Chapter 143

One More Time (もう) is the one hundred and forty-third chapter of Gege Akutami's Jujutsu Kaisen.

Summary
With Yuji and Choso both having been dealt with, Yuta offers Naoya a deal he can't refuse. Yuji has been "executed", but he has a dream of his mother, a woman with scars on her forehead just like Kenjaku. Somehow he awakens, surprised to be alive and even more so to find that Yuta by his side.

Plot Details
As Yuta looks down on the wounded Naoya, the latter glares back at him before vomiting up blood. He worries that Choso's Blood Manipulation poisoned him, but assures himself that it isn't the effect of a cursed technique. He realizes that Choso must be a full curse because of how much blood he used, guessing that his own body is rejecting the nonhuman blood. Yuta offers to heal him with reverse cursed technique if he tells his superiors that Yuji died.

In a flashback, a man named Jin is seen holding a baby and tells his father that if he wants to talk about her, he will just leave. The older man is revealed to be Yuji's grandfather, Wasuke, who tells Jin that while he can live his life however he pleases, he will die if he doesn't give up on her. Jin tells Wasuke not to say such things in front of Yuji since babies apparently remember more than most believe. Wasuke mentions the fact that Jin wanted a child with a woman named Kaori, but before Wasuke can say something 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 awakens next to a fire as an emotionless Yuta sits nearby. Yuji is surprised that he's not dead, and Yuta smiles with relief, revealing that Gojo came to see him around September and asked if he would watch over Yuji. In a flashback, Gojo tells Yuta to take care of the first- and second-years (while Hakari should be fine) if anything happens to him. Yuta wonders if Gojo means getting a girlfriend since he can't imagine anything happening to him. Gojo specifies that his primary concern should be a first-year named Yuji Itadori, who was also to be executed in secret like Yuta was. Gojo then asks where Miguel is, but Yuta replies that he doesn't want to see Gojo.

Back in the present, Yuta says that he put on the act for the higher-ups so that he would be the executioner in charge and know all the details about what's going on. He adds that to get approved as Yuji's executioner, he had to enter into a Binding Vow to kill him, apologizing for doing so. A confused Yuji asks how he's still alive, and Yuta replies that the very instant his heart stopped, he healed him with reversed cursed technique. He adds that not many people know he can do it, having guessed that it would work on Yuji given what he has heard about him.

Yuta points out that because it's the second time that Yuji's death has been staged, the higher-ups will learn the truth soon but will consider his death sentence complete for the time being. Yuji wonders why he's doing all this for him, and Yuta replies that Yuji is important to people who are important to him. He tells Yuji that he also used to possess a power that he couldn't handle, but says that while he invited his own upon himself, Yuji did not and shouldn't be blamed.

Yuji says that blame isn't the issue, but before he can continue, Megumi suddenly walks out of the darkness and tells Yuji that they should head back to Jujutsu High. He adds that while the barrier is loosening, it should be fine for him to return as long as no one sees his face directly. Before Megumi can finish mentioning rejoining the older students, Yuji interrupts him by telling him not to act like everything is normal and nothing happened. Yuta remembers Yuji's words about not being able to die yet and says to himself that Yuji is unsure whether he deserves to live or not, realizing that it's the reason why he held back when the two were fighting.

Yuji then yells that he has killed people and many are dead because of him, but Megumi says that it's all their fault, telling Yuji not to be selfish and give up by himself. As Yuji stays quiet and says to himself that he knew Megumi would say that, Megumi lets out a sigh and says that they are jujutsu sorcerers, not heroes fighting for justice. He explains that since they can't be judged, they have to keep proving to others that they deserve to exist, adding that they can't think about themselves with all the people they have to save.

Megumi reminds Yuji that it was his original motive, but Yuji closes his eyes and says that 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 strength, revealing that Noritoshi Kamo has started a Culling Game for those with cursed energy in which Tsumiki is trapped.

The Culling Game's eight rules are listed:


 * Players must declare their participation at any given barrier within 19 days after awakening a cursed technique.
 * Players who break the first rule could have their cursed technique removed.
 * Non-players who enter the barrier become players and are considered to have declared their participation.
 * Points are scored by killing other players.
 * Points are determined by the game master, with sorcerers worth five points and non-sorcerers one point.
 * Players may spend 100 points (excluding the value of their own life) with the game master to add one new rule.
 * The game master must accept any new rule except those that have a considerable and prolonged effect on the game.
 * Players could have their cursed technique removed if their score stays the same for 19 days.

Battles & Events

 * Culling Game (Introduced)

Locations

 * Shibuya

Jujutsu
Yuta Okkotsu's Techniques
 * Reverse Cursed Technique