"Light, I made myself clear enough back then, didn't I?"
"Explain."
"After you finished writing his name, I took a look."
Ryuk extended a finger and traced a circle in the air.
"The forty-second countdown ended, he collapsed, and you checked his carotid artery. There really was no pulse."
"And then?" Kannazuki growled.
"Then I got curious."
Ryuk cackled. "Because he hadn't died at all."
"I thought this human was pretty entertaining. I was just about to discuss it with you, but what did you do?
You thought you'd won and turned around faster than anyone. Before I could even finish, you were already running downstairs."
Bang!
Kannazuki shot up from his seat so violently that he kicked the heavy chair over!
Its wheels scraped across the floor with an ear-piercing screech that echoed through the deathly silent dorm room.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?!"
Kannazuki grabbed at the empty air before him. Though he couldn't touch the shinigami's physical form, the murderous intent in his eyes nearly set the air ablaze.
"You didn't ask."
Ryuk spread his hands, wearing an utterly innocent, utterly punchable expression.
"Besides, Light, you need to understand where I stand.
I'm not your personal cheat, and I'm not your lackey. I'm just a spectator who got bored out of his mind and came to the human world to watch some cricket fights. What do your life-and-death struggles have to do with me? All I'm here to do is eat my apples and enjoy the show."
Kannazuki's chest heaved like a bellows pumping at full force.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
With terrifying willpower, he forced the rage threatening to destroy his reason back into the depths of his heart. He bent down, righted the chair, and sat back down.
He closed his eyes.