Never Complete Death Note One Shot

by Takeshi Obata and Tsugumi Ohba

Translation Version 1.0

Translated from the rough sketches

(https://shonenjumpplus.com/episode/1083410815666835654)

Translations credit: ​Byouteki-Cinderella, main-exam, morphinejunkie

Editor credit: ​kiranatrix, ghostoftasslehoff

**Please note that since this is a translation from rough,hand-written sketches, some
edits may appear in future versions. Those will be noted in future updates.**

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Cover Page (Page 1)

○​These are the complete one-shot storyboards and every page is free and open to the public
for a limited time. If you’d rather not be spoiled for the full story, please wait to read it.
○​The first ten pages of the work will be on display at Takeshi Obata Exhibition​“N ​ ever
Complete” (July 13 - August 12, Location: 3331 Arts Chiyoda).
○​After the official one-shot manga has been completed, it is to be published weekly
(Serialization Start Date TBD). We appreciate your patience.

Page 2

Year 2013

---in the Shinigami Realm---

​ yuk, do you want another Death Note? Nobody else here would use it so well.
Midora​: R

Ryuk​:​ Eh sure, I’ll take it, but you have something else for me, don’t you?
Midora​: Ugh.. yeah. Take it.

Ryuk: ​*guzzle guzzle* (SFX: gabbu gabbu)

Page 3:

Ryuk​: Delicious! Apples are freaking delicious!

Ryuk​: ​I still want more! 

Ryuk​:​ Maybe I’ll use this note to get another human to feed me some more.

It’s gotta be someone like Light Yagami though, someone who can feed me apples for a long time …
that’s always the most interesting thing…

Page 4:

May 2019

*scratching noises* (Ryuk is coming up through the floor)

Minoru Tanaka​: Again…

Page 5

(panels of Ryuk phasing through the floor and bopping Minoru on the head with the notebook so he
can see Ryuk)

Page 6:

(full-page of Minoru’s amazed face)

Page 7:

Minoru​:​ (sighs) It’s been 2 years, Ryuk.

Ryuk​: I’m such a trustworthy Shingami, aren’t I? Coming from under the floor just like I promised.
Minoru​: That’s the least you can do. Human or shinigami, we’ve gotta keep our promises. If we can’t
do that we can’t work together.

Ryuk​:​ Yeah…

Page 8:

2 Years Ago

---scene in the middle school teacher’s lounge/office---

Sign​: Teachers’ Room

Teacher 1​: Tanaka Minoru placed first again.

Teacher 2​: Wow, that’s the 3rd year in a row for him. I guess we can say that he’s probably the most
intelligent middle school student in Japan.

Teacher 3:​ But how?

Teacher 1​: You mean, his lack of motivation?

Teacher 2:​ He really doesn’t study at all.

Page 9:

Minoru:​ 28 points in English…I should just hit my head on a block of tofu and die already…
[Translator’s note: this is a Japanese idiom where he’s basically calling himself an idiot]

*book falls from the sky and hits him on the head*

Ow! What the hell?

Ryuk:​ This one’s yours!

Minoru​: Sorry?

Page 10

(Minoru is freaking out a little seeing Ryuk)

Page 11
Minoru​: Aah!!

Ryuk:​ I heard you’re smart.

Minoru​: 28 points, 28 points.

Ryuk:​ What?

Page 12:

Ryuk:​ I heard you’ve been top of your class for 3 years straight and might just be Japan’s most
intelligent middle schooler. I heard your teachers saying that.

Minoru​: What are you talking about?

No way, no way. No such thing as being number one for three years...

*thinking* 3 years in a row… what test…

… oh, the intelligence test?

Page 13:

Ryuk:​ Hm?

Minoru​: Like…that kind of test where they find out our hidden abilities, but they don’t tell us the
results.

Ryuk:​ Wow, your school sounds strict..

Minoru​: Even if I did get a good result on thattest,

it’s just idiotic and something for bored people who have nothing better to do than becoming
obsessed with TV shows called “IQ indicator” or “Brain Training” or something. The kind of people
who just stare at their smartphone all day doing IQ tests.

People who are genuinely intelligent are working on solving real world issues for the future, and
teachers who claim that people who solve those IQ tests are intelligent are idiots.

Page 14:
Ryuk:​ So you’re dumb?

Minoru:​ I’m not really into studying… but I’m not dumb either.

Minoru​: I guess I just happen to be good at solving riddles and quizzes.

Ryuk:​ *stares* …

Minoru:​ Hey, what…

Page 15:

Ryuk:​ Actually… this might just be a perfect fit for someone like you who’s good at that kind of stuff.

Minoru​: Perfect fit? What are you saying to me? You’re scaring me...

Ryuk:​ …

Ryuk:​ ​Well, enough with the chit-chat. I’ve decided to work together with you.

Minoru​: ​That’s going to be impossible seeing as how I can’t even move.

Ryuk:​ ​Oh stop lying, you’re just making up excuses. Anyway, it’ll be fine. Nobody besides you can
see me.

Minoru​: ​No way. I’m serious! And...my room’s too messy so I can’t. ​[Translator’s note: he’s just
making up any silly excuse he can think of]

Page 16:

Minoru​: What??? So this is what Kira used…?

Ryuk:​ Be careful, your voice is too loud.

Minoru​: No way!

Minoru​: Kira, that’s the guy who made wars and criminals disappear!

Ryuk:​ Well, well, you know him well even though you’re that young.

Minoru​: Everyone knows him. In elementary school, he was in the Ethics books and in middle
school he was in the History books.

Ryuk:​ Whoa…So humans are all treating him like a really important person.
 Page 17:

Minoru​: No, not quite. In Ethics they said that Kira was evil and in History they said that he caused
the most cruel and bizarre mass killing in recent history, almost like a terror attack…

But on the other hand there are a lot of people who are saying that he’s a god.

Ryuk:​ A god, huh…

Minoru​: But how can this notebook make you a god?

Ryuk:​ Everything’s explained on the first page, just read it.

Minoru​: Why is it in English? Didn’t I just show you how bad I am at English? Add a Japanese
translation!

Ryuk:​ Are you serious?

Page 18:

Ryuk:​ *adds the Japanese explanation*

Page 19:

Ryuk:​ I doubt you’d believe me, but think about it- with this book it shouldn’t be impossible? (*to
become like Kira)

Minoru​: But Kira got captured by the police and L didn’t he?

Ryuk:​ That’s true…it was quite interesting.

Page 20:

Minoru​: Ryuk, can you tell me some more details about what Kira did?

Ryuk:​ …

Ryuk:​ I want apples.

Minoru:​ …
Minoru:​ Well, I guess you’re lucky, my mom’s on an apple diet right now so I get to eat one every
day too.

Ryuk:​ Whoa!

Ryuk:​ Well, I can’t tell you his (Kira’s) name but I can tell you everything else that I remember.

Page 21:

(fast forward to after Ryuk has told him)

Minoru:​ Are you serious?

Minoru:​ Kira’s amazing…Thinking of using the fact that people can see you when they touch the
book, everything about the note ownership..he used it all to his own advantage…He must have been
quite an intelligent guy.

Ryuk:​ Well, he also was one of Japan’s top students when it came to studying.

Minoru:​ But if I did the same I’ll get caught right away, won’t I?

Ryuk:​ Why? 10 years in the human world have passed since then, that’s like ages.

Page 22:

Minoru: ​But now we live in a different era. We have surveillance cameras all over the city, they’ve
even installed them in every car of every train. And buses and cars now have drive recorders
installed.

Ryuk: ​Uh, under those circumstances it might have been impossible even for Kira to kill all the FBI
agents.

Minoru:​ They’ve also improved their techniques to deal with cyber crimes, so they’d find out
immediately if Kira sent messages via the internet or if people send Kira messages that way. The
police are even checking everyone’s phone transmissions.

Minoru:​ Today, that’s only possible that police wouldn’t be able to find someone on the internet in
movies or drama series where it benefits the story.

Ryuk:​ …

Minoru: ​But I’m sure that if Kira was alive right now, he would have found a way to deal with this
despite modern technology.
 Page 23:

Ryuk: ​So, Minoru, do you think you can do it? ​(it says Minoru in Katakana here so it becomes 100%
clear that this is the actual reading of the main characters name)

Minoru:​ For real?

*the two of them staring at each other*

Minoru:​ Your goal is to have me do the same thing that Kira did, Mr. Shinigami?

I can’t believe you…This notebook is cursed…

Page 24

Minoru​ *​thinking​*: So there are two possibilities…either I give the notebook to someone else or I
give it back to Ryuk. If I give it back to Ryuk, I’ll lose all my memories about this and forget about the
notebook. Kira also gave his book back to Ryuk once. But if I give the notebook back to Ryuk right
now, he’ll just give it to someone else in the end…and that’s it?

A notebook that can be used for nothing else besides killing people…what am I supposed to do?

Ryuk:​ You’ve been pretty quiet for a while now, what’s up?

Minoru:​ Nothing…it’s just that I’m the type of person who thinks everything through until I’ve found
my own answer to the problem.

Ryuk: ​Of course, you’re the quiz king!

Page 25

Minoru:​ Ryuk, there are two things I’d like to ask you.

Ryuk:​ Oh! What is it?

Minoru:​ So are there any other people who are able to see you, besides me?

Ryuk:​ …

Ryuk:​ I’m afraid so. ​[Story note: ​The members of the task force who are still alive and touched 
Ryuk's own notebook (not the ones that were burned) include Matsuda, Aizawa, Mogi, Near, Halle, 
Rester, and Gevanni] 
 

Page 26

Ryuk:​ The people who touched the notebook that I brought here last time should still be able to see
me.

Minoru:​ You sure about that?

Ryuk:​ I guess so. People who once owned the note but gave up their ownership wouldn’t be able to
see me anymore, but people who’ve done nothing besides touching my notebook should be able to
see me even now.

Minoru:​ …

Minoru:​ Well then, my next question…

Page 27

Minoru:​ So it says here that a Shinigami has to stick with the person who currently owns their
notebook. How far away are you able to travel from me?

Ryuk:​ Don’t ask me difficult things like this. I guess, uh, as long as I can still see where you are, it
should be fine, at least that makes sense.

Ryuk:​ No wait, I’d be able to see you even from the Shingami world, so…

Minoru:​ Get a grip and tell me how far exactly.

Ryuk:​ What am I supposed to do, there’s no exact regulation on how far I can get away from you.

Minoru:​ Then make one up.

Ryuk:​ …I’ll try.

Page 28:

Ryuk:​ How does 14 km in human world units sound?

Minoru:​ That’s fine.

Ryuk:​ From that distance, I should still be able to distinguish the people around you and get back
close to you immediately. So from now on, there should be no problem if I just decide on all the
things the Death Note doesn’t make clear.
Minoru:​ …

Minoru:​ Okay, I’ve decided.

Page 29​:

Minoru:​ Take the notebook back and come back again in 2 years. In 2 years, I promise I’ll actually
use the notebook and feed you apples.

Ryuk:​ What? You want me to endure my hunger for apples for 2 years?

Minoru:​ Well, I don’t mind if you give the notebook to someone else during those 2 years though.

Ryuk:​ Got it. I’ll wait.

Page 30

Minoru:​ Okay, then. I’ll give up my ownership and give the notebook back to you.

Page 31

--Present time (2019)--

Minoru:​ That’s how it happened back then, right?

Ryuk:​ Yeah.

Ryuk:​ I endured my hunger for apples for 2 years.

Minoru:​ Uhh, okay, so…I’ll go with the plan I thought about 2 years ago after all.

Ryuk:​ Plan?

Page 32

Minoru:​ ​Just as planned*​, I’ll sell the notebook.

(*Translator’s note: keikaku means plan. But in all seriousness, he’s using the same expression that
Light used when he got back all his memories after capturing Higuchi)

Ryuk:​ Sell it?!

 Page 33

Minoru:​ I’ll put it up for auction on the internet.

Ryuk:​ Don’t get me wrong, that sounds interesting, but…aren’t you the one who said they’ll find out
immediately if you write something on the internet nowadays?

Minoru:​ I won’t use the internet.

Minoru:​ That’s exactly why I asked you last time how far you are able to travel from me.

Ryuk:​ What?

Minoru:​ We said 14 km, right? Sakura TV is only 11 km away from here, so I’ll have you go there.

Ryuk:​ Eh?

Minoru:​ We’ll ask them for English…no wait, then I won’t be able to read it, let’s do everything in
Japanese. We’ll use pens and paper from the TV station.

Ryuk:​ Eh, eh, eh??

Page 34

SINN NEWS XN

Newscaster:​ Good evening from News X. We’ll now present today’s news.

Piece of paper (hovering in mid-air, but Ryuk’s holding it):

I’m selling Kira’s ability to kill people from a distance via auction. If you want to buy it, write a tweet
using the hashtag #kiraspower and make an offer in American dollars.

[Translator’s note: #kiranochikara is the Japanese hashtag]

Page 35​:

People​:​ Eh?

Eh?

What the hell is this?

 Page 36:

People:

-Selling Kira’s ability via auction?

-What the heck?

-Technical difficulties?

-That Kira, are we talking about ​that​ Kira?

-He’s using Sakura TV again?

-What the hell is this pen? [the pen is floating]

Newscaster:​ O-Our deepest apologies, please hold for a little while.

Newscaster:​ Explain what’s going on! And don’t touch that paper!

That paper is just floating around in mid-air…and it says something about Kira’s ability to kill people
from afar!

Page 37​:

Newscaster​: Please understand that we, Sakura TV, are absolutely not involved in any of this. We
do not know anything about the contents written on this paper.

Page 38:

--At the Police Office--

*Ryuk holding up the piece of paper*

*Matsuda standing up* /bangs fist on the table/

Page 39​:

Matsuda​: Deputy chief! Ryuk is back and he’s trying to sell the Death Note!

Deputy Chief:​ You mean the person who got it from Ryuk, don’t you?
Matsuda​: Ah, I see…yeah, probably.

Matsuda​(?): I hope this is just a joke.

Ryuk​ *thinking*: 30 seconds have passed, so…*throws down piece of paper*

Page 40

(Ryuk phases down through the floor of the studio and disappears)

Page 41

---the next day---

---in Minoru’s school---

Person​: Selling Kira’s ability? That has to be some kind of prank.

Person​: It doesn’t matter if it’s Sakura TV…airing news like this is not okay.

Person​: Hey, look. Not even one day has passed and people are already proposing over 3 million
dollars for it.

Person​: 3 million dollars? That’s like billions in Japanese yen.

Person​: There’s actually people who believe this?

Person​: Such idiots.

*Picture of Minoru looking out of the window, listening*

Person​: If that really is Kira’s power, then even billions wouldn’t be enough though. I mean, you can
bring the whole world under your control with it.

Page 42

--​-in America---

Rester:​ L! There’s been news about Kira in Japan!

Gevanni?:​ !

*Panel shows a Ryuk mannequin*

Halle​: Oh, what is that? ​(about the mannequin)

Page 43

Near/L:​ It’s just a Shinigami mannequin.

Near:​ Although I know this is quite difficult to do, I’m working on a Shinigami tracking system right
now.

Rester​: …

Halle​: But I thought only the people who’ve touched the notebook could see a Shinigami?

Near:​ That’s why I said it’s quite difficult.

Near:​ So, let’s call this person who’s selling the notebook via internet auction “a-Kira“. ​[Translator’s
note: This is for ‘auction-Kira’]

Page 44

Person/Rester/Gevanni (?)​: So it’s true.

Near:​ Yes, because I’ve already seen this shinigami before.

Sending a shinigami to the TV station without using the internet themselves... a-Kira is quite
cautious.
Following the shinigami around can lead us to a-Kira.
What I want is the surveillance footage that shows both a-Kira and the shinigami.
The best would be footage of the murder notebook being passed on.

Page 45
(Near has a fake Shinigami eye that he takes in and out of the Ryuk mannequin)

Near​: That being said, having just the people who can see the shinigami trying to find him on a
surveillance camera throughout all of Japan is absolutely impossible.

Rester​: You just said “in all of Japan,” does that mean you think that a-Kira is located there?

Near​: In the past Kira case, we predicted that the shinigami had to be close to the owner of the
murder notebook.
So at least for now, I think it’s safe to say that a-Kira is currently located in Japan.
Rester​: I will arrange to go to Japan. We have to arrest them as soon as possible...

Near​: Arrest?
Can we really charge a-Kira even if we catch them?

Page 46

Near​: I know I’ve said before that the murder notebook is the worst murder weapon in the
history of mankind,
But the buying and purchasing of weapons happens in this world.
If you kill someone with the murder notebook, I do think that is a crime.
But I don’t believe that it is a crime to simply sell it.

Rester​: ...

Halle​: That’s... but it’s the notebook...

Near​: If we want to take down the notebook, then I would recommend waiting until the auction is
complete and then finding the person who purchased the notebook instead.

Halle/Rester​: ...

Halle​: Then why are you planning on catching a-Kira, L?

Page 47
*Near puts the fake Shinigami eye back in the Ryuk mannequin*

Near​: A-Kira is rather intelligent.

I personally want to meet and see them for myself.

Hal/Rester​: …

Near ​*looking at the Ryuk mannequin*: ...

Near​: If we ask for help, we should contact Mr. Aizawa and ask him for yesterday’s surveillance
camera footage from the Sakura TV building.

Rester​: Understood.

Page 48
Sign: ​says ‘NPA’

Aizawa​: It’s been a while, former SPK member Mr. Rester.

We were also just now checking the surveillance footage of Sakura TV headquarters and the
surrounding areas.

Rester​: And what about the shinigami?

Aizawa​: That’s...
After throwing out the paper that contained message, he passed through the ground of the first
and second floor studio, and then went through the ground of the underground parking lot...

Page 49

Rester​: ...

Near​: What’s going on now?

Rester​: They said the shinigami dove underground, and after that the surrounding cameras
couldn’t pick him up at all...

Near​: Then we should stop making this [shinigami tracking] system. Even if we are able to
confirm a shinigami’s existence, this is useless. If the shinigami is moving underground from the
TV station to where a-Kira is, then there’s nothing more we can do.

Page 50

Near​: That would mean that the next time the shinigami would be captured on cameras outside
of the ones from Sakura TV, is when they’re passing the notebook on [to the winner of the
auction], right?

But, by that time, a-Kira would have relinquished the notebook and would have lost all of their
memories relating to this case.

A very well thought-out plan.

Page 51

Near​: In other words, there is almost no chance to really arrest them.

For a-Kira, it’d be the moment between taking the money and giving the notebook away.

...

For me, it would be much easier to find out who a-Kira is through who received the money,
but somehow I feel like that is almost like losing.

No, but even so, I can’t shake the feeling that this is a plan so complex that it can’t be figured
out very easily...

Rester​: L...

Near​: Well, eventually, we can zero in on the successful bidder of the murder notebook.

Until then, let’s just watch quietly for a little while.

Page 52

Ryuk​: Looks like it’s going well.

Minoru​: It’s about to hit 10 billion dollars. Even though I’m trying not to look. I’m almost freaked
out by how well it’s going...

Ryuk ​*munching apples*: By the way, when’s this contest gonna end? Am I gonna have to stop
eating apples when it does?

Minoru​: I haven’t decided on a timeframe. I think I can give you apples for a little bit longer even
after bidding ends, though.

Ryuk​: Just a little bit longer, huh… ​(crunch)

Minoru​: …

Page 53
*page being held up in mid-air by Ryuk again*

ONE WEEK LEFT IN THE AUCTION

POSSIBILITY OF ENDING EVEN SOONER THAN THAT

WHEN THE AUCTION ENDS YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED THROUGH THIS FORMAT
 NO RETURNS PLEASE

Newsroom guy​: Here it is! It’s here! Keep the message on for thirty minutes!

Newscaster A​: It’s the exact same pen and paper from last time!

Ryuk ​*thinking*: (Am I seriously going to have to stay here for thirty minutes…)

Newscaster B​: I’ll read it out loud! “The auction ends in one week”!

Page 54

SFX​: *someone walking in*

Newscaster​: Hey, we’re in the process of filming right now!

Matsuda​: Police! ​*speaking to the camera*​ You are not allowed to buy Kira’s power!

Ryuk​: Oh, hey, long time no see.

Aizawa​: Stupid Matsuda… I told you to just chase the shinigami, not do this.

Newscaster​: Ah, aren’t you the guy who came to talk about Kira’s true identity a long time
ago…

Matsuda​: That’s right! And Kira’s power truly is something awful…

Page 55

L/Near​: It appears that he [Matsuda] is alive and well, in many ways...

Halle​: This is only going to heighten the auction’s credibility…

[not in front of the camera]

Deputy Chief​: What did you do that for!

Matsuda​: It’s true, I’m telling you! All you need to kill is someone’s photograph and name, this
book is like a cursed voodoo doll or something…!

Aizawa​: For Matsuda, that’s a pretty good way to put it. He’s being smart for once...

Deputy Chief​ (​Story note: he looks WAY too much like Soichiro)​ : …

Deputy Chief​: That said, the Japanese government can’t be buying something like that!
Anyway, you [Matsuda] are on administrative leave as far as the media is concerned!

Page 56

--The next day--

Person 1​: Holy…! Thanks to that guy Matsuda yesterday, now it’s up to 200 billion dollars!
That’s more than 20 trillion yen.

Person 2​: It can’t be a single individual. If I recall correctly, even the richest person in the world
has only 130 billion dollars.

Person 3​: Which means…

Person 2​: It must be an organization. In this case, it’s probably an entire country. Someone is
bidding on behalf of their country.

Person 3​: If they win the bid, that country will reign over other nations.

Person 1​: According to my calculations, this will be worth 100 trillion yen.

Aside panel ​[Minoru is listening to this conversation]​: Wow!

Minoru​: …

Person 2​: I see. You’re smart.

Person 3​: Whoa, 280 billion dollars! That has to be China.

Person 1​: Wait, it’s 300 billion dollars now.

Person 2​: Seriously?

Page 57
Person 1​: It’s a showdown between these two parties. Other bidders are just spectators now
and tweeting every second. How annoying!

SFX​: *Clatter*

Minoru *thinking*​: …Well, I did figure this would become a battle between nations…

---Sakura TV station---

Ryuk’s Written Memo *paper floating in mid-air*​: Instead of randomly announcing on Twitter,
please use the representatives from your governments and officially announce how much you
are willing to pay.

SFX​: Fft ​(paper falls)

---Near’s HQ---

L/Near​: Now things are getting interesting.

Halle​: ….

Page 58

---in America---

Person​: President [of the United States]!

Narration​: In 2005, the FBI Director and a boy who called himself Near told the President that
Kira can kill people just by writing names in a notebook.

US President​: If this is true, I can’t let other nations get a hold of this.

SFX​: Bam ​(slams fist on the table)

Screen [the President’s words]​: Our country will pay 500 billion dollars to buy Kira’s powers.

Page 59
Chinese Representative​: The People’s Republic of China will pay 1 trillion dollars and I
promise you here that we will use Kira’s powers for peaceful purposes.

Person 1 [in press audience]​: 1 trillion dollars!?

Person 2​: Even if we assume 1 dollar is 100 yen, that would be 100 trillion yen?!

Person 3​: Are they serious!?

US President​: Then, we will pay 2 trillion dollars and promise to seal off Kira’s powers for World
Peace.

Page 60

---The next day---

Person [in Sakura TV studio]​: Here it comes!

SFX​: Sst!

Ryuk’s Written Memo *floating in mid-air*​: Each leader who is bidding should be announcing
their bidding prices only, nothing more! Not a single word!

Page 61

L/Near ​(panel from his HQ)​: This is pretty entertaining.

Reporter ​[the US President is giving a press interview]:​ Mr. President!

Reporter​: Is there a possibility to hold a world summit meeting to convince all nations not to buy
it?

US President​: Even if they are willing to pretend to be that noble, the reality is someone will buy
it one way or another.

US President​: Besides, the countries that say “don’t buy it” will be the first ones to do it…

SFX​: *Flash Flash* ​[cameras flashing]

---The next day---

SFX​: *Ding Dong* ​(message notification)

Page 62

Person 1 [discussing the events on TV? Or in the street?] ​(looking at message notification)​:
They’ve finally surpassed 100 trillion yen!

Person 2​: 100 trillion is around the amount of Japan’s national debt.

After all this, it’d be nice if Kira could just pay off the nation’s debt.

Person 1​: Even if they do that the Japanese government is just going to return the money.
Especially if it’s from America.

Person 2​: Oh, I guess you’re right, especially since there’s Japanese-American relations to
consider. If they get Kira’s power, it’ll definitely get like that.

Person 1​: And Japan is the first-world country with the highest national debt in the world, but
also one of the richest too.

Person 2​: What? What do you mean? That makes no sense.

Person 1​: Google it yourself.

Page 63
[Minoru is listening to this conversation]

Person 2​: Well, if the person receiving the money is Japanese and the money gets taxed
properly, then they could help Japan plenty.

Person 1​: I guess so… but there’s no way in hell they’re gonna pay up! Hahaha!

Minoru *has been listening to all this*​: …

Minoru​: Ryuk. End the auction tomorrow.

Ryuk​: Oh?

Minoru​: After the money is deposited, I’m giving up ownership of the notebook, so I want you to
give it to the person who buys it.
Ryuk​: Okay, I got it. I wanted to eat more apples, but I also really wanna know how this turns
out.

Page 64

Halle​: L… how do you think a-Kira is going to deposit a large sum of money like 100 trillion yen?
Receiving it through dollar bills won’t be possible, so it’ll have to be through the internet, won’t
it?
Internet banking… won’t it be through a banking account? Won’t it be directly connected to
a-Kira in that case?

Near​: You’re right.

Near ​*thinking while playing with fake shinigami eyes*: If they were going to create a fake bank
account, they’d leave an internet footprint…
Then, a-Kira,how are you going to receive this money…?

Page 65

Near ​*thinking*​: ​I know that the murder notebook can control people for up to 23 days, but it
cannot control people to receive money.

If money is the motive, there are numerous other ways to earn money from the notebook
without auctioning it off.

To not do that means that they [a-Kira] doesn’t want to earn money badly enough to kill
someone over it…

If I were to believe that a-Kira does not want to kill people,

then there would be no reason for them to have the notebook.

In fact, they must even hate having the murder notebook…

… They’re thinking of how to dispose of the notebook…

And the answer to that is a well-planned, well-thought out auction.

If I think about it that way, it all adds up.

a-Kira is so careful that I can’t believe that they’re just trying to find out how much the notebook
is worth out of curiosity.

No, a-Kira is serious.

Which can only mean that they must also have established a certain plan for how to receive the
money…

Page 66

SFX:​ *Slowly appearing* ​[Justin Armonia phases through the wall of the Sakura TV studio]

Ryuk​: Armonia Justin? What are you doing here?

Page 67

Justin Armonia​: The Shinigami King’s callin’ for ya.

As soon as you’re able to leave that human of yours, come back soon.

Ryuk​: Why?

Justin Armonia​: I dunno. Anyway I said all I had to say. See ya. ​[phases through the other
side of the wall]

Page 68-69

*Ryuk is holding up the written sign on Sakura TV*

I HAVE DECIDED TO SELL KIRA’S POWER TO AMERICA FOR

100 TRILLION DOLLARS.

I WILL LET YOU KNOW HOW TO SEND THE MONEY

WITHIN 24 HOURS.

Page 70
Deputy Chief​: To America…!

Person 2/Aizawa?​: Yes, unfortunately…

Aizawa​: The Death Note is being sold to America…

Matsuda​: We weren’t able to do anything at all, were we…

Near ​(panel from his HQ):​ So this is what’s to become of it. Surely Japan does have better
relations with America than with China.

Rester​: If this is how it is, then we’ll capture the murder notebook from the American
government.

Near​: If you’re going to do that, please do that on your own.

Rester​: L… why…!

Page 71

Near​: Because I am living in America right now.

Halle​: …L… you’re terrible.

Rester​: Well, he got that from the first L.

Near​: With the whole world knowing about the murder notebook, there would be no way that
they [America] can use it.

Isn’t it more important to determine how a-Kira is going to receive the money?

Rester​: Hm. It is…

Halle​: It might be our last chance to obtain the notebook and a-Kira…

Page 72

Halle​: Do you know why they’ve chosen tomorrow to transfer the money?

Near​: In twenty four hours, it will be 6 PM on Friday, May 24th in Japan…

If they have three days, then the commotion will have most likely died down by then.

Rester​: Indeed, banks close at 3 PM and don’t open on weekends…

Halle​: …? But to deposit it into a Japanese bank account is almost like saying “catch me”…

Near ​*holding up a-Kira finger puppet*: 100 trillion dollars in Japanese yen…

For Japanese people, 400 million yen earned over a lifetime is considered good…

If a-Kira had planned everything from the beginning to this point, then they are, without a doubt,
intelligent.

Page 73

--The next day--

[Ryuk is holding up the written sign on Sakura TV]

PLEASE TRANSFER THE BIDDER’S MONEY

EQUALLY SPLIT​ TO ALL HOLDERS

UNDER THE AGE OF 60 AS OF MAY 24TH, 2019 IN THE TOKYO FAMILY REGISTER

WITH A STANDARD BANK ACCOUNT AT JAPAN’S YOTSUBA BANK

BY MAY 27TH, 2019

Page 74
[on television, Minoru is watching]

Person​: Ohhh!

Person​: An even split!?

Person​: Wait, but there are tens of thousands of people with bank accounts there.

Person​: And why the hell is it under age 60!?

Person​: Splitting up 100 trillion between one million people is…

Everyone​: A hundred million…

 Page 75

On TV: ​ONE BILLION!?!?

SFX​: *bang bang* [someone is knocking on Minoru’s door]

Minoru’s Mother: ​MINORU!

Minoru’s Mother​: You’ve got a Yotsuba bank account too don’t you?

Minoru​: Eh? Yeah.

Page 76

Minoru’s Mother​: What do we do! Something amazing has happened!

We’re rich!

Minoru​: Wait—

---scene in the streets near Yotsuba Bank---

Sign​: YOTSUBA BANK

Person 1 [in the crowd]​: ALL HAIL KIRA!

Person 2​: Our Lord Kira!

Person 3​: Open up! Let me open a bank account!

Person 4​: Gimme a billion!

Person 5​: “Under [60 years old]” means 60 year olds are included! That means I get the money
too!

Person 6​: Open up Yotsuba!

SFX​: *Crash* [the crowd is storming the bank]

 Page 77

Near ​(panel from his HQ):​ … Under 60, how interesting.

Well, I’d already thought that a-Kira was most likely young.

Splitting the money means a-Kira still gets quite a bit, but through that alone the range of people
who a-Kira could be gets narrowed down.

Halle​: ​Still, it’s a needle in a haystack considering that hundreds of thousands of people from
that age group have accounts at the bank.

Near​: And if we don’t catch them within three days, a-Kira will have already lost all memory of
being a-Kira.

We can say that catching a-Kira is now impossible.

I’ve lost for the first time since becoming L.

Page 78

---May 27​th​ Monday---

Reporter​: Yotsuba Bank has received (the first installment of) 10 trillion dollars from America,
and customers are flocking to the bank now.

---news​ ​footage of the bank---

Person 1 (at the bank)​: I got the money!

Person 2​: My God!

Person 3​: Kira is truly God. The God of Japan!

Note​: *Screenshot of mobile banking*

Reporter​: In order to avoid confusion, Yotsuba Bank has decided to suspend regular operations
for the foreseeable future​― 
 
Person 4 (at the bank)​: Open up!

Person 5​: Let me make an account!!

SFX​: *Bam Bam* (banging on the door of the bank)

Person 6​: Get the hell outta my way!!

Existing customers first!!

SFX​: *Rattle Rattle* (at the bank door)

Page 79

Reporter’s Voice-Over on TV​: In a statement [from Yotsuba Bank], they announced they will
deal with customers in a specified order with a limit of up to 100,000 yen a day, adding this
applies only to the amount the customers had in their accounts as of May 24​th​.
For more details, please check Yotsuba Bank’s homepage.

Minoru ​(he’s watching the news):​ I guess I have to wait around one month before I can
withdraw my money. But they did pay me. Take the notebook to President of the United States.

Ryuk​: Alright.

Page 80

Ryuk​: I guess this is goodbye then.

Minoru​: Right. Thank you for everything.

Minoru​: Once I relinquish the ownership of this notebook, don’t appear before me again, no
matter what happens. So I can forget everything and live a happy life. I don’t want anything to
do with this cursed notebook anymore.

Ryuk​: Jeez, you don’t need to hate it that much.

Ryuk​: Anyway, it’s been interesting, Minoru.

Never thought in a million years you would use the Death Note without ​writing.​
 Page 81

Minoru​: Ok, I forfeit ownership.

Ryuk​: You got it.

---White House, The Oval Office---

*panel showing Ryuk giving the Death Note to the US President*

Page 82

Ryuk​: Actually, I was just reamed out by the Shinigami King before coming here…
He was like, “What the hell are you thinking! Having humans buy and sell the Death Note!!?”

US President​: …?

Ryuk​: Anyhow he made me add a new rule.

SFX​: *Flip* ​(holds up the Death Note showing the rule)

Ryuk​: “If you sell or buy the Death Note in the human world, you will die. If you are the seller,
you will die when you receive the payment. If you are the buyer, you will die when you
receive the notebook.”

US President​: What!?

Page 83

US President​: Tha-that’s preposterous!

Ryuk​: Right? This rule was only just added, too.

So, now you gotta die even though you paid a crazy amount of money…
Ryuk​: But, if you decide not to take it, I can let you go. No specific person has bought it as far
as I’m concerned.

US President​: R-Really?

Ryuk​: But you won’t get that money back.

US President​: …

Ryuk​: On the other hand, if you decide to receive it, you’ll die, but the Notebook will fall right
here.

After that, some big shot from your country will pick it up. So you die, but it won’t be
a total loss ‘cuz the notebook will belong to your country.

Ryuk​: Your choice.

Page 84

US President​: …

US President​: I won’t take it from you.

Ryuk​: Your own life over your country, huh.

US President​: However, I will announce that we have got Kira’s powers.

Ryuk​: ???

US President​: We have the notebook, but we just won’t use it... As long as people believe that,
that’s the best optics for our country.

Ryuk​: … You’re not President of the United States for nothing!

Page 85

Ryuk​: Hmm… What do I do?

Minoru wasn’t aware of the new rule…

Ryuk ​(remembering Minoru’s words):​ “Human or Death God, you should keep your promise.
Don’t come to me again no matter what happens.”
Ryuk​: He said that so…

---One month later---

Narrator​: Starting with the Metropolitan areas, the Japanese economy boomed.
The Media called this economic bubble the Reiwa Bubble, or alternatively, the Kira Bubble.

Person 1​: I bought an apartment!

Person 2​: Cheers!

Person 3​: I bought a house and three cars ​with cash​!

Person 4​: Kira is God! Long live Kira!

Sign:​ Yotsuba Bank ATM

---​Minoru is going to the ATM to withdraw his money---

SFX​: *Thud* (falling)

SFX​: *Beep* (ATM beeps)

Page 86

*Minoru is dead on the floor of the ATM lobby, money in his hand*

Person 1 (in the bank)​: Huh?

Person 2​: Are you alright, sir?

Person 3​: Qu-quickly get an ambulance!

Page 87
*shows Ryuk having just written in his Death Note, and the last name in it is Light Yagami’s*

Ryuk​: Your plan was perfect. It’s a pity.

 In Ryuk’s Personal Death Note​:

“Light Yagami”

(and below that)

“​ Minoru Tanaka”

Ryuk​: Seems no matter how a human uses the Death Note, they’ll all face misfortune in the
end.

Ryuk ​*thinking of apples*​:​ Sigh…

SFX:​ *Thud* ​(Ryuk snaps the Death Note shut, and he’s still holding the extra Death Note)

Ryuk:​ Jeez, I really wonder if there’s any human out there who could use the notebook for a
long time again...

Bottom Note: Death Note One Shot short story storyboard…End