DEATH NOTE II | ABYSS OF DESTINY

Chapter 3 : Burden Of Power

Smael hurried home. The streets were eerily quiet, a stark contrast to the turmoil brewing in the hearts of the city's residents. He knew that knowledge was his best weapon and shield.

Once inside his parent's house, Smael locked the door and pulled out the Death Note from its hiding place. He sat at his desk, the dim light casting long shadows on the walls. Taking a deep breath, he opened the notebook and began to read its rules carefully, hoping to uncover secrets that could help him navigate the dangerous path ahead.

As Smael turned the pages, he saw the rules inscribed in a meticulous, almost eerie handwriting:

I.The human whose name is written in this note shall die.

Smael felt a shiver run down his spine as he read the first rule. He already knew this, but seeing it written so plainly brought back the weight of the responsibility he carried.

II. This note will not take effect unless the writer has the person's face in their mind when writing their name. Therefore, people sharing the same name will not be affected.

This rule made sense to Smael. It was a safeguard against accidental deaths of people with common names, ensuring that the power of the Death Note was precise.

III .If the cause of death is written within 40 seconds of writing the person's name, it will happen.

The specificity of this rule was chilling, highlighting the need for exact timing.

IV. If the cause of death is not specified, the person will simply die of a heart attack.

Smael realized this was the default setting of the Death Note, a stark and immediate consequence.

V. After writing the cause of death, details of the death should be written in the next 6 minutes and 40 seconds.

This allowed for the writer to specify the circumstances of the death within a limited timeframe.

VI. The Death Note will become the property of the human world, once it touches the ground of (arrives in) the human world.

Smael noted how this rule made the notebook an object bound to human possession once it entered their realm.

VII. The human who uses this note can neither go to Heaven nor Hell.

This rule hinted at the eternal consequences for those who chose to wield the Death Note's power.

VIII. If the same name is written in two or more Death Notes, the note which was first filled in will take effect, regardless of the time of death.

This rule clarified what would happen in cases of overlap between multiple Death Notes.

IX. The Shinigami, the original owner of the Death Note, in most cases, will not do anything to help or prevent deaths.

This rule highlighted the Shinigami's neutral stance regarding the outcomes of the Death Note's use.

X. The Shinigami must not stay in the human world without a reason. Conditions for staying in the human world are determined by the Shinigami themselves.

XI. The human who possesses the Death Note will be possessed by a Shinigami, its original owner, until they die.

XII If the owner of a Death Note gives their Death Note to another person, the Shinigami follows the new owner.

As Smael read through these rules, he paused at rule 12. A question formed in his mind, a question that had been lingering ever since he first encountered the Death Note: "What exactly is a Shinigami?"

Driven by curiosity and a need for answers, Smael turned to his computer. He opened a web browser and began typing: "What is a Shinigami?" The search results flooded his screen, and he clicked on the most informative-looking link.