Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo Chapter 3: Tsurugi and Maru steal the show as news of the floating shark is revealed

The spin-off sequel Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo Chapter 3 continues to build momentum and pushes the story into fascinating new directions. With strong character development, thematic depth, and a surprising new ally, Chapter 3 keeps readers engaged from beginning to end. In this breakdown, we’ll go over the key highlights, emotional beats, and what this chapter suggests for the future of the series.

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The mission begins: An ominous predator

The Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo Chapter 3 opens with Usami briefing the young trio, Yuka, Tsurugi, and Maru, on their next assignment. This time, their mission isn’t reconnaissance but extermination.

At first, the group is puzzled since such tasks are usually left to government agencies, not sorcerers. But the location, Gifu, complicates things. Witnesses have reported a shark swimming through the forest, a sight both bizarre and terrifying.

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Tsurugi vs. Maru: Distrust and tension boil over

As the team travels by train, Tsurugi broods over his last encounter with Maru’s twin brother, Cross. Mistaking Cross for Maru, Tsurugi carries lingering resentment, which fuels his animosity during the trip. Their conversation quickly escalates into an argument about cursed spirits and aliens.

Yuka offers helpful context: in this country, cursed energy manifests as yokai-like entities that humans call cursed spirits. Normally, extermination missions of this kind happen only in Tokyo, the epicenter of supernatural activity.

But the sudden emergence of this shark in the countryside hints at something unnatural, perhaps tied to the alien arrival. Maru in Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo Chapter 3 becomes defensive when Tsurugi suggests the shark might be an alien, sparking a heated back-and-forth about morality, survival, and responsibility.

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The encounter in the forest

The trio investigates the forest, where Tsurugi receives intel from his sister via advanced wristband technology. Witnesses describe two victims, their bodies bearing distinct bite marks. The predator doesn’t match the profile of any ordinary cursed spirit.

Their clash with the creature doesn’t unfold as expected. Instead of a spirit or an alien, the “shark” turns out to be Osada, an eccentric older man in a shark costume. His reveal in Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo Chapter 3 provides comic relief but also opens a doorway to deeper revelations.

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Osada: A former sorcerer with a mission

Osada, a retired sorcerer and alumnus of Jujutsu High, becomes the chapter’s unexpected centerpiece. His bizarre shark disguise initially seems like a gag, but he quickly explains the true nature of the threat: not a shark, but a tiger named Toranosuke.

With the ecosystem disrupted by climate change and the collapse of a nearby mega-solar project, Toranosuke has descended into human territory in search of water and prey. What makes Osada compelling is his emotional bond with the beast.

He knew Toranosuke in Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo Chapter 3 from its infancy and once shared a wordless understanding with it. But the changing environment has turned the tiger into a danger to humans, and Osada is torn between his duty as a sorcerer and his affection for the creature. He doesn’t want to kill it; he wants to save it.

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The tiger battle: Metaphors of coexistence

The confrontation with Toranosuke delivers both action and allegory. Tsurugi prepares to fight, but Maru stops him, aware that killing the beast would betray Osada’s wishes. Still, when Toranosuke strikes, Tsurugi in Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo Chapter 3 is forced to step in, creating a tense moment of decision-making.

In a heartbreaking flashback, he recalls the innocent cub he once befriended, contrasting it with the feral adult before him. The tiger’s story mirrors the aliens’ situation: displaced by forces beyond their control, caught between survival and coexistence with humans.

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Maru’s secret and the twin revelation

After the fight, Tsurugi notices Maru brooding. Here, Maru finally reveals part of his secret: his technique is linked to his twin brother, Cross. Any large-scale use of his abilities would transfer, or at least signal, power to his brother, a potential risk for human-aliens relations.

This moment builds trust between the two characters, who have been butting heads since the beginning. Their dialogue also reinforces one of the series’ thematic threads: communication as a bridge between species. Where the tiger could not speak, Maru insists that humans and aliens can use words to avoid tragedy.

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A new beginning with a baby tiger

Just when Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo Chapter 3 seems ready to end on a somber note, a surprise twist arrives, and a baby tiger emerges from the woods. At first, it appears to be a new threat, but instead of attacking, Tsurugi hands it over to Osada, telling him not to lose sight of it this time.

This symbolic passing of responsibility provides hope. While the adult Toranosuke could not be saved, the cub represents a chance for renewal. Osada, cradling the baby in his arms, feels like a promise that coexistence is still possible, even if it comes through the next generation.

The chapter closes with a lighter scene of Yuka happily dining with villagers, reminding us that moments of peace still exist amid looming conflict.

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Themes and takeaways from Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo Chapter 3

1. Environmental displacement: The tiger’s descent from the mountains due to ecosystem collapse parallels the aliens’ forced migration from their homeworld. Both are narratives of survival at the cost of coexistence.

2. Communication vs. silence: Toranosuke and Osada once understood each other wordlessly, but that bond eroded over time. By contrast, Maru emphasizes the importance of dialogue between humans and aliens.

As the series progresses, readers are left with pressing questions: What exactly is the nature of Maru and Cross’s shared technique? How will humans react when the truth about aliens spreads? And can coexistence truly be achieved, or will the world of Modulo spiral into conflict like Tokyo before it? If Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo Chapter 3 is any indication, the answers won’t come easily, but the journey will be worth it.