Zero (chapter)

 Zero (ゼロ, Zero) is the seventh chapter of Volume seven and the 59th chapter overall.

Zero is the halfway point of the series and the last of the L Story Arc because of L's death.

Plot
The investigation group is surprised to read in the newspaper that Watari, whose real name was Quillsh Wammy, was a world-renowned inventor who opened up several orphanages.

In one of Watari’s orphanages called Wammy’s House, one of the caretakers notices that his cell phone is counting down the hours until all of L’s data is deleted. Meanwhile, an orphan named Mello plays soccer outside while another orphan named Near stays inside playing with puzzle pieces.

Back at the headquarters, Soichiro tells the team that he couldn’t tell the director of the NPA about L’s death because he fears that he will completely stop the Kira Investigation. They decide that in order to avert suspicion of L’s whereabouts, they have to pretend L is still alive. They all elect Light to play the part of the new L. Light thinks to himself that with L now gone, it is easy to do whatever he pleases. They also decide that Soichiro will be the one to hide the Death Note from now on.

Kira definitely exists, and he’s using another notebook. The investigation team is determined to catch him.

Light, Misa, and Ryuk are walking down the street commenting on Light’s new-found victory. Light asks Misa to live in an apartment with him, and they shall build a new world together.

The countdown clock that the orphanage caretaker has been keeping track of has finally reached zero. All of the data about L has been erased, and a messages flashes on the phone, “L is dead.”

The caretaker calls both Near and Mello into his room, and tells them the bad news.

Conception
Ohba said the chapter's title "Zero" refers to the timer reaching zero and confirming L's death. It also relates to Ohba's intention was to let the readers and himself understand that the Mello and Near arc is, in the words Ohba used, "starting from zero."