Kannazuki looked down at the world's greatest detective.
A genius whose intelligence surpassed that of every other human being.
On the rooftop of an unfinished building, amid driving wind and rain, he was bare-chested, washing a suspect's feet.
This was no interrogation.
It was a metaphor, something akin to a religious ritual.
An image from the Bible suddenly flashed through Kannazuki's mind-Jesus at the Last Supper, taking off his outer garment, tying a towel around his waist, and washing his disciples' feet.
L was using this utterly unconventional behavior, this complete violation of personal boundaries.
To forcibly tear through Kannazuki's psychological defenses.
He was saying: I know who you are, and I know what you think you're doing.
"Those arms dealers you killed deserved to die."
L spoke as he wiped the left foot.
"That fleet commander in the Persian Gulf-if you hadn't made him order a ceasefire before he died, the Middle East would be scorched earth by now."
L wiped meticulously, even picking away the grit along the edge of the sock, bit by bit.
"I looked through your file.
You're a smart man, and someone who holds certain laughable hopes for this world."
"When you're facing a system completely locked down by capital, power, and vested interests.
The law is just for show.
You got your hands on a tool that could kill from a distance, and you thought it was a chance heaven had given you."
"You overturned the table."
"You used absolute violence to force the entire world to stop fighting.
You saved millions of people."
L gently set down the foot he had wiped clean of muddy water.
"Judging by the results, you really are a savior."
Kannazuki held the black umbrella, rainwater streaming down its canopy to form a curtain of water between