This story that takes place between Chapters 13 and 14.

Kira's requiem is coming to fruition. Secretly alive, Light Yagami has managed to cheat death and has returned with a new persona: that of CEO of the Tsuku-Yoki Corporation, Shinto Izanagi. Here, his Grand Agenda flourishes, and his creulity knows no bounds, willing to punish anyone that crosses him or learns his secret!

"Cruel Intentions"

Part One:

"Freedom"

In the Boardroom on the third floor of the Tsuku-Yoki Tower (that used to be the old Kira Task Force Building before it was sold), the board members of the Tsuku-Yoki Corporation gathered for the weekly meeting to discuss the financial well being of the company.

The company had become very profitable, and with Shinto Izanagi as its CEO, it had soared to new heights. The Stockholders were extremely pleased with its versatile hold on the world markets' and it had grown to extend its already wide influence even further, building 'citadels' on every continent.

If only the world knew that Kira was behind the infinite face behind the company, would they may think twice about its dealings? However, Kira had remained quiet for the most part, and his killings were sparse. Still the fear of Kira loomed in the minds of everyone in the world. Unlike in the past, Kira only killed now when it was absolutely necessary, and to hide his location.

Shinto Izanagi sat at the head of the elongated dark oak table in the Boardroom with its eight other members, none of them looked happy. And he knew why. Business wasn't the issue, it was something else that he had announced his corporation was doing. He took a moment to glance up at a side wall with a large intricately framed painting of The Battle of Sekigahara, the largest in Japan's feudal history. Few knew of its significance to Shinto, however—it not only symbolized death, but also a rebirth. Like himself.

Shinto cleared his throat behind his mask. Years ago, as per the story, he was burned by an acid attack when a rival to his company threw acid at his face. Since then, he took to wearing a mask. Over the years, he altered its look—since he had decided to engage with the public more, stepping out of as a recluse, like he had previously been known for, to become a pillar of ecumenical wealth and status.

He had several different masks designed and crafted, everyone one of them for separate occasions and for public events. He was renown all over the world for his masks. To the board members, it was a normal sight. Rumour had it his face was so badly burned and scarred that it looked like was melting off. So, wearing a mask was both prudent for his company's image and a personal one.

But the whole story was a lie to disguise the face of the man behind it. Light Yagami had crafted the story and built the company from scratch using business acumen and financial collateral he collected from insider information to grow the company to a powerhouse in every field of business in previous years as he moonlighted as Kira, fighting both L and Near. Now, he was Shinto Izanagi solely, as officially, Light Yagami was dead—killed by the Death Note. But the truth of the matter was much different.

The Tsuku-Yoki Corporation didn't sell anything, but its stamp was renown. It brokered with other businesses to sell their products and then took a cut. It was a very lucrative business and how Light set it up was genius. If someone became associated with the Tsuku-Yoki Corporation, they immediately earned value with others because the company had such a prominent reputation for world-class trust. Much like well known brand names around the world, there wasn't anyone not in some way incorporated with the Tsuku-Yoki Corporation. If they weren't, they weren't in business for long.

Shinto Izanagi was known for his masks, but he was also known as a business leader for the ages. His current mask was that of a standard white, emotionless mask with open eye sockets. It kept to his head with fabric straps. On the forehead, at its centre, was a single black vertical line just to add design. He saved his more fancy masks for public events and meeting with special individuals.

Over the next thirty minutes, Shinto listened to every board member as they made their reports about the company, but there was nothing new. Everyone had submitted their departmental dossiers prior to the meeting, so this was mere formality, but for the sake of their egos, he let them talk.

"I'm pleased the Tsuku-Yoki Corporation is doing well," Shinto's voice reverberated from his mask's voice box modulator, sounding robotic. Part of the 'acid story' included his vocal cords being damaged in the attack, so each mask was fitted with a voice modular to enhance and alter his voice. It also aided in the disguise of his real voice, which was perfectly fine. "Still, we need to expand."

Shinto had a computer tablet on the table next to him. He glanced down, pressed something on its screen, and then indicated to the large widescreen television on the other wall at the far end of the room. Each board member turned in their leather chairs, the screen suddenly erupting with scenes from world protests from an organization that called themselves 'Freedom First!'. They demanded equality from discrimination, financial independence, and drastic change in law enforcement, that targeted people with immediate prosecution because of their cultural nationality.

Large groups clashed with police and statues of former visionaries from the past in Western countries (symbols of racism, fascism, and the like; men who used others for their own political machinations) were toppled over or were defaced with graffiti emboldened and influenced by 'Freedom First!'. Shinto saw the West destroying itself with its own failures.

He was a huge opportunist and saw that the Tsuku-Yoki Corporation could take advantage of the chaos. So he formulated a plan to insert himself into the mix, so to speak, that would greatly benefit his company, making it vastly more profitable, renown, and valuable for more than just its trusted stamp.

He allowed the scenes he had collected personally from multi-media news outlets all around the world to play out for the presentation, and then after a minute cut the sound, keeping the picture going. The immediate silence caused the board to return their attention back to him.

"The Tsuku-Yoki Corporation has remained neutral," Shinto said, "but this is a chance for us to shine even brighter and to show the world we are an all-encompassing company. That we will believe in the good of all human kind and not just certain markets stamped with our company logo."

"Why?" one of the board members said—a bald man with glasses. He used the middle finger of his right hand to prop up his glasses as if he was giving his personal opinion. Shinto knew the man was arrogant and was self-centred, lest liked. "There are no Japanese people involved in this political unrest. Why should we care if the West wishes to annihilate itself with such foolishness?"

Shinto looked at him through his mask with piercing eyes. For all the Board meetings, he wore a mask that showed his eyes openly. He wanted them to see his eyes! The board members were silent, but Shinto could almost hear each of their nervous hearts. Shinto was not one to be challenged.

The man gulped and then apologized.

Shinto smiled tightly under the mask. "You're correct, of course. There are no Japanese people in this unrest, but there are rumblings that reside inside Japan of 'Freedom First!' sympathizers. I know of a few people here at the Tsuku-Yoki Corporation…" —here inside our headquarters in the Kanto Region, in fact. Shinto stared. The board member had proven to be lazy. In truth, his departmental presentation was a lot more brief that the data had inferred. He even skipped over some important issues as if to get it over with. The man looked nervous and he should be. "For this reason…" Shinto pressed a button on the side of the table for the boardroom door to be unlocked. Shinto's personal assistant: Tréy Cottré, whom Light better knew as Demetre Draycott (Demetre had adopted a new identity as well after he helped Light recover after his resurrection and helped build Light's company) walked in. "I would like to introduce to you our new intermediary of a new division I'm calling 'Inter-Freedom Affairs'," Shinto continued. "He will help build a bridge of understanding between corporate and cultural climate elemental change."

Tréy Cottré (tall, dark-haired, handsome, thin, and identifying himself as a French Nationalist; and a way to diversify the company) stood aside near the wall with the painting without saying a word. Demetre was dapper looking dressed in a dark grey Armani suit. He'd been with Light through thick and thin, childhood friends, then enemies (with the whole Dana Chika Affair), and now business partners. Light was glad they were able to patch up their differences. Demetre had told him that he had finally seen the truth and knew Light was right about the world, that Kira was needed. So, he agreed to join Light in his plight.

A tall dark man in a clean-pressed dark-coloured suit that played to the contrast of his pale skin walked through the door moments later. He was broad-shouldered and had a thick head of chestnut hair. Unlike Light's, which was a ghostly white, theoretically based on Marie Antoinette Syndrome, and potentially the result with a brush with death, and his resurrection, (thanks to the collective efforts of Ryuk and Morph, who both managed to pull him out of a place that resided between the living the dead, a place neither Heaven or Hell, where users of a Death Note can't go—but not MU either).

Some board members gasped. To them, the Boardroom was a place of sanctuary, apart from the outside world, and one of them, the same man Shinto targeted, even covered his mouth and nose, as if to declare the man was 'unclean'. Shinto allowed the fool to play to his fears. He considered it amusing.

Shinto stood on his feet and shook the man's hand.

The man was American, but he didn't look like it, and his name was Swedish in origin. Shinto was told he was born and raised in Switzerland, but he lived in Los Angeles, California, in the United States of America. He was flown half way across the world for this meeting at the company's expense. Shinto was told good things about the man and he came highly recommended by an employee of the company.

Shinto turned, and said, "This is Nicolas Leandro, and as of today, he will be our new intermediary of 'Inter-Freedom Affairs' for the Tsuku-Yoki Corporation. We must fight discrimination wherever it is found, gentlemen. As we all know, history was not kind to the Japanese people during and after the Second World War. We know what it feels like to be second class citizens. Still, we proved the world wrong, and the Land of Rising Sun now shines over the planet as a beacon of greatness and ingenuity. I want the Tsuku-Yoki Corporation to be part of something great! Therefore, through Nicolas Leandro, our company will donate 2.5 million dollars to 'Freedom First!' as a gesture of solitary for their cause."

The board members looked shocked by the sum of money just handed out to a cause that Shinto knew each of them thought was a waste of time. It was entertaining watching them quibble over money that wasn't there's. And besides, the Tsuku-Yoki Corporation wouldn't lose any money, it made that much every minute. It would also go a long way to boost the company's reputation after companies that saw the cause as very worthy, even social media multilateral groups, wishing to have their products adhered with the Tsuku-Yoki Corporation stamp of approval of trust.

"Welcome, Mr. Leandro," Shinto said warmly.

Nicholas Leandro looked at Shinto strangely, his mask at odds with what was characterized as normal. But Shinto didn't care. Light Yagami didn't care. And he chuckled to himself. The world was his. So as Light Yagami wore the mask the Kira, so did another mask hide the face of Light Yagami now.

He laughed internally at the irony.

To be continued...