The Kappa Cursed Corpse, which Sukuna had been dribbling like a basketball, had just regained its stillness when a completely different voice, full of mockery and absolute arrogance, rang out from Utaha's direction, instantly tearing through the previously solemn atmosphere.
It didn't come from Utaha's mouth, but seemed to originate from the distorted air around her. Sukuna's deep and highly piercing voice rudely interrupted Yaga's lecture.
"Resolve? Heh... what an utterly boring word."
In an instant, everyone's eyes were focused on Utaha. On her left cheek, those two scars had quietly split open at some point, revealing crimson lips and teeth, forming a malicious smile. Four faint, crimson eye phantoms emerged over her shoulders, coldly "gazing" at Masamichi.
"Old man, your clichés about 'no life without regrets' and 'the sacrifice of good people' are, in the end, just because you're too weak." Sukuna's tone carried unabashed contempt.
"Weak ants, when faced with an irresistible torrent, need to weave so-called 'resolve' and 'greater causes' for themselves to gloss over their powerlessness and seek a bit of pitiful psychological comfort. It's laughable and pathetic."
Masamichi's brow furrowed, his gaze behind the sunglasses sharp as a knife, but he didn't immediately speak to refute him, simply listening quietly to this thousand-year-old King of Curses' "grand theory."
Eriri and Megumi held their breath, feeling a more primal and pure sense of oppression, distinct from the principal's majesty.
"In this world, rules have always been written by the strong." Sukuna's voice continued to echo, carrying a coldness that trampled over all morality.
"Wear a hat as big as your head. As long as you're strong enough, whether it's saving people, protecting yourself, or even destroying everything, it's all up to your whim. Do whatever you want, who can stop you?"
He sneered, his gaze sweeping over the pale Eriri and the solemn Megumi.
"And while you're weak, what's the damn use of pondering these ethereal 'resolves' all day? A weakling's resolve is worthless in the face of absolute power. Just like that Cursed Corpse just now—did whether it had 'resolve' or not affect me using it as a ball? No. Because it was too weak."
Sukuna's remarks were extreme and cruel, yet they pointed directly to a bloody reality: in the Jujutsu World, and even in the broader supernatural realm, the imbalance of power is often decisive.
He himself was the embodiment and practitioner of this law.
In the original ending, why was Yuji able to make Sukuna finally acknowledge his naive kindness, and even lead Sukuna to choose another path?
It wasn't because his 'resolve' was so noble, nor because his grand speeches were so powerful.
It was simply because his fists were hard enough. His Black Flash hurt Sukuna, beating him into submission.
Only after he proved he possessed power sufficient to rival or even surpass Sukuna did Yuji's philosophy and his choices gain the qualification to be heard and 'acknowledged.'
Thinking in reverse, if Yuji's fists weren't hard enough and he had been easily killed like a crushed bug by Sukuna in the final battle...
Does anyone really think Sukuna would have stopped to listen to his nonsense or 'choose' some bullshit other path?"
The answer was self-evident. Given Sukuna's personality of "eating when he wants to eat, killing when he wants to kill" and "not caring about the life or death of Cursed Spirits or humans," the ending would only have been a one-sided massacre and destruction.
The philosophies and resolves of the weak have no place to survive in under an absolute power gap.
"Stop being blinded by empty words like 'resolve' and 'greater cause.' Want to survive? Want to control your own destiny? Then go get stronger. Get stronger at any cost."
"Only when your power is enough to make your enemies tremble and the rules are rewritten for you will you be qualified to think about and practice so-called 'right things' or 'what you want to do.' Otherwise, it's all out of the question."
After saying this, Sukuna's marks slowly faded, and the mouth on Utaha's cheek quietly closed.
The room fell into a dead silence, even more oppressive than before.
Masamichi remained silent for a long time, eventually letting out a deep sigh.
He didn't refute Sukuna, because to some extent, Sukuna had pointed out the most cruel and real side of how the Jujutsu World and even the world itself operates.
He just said in a low voice to the three girls, "His words... though extreme, the importance of power is beyond doubt. How you use that power depends on your own heart. Remember, if great power is not restrained by corresponding responsibility and resolve, it will eventually backfire. How you walk this path is your own choice."
Turning to Satoru, he said, "Satoru, take them to handle the necessary procedures and arrange the dorms. Specific study arrangements will be discussed after you submit a detailed report."
"Understood, Principal." Satoru agreed readily, giving the three girls a wink, signaling it was time to leave.
Satoru walked ahead with his hands in his pockets and a leisurely pace, seemingly completely unaffected by the intense exchange just now.
He suddenly seemed to remember something, turned his head, and asked Utaha with great interest, "Speaking of which, Sukuna, what do you actually think of the current Cursed Spirits and Jujutsu Sorcerers? Compared to a thousand years ago, has there been any progress? Or is it even more boring?"
His tone was relaxed, like asking for a review of a newly released movie.
After a brief silence, Sukuna's voice, carrying unabashed disgust and a hint of newly sprouted appetite, rang out, still through Utaha's cheek.
"Cursed Spirits? Before, they were eyesores, foul-smelling ugly things to be cleaned up in passing or used to test the feel of a new Cursed Technique. Now..."
He paused, as if reminiscing and said, "...they're barely worth being called a little snack."
"As for Jujutsu Sorcerers..."
Sukuna's sneer grew louder, "A bunch of utterly boring, hidebound fools. It was like that a thousand years ago, and it's still like that now. They're either bound hand and foot by so-called greater causes and responsibilities, or they're deluded by power and go to extremes, or they hide away to study flashy but impractical things."
"Occasionally one comes along who can fight, but their heads are filled with nothing but naive, laughable thoughts. Tedious, far too tedious."
His evaluation of Jujutsu Sorcerers as a whole was appallingly low.
Non-sorcerers are flying off Earth, yet the Jujutsu World hasn't changed a bit in a thousand years.
The fact that the strongest from a thousand years ago, Sukuna, and the current strongest, Satoru, could fight back and forth was the tragedy of the Jujutsu World.
Not a single bit of progress.
Seeing them, Sukuna even wondered if there was any point in the Sukuna of a thousand years ago turning into fingers and spacing out for a millennium.
***
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