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This chapter is on the short side, but I decided to upload it because it stands on its own and will be important. There's also the fact that the following chapter won't have much to do with what's going on here, even though it will be very important. It will likely include perspective shifts, so I didn't want to overload readers. Anyway, at least you got this chapter out of me quickly, so enjoy.
My Discord (Best server in the world): discord.gg/Mf56mjw4
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"The sad truth is that most evil is done by people who never make up their minds to be good or evil." ~Hannah Arendt
***Shinji***
It has been a regular, boring day today—for the most part—if only it wasn't for the fact that Mai and I found ourselves alone in an unmonitored meeting room with Light.
He'd essentially caught us during lunch. Cornered us in the hallway with that same pleasant smile he always wore, the one that made him look helpful and approachable. But we both knew better now.
What other choice did we have except to follow?
Light and Nagumo—each of them had our lives in their hands, even if it was to varying degrees. One held blackmail. The other held fear. Both were enough.
"You two don't seem so happy to see me," Light said as he entered the room behind us, closing the door with a soft click. He moved to the table and set his bag down with deliberate care. "Well, don't worry. I'll keep it short. I just thought it would be good to catch you like this—this way I don't have to worry about Nagumo somehow catching onto our talks."
His tone was casual. Almost friendly. Like we were discussing weekend plans instead of whatever fresh hell he had in store for us.
I stayed standing near the wall. Mai shifted her weight uncomfortably beside me.
"You need us to do something else so soon?" I asked, keeping my voice flat.
"Well, yes. But not really." Light leaned back slightly against the table, arms crossing loosely. "It's nothing crazy. Anyway, how did your conversation with Nagumo go? The first task was simple enough, so I hope it went well."
I took a breath, keeping my expression neutral. This was the part I'd rehearsed with Mai beforehand—the lie we'd agreed to tell.
"Well, he doesn't suspect we're working with you, so don't worry," I said evenly. "But at the same time, Nagumo doesn't trust us. And he also doesn't think he needs us to deal with Kiriyama, which is fair enough. With his level of control, it's probably true." I paused, watching Light's face for any sign of suspicion. "At the same time, we interested him. He didn't seem completely against the idea of working with us, even if it's purely for entertainment's sake—or to use us as simple pawns."
I delivered the words carefully, measuring each one. Conveying just enough truth to make the lie believable.
Light didn't smile. His expression went contemplative instead—not upset, not happy. Just… thinking.
"Well, I guess that's all I can ask for at the moment," he said finally, reaching into his bag.
When his hand emerged, it held a small flash drive. Black. Unremarkable. The kind of thing you'd use to store homework or presentation slides.
But something about the way he looked at it told me it wasn't anything that innocent.
"What is that for?" I asked, my eyes fixed on the drive.
"On this flash drive, there are some important documents I recently received," Light said, holding it out toward me.
I didn't take it immediately.
He continued, his gaze shifting between Mai and me. "I need you to memorize all the information in these documents. And then I need you to erase this drive from existence. Stomp on it, throw it in the water, or preferably microwave it or something. In the end, as long as you get rid of it, I don't care. The information in there is sensitive."
Sensitive.
That word alone made my stomach tighten.
I couldn't lie—I was curious. I looked down at the small drive now resting in Light's open palm, then back up at his face.
"What's specifically in it?" I asked.
Light glanced down at his bag, then back at me. His voice was calm, almost detached.
"Secrets."
"What do you mean, secrets?" I pressed.
He tilted his head slightly, as if the answer should've been obvious.
"The secrets of dozens of first-year students, which I transcribed into the documents on that drive." His tone remained conversational, as if he were discussing a grocery list. "Some secrets are small and minor. Others are more substantial and emotionally leverageable. And of course, a few are the kind some would die to keep in the shadows."
He paused, letting that sink in.
"You can think of it as an information bomb, in a way. That USB could easily be used to create chaos, manipulate, and control first-year students. The fact it exists—and is in my possession—is a tragedy in itself."
A cold sweat ran down the back of my neck.
The way Yagami spoke about the information on this drive made it very obvious he was willing—and planning—to use it, even knowing how damaging it could be to first years. But he didn't seem to really give a damn. If anything, he seemed proud of the thing.
It was a low even Nagumo had never even stooped to.
While Nagumo threatened and expelled students, it was also generally true that he rarely involved random parties in his personal confrontations. He kept his battles targeted and controlled. Light, on the other hand, seemed to have no problem dragging innocent bystanders into the crossfire.
And the part that made it feel strangest to me was that this was coming from Light—someone admired by first years as a perfect student and a decent person. The kind of guy people went to for help with their homework or advice on handling difficult situations.
I wondered what else he'd orchestrated in the past behind closed doors.
Still lost in the psychology of the man in front of me, I couldn't speak. But Mai did.
"Uh… I'm sorry, but can I ask…" Her voice was hesitant, almost apologetic. "You don't really plan on using that information, do you? What could that possibly be helpful for?"
She clearly didn't like the direction of Light's plans. Of course, neither did I.
"Of course I do," Light said, turning to face us fully. A smile spread across his face—sharp and inconsistent with the situation. "That's the point of information: to be used. And you two will help, so don't think of running with your tail between your legs now. You're stuck in my world."
His tone shifted, becoming colder, more direct.
"What did you think your job would be? Simple coercion and running my errands?" He let out a quiet laugh, devoid of warmth. "No. If you want to continue your lives here, you will have to ruin the lives of others. Haven't you heard of the law of equivalent exchange? If you want to continue your normal lives, you should've been prepared for this."
He stepped closer, his voice lowering but losing none of its edge.
"Now, what's more important—the lives and feelings of a couple of first years, or your life at this school? Because if you want, I can just expel you right now."
The silence that followed was like no other.
Mai stood frozen beside me. I could feel her fear radiating outward, mixing with my own.
Light paused, then continued.
"Sacrifices must be made. It's sad it has to be my classmates, but so be it." He gestured vaguely, as if brushing away an inconvenient detail. "If I succeed in expelling Nagumo at the mixed training camp, that won't assure my victory. Nagumo has tens of millions of points and plenty of followers. I will need to lower his reputation and power if I want to continue winning against him. That information in your hands will play a big role in that."
I had to ask again—just to ensure I was really hearing Yagami right.
"You'd consider exposing all this information just to stain Nagumo's reputation?"
Light replied without a hint of hesitation, his eyes meeting mine with perfect clarity.
"I'd do far worse if I had to. But that doesn't matter. What matters is what you have to do." He held out the flash drive once more, this time with finality. "Will you continue to help me and memorize that information, or should I simply expel you both?"
I stared at the drive.
My throat felt dry. My hands felt cold.
This wasn't just blackmail anymore. This was complicity. Active participation in something that would destroy people—people who hadn't done anything wrong, people who just happened to have the misfortune of being useful to Light Yagami in some twisted way.
But what choice did I have?
I simply gulped and nodded, even without knowing what exactly Light had planned for me and this information I now possessed.
"Yes, of course," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "Whatever you want. I'll memorize it."
Light smiled—genuine this time, as if I'd just agreed to help him with a class project.
"Good," he said, placing the flash drive into my hand. The plastic felt unnaturally warm against my palm.
"I knew I could count on you, Shinji."
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These last 2 chapters have really the first ones where you see Light let go of his persona or good side for the most part, so I would love to hear about what you guys think of how I've written this side of him. Like always hope you enjoyed this chapter, it was fun for me to write, give me your honest opinions and all that.