Chapter 21

Young Fish and Reverse Punishment, Part 3 (と --) is the twenty-first chapter of Gege Akutami's Jujutsu Kaisen.

Summary
Mahito and Junpei continue talking over their feelings about humanity. Yuji, Nanami, and Ijichi forge a plan to investigate the disfiguration cases throughout the city. While Yuji and Ijichi are tasked with questioning Junpei, Nanami faces Mahito underground.

Plot Details
Junpei continues sitting down and talking with Mahito in the latter's hidden lair beneath Kawasaki City. The young boy tells Mahito that he can't believe that indifference is the opposite of hate. They both agree that people make excuses by complicated simple answers. Mahito shows Junpei a giant and hand-sized deformed humans, used as experiments for Mahito to test how big and small he can make humans.

Mahito asks his guest why he's comfortable around corpses despite being human. Seemingly upset, Junpei says that he would only be angry if it was someone he cared about. He expects cruelty from people and believes his indifference is what all humans should strive for. Mahito claims that Junpei's indifference against other people is simply his own way of revenge against his foolish race.

Mahito explains that people have a soul separate from the heart and that's where emotions come from. He can see people's souls and claims he isn't impressed by this because other lives has no value. Mahito agrees with Junpei that life continues to go on without meaning, but he tells the young man to live the way he wants. Mahito supports Junpei's way of thinking and tells him not to limit himself to mere indifference.

Meanwhile, Yuji meets with Nanami and Ijichi to discuss the disappearances and deaths by disfiguration across Kawasaki. Using the intel gathered from the Windows encounters with the culprit's residuals, they're able to triangulate the location of the criminal's hideout. Yuji's ready to move out, but Nanami doesn't want him acting on an approximation. Instead, he tells Yuji to find the other witness: Junpei Yoshino.

There isn't enough information to suggest Junpei is a "curse user", the-evil version of a jujutsu sorcerer. However, his connection to the victims needs to be looked into by Yuji. Nanami trusts Ijichi to look after Yuji, but the latter knows their intel is more than a mere approximation. While Yuji's out of the room, Nanami tells Ijichi that the culprit is purposely leading the sorcerers into their hideout. He chooses not to put Yuji in harms way and says he'll go alone. Yuji re-enters the room and tells Nanami sensei to be careful. Nanami tells him to address him as a teacher, but Yuji can't help himself.

Ijichi drives Yuji around until they have found Junpei walking around in public. They decide to use Fly Heads, small curses to test Junpei's sensitivity to cursed spirits. If he can't see them and gets attacked, Yuji is to rescue him. If he can see them and he flees, Yuji must rescue him and bring him in for questioning. In the third scenario, if Junpei fights back with jujutsu, he is to be arrested immediately. In the worst-case scenario, Yuji must retreat if Junpei is grade 2 threat or above. Ijichi reminds Yuji that he can't take on missions above his assigned level.

Elsewhere beneath the city in Mahito's hideout, Nanami cuts down a number of ex-humans turned curses. He tells Mahito to hurry and reveal himself, as Nanami doesn't enjoy killing humans. Mahito appears and claims he's excited that Gojo didn't show up. He adds that he needs someone strong enough to experiment on and Nanami is the perfect subject. Annoyed, Nanami tells Mahito they need to finish this quickly, as he also dislikes working overtime.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Junpei Yoshino
 * Mahito
 * Yuji Itadori
 * Kento Nanami
 * Kiyotaka Ijichi
 * Satoru Gojo (Mentioned)

Locations

 * Kawasaki City
 * Mahito's Underground Lair