Jujutsu Kaisen: How does Megumi return in Chapter 268?

Megumi Fushiguro finally returns to the story after a long time in Jujutsu Kaisen Chapter 268, but how does that happen?

As the deuteragonist of Jujutsu Kaisen, Megumi is the first sorcerer Yuji (and we) meets. It’s thanks to him that Yuji finds Sukuna’s cursed finger and ends up becoming the vessel of the King of Curses.

Throughout the story, Megumi plays an important role. He’s fought several powerful opponents and is revealed to have the potential to match Gojo with his coveted Ten Shadows Technique. He also earns special attention from Sukuna for a mysterious reason.

The reason is revealed in the Culling Game Arc when Sukuna takes over Megumi’s body, inhabiting the young man until he’s finally freed at the end of the Shinjuku Showdown Arc, followed by Sukuna’s death. (Warning: Spoilers ahead!)

Megumi returns in Jujutsu Kaisen Chapter 268

In Jujutsu Kaisen Chapter 268, Megumi breaks free from Sukuna when Yuji’s domain shatters and his soul punch weakens the barrier between Megumi and Sukuna’s soul. 

Gege Akutami/Shueisha

Megumi’s release from Sukuna’s clutches was a long time coming. While the primary motivation behind the Shinjuku Showdown is to take down Sukuna, characters like Yuji and Yuta give their all to save Megumi, even though the odds are against them.

The first time this prospect seems real is during Chapter 251 when Hana uses Jacob’s Ladder and Yuji uses his soul punch on Sukuna at the same time. But despite what it’s cost his friends, Megumi is too depressed to accept help and asks Yuji to give up.

But the continuous efforts of Yuji finally pay off in Chapter 266 where the protagonist confesses that he won’t ask Megumi to live with his grief, but it’s still lonely without him. Thanks to Yuji’s words, Megumi gets his will to live back and fights back in Chapter 268.

When Nobara uses her Resonance on Sukuna’s last finger and allows Yuji to land a finishing blow on Sukuna, his domain shatters, and the curse is ripped out of Megumi’s body, thus finally freeing the young sorcerer.

How long was Megumi captured by Sukuna?

Megumi was captured by Sukuna for 56 chapters, which spanned across one and a half years.

Gege Akutami/Shueisha

Since the beginning of Jujutsu Kaisen, Sukuna has been suspiciously interested in Megumi. He’s saved the modern-era sorcerer a couple of times and is shown to be excited when Megumi does anything extraordinary, like opening an incomplete domain expansion.

The reason behind the curse’s interest becomes clear in the Culling Game Arc. In Chapter 212, seeing Megumi’s despair at witnessing Yorozu possess Tsumiki’s body, Sukuna takes advantage of his weak mental state and uses his Binding Vow on Yuji.

Taking control over Yuji’s body for a second, Sukuna force-feeds Megumi one of his fingers, thus transferring himself to the young man’s body. Initially, Megumi fights back, but he’s too weak for Sukuna. However, the curse doesn’t take any chances and stomps over Megumi’s will to live by first killing Yorozu (and thus, Tsumiki), and then, by the Bath ritual.

What happens next?

Now that Megumi is free and Sukuna is gone, the future looks significantly brighter for him. As of now, he’s recuperating from his wounds (both mental and physical), and spending time with his friends.

In the future, Megumi is expected to continue as a jujutsu sorcerer. Despite everything, he still has a lot of potential. Maybe eventually he’ll master his domain expansion and learn how to use Black Flash.

However, one thing is certain: Megumi can no longer match or surpass Gojo as his Ten Shadows Technique has lost its strongest player. As Mahoraga and many of his powerful Shikigami no longer exist, he’ll never become his strongest self. But now that Sukuna’s gone, maybe he won’t need to be.

Learn more about the world of jujutsu with our guides on Yuji Itadori’s family, Yuta Okkotsu’s domain expansion, Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3, and Jujutsu Kaisen: Hidden Inventory movie.