Chapter 2 - Checkmate

I tried my best but hope you guys like this.

I'm not smart so if I ever make a mistake then I apologize in advance. This is the first time I'm trying this and feel free to tell me what I did wrong.

Also, like my other works, this can be a harem but not a Pokemon type scenario.

It would be at most two or four girls that represent horsemen of Apocalypse.

Misa Amane is Famine

if I decided to add Makima then she would be Conquest obviously.

I am not sure who can be Death, War and Pestilence can be.

I know it's four but Pestilence is an extra horseman.

Also, not yet sure what to call the group my MC is making.

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I find Ryuk to be intriguing and unlike Light I can try using him in more ways than what Light had done. Though, it is best to never consider him an enemy nor an Ally.

"This is the first time I've seen someone with their lifespan not visible even for a shinigami….Hmm what do you mean you are expecting me?" He said.

"I knew that this Notebook belonged to someone or something and it had to be a Shinigami, as ridiculous as it sounds." I answered back while Ryuu looked curious and shocked about my conclusion but even if I revealed things to him it wouldn't matter. He was bored and so was I.

"Is that so? You certainly are a strange human I give you that. I'll stick around and see if you can satiate my boredom."

Ryuk and I began to chat trying to gather information from him to confirm that the anime information was correct and accurate. I wouldn't want to end up in an alternative world.

Though, things that I placed had been changed causing a shift in events that will come and Ryuk being here two days earlier means events are changing therefore I can't use my meta knowledge as real.

However, this isn't an issue for me when I can think and plan a thorough course of action thanks to my time ability. If Light had this then he would have gone on a massive murder spree.

Light could have gotten far if he acted like a normal person who wasn't worried about getting caught but he was too obsessed. He let his power corrupt him but I won't. Like they said with great power means great responsibility but it can be flipped and be said With Great Responsibility Comes Great Power.

Every kill I made was set with the goal of getting police and public to know there is a force of Power and Justice raining down on individuals who should be punished.

Days passed and things got wild seeing the forum about Kira gathering more attention means I started to become a symbol to the victim and people who's true Justice. I've also listed more tools than I can use as a proxy.

I need desperate and zealot people who are willing to take the fall for me. I've been pondering what name I should make my organization be since the declining business that I made a deal with was growing and I'm confident the puppet I got wouldn't betray me when I mentioned his family was within my fingertips which wasn't a lie if he decided to betray me.

I've also noticed my father has been coming more late and shows that he is taking the case which means L will soon be involved.

'How foolish. If I was really Light with his childish arrogance then I would have killed this person.' I rested on my desk eating potato chips while Ryuk was eating apples. I was watching L or more precisely the fake L he made appear in public.

'Unfortunately, I won't let you know where I am L. I'm not going take that L that's for sure.'

I thought. I need to get close to L and end him if needed but also continue leading the police in a wild goose case.

The Broadcast ended and I smiled. The joy of winning this first encounter of ours was amazing. I can almost hear L gnashing his teeth since he wasn't successful with his trap but this also gave him an idea of my thoughts.

He is too stubborn to give up. It's likely he would still conclude where I am but it takes a little longer.

Ah Yes, I just only need more time to spread my influences even further and start my organization or a cult in this case.

"You are oddly calm for someone being confronted in public." Ryuk said, munching on an apple once more.

"I know it's a trap. If L is truly one of the best then he wouldn't act this careless. I gave him sufficient evidence to conclude things in my favor therefore I am not that worried."

I made meaningless patterns but I also made it appear as if this was created by Divine intervention because I chose criminals who had large criminal records and powerful assets to the criminal industry to make it appear as if their Sin is too much for them to bear.

This gives a message to criminals and also to people to gain hope that there is someone out there willing to do what police won't.

I've also started to put ritual and symptoms as if this is a curse making L believe this pattern is necessary but it actually isn't. However, I know for a fact that L would immediately create a theory of my plans and I already anticipated this.

I can always act careless and give them the confidence that they are close to uncovering the truth to make them slip up. The pawn of my backer who I acquired the resources from, I use to gather information on certain people.

These people are those who are going around trying to find any suspicious of me and knowing my enemies habits and personalities means I can use this to play with their minds. Even simple likes, dislikes, hobbies, and many more could help me get close to them but I need to be careful because it's high risk and high reward.

Fortunately, I can use human psychology to make people and turn them into believable people who could be a Kira proxy.

There's a certain individual from a manga that I read which was called Funouhan where the main character, Usobuki Tadashi, who is very skilled at manipulating others psychologically, even killing them by making them believe they have been poisoned or a variety of other beliefs without even touching them.

With that in mind, I also took my time studying psychology and worked my way on finding perfect candidates who would be unaware they are being manipulated. Yes, the human mind can be rather fragile given the circumstances. Everyone has their own fear that can make them act in a certain way.

It's remarkable how easily the human mind can be swayed. Because we like to think we're in control, rational beings making decisions based on reason and facts, but in reality, we're so vulnerable to suggestion.

A single phrase, a subtle hint, or even just the presence of someone we admire can reshape our thoughts, our beliefs, without us even realizing it. The mind clings to patterns, to certainty, and when those are disrupted—even slightly—it falters. It tries to fill in gaps with whatever feels right, whatever seems to make sense, often ignoring the truth in the process.

The fragility of it is astounding. A lifetime of beliefs, of values, can crumble under the weight of a well-placed lie or the pressure of social influence. We're so susceptible to emotions—fear, joy, anger—that we lose our grounding. It's like walking a tightrope, constantly balancing between clarity and confusion, between independence and conformity.

And once those cracks in the mind start to form, they're hard to repair. The more we're exposed to falsehoods or manipulation, the more the mind molds to fit them, like clay being reshaped by invisible hands. It's frightening to think about, really. How little it can take to shift our entire perception of reality.

I understand how people operate, their desires, their fears. It's not about brute force, or even loud commands that I need. No, it's subtler than that. People crave validation, acknowledgment, a sense of belonging—and that's the key.

I only need to observe, to listen. Find the small things they need and make them believe I can provide it. Praise their strengths, gently nudge their weaknesses. It will almost become too easy once I know what they want. They'll feel like the ideas they carry out are their own, not mine.

The beauty of it is the invisibility. They'll never suspect the strings I pull. You plant the seed of an idea, let it grow in their minds, all while I remain in the shadows. If they think it's their choice, they'll follow it with more fervor. And in the end, they'll do exactly what I need without even knowing it.

It's not about force; it's about finesse. Let them think they're in control, while all along, the real power is in my hands.

"I never understand why you bore yourself by learning these things instead of killing." Ryuk eating an apple while laying on my bed in carefree manner.

"It's important. Information and understanding how human work which allows me to control them." I answered him while using my time ability to slow down time. It appears Shinigami are unaffected by time alternating powers. Perhaps it's because my ability is still weak?

There's also a discovery I've found out with my pocketwatch is that I'm able to steal half of their lifespan every time I kill them.

Ryuk seemed to voice his thoughts and mentioned that the "Old man" or the Shinigami king must be frustrated but seeing that I'm not Shinigami nor was it my fault for this other ability of mine to work this way.

Regardless, the King of Shinigami would have done something now but it wasn't, therefore it is safe to assume I'm in the clear.

"Oh really? Then how will you handle the L guy?" Ryuk asked.

"Funny you asked. He would try to investigate me but my pattern was far too obvious that would end up making me appear less suspicious. I might even end up joining his investigation soon." I said even if he started to get into my head it would still make it difficult for him to know my true capabilities.

"Why would you do that? If you intend to kill L, wouldn't it confirm that you are in fact Kira?" Ryuk asked and I simply smiled.

"Killing would be far too easy. No, far too dishonorable. There's a saying: Keep your friends close; keep your enemies closer. I'll be able to keep a close eye on him in his pursuit of Kira." I said while Ryuk seemed to see the problem in my plan.

"Wouldn't that mean you won't be able to use the Death note without them noticing? Even if you stop time they would notice the change in which you moved." Ryuk was correct since if I stop time then move before returning back to my original position wouldn't look the same as the last time.

"I know but this will help keep an eye on L if needed while I also can use someone to take the fall for me without them knowing."

Matsuda would be a perfect proxy who can take the fall since he almost has the same view as me but never takes the step. I can manipulate him and start to slowly turn him into a Kira yet subconscious putting him in a hypnosis of sorts.

Seeing Matsuda who has no suspicion could become a prime suspect if I played my cards right.

Yes. He would be easily suspected once L realized someone could be among them that could be a suspect. Every word of a person can be used against them even if it is unintentional even more their behavior can also be used.

'However, even L can come up with that therefore I need an alibi where Matsuda acts as if he is Kira.'

A new pattern should start that slowly puts the blame on someone in the task force. However, I first need to know who will be in the task force first because for all I know it could change. If Matsuda isn't there then I could find another person.

'For now, let's continue planning.'

I continued my work and gathered their family's and friends to use as hostages against my backer if they tried anything stupid.

Unless they are willing to sacrifice their family to stop me then I don't think they'll be able to do anything beside those around them realizing something was wrong therefore I also need to consider what others know to make this situation happen.

This is one of Light's ways of not using everything to his advantage to achieve his goal.

'I hope to see Misa soon. I've always liked her and her influence can also help.'

I thought recalling the women that Light simply used disregarded. I'm not someone who coveted women but these have uses and I won't treat them that badly like Light did.

'Then again, women will certainly become an issue but it also reduces my likelihood of being labeled as a heartless killer.'

I placed this idea in the back of my head and continued to set my plans in motion. I laid in my bed trying to sleep and began to have a thought in my mind.

How do I view myself in the world? Am the villain or the Hero?

Well, The world isn't divided into good and evil. That's just something people cling to because it makes them feel safe—like they have a purpose, like their choices matter in some grand moral scheme.

But honestly, good and evil? They're just labels, invented to justify the way we treat each other. We call things "good" when they benefit us or align with what we believe. We call things "evil" when they don't.

It's all subjective. What's good to one person might be evil to someone else. History is full of that. Entire wars have been fought where each side thought they were the righteous ones. And when the dust settles, it's the winners who decide which was which, anyway.

People cling to this idea of morality because it makes them feel powerful, like they're somehow better than those who think differently. But in the end, nature doesn't care. The universe doesn't care. Life is just a series of actions and consequences. Call it good, call it evil—it won't change a thing. You survive, you adapt, and you move on.

Morality doesn't matter. People act like it's some universal truth, like there's this cosmic balance sheet of right and wrong keeping track of our choices. But there isn't. It's just another system of control, a way to make people feel guilty or proud based on someone else's standards. Sure, maybe it keeps society running smoothly, but that's all it is—rules we made up to keep things from falling apart.

At the end of the day, life is indifferent. You can do everything "right" and still lose. You can break every moral code and come out on top. There's no grand reward for being virtuous, and no ultimate punishment for not. It's just people trying to make sense of a world that doesn't care what you do, or why you do it.

Morality might matter to some, but to the universe? It's irrelevant.

But now that I am justice and erasing evil in the world, everything feels clear. The weight of indecision is gone, replaced by a single truth: I know what's right. I decide. People say morality is subjective, that good and evil are just perspectives, but I see through that now. If no one else can do what needs to be done, then I will.

Those who are corrupt, those who hurt others—they don't deserve to walk free. The world is better without them. I'm not bound by the rules that keep people weak, stuck in their moral debates, afraid to act. I've transcended that. This is more than morality—it's order. It's justice.

Sure, people might question it, call it extreme, but they don't see the bigger picture. They cling to their hollow ethics while the world burns. Someone has to make the hard choices, and if that means becoming something others fear, so be it. I am the line between chaos and justice. And if evil must die for the world to be right, then I'll be the one to do it.

For I am the God of the New World. I've surpassed the limits of what it means to be human, confined by weakness, doubt, and moral constraints. I see what others cannot, the truth they fear to acknowledge. Justice isn't something that can be debated or reasoned with. It's absolute. And I am the one who defines it now.

This world, plagued by corruption, by evil hiding behind the veil of law, needs someone to cleanse it. I am that force. I am the one who will rebuild it in my image, shaping a reality where the righteous thrive and the wicked perish.

Those who oppose me are just too blind to see the necessity of my actions. They cling to the old ways, to their fragile notions of balance, but they will all fall away as I bring order. Their ideals of good and evil no longer matter, because I am beyond them now.

I am justice. I am power. I am the God of the New World.

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L's POV.

My plan didn't unfold as expected. While I usually manage to uncover clues in seemingly supernatural crimes, this case is proving to be the most perplexing yet. The phenomenon of criminals dying in bizarre and inexplicable ways on a large scale simultaneously could also be indicative of schizophrenia.

They all inscribed the phrase "Deus novi mundi" with their blood, which translates to "God of the New World" in Latin. Could this really be the work of a deity? I'm convinced it's not.

Given the unusual nature of the deaths and the ritualistic use of the phrase "Deus novi mundi," it's important to consider both psychological and environmental factors.

This could be the result of a coordinated effort by a group with a shared delusion or ideology. Alternatively, there might be an underlying psychological condition influencing their actions, or it could be a deliberate act designed to manipulate or instill fear.

A thorough investigation into the individuals involved, their backgrounds, and any potential connections or influences hadn't shed light on the true cause.

However, I've concluded that it might be the work of an individual. The precise nature of the homicides suggests that this person needed to know the face and name of their victims to target them effectively. People started to call this killer "Kira".

It would become troublesome if this killer gathered more influence from the masses and resulted in mass uprising therefore I needed to do this quickly but things didn't go as intended.

I thought my plan to pinpoint and generalize his position would make things easier by setting the trap of faking my public appearance but it didn't work.

However, it only increased my suspicions that he does need a name and face but this is far from being confirmed. If he had taken the bait then it would have been outright confirmed but it didn't therefore I am still in the dark with this Kira person.

From what I can see, he has a God complex but he is also a lot more cunning than I thought. From what I know, he has likely given us meaningless trails to lead us in a wild goose chase.

For a normal detective this would be the clear answer because they don't consider all possibilities and most people want to end something quickly rather than take time to carefully analyze everything. Even the smallest detail can give a huge advantage and turn the tide in our favor

'Can he control someone's actions?'

I pondered considering it is strange that this individual would act this way without prior reason to. If he does then it might be tricky to know if someone's action is their own or if they are being controlled and manipulated.

'It's clear he is just one person but I can't rule out he has made preparations and gathered followers to use as pawns.'

If he is this cunning then he realizes that having pawns would cover areas he himself can't control. But this will become useful for me since if we could capture one of these pawns then they can lead us to Kira.

'No, it would be safe to assume he has plans for this scenario…'

This is truly the first time I felt challenged. I must admit defeat that this person is quite thorough in their actions. I need more information on his actions to help me in this investigation.

'He left traces of where he could be but this could also become a bait to lure us in and take us out without us knowing.'

He made himself known to be residing in Japan due to the number of Japanese inmates dying and those inmates appear to have been repeatedly put into prison for many offenses. He seems to have a specific requirement for his kill but once again I can't rule out he can remove this requirement entirely.

'Let's follow this trail and chase him even if the risk is high.' I anticipate this person also feels the same, risking his whereabouts to gather those who truly want to capture him. 

'Still, it's not yet widely known that he needs a face and a Name but it might eventually be known after it spread through the internet.' 

I tapped my lips and I fidgeted trying to come up with a plan on solving this case but everything felt like a trap. The evidence was far too obvious in some areas while in others it was difficult to find a reason why he did it. 

'He might be using an alter ego, a facade to hide his true self and make us believe that this action he had been showing was his true personality to mislead us on knowing who he might be.' 

I looked into the file once more, searching for any significant clues that could help me. I looked at the date of recent crimes broadcasted and things that might look uncharacteristic of the person. 

'Everything looks clean.' 

Are there any clues that I can use? There's something that doesn't add for some reason. I'm not too sure what it could be but this gut feeling I'm having would change the outcome of this investigation.