or complications. That's what makes him so much more dangerous, but also so much more harmful.

- What about putting cameras in the room where the winning code is written on the paper?

L, looking thoughtful, listened to the suggestion of one of his members before shaking his head.

- It's no use," he replied calmly. It's obvious that D-Kira will send his god of death to look in his place, and he'll go through the underground.

The next day...

- The paper! It's gone!

L rose abruptly from his chair, his eyes sparkling with concentration. He hadn't anticipated this turn of events.

- If the paper's missing, it means the god of death couldn't have got through walls or other elements to escape with it," he explained quietly. Analyze all the surveillance cameras.

The SPK members hastily complied, scrutinizing every recording, looking for a clue, an anomaly. But to their surprise, there was nothing, nothing that could explain the paper's disappearance.

L, however, followed the surveillance footage with almost supernatural precision. He paused, a flash of understanding crossing his mind.

- I see... Ryuk, the god of death, took the paper with the code and managed to get through the underground.

said L, calmer now that he had his answer.

- The draw will take place next week," said a member of the team, arms folded, tension palpable in his voice.

L, still seated, stared pensively at the screen. He knew that every passing second was in D-Kira's favor.

- Until then, all we can do is wait and see what her next move is," he replied neutrally.

A heavy silence settled over the room. Waiting would be their worst enemy.