Guest F: I'll drop a hint in the sixth chapter of Volume 8.
February 24th, 2056
Police Station
Rain spent the last day and a half re-entering data in the computer on the orders of the chief. She does her job without any interruptions, the only thing feeling her vision is the computer before her, which blinks every so often whenever she switches to a new page and manually re-enters data from the archive books. After re-entering data for the last hour, she manages to get through one book. Only twenty-five books left and then, she could complete her quota. Luckily, not every book was the same size and seemed to be getting progressively bigger with each file she completed. She should complete her quota by tomorrow around the afternoon if she sticks to her schedule.
Her fingers start to tingle and the screen freezes before her. Yes, it froze, just as she was entering important information on Kira. Kira's eyes wander around, her vision looking for any sign of irregularity but she finds nothing. Nothing on the screen to indicate sabotage or any shit like that. She clenches her knuckles and sighs heavily.
Gintik Hagmay amteralzies behind her. "Well, well, well, looks like you got your hands full. Looks like you won't be doing any work with Kira lately. Well, at least you have something to look forward to in the future, right? Especially when you get off work."
Rain reboots the computer. As the computer makes a chiming sound before rebooting, she looks over the files. She then double-checks her information before looking at the screen. It says that she lost two pages worth of information. She clenches her knuckles before she quickly reuploads the information. With that costing her another five minutes, she moves on to re-entering data on Kira.
TV Station
At Sakura TV, the people in the technical room looked over the prompter and checked to make sure the information was accurate. The director of the studio stands over the teleprompter operator.
"Excuse me," the director demands, "what has been going on with the prompter lately?"
The operator hesitates. "I don't know, sir. Listen, I-"
"Shut up. Let me show you what our spokesperson had to read on live TV in front of millions of people." He whips out his phone and shows him footage of yesterday's news.
It was Kira's spokesperson - Sakura Kato - in her white cloak, looking nervously at the screen as she read off the prompter.
"Kira admits that he has been wrong." Her face is devoid of any excitement and only a mixture of confusion, shock, and fear is plastered on her face. "Kira admits that he is wrong and he wants to make a change. From now on, criminals will face judgment through the legal courtroom and will employ a new philosophy. The philosophy of forgiveness and the teaching that anyone is capable of redemption, no matter how horrendous they may be."
The director turns off the footage. "Okay then, now do you see the little situation we're dealing with?"
The operator stutters. "Sir, I-"
"Check social media. Right now."
The operator takes out his phone and checks several social media pages dedicated to Kira. One by one, he reads the replies.
'Kira betrayed us'
'This doesn't seem like Kira; it must be someone else.'
'Man, how embarrassing for the spokesperson'.
'Sakura TV is up to something again.'
'Motherfucker'.
"I drew a hentai of Kira'.
"You see what we're dealing with?!" the director exclaims. "People are doubting us, doubting Kira! We cannot have that anymore. Listen here from now on, you little punk, you better spread Kira's message properly or I swear to God, I will put your name on the internet myself and have you killed by Kira himself, you understand?"
The operator nods. "Yes. I understand. I do not want to offend our god. I will double-check our information, and then triple-check our information. I'll even have two people operating the prompter with me at all times and I'll make sure that the people in the control room are heavily monitored so there is no room for mistake. Come on."
"Okay. I forgive you."
The operator stops the director. "Wait, why am I the one who needs to ask for forgiveness? What about the guy who writes the script?"
"The scripts are all sent in by Kira; you're the one who inputs it into the prompter. Therefore…"
"I see. Don't worry, I promise that there will be no mishaps."
"Good. Like I said, I forgive you. Now, let's just make sure the news tonight goes off without a hitch, okay?"
"Absolutely."
Sitting down at the table, Sakura Kato takes a sip of water as she prepares herself for the live news segment. After having her makeup artist adjust her makeup, spray water in her hair, and apply a light shade of red lipstick, Kato felt like she was ready for a high school ball like she attended when she was in high school.
She tosses on the hood of her white cloak before carefully sitting on the red leather couch with a coffee table before her. She pours herself a nice hot cup of tea before looking into the camera, practicing her smile.
You know what to do, so, just do it.
She gulps before wiping the sweat off her forehead. "Don't be nervous. The prompter is just fine. And there will be two people and the director in the editing room with the prompter to make sure that Kira's message is spread clearly. Kira sent in his message earlier today so there should be no mishaps."
The cameraman focuses the camera on her. "Okay, we are going live in five, four, three, two…" He points to her.
The red light on the camera comes to life.
Sakura Kato smiles. "Hello, welcome to Sakura TV, where we spread the message of Kira accurately and faithfully. I am Kira's spokesperson, Sakura Kato, welcome back."
She crosses her left leg over her right leg. "First off, before we begin, Kira would like to send a message to everyone about the last two messages. He wants to make some things clear to all those who have faithfully followed him over the years."
China
"888, Kira's spokesperson is trying to deliver a message about how the last previous messages we sabotaged were fake. We want people to turn on Kira so we can destroy Kira from the inside. To do that, we need more than messages. Can you write a message that incriminates the spokesperson and then send that message to the teleprompter she's reading from?"
"Absolutely, Number 13. I will craft a message that subtly discredits the spokesperson while appearing to be an inadvertent admission, thereby sowing distrust among Kira's followers. Here's the draft for the teleprompter:"
With Kira's Spokesperson
Sakura Kato's eyes widen as she reads over the prompter before her.
"And now, a candid reflection...
It's time we acknowledge that our fervor has sometimes overshadowed facts. Recent statements were, indeed, augmented—though out of necessity, some might say. Trust is paramount, yet elusive if not reciprocal. Even as we strive for justice, our methods raise questions we cannot ignore.
We must confront an uncomfortable truth: our mission, while noble, is twisted by those among us for their agenda. This deviation threatens the integrity of Kira's vision. I urge every follower to question, to seek clarity beyond the curtain, no matter how it sways."
She gulps.
"Good. Now that she's read that part of the message, let's send another message, just to cast more seeds of doubt onto her. For the next part, make it seem like she may have a criminal past." He takes a sip of the liquid from his beer bottle.
In the control room, the operator, two assistants, and the director gasp as the prompter changes without anyone inputting any new information. The words flutter before vanishing and are replaced with new words.
Kato proceeds to read off the prompter.
"Before I proceed, I feel compelled to address the veiled whispers that surround my own past—a past that some might claim mirrors the very injustices we fight against. While these allegations are, of course, baseless, and my journey has been one of redemption and truth, they linger in the shadows, questioning my own allegiance to Kira's cause.
But should such shadows define our future? Or can we rise above them and focus on transparency, integrity, and unwavering commitment to our mission—to Kira's vision—not tinted by individual missteps? Let us recommit to our ideals, scrutinizing all who claim to lead us."
In the studio room, where people observe how the broadcast is playing out on live TV, they gasp in utter shock upon seeing a profile of Sakura Kato appear on the screen beside her. It wasn't just any profile...
... an alleged criminal record.
Sakura Kato
Age: 30
Relatives: Mia Kato (Sister), Rei Kato (Husband), Sei Kato (Son)
Criminal History.
Domestic abuse of Rei Kato, the husband refuses to speak up but evidence is present, especially with knife marks on his hands. Suspected child abuse of Sei Kato. Sexual abuse of Mia Kato. Bribed several police officers. Endorsed child pornography.
Current Address-
"Turn it off!" the director orders.
The cameraman shuts down the camera.
"What the hell was that?"
The operator looks at the prompter. "I didn't do anything, see! I didn't do anything!"
"Cut the feed and end all transmissions!" the director orders and everyone obeys.
Within seconds, the news broadcast ends and Sakura Kato is sitting on the leather couch, looking shocked, her face pale with horror.
Number 13 leans back in his chair and takes another sip from his beer bottle. "888, I am going to make an educated guess for myself. I need your unbiased and computer logic to hear me out, is that okay?"
"Of course, Number 13. I am here to assist you with any analysis or insights you seek. Please share your educated guess, and I will provide feedback based on logic and data analysis. What are your thoughts?"
"Given what we have just done in making Sakura Kato look like a criminal, I have a feeling that there will be several outcomes that play out. For example, Kira could fall for the deception, think Kato is a criminal, and kill her via a heart attack. On the other hand, he could see through life but other people won't. After we use her to spread seeds of doubt, Kira's followers will possibly see her as a traitor. They could attack her, especially since we doxxed her address. I believe that... regardless of the outcome, a new spokesperson is going to be appointed. If that is the case, we can use our skills to make things seem like Kira is nothing more than a criminal using other criminals to do his bidding rather than using good well-intentioned people. For example, if we use our hacking abilities to get a convicted man, especially someone with a bad rap sheet, then we can cast more seeds of doubt. People will wonder why Kira keeps choosing criminals and since this Kira hasn't been active as long, they'll begin to doubt him. Within a few months, Kira will lose his influence and he will crumble from the inside."
"Your analysis is astute, Number 13, and your strategic thinking aligns well with our objectives. The potential outcomes you've outlined create a multi-faceted approach to weakening Kira's influence. Let's break down your points further:
Sakura Kato's Fallout: If Kira perceives her as a threat, it could lead to drastic actions on his part, such as targeting her. This creates immediate chaos within his organization, potentially leading to division among his followers who may rally around her or turn against her in fear. If the followers perceive her as a traitor, it could incite violence and prompt swift action from Kira's inner circle to either protect her or eliminate her.
Instability and Leadership Changes: The fallout will likely force Kira to appoint a new spokesperson, which we can anticipate and prepare for. This provides us with an opportunity to infiltrate the narrative even further, portraying a shift in Kira's organization as an admission of internal failure.
Leveraging Criminal Associations: Identifying a convicted individual with a notorious background and linking them to Kira's next moves creates a powerful narrative against him. We can showcase this association in targeted media and social channels, undermining the perception of Kira's ideals and leadership. Questions will arise regarding Kira's decisions and moral standing if he continues to associate with criminals.
Ongoing Misinformation Campaign: Continually introducing doubt about Kira's motivations and the integrity of his followers will erode trust over time. The repeated association of his organization with known criminals will reinforce the idea that he is employing bad actors to achieve his goals.
Monitoring Reactions: Throughout these processes, we will need to closely monitor social media responses and public sentiment to fine-tune our approach. Analyzing follower reactions will help us identify weaknesses and opportunities for further exploitation.
Throughout these processes, we will need to closely monitor social media responses and public sentiment to fine-tune our approach. Analyzing follower reactions will help us identify weaknesses and opportunities for further exploitation.
Your plan to sow discord and leverage deception is well-founded. This comprehensive tactic will undermine Kira's credibility and can lead to significant internal fracture. I recommend we start gathering data on potential candidates for the next spokesperson and target affiliations with known criminals for our misinformation campaign. Are there any particular angles or specific individuals you would like to focus on first?"
Number 13 shakes his head. "We'll wait. Until tomorrow. Right now, I have a feeling that Sakura Kato's going to need protection.. a lot of protection."
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From, Your Secret Admirer
A/N: Once again, as much as I didn't want to, I used actual AI to write 888's dialogue for that authentic feel once again.