Death Note Episode 10: Doubt

Light visits his father, Soichiro Yagami, in the hospital after Soichiro suffers a heart attack linked to the Kira investigation stress. Light promises his father that he will ensure Kira is caught and executed for causing his suffering.

L, seeking to profile Light's behavior, challenges him to a tennis match at school, revealing they were both former champions—L in Britain. During the game, watched by the whole school, both internally question if the other is truly L or Kira: L suspects Light might win as a sore loser or lose to avoid suspicion, while Light plans to lose to deflect doubt but ultimately slams a ball under L's racket to win 6-4.

L invites Light to join the investigation and questions him about the Kira case. L then tests Light with photos of three prior Kira letters forming the puzzle "L DO YOU KNOW GODS OF DEATH LOVE APPLES?" Light solves it quickly, but L reveals a fabricated fourth letter, reinterpreting the message as "L DO YOU KNOW GODS OF DEATH WHO LOVE APPLES HAVE RED HANDS?" to trick him. Light defends himself by noting the photos' improper numbering and lack of indication of a fourth letter, heightening L's suspicions.

As they leave, L confronts Light directly about whether he is Kira. Light bluffs by demanding placement in a prison cell without television for one month to prove no killings occur, leaving L satisfied yet intrigued by the bold offer.

Meanwhile, Sakura TV receives audio tapes from someone claiming to be Kira, threatening to kill everyone at the station unless they broadcast the tapes; the station head agrees eagerly for the story.