Humiliation

Humiliation is the 12th chapter of Volume two and 19th chapter overall.

Plot
At the To-Oh University Entrance Ceremony, Light is the freshman representative for the incoming freshman class because he scored a perfect score on his test. This year, however, there is another freshman representative named Hideki Ryuga, who also scored a perfect score on the test. They must both deliver the freshman address at the freshman ceremony. The students at the ceremony note that Hideki Ryuga has the same name as a famous singer, and his odd, disheveled appearance is quite different from the pop idol’s. Light wonders who this bizarre character from the testing site is.

After the address, Ryuga tells Light that he knows that he is the son of Soichiro Yagami, the Detective Superintendent of the NPA, and that he has shown great interest in the Kira case. He tells him that he has something of great importance to tell him. Ryuga then says, “I am L.”

Although he is shocked and unsure of what to believe, Light tries to compose himself and shake his hand while L asks Light to help his team solve the Kira case.

Even though there is a less than five percent chance that Light is not Kira, L still believes that Light is the most suspicious because he is too perfect. He hopes that a meeting between the two will pressure Kira.

To his dismay, Light quickly figures out his plan. Even if he’s not the real L, he can’t kill him. Because he revealed himself as L to Light, if he dies, he is immediately under suspicion. Light realizes that L used the name Hideki Ryuga on purpose because it was the name of a famous pop idol. If the real Hideki Ryuga dies, Light is once again under immediate suspicion. Light wonders if this guy who is allegedly L believes that he is Kira.

After the ceremony, Light goes back to his room and breaks down in anger. He seethes at the fact that L devised a way to shield himself by revealing that he was L and attacking him at the same time by getting closer. However, Light quickly realizes that Ryuga has no proof that Light is Kira. He is determined to make friends with Ryuga and then, when the time’s right, kill him.