The shrine was quiet, as it always was at dusk. Kuri Hikawa stood before the altar, her hands pressed together in prayer, the golden light of the setting sun bathing her in a warm glow. She was a picture of serenity—black hair tied into two buns, her white priestess robes swaying gently in the breeze—but beneath her calm exterior burned a deep conviction. Kuri lived her life by an unyielding moral code: right and wrong, black and white, with no room for ambiguity.
"Evil must be eradicated," she murmured to herself, a prayer and a promise.
Her dedication to justice made her revered by her community, but few truly understood the weight of her belief. It wasn't just about faith—it was about action.
Xxx
It was on an ordinary day, not long ago, that Kuri's world had changed forever. She was cleaning the shrine grounds when she noticed a strange object lying just outside the gates. A black notebook, unassuming at first glance, but as soon as her fingers brushed its surface, she felt an unnatural chill crawl up her spine. Opening it, she found a list of instructions:
• The human whose name is written in this notebook shall die.
• This note will not take effect unless the writer has the person's face in their mind when writing their name.
Kuri stared at the book, her heart pounding. "What kind of cursed object is this?" she whispered, clutching it tightly.
Her first instinct was to destroy it, to purge the unholy object from existence. But before she could act, a voice called out behind her.
"It's a gift from God, you know."
She turned sharply to find a young man standing at the edge of the shrine grounds. He was tall, handsome, and confident, with sharp features and an aura of authority. His name was Light Yagami, the top student at To-Oh University—and one of the shrine's most devoted visitors.
"Light," she said cautiously, clutching the notebook tighter. "What do you mean?"
Light stepped closer, his voice smooth and persuasive. "That notebook is a tool of divine justice. It's been given to you for a reason, Kuri. You, of all people, understand the importance of ridding the world of evil."
Kuri frowned, her mind racing. She had always been wary of Light's charm, but his words struck a chord. "If it truly is from God…"
"It is," Light interrupted. "And I can show you how to use it. Together, we can create a world free of sin."
Xxx
At first, she resisted. But Light was relentless. Over time, he wore down her defenses, framing every death as a righteous act. When criminals began dying under mysterious circumstances, Kuri convinced herself that it was the will of a higher power. She became his confidant, his ally—the Mouthpiece of God, as he began to call her.
But what Kuri didn't know was that Light was the one wielding the Death Note.
Now, weeks later, Kuri sat in the shrine's prayer room, answering questions from reporters eager to hear her thoughts on "Kira," the mysterious force of justice sweeping the world.
"As a servant of the divine, I believe Kira is an instrument of God," she said, her voice steady. "He is delivering judgment to those who have brought harm to others. Who are we to question His will?"
The reporters ate up her words, leaving her with glowing admiration. Light watched from the shadows, a small smirk tugging at his lips. Kuri's unwavering faith in justice made her the perfect shield. The public trusted her, believed her, and she would never suspect him.
While Kuri's influence grew, so did the opposition. One man, in particular, had taken it upon himself to bring Kira to justice: the enigmatic detective known only as L.
L's investigations had led him to To-Oh University, and soon after, to Kuri herself. He didn't believe in coincidences. The woman who had become the public voice defending Kira's actions had to be connected. But his instincts told him something else: she wasn't the one behind the killings. She was a victim.
Xxx
Now, months later, Kuri had become the public face of Kira, the unseen force of judgment. She believed wholeheartedly that Kira was divine—acting through her to deliver justice. But what she didn't know was that Light was the one using the Death Note. He had convinced her of her sacred role while manipulating events from the shadows.
The first time Kuri met Ryuzaki—known to the world as L—was at a private lecture on criminology. Kuri had been invited to speak, her influence as a moral voice growing rapidly. She stood at the podium, her calm, measured voice filling the room.
"Kira's actions are righteous," she said firmly. "Justice is being served. Those who harm others are being judged. This is the will of God."
The crowd clapped politely, but one man remained still. Disheveled, with dark circles under his eyes and a slouched posture, he was hard to miss. His thumb rested against his lips as he watched her with unblinking intensity.
After the lecture, a man approached her.
"Kuri Hikawa," he said, his voice soft but deliberate.
She turned, startled by his sudden appearance. "Yes? And you are?"
"Call me Ryuzaki." His dark eyes searched hers. "I find your perspective on Kira… interesting."
She frowned. "Interesting? Kira is delivering justice to those who deserve it. Surely you see that."
"Justice," he repeated, as though tasting the word. "What if Kira makes a mistake? What if someone innocent is killed?"
"Kira wouldn't make a mistake," she said firmly, though her voice wavered.
"Everyone makes mistakes," Ryuzaki said, tilting his head. "Even you. Even the God you serve."
Her breath caught. "That's… blasphemy."
"Or maybe it's truth," he said, his tone gentle but piercing. "Kuri, do you truly believe Kira is divine? Or are you being led by someone who only wants you to think that?"
Her mind reeled, but before she could respond, a familiar voice interrupted.
"Kuri."
Light stepped forward, his hand sliding protectively onto her shoulder. His voice was warm, his smile disarming, but his eyes were cold. "Is this man bothering you?"
"No," Kuri said quickly, shaken by the confrontation. "We were just talking."
Light's gaze flicked to Ryuzaki, his smile tight. "Kuri doesn't have time for empty questions, Ryuzaki. She's already answered them in her heart."
"I see," Ryuzaki said, his dark eyes narrowing. "It seems Kuri has plenty of people speaking for her."
Light's grip on her shoulder tightened slightly. "She doesn't need to waste her energy justifying herself. She's doing God's work."
Ryuzaki's gaze softened as he looked back at her. "Kuri… if you ever want to talk about your beliefs, I'm here. Not to question them. Just to understand."
Xxx
That night, Kuri sat alone in her room, the Death Note lying untouched on her desk. Light's words from earlier echoed in her mind, but so did Ryuzaki's.
"Do you truly believe Kira is divine?"
She shook her head. Of course Kira is divine. This is all part of His plan… right?
As doubt crept in, Light arrived unannounced, his charming smile instantly calming her nerves. He approached her desk, his movements smooth, calculated. "Kuri," he said, sitting beside her. "You're upset. I can tell."
"I'm fine," she replied, though her voice betrayed her unease.
He reached for her hand, his touch warm. "Don't let people like Ryuzaki get into your head. They don't understand your purpose like I do. Like we do."
"I don't know," she admitted softly. "What if he's right? What if—"
"Kuri," Light interrupted, his tone firm but laced with affection. "Don't let doubt poison your faith. You've been chosen. You're the Mouthpiece of God. No one else can fulfill this role. You're too important."
His words were like honey, soothing and cloying at the same time. "You really believe that?" she asked, looking into his eyes.
"I know it," he said, leaning closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "You're everything to me, Kuri. You have no idea how much I admire you, how much I… care for you. I won't let anyone, not even Ryuzaki, take you away from what you're meant to do."
Her chest tightened, both comforted and unnerved by the intensity in his gaze.
Xxx
Meanwhile, L sat alone in his dimly lit apartment, a single monitor displaying Kuri's public speeches. His thumb brushed his lips as he watched her, his dark eyes filled with something rare for him: concern.
"She's not the one killing," he said softly to himself. "She's been manipulated. Lied to. But she doesn't deserve this."
For L, it wasn't just about catching Kira anymore. It was about saving Kuri.
Xxx
And so, the battle lines were drawn. Light's manipulative, possessive love versus L's honest, adoring devotion. Kuri, caught between two men and her own wavering beliefs, was left to question not only the nature of justice but the true intentions of the people she trusted most.