Utaha hesitated for a moment, then spoke cautiously with a hint of naive verification, "Then... that is to say, if... if someone could kill those Devils representing concepts bad for humanity, like War or Hunger, then would the human world become better and more peaceful?"
Even Utaha herself felt the question was a bit too idealistic as she asked it, but logically it seemed to make sense—if you eliminate the concept of "War," wouldn't war cease to exist?
However, Sukuna's reaction was beyond her expectations.
He didn't mock her immediately. Instead, he looked at her with an extremely peculiar gaze, his four crimson pupils simultaneously flashing with disbelief, absurdity, and a sort of... condescending pity.
"Bad concepts?" Sukuna repeated the phrase as if he had heard the most ridiculous joke in the world, his lips curling into a satirical arc.
"What are you referring to? War? Guns? Hunger? Or... death?"
With each word he listed, the mockery in his tone deepened.
Sukuna's voice turned cold, carrying a cruel insight into the ways of the world. "Stupid girl, there is no such thing as an absolutely 'good' or 'bad' concept in this world. Those are all labels forcibly applied by you humans based on your own short-term interests and fragile emotions."
He held up a finger, as if enlightening a dull student. "War? In your eyes, it's a disaster, a massacre. But it is also the ultimate manifestation of competition, the cruelest yet most efficient catalyst for technological explosions and civilizational transformations."
"Without the slaughter between tribes, where would the prototype of a nation come from? Without conflicts over resources, where would territorial expansion and productivity development come from?"
"To protect what one wants to protect, to plunder what one needs to plunder—this is an instinct carved into the very bones of living beings."
"If you erase the concept of 'War,' do you think competition and conflict will disappear? They will only explode in another more distorted and uncontrollable form."
He held up a second finger. "No hunger? Don't be ridiculous. This isn't a matter of independence. Hunger is the most fundamental driver of survival. Without the fear of hunger, a creature's instinct to forage would even degenerate."
"Do you think that by erasing the Famine Devil, you humans could live without eating? That's not how the rules work. That would only lead to the collapse of the food chain's underlying logic, ultimately triggering an even greater disaster."
Sukuna leaned forward slightly, his four arms spread wide in a gesture that encompassed everything, his tone bordering on a roar. "Do you think these concepts exist independently, like building blocks that can be pulled out at will? They are a tangled mess. They are part of the fundamental rules that constitute this world."
"Life and Death are interdependent, Light and Darkness coexist, Order and Chaos contend."
"If you forcibly remove War, you might simultaneously weaken Courage, Unity and Sacrifice."
"If you erase Hunger, you might shake the meaning of Diligence, Cherishing, and even Survival itself."
Sukuna slammed back against the cushion and let out a cold snort, filled with ultimate disdain for such naive thoughts.
"Trying to use such a simple, crude, and one-step method to complete some grand wish of 'making humanity better'? Ha! Even someone like me knows that is an absolutely impossible delusion. It's countless times harder than destroying the world because it's challenging the very foundation of the world's existence."
Sukuna seemed finally satisfied seeing Utaha completely stunned, her worldview shaken to its core. He picked up his teacup again, returning to his previous laziness.
He elongated his tone with the playfulness of someone appraising a rare collectible. "However... there are always some self-righteous 'smart people' or 'saviors' in the world who simply don't understand, or rather, refuse to understand this logic."
"Blinded by their narrow 'ideals' or 'righteousness,' they fantasize about finding a way to solve all the 'problems' facing humanity once and for all."
He let out an ambiguous low laugh, as if recalling some interesting past event. "Whether it's wanting to create a 'perfect world' without Cursed Spirits, or attempting to root out all strife and pain to create a 'Heaven,' or... some even more extreme and insane ideas. These guys, though their thoughts are pitifully stupid, I have to admit..."
Sukuna's lips split into an aggressive, excited grin. "...they are usually quite strong. To practice those absurd ideals, they often burst forth with power far beyond common sense. Heh, living a long time does have its benefits. You get to witness all sorts of different scenery and interesting opponents."
Sukuan excitedly thought, 'Right now, I've swallowed one finger and gained the traits of a Devil, but this is far from my strongest form.'
'No, it's better to say I can become even stronger. Finding all the scattered fingers, devouring more valuable 'concepts,' and mastering and integrating the interesting power systems of this era... The road ahead is vast.'
His four eyes flashed with bloodthirsty and joyful light. "I'm looking forward to the day I encounter those guys who hold ridiculous ideals yet possess formidable strength, as well as the so-called 'powerhouses' bred by this era. To fight them to my heart's content, to slaughter, and to show my power, my Cursed Technique, my domain... to show my everything without reservation, instead of just boringly... waiting, like before."
Utaha could clearly feel that for Sukuna, a "survival" where he could not fight to his heart's content or proclaim his existence to the world was no different from "waiting for death."
Ryomen Sukuna was an existence who had "battle" inscribed into every inch of his soul. For him, the meaning of survival had never been about longevity or seizing power, but about pursuing the ultimate confrontation, the shiver and ecstasy of the soul when people clash.
The King of Curses from a thousand years ago did not fall and get sealed because of defeat. Rather, he proactively turned himself into a special grade cursed object, betting on a thousand-year slumber just for one possibility—to bet that a distant future would give birth to an opponent worthy of his full strength and a hearty battle.
Even though he was a transmigrator and essentially different from the non-human Sukuna of a thousand years ago, this craving was still etched deep within his soul. Having merged with Sukuna, he had inherited this desire.
This pure and terrifying desire to "become stronger" and to "fight" hit Utaha like a tangible shock, making her realize once again what a dangerous and uncontrollable existence she was "living together" with.
He didn't care if the world's rules were reasonable. He only cared if the rules allowed him to encounter opponents worth fighting, and if they allowed him to enjoy the pleasure of battle and the thrill of destruction to his heart's content.
Sukuna seemed immersed in the imagination of future battles, only withdrawing his gaze after a long while to settle it back on the pale-faced Utaha.
His tone returned to its previous laziness, yet carried a hint of being beyond question. "So, little girl, you'd better grow up quickly too. At least, don't get cleaned up by some small fry because you're too useless before I find my fun. That would be a total buzzkill."