'The boundaries of Life and Death do not apply to me.'
A virus is not a living thing. It exists as a machine, a biological machine designed to hijack a much larger biological machine in order to create more of itself.
It does not think. It does not hate. It does not love. It simply... is. A true biological machine that wavers between the lines of a protein and a living construct such as a cell.
However, a question must be asked: Are you alive? Are you truly a living thing?
We say we are because we can self associate. We have the ability to think in complex logical patterns. We assume ourselves alive because 'I think, therefore I am'.
A lot of people view their flesh as a weakness. Bodies wither, fall apart, their biological processes slowly decay and fracture, and death is an inevitable part of living.
Some turn to religion as an answer, seeking the idea of the spirit above the flesh, that who we are is separate from the flesh we are born in.
Some turn to philosophy, seeking to live their lives by principles that would see them feel fulfilled at the passing of their flesh.
Others still believe in transcendence, believing that it would be possible to transfer our consciousness from a body made of flesh to one made of metal, or perhaps code.
I had none of these things, for I had believed that what happened after my life expired, would be of no importance to the 'me' after I died. All I cared about was living my life as I saw fit. No philosophy, no religion, no transcendence was possible in my time.
That had changed in this life. As Blacklight, I was now a virus that was sentient, capable of thought and focus. As Blacklight, I was a being outside the boundaries of life and death, as a virus felt no fear to death. Which in and of itself is interesting: all biological life fears the end. A virus, does not. It cannot fear, because it simply exists.
Contemplating existence is a strange way to pass the time to get to my house. I mused.
Meraki. Ikigai. Both had some serious ramifications. As Meraki, I had fully realized my sense of self that went beyond simply the Power Swap of Gojo Satoru and my various Templates. It meant that I fully embodied and understood myself in that moment.
That I did things because I enjoyed it, that I am fully a being of passionate desires and creative aspirations, above all else. Saving the universe means nothing to me, and helping others was just another means of a passionate desire to protect and nourish what I cared about.
It's incredibly, utterly, selfish. To put your own desires above the universe, above all else.
Yet I would not, could not, will not, apologize for it. I am Meraki.
Ikigai. Really, it was just another expression of Meraki. That I was all in or out on something. To such a degree that it reflected in my Rinnegan, to create anything I wanted or needed in that moment, and return it back into energy when I wished to recall it.
Where the Creation of All Things was Hagoromo's ability, the ability to truly permanently create something at the cost of some of his life force, a representation of how he truly gave himself to the world, Ikigai was a part of the world, and separate at the same time.
Because Ikigai was not permanent, and did not yield to the rules of the universe. Hagoromo's creations were bound by the universe, and the amount of life force he gave were in proportion to the amount of 'properties' he could make the universe accept.
Case in point: the Sage of Six Path's Tools were not infallible, and while quite strong, they are not invulnerable to damage. The bijuu are all semi-immortal, but not truly immortal.
They were permanent creations in that, once formed, Hagoromo could not absorb them back into himself.
Ikigai did not operate like this. Ikigai's creations were an extension of me, and as such, were under all the Defenses of the Company.
I could create a floating castle, and it would hang above the village for eternity, long after the village crumbled away, and long after the planet changed landscapes in millenia, the floating castle would remain.
Hence why Ikigai is a part of the universe, and not really. Like any creation of an artist or a writer, it exists in that moment between its formation and destruction.
It exists, up until it doesn't.
Technically this placed me at a Tier 10 automatically, because this was an impossible ability that could easily disrupt the world in an instant.
Of course, Ikigai had a trade off that Creation of All Things did not have. My creations were fundamentally a part of me. If I died a True Death, they all vanish as well. Where my Companions would be seized by the Company, all of my creations would be gone.
Much like how the true death of an artist or a writer, is to have their works destroyed or forgotten so utterly that they do not exist. I thought grimly to myself.
Menma walked ahead, guided by a subtle mental nudging from me on if she was going the right way.
Admittedly I was enjoying the view of her ass as she walked ahead. I wasn't one to oggle at others, but as Menma had shown some serious interest earlier, considering her fantasies, I had little restraint in enjoying the view.
I was an ass man. Truly, I enjoyed breasts, but I enjoyed the view and feeling of a woman moaning and gasping as I enjoyed her from behind.
When I wasn't doing a mating press on her and kissing her at the same time, of course. Seeing a woman's flushed face, her eyes almost filled with lust and animalistic pleasure, her moans and screams as she lost control under me, that just does something to me. A primal part of myself enjoys seeing her give into those same instincts.
"Only you could go from existentialism to sex at the shake of an ass." Wendy whispered into my ear mentally as she sounded amused.
I snorted. Please, like you didn't enjoy having another's attention. I mentally fired back.
"Of course. I would've been affronted if the form I crafted for you was not pleasing to your eye." Wendy whispered bluntly.
Menma's red face subtly turned to look at me, flinching as she realized I caught her glancing before looking forward again.
'I can feel him staring at my ass. I should be mad or uncomfortable, instead I feel flattered and turned on. I almost wanna...'
Menma's ass seemed to shake as she moved her hips, trying to walk seductively for a moment even as she didn't know how.
'I don't think I did it right, but I can feel his arousal spiking. Mm, Kami, he's driving me wild without doing anything. It's unfair!' She mentally whined as she gave another wiggle, letting out an audible whimper as I growled quietly.
"Dirty man. You're playing with fire with these Uzumaki. I'll leave you to your fun, but don't keep me waiting too long to finish my task." Wendy whispered hungrily as I gave a quiet grunt at the feeling of something soft touching me under my pants.
'Fuck! He's so turned on, he's making me soaked! You're ruining my underwear! Stop turning me on by being sexy and aroused, damn it!' Menma's thoughts were absolutely the opposite of her body, as her ass continued to sway with an exaggerated motion as she panted quietly.
'Now I have to meet his parents with my underwear soaked, and all I wanna do is drag him to his bed, rip his clothes off, and feel his hands pulling my hair as I choke on his cock.'
Menma shivered as I said nothing. The fact that Menma 'conveniently' forgot that her clothes were now Blacklight, and hence she could change clothes at a thought, was amusing to me.
Truly, Menma and Naruko were sisters.
'Oh, fuck! I'm meeting his parents! What the hell do I say? Shit! Did I need to bring anything?!'
Truly, the universe has a sense of humor.