Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo Chapter 5: Tsurugi and Yuuka team up but Maru’s awakening steals the spotlight

The unsettling phenomenon in the elementary school
The unsettling phenomenon in the elementary school (Image Source: Shueisha)

Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo Chapter 5 spoilers are finally here, and this week’s installment raises the stakes higher than ever. With translations still rough and many text blocks missing, fans should take these early spoilers with a grain of salt. However, what we can piece together paints a vivid picture of a chapter filled with brutal combat, chilling philosophy, and a cliffhanger that leaves readers desperate for the official release.


From deception to duel: The old man revealed

The old man revealed in the manga
The old man revealed in the manga

The story then picks up directly where Chapter 4 left off. The seemingly innocent child reveals himself to be none other than an aged curse user, his disguise peeling away like a mask. His true form evokes comparisons to Red Skull, with his skeletal, menacing face serving as a fitting representation of rot and corruption.

The old man summons in Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo Chapter 5 a disturbing Shikigami with threads and needles, a technique referred to in rough translations as “Maternal Spirit Intimidation.” The imagery is grotesque, with looming shadows, piercing needles, and a sickening sense of control.

Tsurugi matches the old man’s aggression with swordsmanship that proves why he’s recognized as a Grade 1 sorcerer. But the opponent is no fool; he uses threads to ensnare Tsurugi’s ankle, nearly landing a decisive blow. It’s here that we’re reminded of the dangerous creativity of veteran curse users; decades of experience make them unpredictable.


A clash of ideals: Hope vs. Nihilism

Cast of Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo (Image credit: Shueisha)
Cast of Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo (Image credit: Shueisha)

Between exchanges, the fight shifts into philosophical territory. Tsurugi questions the old man’s choices, asking if he ever thought about using his power for others. The response is as bitter as it is chilling: sentimentality always rots into malice.

He acknowledges the cycle of violence but points out that people always try again, an endless struggle for meaning, even in a cursed world. The chapter reinforces how Modulo is not simply about action sequences; it’s also a meditation on human resilience versus inevitable decay.


Flashbacks and fragmented memories

Yuka and Tsurugi's astonished reaction as seen in manga (Image Source: Shueisha)
Yuka and Tsurugi's astonished reaction as seen in manga (Image Source: Shueisha)

We’re then shown another flashback, this time of a child walking hand-in-hand with their father beneath cherry blossoms. School, grades, and the crushing weight of societal expectations become narrative points. The old man in Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo Chapter 5 recalls loving his childhood and wishing he could remain a student forever.

This connection between innocence and decline is haunting. It suggests that his current monstrous form may not just be about malice, but also about clinging to a past self twisted by curses and age. Cognitive decline, hinted at in the chapter, frames his rampage as not only dangerous but tragic. He is both villain and victim, an echo of Akutami’s ability to craft layered antagonists.


Tsurugi’s trump card: Simple domain

Tsurugi and Maru as seen in manga
Tsurugi and Maru as seen in manga

The tide of battle shifts in Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo Chapter 5 when Tsurugi unveils his Simple Domain. This technique expands in honeycomb-like patterns, an advanced variant reminiscent of Kusakabe’s use in the main series.

Instead of using it purely defensively, Tsurugi integrates it into his swordsmanship, automatically deflecting incoming blows while pressing the offensive. The old man recognizes the skill immediately, noting that Tsurugi’s natural-born gifts, combined with cursed energy manipulation, make him a formidable opponent.

Just as the battle threatens to overwhelm Tsurugi in Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo Chapter 5, Yuuka enters the fray. Her Savage Claw Fist technique rips into the battlefield with raw force, creating an opening.


The true horror: Puppets of human skin

Still from the manga
Still from the manga

In a shocking twist, Yuuka is suddenly impaled through the shoulder by a needle, followed by Tsurugi being struck multiple times. The old man reveals the true nature of his ability: using human skin as material for transformation. By stuffing guardian spirits inside, he creates grotesque puppets, allowing him to deceive opponents with fake bodies while hiding his real form.

This revelation in Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo Chapter 5 reframes the earlier battle sequences, making it clear that much of what Tsurugi and Yuuka fought was nothing more than manipulated shells.

The concept is both gruesome and deeply fitting within the world of curses, a technique born from decay, death, and manipulation of humanity itself. The old man mocks his opponents, comparing his kills to counters on an abacus, casually hinting at the many more he intends to harvest.


The Cliffhanger: Maru awakens

Maru as seen in manga
Maru as seen in manga

Just as things appear dire in Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo Chapter 5, the battlefield shifts. Objects, dirt, weapons, and debris suddenly begin to levitate. Both the old man and Tsurugi are stunned, and the source of this strange phenomenon is revealed: Maru, still lying on the ground, unconscious but with the eye on his forehead fully open.

This final image leaves fans with endless questions. Is this power a subconscious awakening? Is it tied to his twin bond with Cross? Or has some hidden curse within Maru finally begun to stir? Whatever the truth, it positions him as the key to the arc’s next stage.


Final thoughts on Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo Chapter 5

Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo Chapter 5 delivers everything fans love about the franchise: philosophical duels, visceral body horror, inventive sorcery, and character-driven conflict. The old man’s cursed technique is one of the most grotesque yet revealed, and Tsurugi’s mastery of Simple Domain adds layers of excitement to the fight.

Yuuka’s arrival injects raw energy, but the devastating twist proves this battle is far from over. Most importantly, the chapter ends with a game-changing cliffhanger involving Maru, whose awakened eye promises seismic consequences.

Edited by Nisarga Kakade