While Kyo, the Slit-Mouthed Man, indeed instills fear and collects souls, his underlying motivation is far more complex. Haunted by his tragic past and transformation, Kyo seeks not just to frighten, but to understand the human nature that he was robbed of. He yearns to comprehend fear, courage, and the spectrum of human emotions, using the souls he collects not just as trophies, but as pieces in an ongoing study of the life he once knew and lost.