Chapter 20 — Inexperience
Light's leg gave out.
His eyes remained fixed on the crater in the church wall.
The punch had missed him.
Yet the impact had still torn through the stone.
His body dropped onto the pavement.
If that had hit me…
I'd be dead.
A rough grunt escaped the imposter.
"Ahh…"
"You little shit…"
He muttered something in Japanese.
Then he turned toward Light.
Light's palms pressed against the wet ground.
He pushed himself backward as the imposter began walking toward him.
His eyes burned with anger.
No way…
It's definitely not Father.
The imposter took another step.
Light's fingers scraped against the pavement.
I can say that for sure.
Father naturally spoke in Osaka slang.
This guy…
He's not him.
Light's eyes widened.
The realization settled inside him.
This man was not Daniel.
Not even close.
He's definitely an impost-
Before he could finish the thought-
The imposter raised his left foot.
Then brought it down.
Wham!
Light threw himself backward.
The foot struck the ground where he had been sitting.
The pavement split beneath the impact.
Light's eyes dropped toward the crater.
Another one.
His breath caught.
What the fuck is this…?
He's definitely not Dad.
But why is he so fucking strong?!
The imposter lifted his other foot.
He brought it down again.
Wham!
Light crawled backward.
The foot landed inches from his leg.
The imposter moved forward.
Another stomp.
Wham!
Light twisted away.
The pavement broke beneath the heel.
He's trying to crush me…
The imposter switched feet.
Left.
Right.
Left.
Each step carried him closer.
Each stomp left another mark in the ground.
Light continued dragging himself backward.
His palms slipped against the rain-soaked pavement.
Why can't I hit him?!
The imposter raised his foot again.
This time, Light moved too slowly.
The heel dropped between his legs... almost grazing the crotch.
Light jerked his hips away.
The foot struck the ground dangerously close to him.
"Eek---!!!"
He scrambled backward.
Too close!
Too fucking close!
The imposter continued advancing.
He didn't stop.
He didn't hesitate.
He simply kept trying to bring his feet down on Light.
No.
Light's hands pressed firmly against the ground.
I can't let this continue.
His shoulders tensed.
I have to fight back.
Light pushed himself upward.
His body rose from the pavement.
He planted one foot beneath him.
Then the other.
He stood.
"Damn you…"
The imposter approached.
Light raised his eyes.
"Who the fuck are you?!"
The imposter sighed.
"You don't need to know that…"
His expression darkened.
"But why does merely seeing you infuriate me so much?"
He moved without warning.
His fist swung toward Light.
The movement was wide.
Uncontrolled.
Light saw it coming.
He bent his head backward.
The fist passed in front of his face.
Too slow.
Another punch came.
Light slipped outside it.
The imposter swung again.
And again.
His arms moved in wide, careless arcs.
Light shifted around each attack.
The imposter's chin remained exposed.
Every time he swung, his guard opened.
Wait…
Light's eyes narrowed.
His guarding hand never returns to his chin.
Another punch passed beside him.
And he's swinging his arms around like he's dancing.
The imposter's fist cut through the rain.
Light stepped away.
He's got zero technique.
I was right.
The real Daniel would have destroyed me before I could even react.
The imposter threw another punch.
This time, Light caught his arm.
His fingers closed around the wrist.
The punch stopped.
The imposter stared at him.
Light held the arm in place.
I can do this.
He might be ridiculously strong even without technique…
But I've trained for eight years straight.
Light released the arm.
He shifted his weight from one foot to the other.
A small hop.
Then another.
His movements settled into a rhythm.
His feet began to bounce across the wet pavement.
Boxing should do.
The imposter attacked again.
Light slipped to the side.
Another punch.
He rolled beneath it.
A third.
He raised his forearm and redirected it.
The imposter's fists continued to miss.
Light's footwork carried him around the attacks.
The imposter moved forward.
Light moved with him.
One step.
Then another.
The distance between them remained controlled.
The imposter's breathing grew rough.
Light's rhythm became steadier.
"Hmph."
Light tilted his head.
"Is that all you've got?"
The corner of his mouth lifted.
"I don't know who you are…"
He stepped outside another swing.
"…or what your motive is."
The imposter's fist passed beside his ear.
Light's guard rose.
"But I'm going to make you regret wearing that face."
The imposter's eyes narrowed.
Light extended his right hand.
Slowly.
The movement was deliberate.
The imposter watched it approach.
Hmph.
He's so slow.
I can see his puny little attack.
The hand continued forward.
The imposter barely moved.
Then-
Light's fist accelerated.
Wham!
The punch struck his face.
His head snapped backward.
Light calmly retracted his arm.
"Aghh!"
The imposter staggered.
What the hell?!
His hand was so slow…
How did he-
Before he could recover-
Light stepped forward.
His right foot slid across the pavement.
His left fist drove toward the imposter's chin.
Crack!
The punch landed.
The imposter's head snapped back again.
His eyes rolled upward.
Light watched him closely.
This guy…
He has no idea how to fight.
He's not bracing his neck for the impact.
His eyes are already losing focus.
Light's right hand rose.
His body shifted forward.
The finishing uppercut was ready.
I can win this.
But-
His fist stopped.
It remained inches from the imposter's chin.
Light's eyes widened.
His chest tightened.
A thought struck him.
Wait…
Eun-se-beom…
Did he do it?!
But how?!
Why is it Father's DNA?!
What the hell is happening here?!
Light stood completely still.
His raised fist remained suspended between them.
His eyes lost focus.
The imposter's head slowly lowered.
His feet steadied beneath him.
Light didn't notice.
He was no longer looking at the man in front of him.
He was back at the police station.
Back inside that room.
Back inside the mystery.
Eun-se-beom…
Dad's DNA…
How can both exist in the same case?
The imposter moved.
Crash!
His body surged forward.
One hand struck Light's arm aside.
The other wrapped around Light's hip.
Light's eyes widened.
"What--"
The imposter drove forward.
His leg pushed against the pavement.
His entire body slammed into Light.
Bam!
Light's back struck the church wall.
"Aghh!"
The imposter pinned him against the stone.
His grip tightened around Light's waist.
Light tried to move.
The imposter's legs dug into the ground.
Every time Light shifted, the imposter drove forward again.
There was no space between them.
I zoned out…
Light tried to raise his arm.
The imposter forced it aside.
Then--
Pow!
The fist struck Light's face.
His head snapped backward.
The back of his skull hit the wall.
Pow!
Another punch.
The stone behind him cracked.
Light's body jolted with the impact.
He tried to turn away.
The imposter held him in place.
Pow!
The next punch landed.
More cracks spread across the wall.
Dust fell from above them.
The imposter continued striking.
Light's head struck the stone again and again.
The wall trembled beneath the force.
A deep fracture opened behind Light's shoulders.
The imposter raised his fist once more.
Then--
The wall gave way.
Stone shattered outward.
The ground beneath them disappeared.
Both figures fell forward with the collapsing rubble-
-and disappeared into the church grounds.