When contacted by another death god who is enticed to enter the human world, Ryuk relates his own excursion to the other side as well as the story of Light Yagami, a smart young man who impressed him there. Light discovers Ryuk's missing Death Note at school one day and knows it is not an ordinary notebook. He discovers that it has the capacity to murder anybody whose name is written within, as long as the user can envision the victim's face. Having long lamented modern society's decadence, Light feels this frightening weapon provides him an unexpected opportunity: to exterminate all evil and usher in a new ideal world.