Jujutsu Kaisen Manga Chapter 143

   

 Summary:

With Yuji and Choso dealt with, Yuta offers Naoye a deal she can't refuse. Yuji was "executed" but has a dream about his mother, a woman with scars on her forehead just like Kenjaku. He somehow wakes up, surprised to be alive and even more so to find Yuta by his side.

Plot:

As Yuta looks down at the injured Naoya, she glares at him before vomiting blood. He worries that Cho's blood manipulation has poisoned him, but makes sure it's not the effect of a cursed technique. He realizes that the Choso must be completely cursed due to the amount of blood he used, and guesses that his own body rejects non-human blood. Yuta offers to cure him with the Reverse Cursed Technique if he tells his superiors that Yuji died.

In a flashback, a man named Jin is seen holding the baby and telling his father that if he wants to talk about her, he'll just leave. The older man is revealed to be Yuji's grandfather, Wasuke, who tells Jin that while he can live his life as he wants, he will die if he doesn't give her up. Jin tells Wasuke not to say things like that in front of Yuji because apparently kids remember more than most think. Wasuke mentions the fact that Jin wanted a child with a woman named Kaori, but before Wasuke could say anything about her death, a woman with stitches on her forehead interrupts him and addresses him as her father-in-law, asking what he's talking about. .

Yuji suddenly wakes up next to the fire as an emotionless Yuta sits nearby. Yuji is surprised that he is not dead, and Yuta smiles with relief, revealing that Gojo came to him around September and asked if he would watch over Yuji. In a flashback, Gojo tells Yuto to take care of the first and second years (while Hakari should be fine) if anything happens to him. Yuta wonders if Gojo is thinking of getting a girlfriend because he can't imagine anything happening to him. Gojo specifies that his primary interest should be a freshman named Yuji Itadori, who was also to be secretly executed as Yuta. Gojo then asks where Miguel is, but Yuta replies that he doesn't want to see Gojo.

Back in Yuta's presence, he says that he put on an act for a higher-up to be the executioner in charge and know all the details of what's going on. He adds that in order to be approved as Yuji's executioner, he had to enter into a Binding Vow to kill him, and apologizes for it. Confused, Yuji asks how he's still alive, and Yuta replies that the moment his heart stopped, he cured him with a reverse cursed technique. He adds that not many people know he can do it, as they guessed it would work on Yuji from what he's heard about him.

Yuta points out that since this is the second time Yuji's death has been staged, the superiors will soon learn the truth, but for now they will consider his death sentence complete. Yuji wonders why she's doing all this for him, and Yuta replies that Yuji is important to the people who are important to him. He tells Yuji that he also had a power he couldn't handle, but says that while he invited his own upon himself, Yuji didn't and shouldn't be blamed.

Yuji says that guilt isn't the problem, but before he can continue, Megumi suddenly comes out of the darkness and tells Yuji that they should go back to Jujutsu High. He adds that while the barrier is being released, it should be okay for him to return as long as no one can see him directly in the face. Before Megumi can finish mentioning that he has rejoined the older students, Yuji interrupts him by telling him not to act like everything is normal and nothing happened. Remembering Yuji's words about not being able to die yet, Yuta thinks to himself that Yuji isn't sure if he deserves to live or not, realizing that's why he held back when the two fought.

Yuji then yells that he killed people and many are dead because of him, but Megumi says it's all their fault and tells Yuji not to be selfish and not give up on his own. While Yuji remains silent, telling himself that he knew Megumi would say that, Megumi sighs and says that they are jujutsu wizards, not heroes fighting for justice. He explains that since they can't be judged, they have to constantly prove to others that they deserve to exist, adding that they can't think of themselves with all the people they have to save.

Megumi reminds Yuji that this was his original motive, but Yuji closes his eyes and says it's because as long as Megumi is around him, he will suffer. Megumi then tells Yuji to start by saving him and begs him for his power, revealing that Noritoshi Kamo has started a game of extermination for those with the cursed energy that Tsumiki is trapped in.

Here are the eight rules of the Culling Game:

Players must declare their participation in any given obstacle within 19 days of awakening the cursed technique.

Players who break the first rule may have their cursed technique removed.

Non-players who enter the barrier become players and are deemed to have declared their participation.

Points are earned by killing other players.

Points are determined by the game master, with wizards worth five points and non-wizards one point.

Players can spend 100 points (not including their own life value) with the game master to add one new rule.

The Game Master must accept any new rules except those that have a significant and long-term effect on the game.

Players can have their cursed technique removed if their score remains the same for 19 days.