Gamble

"Would killing him right now be a bad move...?"

- Light Yagami

Gamble (ギャンブル, Gyanburu) is the thirty-second chapter of the Death Note manga series.

Plot
Rem has agreed to kill L on Light's behalf; all she needs is to know where he is and what he looks like. Light tells her to wait until he gives her the all-clear since he needs to time it carefully in order that he himself does not come under suspicion when L dies. Light then asks Misa for her cellphone number. She eagerly asks for his but he refuses to give it since the police could tap his calls. Clearly upset but understanding, Misa then offers him a spare cellphone of her own. Light takes it but makes it clear that he is the one who is to call her.

Misa would like them to have a date, maybe dinner, but Light, anxious to get rid of her, suddenly kisses her on the mouth and patiently asks her to go home. Misa, taken aback by this, agrees and leaves in a daze.

Light is not absolutely certain that L is the genuine article or just someone posing as L. He's often seen him addressing a third party (Watari) through a laptop, but has never seen that person's face. Momentarily conflicted, Light wonders about the huge gamble he is about to take: The future is so unpredictable. If L dies then he might come under suspicion and yet, if L goes into hiding, then getting rid of him will become even more of a problem.

Ryuk wonders if Light is having second thoughts ever since L referred to him as a "friend". Light says that he was just playing along: L may be a friend to Light Yagami, but he is an enemy of Kira.

Light makes up his mind to kill L the next day.

Later the following day, L is examining packets containing evidence, including hair fibres and crumbs. He is pondering his options: If Kira and the Second Kira have joined forces then could there be more Kiras out there? Should he go back into hiding?

L curtly tells Soichiro Yagami that if he, L, dies in the next few days then it means that Soichiro's son, Light, is Kira and that he must get him to admit to it. Soichiro is appalled and demands to know how much L suspects his son. L admits that he is not really sure what his feelings are: He is on edge because he might die any time now. If the two Kiras have joined forces then they have the means of killing him by just seeing his face. He has no proof that Light is Kira, but then again he is currently the only suspect.

L has received information from Mogi which Watari is now looking into, but L decides that he is going to have to take a major gamble himself if only to check on Light's reactions.

Later that day, Light is walking around the To-Oh University campus with his current "girlfriend", Kiyomi Takada, under the jealous gazes of other male students, when they come across L sitting on a bench reading a small book. Light excuses himself to Kiyomi and, once she has left, he asks L why he is now out in the open when he recently indicated that he would be going into hiding.

L explains that if Light is not Kira then he should be safe since Light is the only one outside of the Kira Task Force to know that he is L. But he also tells Light that he were to die in the next few days then he has told the Task Force members and the "other Ls" to assume that Light is Kira.

L has already told Light that there are other Ls operating in the world and Light is not sure whether to believe him or not. He ponders whether or not he should kill L.

For his part, L has recognised Kiyomi Takada as one of four girls whom Mogi has reported seeing Light with, but doubts that she is the Second Kira. Although Light has had girlfriends before, L wonders why he is seeing so many at the moment.

All of a sudden Misa appears, calling out for Light! She has a photo shoot in the area and took advantage in order to see him. Light is at first aghast at the fact that she has appeared like this, especially when she introduces herself to L as Light's girlfriend. He does not want L to know of his relationship with Misa in case he ever discovers that she is the Second Kira.

L introduces himself by his fake name of "Hideki Ryuga" and Light suddenly realises that things actually could not be better! Misa can see L's real name with her Shinigami Eyes.

Misa is surprised by the name "Hideki Ryuga" since it is not the name she sees. Light covers her astonishment by explaining that he simply has the same name as a famous pop idol.

Light feels triumphant since, by mere chance, he has managed to get L and Misa together and she has his real name. But he then notices that L is staring at Misa with a lot of interest and is smiling—something he is unlikely to do if he thought she was the Second Kira.

L simply says that he envies Light, claiming to have been a fan of Misa ever since she recently appeared in a popular teen magazine! Then, other students also recognise Misa and before long a large crowd has gathered around her.

Suddenly, Misa screams that someone has touched her bottom! L, quickly hiding his hand behind his back, expresses outrage and pledges to track down the culprit. At that moment, Misa's manager appears and drags her away since they are late for the photo shoot. Misa tells Light that she will see him later—causing others to wonder about his relationship with Kiyomi Takada.

The crowd breaks up and L and Light also split. Light has made up his mind: Now that L knows about his relationship with Misa it would be too dangerous to let him live any longer! As L walks away, Light takes from his pocket the cellphone Misa gave him the previous night. He will now call her, get L's real name and kill him himself.

Conception
The title "Gamble" refers to Light's decision to kill L even though he's not entirely sure that he is in fact the real L. It also refers to L's decision to confront Light at the university when the Second Kira, who could kill him just be seeing his face, may see him.