Chapter 56

The Origin of Obedience, Part 2 (－－) is the fifty-sixth chapter of Gege Akutami's Jujutsu Kaisen.

Summary
Megumi learns that his sister may in fact be target of the curse that has taken four victims lives so far. As the mission's danger begins to ramp up, Megumi decides to go investigate alone. However, his two friends stand by to help him clear this case. Once they finally track down the curse, another threat adds more chaos to the uncanny investigation.

Plot Details
After incarnating one of the Death Painting Wombs using a human vessel, Mahito apologizes for immediately asking the newly manifested cursed spirit to run some errands for him. At the same time, the jujutsu first-year students investigate the bridge but don't even find a trace of the curse. Nobara suggests maybe they need to start over but Yuji doesn't want to waste anymore time. There is a 100% death rate in this instance and they can't allow this curse to claim anymore victims.

Akari suggests it perhaps has something to do with the act of jumping down but they tested that already. One of the punks from earlier in the investigation arrives to talk to Megumi on his bike. His older sister, an old classmate of Megumi's, comes as well. She too went to the bridge at night and now when she arrives home at night the automatic doors are wide open. She can feel something is there and she felt the need to tell Megumi because his sister Tsumiki went with her that night.

Megumi tries to play it off until the Fujinuma siblings leave. Yuji notices how shaken Megumi actually is and asks to check on his sister. Instead, Megumi calls Ijichi and tries to request backup, However, Ijichi can't spare the sorcerers and suggests they retreat if the threat is larger than expected. Megumi knows he can't afford to wait and hangs up. He tells his peers that the mission is more dangerous now and tells them to go home while he goes back to the school.

In reality, Megumi doesn't want to put his friends in danger and goes back to the bridge to investigate himself. He recalls Akari mentioning the test of mettle was below the bridge, so jumping makes no different. If the curse is within a barrier, someone the only way to encounter it would be by clearing certain conditions. It's impossible to have a Domain with a sustainable expanded cursed technique, which means the curse's Domain is similar to the one at the Detention Center so there is no need for a Curtain.

Yuji and Nobara suddenly appear behind Megumi, disappointed that he never shares anything about himself. He was so lost in thought that he didn't even notice them. They tell Megumi that he doesn't need to share everything, but he can trust them since they're friends. He explains that Tsumiki is stuck in a suspended state of sleep and that the cursed spirit could kill her, so he needs to exorcise it now. He tries to add that the mission is more dangerous now but his friends don't care about that, making Megumi smile.

To cross through the barrier, they must move at night, from below, and over the small river. The act of doing so also has significant meaning in jujutsu. The three first-years cross over into the curses' Domain where they confront the cursed spirit inside. However, the cursed spirit from the Death Paintings appears as well. Both sides are confused, but Yuji steps up to face the new threat while Megumi and Nobara deal with the curse in the Domain.

Locations

 * Yasohachi Bridge

Jujutsu
Terminology
 * Cursed Object
 * Cursed Womb: Death Painting