The flippancy completely vanished from Satoru's face, replaced by extreme astonishment and deep thought.
He had anticipated many possibilities: Utaha resisting, being forced to swallow it, or Sukuna forcibly seizing control and swallowing it.
But he had never expected the scene before him, which looked like "tacit cooperation".
Could Utaha truly "command" Sukuna so precisely, or was Sukuna willing to cooperate with her in this performance?
If it was the former, the girl's potential and danger needed to be re-evaluated.
If it was the latter... that meant the relationship between Sukuna and his vessel had become dangerously close and complex.
Satoru leaned toward the latter possibility, as it matched Sukuna's eccentric, arrogant, and unpredictable nature.
Satoru scratched his white hair and sighed in amazement. "Oh my... this really is beyond my expectations."
He looked at Utaha, his eyes deepening. "The way you two interact is becoming more and more inscrutable."
However, the words that followed instantly dropped the atmosphere in the secret room to freezing point.
"Alright, the test is over."
Satoru clapped his hands, his tone becoming cheerful again, but the words he spoke were bone-chilling.
"According to Article Nine of the Jujutsu Regulations, anyone who consumes a special grade cursed object is considered a major threat and, in principle, should be executed. Therefore, Kasumigaoka-san, I officially inform you on behalf of Jujutsu High that the higher-ups have decided to sentence you to death."
Click.
It was as if something snapped in Utaha's mind.
Although she had a premonition, hearing the words "death sentence" still made her body sway slightly, and her blood seemed to freeze.
But right then, an aura of terror, far colder and more brutal than the talismans in the secret room, burst forth from Utaha like a breaking dam.
The fissure on her left cheek twisted violently, and Sukuna's murderous, maniacal laughter echoed through the secret room, shaking the runes on the walls until they flickered.
"The death sentence?! Hahahahaha!"
Sukuna's voice was filled with mockery and fury. "Do those moldy old fogeys hiding in the gutters even qualify to pass judgment on my vessel?! Six Eyes brat, you tell them: they want to carry out an execution? I wouldn't mind going to Kyoto first and twisting off the heads of those old bastards one by one, just to see who dares mention the words 'death sentence' again."
This naked threat was filled with the tyranny and cruelty of the King of Curses.
Unexpectedly, however, after the initial shock and fear in the face of this overwhelming killing intent and death sentence, Utaha felt a strange sense of calm rise in her heart, perhaps even a trace of... relief?
A death sentence?
It sounded terrifying. But Sukuna's undisguised protection and threats gave her a sense of security.
At least for now, she clearly knew that the higher-ups of the Jujutsu World's "death sentence" was virtually a dead letter until Sukuna fully recovered his strength or found a new vessel.
With Satoru present to weigh the pros and cons, and with Sukuna's threat, she was temporarily "safe."
She didn't even try to stop Sukuna's roar, merely standing still with her eyes lowered, making her emotions unreadable.
Satoru watched the scene unfolding before him, and the corner of his lips slowly curved into a wider smile.
"Oh, don't get so worked up, Sukuna." Satoru waved his hand, breaking the frozen atmosphere with a relaxed tone.
"It's a death sentence 'in principle,' not 'immediate execution.' Look, I'm the one in charge of the execution here, right? How the specifics are handled is up to me, isn't it?"
Inside the secret room, a bizarre tension stretched between Sukuna's threat and Satoru's relaxed words.
Satoru acted as if he didn't see Sukuna's dissatisfaction, and ignored Utaha's pale face. He continued on his own, his tone remaining as casual as if he were discussing the weather, yet every word carried immense weight.
"Don't glare at me like that, Sukuna. And Kasumigaoka-san, don't be too pessimistic. 'Principles' are dead, but 'the strongest' is alive."
He spread his hands. "I went to a lot of trouble haggling with those oldies up there for a long time before I managed to reach a... well, let's call it an agreement for now."
He held up a finger and wagged it in front of Utaha. "The core of the agreement is simple—it's about the disposal plan for you, and the King of Curses inside you."
Sukuna's cold laughter echoed. "An agreement? Those ants think they're worthy of discussing an agreement with me?"
Satoru seemed to anticipate Sukuna's reaction and smiled at Utaha. "Let me finish. The agreement is: as long as the total number of Sukuna's fingers inside Utaha's body is kept below twenty—in other words, as long as you don't swallow the last finger and achieve a so-called 'complete resurrection'—the death sentence can be suspended indefinitely."
Utaha snapped her head up, a flash of astonishment and a faint glimmer of hope appearing in her eyes.
Control the number? Not reach complete resurrection?
Satoru's tone shifted, a hint of coldness entering his voice. "However, once it is confirmed that the number of Sukuna's fingers in your body has reached twenty, meaning the King of Curses has restored his complete form, according to Jujutsu regulations, in order to eliminate the uncontrollable and massive threat, Jujutsu High and the higher-ups will have the right and the obligation to initiate the highest-level exorcism procedure."
"At that time, as Sukuna's vessel, you will be listed as a target that must be completely destroyed along with Sukuna."
He paused, his gaze seemingly piercing through his blindfold to look directly into Utaha's soul.
"In other words, as long as you don't eat the last one, you can live legally as an incomplete vessel of Sukuna under the surveillance of Jujutsu High. But if you, or the one inside you, collect all twenty fingers... then, unfortunately, I'll have to carry out the original sentence."
He added, his tone regaining a bit of playfulness, "By the way, the one who will do it then will most likely be me. After all, when it comes to dealing with Sukuna at full power, they've thought it over and it seems only I can give it a try. Though as for the result, I'll probably be the one who wins."