[Location: Death Note - Japan - Tokyo - Nerima - Private Residence.]
Reclined on his bedroom bed, Light Yagami stared at the Death Note, lost in thought.
"Death Note..." he whispered, repeating the name of his world.
Whether by coincidence or not, everything seemed to revolve around that object. Or, at least, that was what he could infer.
As if needing to confirm it once more, he pulled out the pendant and held it up before his face.
According to Zefir, after a certain amount of time, the crystal would reveal the name of the world he was in. The symbols engraved on its surface were meant to match those inscribed on the notebook.
And indeed, they did.
Even if the script wasn't identical in shape, the meaning was the same.
Light exhaled slowly.
That was unsettling, to say the least.
With that confirmation, no doubts remained: the true owner of the Death Note would eventually show up. And when he did, he wouldn't come merely to reclaim it.
He would come to judge him.
...
Light closed his eyes, resting his hands behind his head.
He set that scenario aside and focused his thoughts on Zefir and the other "coworkers."
The thought of using the Death Note on them crossed his mind, but it was discarded almost instantly.
Zefir was not ignorant of the notebook's existence.
And even if that assumption proved wrong, it was hard to believe such an artifact could affect them through conventional means.
Worse still: if he were exposed, the outcome was easy to foresee.
Becoming a pariah and facing total isolation would, paradoxically, be the best-case scenario. Under that premise, a quick death might even be considered a mercy.
"It doesn't matter..." he whispered, more to convince himself than anything else.
Until recently, he was convinced that only very specific scenarios could pose a threat to him.
Now, he felt with total clarity something he had forgotten:
The helplessness of being human.
It was like wearing a chain around his neck—invisible, yet ever-present. One that could tighten at any moment and force him to bow his head.
At that thought, Light took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
In a few hours, he had classes he couldn't miss, an image to maintain, and a daily life to uphold.
The most pressing matter, for now, was getting some sleep.
That afternoon, after classes and picking up a few groceries at a sakana-ya, Light returned home.
As he approached his desk, his gaze drifted almost out of habit to the counter in the upper right corner of his vision.
[5347 / 10000.]
He had made significant progress. And now, he had to continue judging criminals.
At that thought, a faint—almost amused—smile formed on his face as he opened the drawer and retrieved the Death Note.
"Looks like you took a liking to it..." a deep, raspy voice remarked behind him.
Light's body reacted before his mind could.
"Ahhh!"
He whipped around, staggering back until he bumped against his desk, bracing himself with both hands to keep his balance.
Standing before him was a truly grotesque, humanoid creature.
"Why are you so surprised?" it asked, blissfully unaware of the visceral repulsion its appearance inspired.
Ryuk was tall and misshapen. Uncannily thin, almost skeletal. His hunched posture certainly didn't help, and his massive, unblinking yellow-rimmed eyes, combined with a twisted grin that showcased razor-sharp teeth, made him all the more unsettling.
"I'm the owner of that notebook. The Shinigami Ryuk," he introduced himself, taking note of how tense and alert Light remained.
"From the way you were acting, it seems you know it's no ordinary notebook... don't you?" Ryuk continued, half-expecting the human, Light Yagami, to react the way he had heard humans usually do.
Of course, Light Yagami was no ordinary human.
Initially, he had merely been caught off guard. Now, his mind was already regaining its footing.
"So... a Shinigami, huh?" he murmured, straightening himself up carefully.
From this moment on, he would have to measure every word. Every gesture. And, above all, determine whether he could gain this Shinigami's favor.
"I'm not surprised, Ryuk," he said with forced composure. "In fact... I've been waiting for you... Ryuk," he added, a smile playing on his lips.
"Ohhh...?" Ryuk tilted his head, intrigued by the sudden shift in demeanor.
"I had no doubt the notebook belonged to a Shinigami..." Light continued, picking up the Death Note. "But seeing you with my own eyes... allows me to proceed with absolute certainty." He flipped the notebook open and held it out toward Ryuk, revealing page after page covered in names.
"I see... I've gotta admit, now I'm the surprised one," Ryuk commented, not particularly intending it as flattery. "I've heard stories about Death Notes dropping into the human world... but you're the first one to use it this many times in just five days."
Light mentally filed that detail away for later.
"Anyone else would've lost their mind before going this far," Ryuk added, his curiosity piqued step by step.
"I am prepared for anything, Ryuk," Light replied, acutely aware that he was standing before a potential judgment. "I used the notebook knowing full well it belonged to a Shinigami. And now, that Shinigami is here."
He paused, letting the statement carry its full weight.
"What happens now? Are you going to take my soul... or something along those lines?"
In the worst-case scenario, he hoped Zefir would step in. After all, he had been a diligent worker.
"Huh...? What's that? Some human fantasy?" Ryuk responded indifferently.
That answer allowed Light to discard, for now, the option of fleeing to the White Space.
"I'm not gonna do a thing to you," Ryuk continued, his expression and posture remaining entirely unchanged.
"Eh...?" This time, Light couldn't hide his utter confusion.
"When a Death Note hits the human world, it belongs to the human world..." Ryuk explained, before adding, "So now, it belongs to you."
"It belongs... to me?" Light repeated, casting his gaze down at the notebook.
And for better or worse, that single sentence lifted a portion of the heavy weight resting on his conscience.
...
After some time, Ryuk explained the reasons behind the notebook's appearance, and Light, in turn, spoke of the world he intended to forge.
"And I will become... the god of this new world."
It wasn't a mere performance, nor was it a full confession.
It was a delicate balance right between the two.
'I knew it. Humans are...' Despite having maintained the exact same vacant expression for centuries, Ryuk couldn't stop his grin from widening slightly, a thrill pulsing through him. '...so interesting!'
Unluckily for him, Light caught that tiny shift in his grin.
'There it is,' Light thought. 'That's my leverage.'
He turned around and gazed out the window.
While he could afford to wait a bit longer to resolve some of his questions, he couldn't simply ignore the existence of supernatural beings like Shinigami.
"I know I said that would be my last question... but Ryuk, I want to know more about you Shinigami," he said, sitting back down in his desk chair.
"Hmm...?" At the question, Ryuk seemed somewhat curious. "What do you wanna know?"
"For instance... Who created the Death Notes?" Light asked, expectant.
"Dunno..." Ryuk answered lazily, settling onto the bed. "They've just always been around."
Ryuk could vaguely sense that Light was going to press him with increasingly troublesome questions, but he wasn't particularly bothered by it. As long as it kept things entertaining, he didn't mind answering a few.
"I see..." Light didn't miss the subtle shift in Ryuk's mood, but he detected no sign of deception. Given that Ryuk hadn't blinked even once this whole time, Light was genuinely relieved that the creature was displaying at least some emotion.
"So then... what about the Shinigami? Do you know who creates you, or... whether you can die?" Light pressed further, exercising a bit more caution this time.
Ryuk chuckled softly. "Heh, heh... Man, you really went there, huh?" He scratched the back of his neck with one of his long, spindly claws, looking more sluggish than intrigued by the question.
"I'm not your mentor, Light Yagami. Nor am I your ally or your enemy." He paused before continuing. "I'm just an observer... got it?"
Of course, Light understood completely.
Ryuk's words made it crystal clear: he wasn't going to answer any more questions for free.
Knock... knock...
"Light...?"
From the other side of the door, his mother Sachiko's voice cut through the silence.
...
Later, Light stared at the basket of apples sitting on his desk.
Curiously, while his mother was handing them over, he had noticed a subtle shift in Ryuk's relaxed posture.
"Interested?" Light asked, holding one up.
"..." Ryuk remained silent.
In truth, he was thoroughly interested.
Back in the Shinigami realm, there existed a variant that could loosely be called an "apple." However, they were gray, dry, juiceless, and bitter. Eating them was more out of habit than enjoyment—just something to pass the time.
"I'll answer three questions in exchange for those three apples," Ryuk offered, deciding his earlier refusal had been a bit hasty.
"Heh..." Light smiled.
Without overthinking it or attempting to bargain, he handed over the basket.
Curious, Ryuk held an apple in his hand and examined it closely, rotating it slowly.
Then, he took an exaggerated bite; the sound was sharp and crisp.
Crunch... crunch...
"Delicious..." Ryuk muttered, unable to keep his thoughts to himself.
"Good to hear." Light leaned back in his chair, still unsure how to categorize Ryuk. "Now, answer."
"Mmm..." Ryuk took another massive bite of the apple, devouring it entirely before answering with reluctant slowness.
"Look, don't get your hopes up. There's no grand history or 'sacred origin' to tell. At least, not one I know of."
He paused to admire the remaining two apples.
"Who creates us? There are no births in the Shinigami realm. We simply... exist."
He picked up another apple and began savoring it before answering the second question.
"And dying? Sure, we can die. If our lifespan runs out, we vanish."
His eyes shifted to the last remaining apple, and he spoke again. "You've got one question left...".
Light, meanwhile, carefully analyzed Ryuk's words.
Unlike before, Ryuk seemed noticeably more energized while answering.
"Lifespan..." Light whispered to himself. He had already heard Zefir mention something similar, but learning that Shinigami also possessed a finite lifespan piqued his interest.
He had plenty of other questions he wanted to ask, but he would hold off until he had more apples on hand. It was crystal clear that Ryuk became far more agreeable with fruit nearby, and Light had time on his side.
"So, Shinigami aren't so different from humans after all..." Light commented, a trace of irony in his voice. "While we're on the topic, I'd like to know..." he continued, lifting the Death Note.
"Besides passing the time by writing down names, what do you actually gain from killing humans?" His eyes drifted across the names inscribed in the notebook, a faint, amused smile gracing his lips.
Ryuk quickly devoured the last remaining apple, feeling he had waited long enough.
"Lifespan," he answered simply.
He looked at Light and added, "We Shinigami can extend our own lifespans thanks to humans."
"...? Extend your lifespan?" Light repeated, taken aback.
Seeing Light's interest, Ryuk quickly added, "Yeah. But if you write names in the notebook, it won't extend your life. Heh, heh... curious, isn't it?"
Light let out a soft sigh, feeling a touch sheepish.
He couldn't deny that the possibility had briefly crossed his mind.
"Yeah, yeah. Very curious..." Light scoffed, no longer interested in hearing more.
He turned back around, intending to resume cleansing the world of evil.
"Still, I've got a deal that might interest you...".
However, Ryuk's voice rasped out once more from behind him.