Jujutsu Kaisen Manga Chapter 144

   

 Summary:

Reunited for the first time since the Shibuya incident, Megumi asks for Yuji's power to help save Tsumiki from the Culling Game. Desperate for information, the unlikely team embarks on a dangerous plan to seek answers deep within Jujutsu High.

Plot:

When Tsumiki becomes involved in Pseudo-Geto's sinister Culling Game, Megumi asks Yuji to renounce his transgressions and help save his sister. Remembering his last grandfather's words asking him to help others, Yuji comes up with a compromise. He asks Yuta to kill him in case Sukuna takes over his body again. Yuji believes that Yuta is strong enough to pull it off, and the second year agrees to do whatever he can if it ever comes to that.

Megumi plans to regroup to Medium Jujutsu and contact Master Tengen. They need to find out how to unseal Satoru Gojo and what the Geta's specific goals are for the future. The Culling Game is jujutsu terrorism on an unprecedented scale, and Megumi believes they need answers to the above questions. Yuji asks if Yuki Tsukumo would know and Megumi reveals that it was her idea. Yuki hides at Tokyo Jujutsu High and waits for them while avoiding the higher ranks.

Yuta adds that the main problem with contacting Master Tengen is that the Star Corridor Tombs are closed. Master Tengen's hidden barrier constantly shuffles over a thousand doors, and only one leads to the Star Tombs. Yuji interrupts as he can no longer put off asking a certain question. He asks what happened to Nobara, but only gets an encouraging, sad look at the ground in response from Megumi. Trying to suppress his emotions, Yuji leans over and also looks at the ground as he repeats "I get it."

Choso suddenly reveals that he may know a way through the hidden barrier. He gets too close to Megumi, which is an annoying distraction, but Yuta is glad he listened. Yuji asks for clarification and Choso reminds them that Mahito stole Sukun's fingers and Death Painting Wombs from Jujutsu High in the past. The Choso believe they can achieve the same thing.

Yuji, Megumi, Yuta, and Choso secretly enter Jujutsu High and meet Yuki and Maki in the same hidden room where Gojo had Yuji watch movies as training. Maki's appearance has changed significantly, her hair is much shorter, her left eye is covered by a bandage, and much of her body is marked with heavy burn scars from Jogo's flames. Worried, Yuta goes to Maki and asks if it's okay that she's moving. Yuki explains to him that even the Reverse Cursed Technique won't prevent the burn scars. Maki was able to survive due to her physical resistance granted to her through the Heavenly Restraint. Curse resistance was not enough to save Naobito Zenin from similar injuries.

Maki says that she didn't go for it, and then Megumi asks about their plan to slip behind the hidden barrier. Choso volunteers to inform the group, explaining that between the right door and the tomb is a cursed warehouse where his brothers are kept. Chos' connection with them will allow him to guide everyone to the right door. Maki is happy with the plan, but needs to clarify who exactly Choso, this random newcomer, is. After a moment of silence, Yuji reluctantly tells everyone to think of Choso as their big brother for now. Choso is shocked and excited when he hears Yuji yelling his name. Embarrassed. Yuji leads everyone out of the room on their mission, leaving Choso in the background.

Choso leads the group to the correct door, certain that his brothers are sleeping behind it. Yuji is surprised to find that there is no solid path beyond the door, just a massive drop into a wooded area full of tall old trees. Yuki tells them to move forward and go deeper so they can find an elevator that can take them down towards the tomb. The group passes by a cursed warehouse where Choso stops for a moment. She touches his door and asks her brothers to wait a little longer before she returns.

The party takes the elevator down into the star corridor tombs and walks down the path towards where the Tengen resides. Yuji notices the blood stains on the ground and asks what happened. Yuki says it's a remnant of what happened eleven years ago when everything in the jujutsu world started to distort, and she imagines Toji Fushiguro in her mind. The students aren't sure what he means, but Yuki moves on and leads them straight to the main shrine. They go to nothing but the white void that confused everyone.

Yuki says that Tengen rejects them. Tengen don't normally interact with the world, but Yuki thought contact was possible now that the six eyes were sealed. She also considers the possibility that Tengen isn't rejecting everyone but her. Megumi isn't sure what to do, and Yuta tells everyone that they should go back because Tsumiki doesn't have time to spare.

Suddenly, a voice asks why they are leaving so soon, stopping the group on their way. Master Tengen reveals himself and says it's a pleasure to meet the Zenin Children, Michizana's Descendant, Death Painting Womb, and Sukuna's Vessel.