Kiyotaka Ayanokouji stared at the empty space where Zefir had stood.
'An invitation, not an imposition... Yet, persuasion was unmistakably woven into his words.'
He put on the accessories Zefir had given him and, without looking at anyone in particular, broke the silence.
"What do you plan to do?"
Light Yagami, who had been analyzing the items intently, offered a subtle smile. 'He clearly has a hidden motive. But even so, this opportunity is welcome.'
"The logical step would be to verify if what he said is true," he replied calmly, placing the necklace around his neck. His words sounded neutral, but the glint in his eyes betrayed his suppressed thrill.
Lelouch Lamperouge observed the others before donning the accessories with an elegant motion. His mind spun potential scenarios, searching for a way to seize control of the situation. "I agree, but..." he said, turning toward the group with a piercing gaze, "if we do this, acting alone would be reckless. Joining forces—at least for now—would be the most sensible course."
Senku Ishigami let out a short, mocking chuckle as he adjusted his necklace. He slipped the other accessories into the pocket of his lab coat as though they were mere scientific instruments. "Kukuku... Joining forces, you say. I suppose you have a point. Though... if those worlds are as chaotic as I imagine, we're going to need a lot of preparation."
L Lawliet, hunched in his signature posture with curious eyes, held the necklace between his fingers, examining it as if it were a riddle. He remained silent, processing the situation.
Finally, he placed the necklace around his neck with a slight nod, though he said nothing.
Shinichi Akiyama gave a subtle nod. He eyed the accessories with a measure of distrust before deciding to put them on.
Yuuichi Katagiri, wearing a carefree smile, took the accessories and put them on nonchalantly. Yet his eyes gleamed with a dangerous cunning. 'How kind of him to give us the "freedom" to choose. It would be an insult to let something so entertaining go to waste.'
He turned to the others, pointing to the necklace around his neck. "He's right. But... if we really can travel to any world with this, we should test it first."
Keima Katsuragi, for his part, barely shifted his eyes from his console. He picked up the accessories with an indifferent demeanor, putting them on without giving them much thought. "Do whatever you want. As long as you don't interfere with me, I have no problem working together."
Light Yagami, noticing the lack of communication among those present, took the initiative with his customary charisma. "Before we do anything, I believe it would be prudent to introduce ourselves. After all, cooperation will be mutual from here on out." He paused briefly, displaying a polite smile. "I'll start. My name is Sosuke Tsubasa. Pleased to meet you."
The others looked at him for a moment, weighing his words.
Kiyotaka was the next to speak, his tone completely devoid of emotion. "Kiyotaka Horikita."
Lelouch raised his chin slightly, displaying his innate elegance. "Schneizel Lamperouge."
Senku spoke simply. "Senku Oki."
L, hunched over and toying with the ring, introduced himself without looking away from the accessories. "Rue Ryusaki."
Shinichi introduced himself plainly. "Shinichi Wakayama."
Yuuichi, his lopsided grin intact, added in a light yet deliberate tone, "Tenji Mikasa."
Finally, Keima, without looking up from his console, said, "Kamie Nanase."
Following the introductions, Lelouch retook control of the conversation.
"Then, to test these accessories, let us return to our original worlds. We shall speak again afterward."
"Indeed," Light commented, touching the necklace with his fingers. "We can plan more effectively later."
Senku nodded, casually observing the ring. "Later we can also test the potential limits of these things."
"Then let's make it quick," Yuuichi added, keeping up his act. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm eager to complete the counter."
Almost simultaneously, they activated their necklaces, focusing on the names of their original worlds. Within seconds, everyone vanished from the space.
From their perspectives, it felt as though the world simply reconstructed itself in a heartbeat, leaving them right where they had previously disappeared.
_____
[Location: Death Note - Unknown Country - Unknown Location.]
L Lawliet observed the familiar surroundings of his room.
Although his expression remained unreadable, his eyes analyzed every detail.
The return had been surprisingly simple—almost unnerving. Though he wouldn't admit it openly, Zefir's words continued to echo in his mind like a haunting melody.
For now, he was beginning to consider their meaning from a different perspective, but the notion of being a pawn in a grander design felt uncomfortably plausible.
However, he set those thoughts aside for later. There were more immediate priorities.
He calmly approached his computer, sat on the floor, and adjusted the microphone with a practiced motion.
"Watari, I need you to record everything I am about to say from this point forward."
At his monitoring station, Watari listened in silence.
His eyes had locked onto the feeds when he saw L abruptly materialize out of nowhere, but he didn't allow surprise to breach his composure. In his position, caution was a strict necessity.
"I am listening, sir. Give me a moment..." he replied serenely, activating the recording equipment and retrieving a notepad to jot down key details by hand.
L, aware of the caution in Watari's voice, did not bother to question it. Had their roles been reversed, he would have acted with equal prudence.
He waited a short moment until Watari's voice came through once more.
"Ready, sir. You may begin whenever you wish."
L gave a subtle nod.
"Suddenly, all I could see was an impossible landscape," he began, his tone soft. "A place where pure white stretched beyond the horizon. It appeared to be a completely empty world. The illumination suggested an open space rather than an enclosure, yet it was impossible to pinpoint a concrete source of light."
L paused, as if gathering his thoughts, before continuing with the same methodical calm.
"I encountered eight individuals there. Judging by their behavior and speech, seven of them were ordinary humans. I will describe them one by one. Sosuke Tsubasa: a young man of Japanese appearance, likely a high school student. Slight build, messy brown hair of medium length. Brown eyes, thin eyebrows...".
With uncanny precision, L began describing them all, noting physical traits, behavioral patterns, and every detail that might prove useful in the future. Certain individuals received far more granular breakdowns due to their proactive involvement.
Upon finishing, he let a heavy pause linger before continuing.
"Watari," he said finally, his tone hinting at the utmost gravity of what followed. "That is all I can tell you for now. I intend to return to that place. I shall return in one hour at most. If I fail to return within that timeframe..." L let the sentence hang in the air for a moment, weighing the impact of his words. "...make the necessary preparations."
Watari remained silent, processing the flood of information.
From the moment L began speaking, he had not interrupted once, even as the account verged on the boundaries of logic.
Yet only a few seconds passed before he answered with the characteristic efficiency and composure that defined him.
"Understood, sir. I shall be waiting."