Does Tsurugi fuse with Rika in Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo? Akutami's latest plot twist, explained

In Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo Chapter 17 we saw an intense battle between Tsurugi and Maru. Both of them are clearly powerful and bring unique set of abilities, but it seems like Maru does not have a chance against someone like Tsurugi because Gege Akutami pulled an unexcpexted move and gave a powerup that will most likely have no counter attack.

The reason why Tsurugi ended up with a massive powerboost is because he ended up fusing with Rika. This is one of the most shocking developments Gege Akutami has ever introduced. The moment redefines how cursed spirits, Heavenly Restriction, and inherited will function in the Jujutsu Kaisen universe, while also pushing Modulo into full cosmic-scale conflict territory.

Which Rika appears in Modulo?

A twist this monumental made readers have one major question: Which version of Rika Tsurugi fuses with. This is not the original vengeful curse created by Rika Orimoto’s death in Jujutsu Kaisen 0. Instead, Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo confirms that this is the residual Rika, the same entity Yuta wielded throughout the main series after Rika Orimoto’s soul passed on.

While often labeled a shikigami, this version of Rika has always been more complicated. She retains fragments of personality, autonomy, and emotion, remnants of the love Rika Orimoto left behind to protect Yuta. That emotional core is crucial to understanding why this fusion works.

The ring and the fusion mechanism

The fusion in Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo Chapter 17 occurs through Yuta Okkotsu’s ring, which Tsurugi now possesses. Over Yuta’s lifetime, that ring acted as a constant conduit for Rika and his cursed technique. Much like how Nanami’s cleaver became a cursed tool through prolonged use, the ring itself has effectively transformed into a cursed artifact containing Rika’s essence. When Tsurugi activates it, something unprecedented happens.

Because Tsurugi has almost zero Cursed Energy, Rika doesn’t manifest externally like she did with Yuta. Instead, she fully occupies him, wrapping around his body like cursed armor. Fans have taken over social media and have already nicknamed this hybrid form “Tsurika,” and the name fits perfectly. Because this time is not possession rather it is symbiosis.

Why does this fusion works

If we think about it, the most likely explanation on the reason why the fusion works is that Heavenly Restriction changes the rules. Tsurugi’s lack of Cursed Energy creates space, literal and metaphysical, for Rika to manifest without resistance. Where Yuta acted as a controller and battery, Tsurugi becomes a vessel and weapon. Rika supplies near-limitless Cursed Energy. Tsurugi supplies raw physical dominance and combat instinct. Together, they form something entirely new.

What this means for Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo

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This fusion arrives just as Modulo escalates into a war between humanity and the alien Simurian race. By combining Heavenly Restriction with a curse of Rika’s scale, Akutami introduces a new category of power, one capable of challenging special-grade and extraterrestrial threats alike. More than a power-up, this moment in Chapter 17 reinforces Jujutsu Kaisen’s core theme: love, inheritance, and sacrifice do not disappear, they evolve.

Rika protecting Yuta has now transformed into Rika fighting through Tsurugi, generations later. Whether this fusion is permanent or temporary remains unclear. But one thing is certain that Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo has officially crossed a line no one saw coming, and there’s no going back.

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