Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 171: Megumi traps Reggie within his domain, Reggie’s countermeasure

Megumi Fushiguro vs. Reggie Star in Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 171 (Image via Shueisha)
Megumi Fushiguro vs. Reggie Star in Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 171 (Image via Shueisha)

The unofficial English scans for Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 171, Tokyo No. 1 Colony, Part 11, are now available online, giving manga readers the full context of the raw scans leaked. The manga is currently well into the Culling Game arc of the story, with Megumi Fushiguro hogging the limelight in recent chapters. The last few chapters show a dramatic growth in Megumi’s character, with fans both excited and apprehensive of this fan-favorite character’s fate.

MAJOR spoilers for Jujutsu Kaisen manga chapter 171 ahead.


Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 171: Megumi casts his domain

Once assured of Yuuji’s safety and knowing that the first step towards saving Tsumiki has been achieved, Megumi agrees to fight against Reggie Star earnestly, without holding back. What follows is a fight both intense and bizarre, transitioning into a chase, and finally reaching its climax in an old gymnasium where Megumi casts his domain. Reggie is shocked to realize that Megumi is a sorcerer of this level, having underestimated him until now.

Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 171 once more reiterates that Megumi’s Chimera Shadow Garden is an incomplete domain, lacking a boundary technique. Megumi himself admits in chapter 170 that he has trouble visualizing an artificial barrier around his domain, a problem he bypasses by simply filling an entire space with a predefined concrete boundary with his shadows, similar to Dagon’s Horizon of the Captivating Skandha.

Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 171 is pretty heavy on information, delving deep into the intricacies and categories of domain expansion.


Reggie’s countermeasure

While chapter 170 gave the impression that Megumi casting his domain was a move that spelled checkmate for his fight against Reggie, Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 171 revealed the sorcerer to be equally ingenious, even when in a tight spot. Though startled by Megumi’s potential for a brief moment, Reggie immediately recovers, casting a simple domain called “Secret Technique: Hollow Wicker Basket” to counter Megumi’s Chimera Shadow Garden.

The English scans for Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 171 also enlighten international manga readers on how Reggie’s counter technique works, categorizing it as a prototype of the New Shadow Style: Simple Domain. The Hollow Wicker Basket is an anti-domain barrier technique, which nullifies the sure-hit aspect of domains. Reggie’s self-assured demeanor soon cracks through, when Megumi’s Toad Shikigami binds his feet, making him wonder how Megumi can attack him despite his anti-domain technique being active.

Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 171 clarifies that simple domain and domain amplification techniques cannot directly counter a sorcerer’s domain, only affecting the barrier technique of the domain expansion itself. Thus, Megumi’s domain, which does not have a barrier at all, lacks a guaranteed hit, and remains unaffected by Reggie’s technique.

Reggie, who has to constantly reinforce his feet with cursed energy to not sink into the shadows of Megumi’s domain, finds himself at a clear disadvantage as an all-out brawl between the two skilled combatants begins. Megumi uses clones of himself made out of his shadows, along with his Toad Shikigami to parry Reggie’s attacks while locked in close combat. Reggie uses his receipts to attack the Toad Shikigami with knives, attempting to escape, but is quickly intercepted by a clone while Megumi begins attacking with his cursed weapon.


Megumi vs. Reggie fight comes to a stalemate

The fight seesaws onwards throughout Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 171 with both Culling Game players refusing to budge even an inch. Reggie realizes that he would soon be overwhelmed by Megumi if the fight continues to drag on. Realizing something crucial about Megumi’s shadows, Reggie uses it to his advantage, releasing one of his receipts.

Reggie figures out that Megumi has to carry the weight of everything submerged in his shadows, and uses his cursed technique to sink three large cars into the domain, gleefully asking if Megumi can still use his Shikigami. Reggie exposes his intention to keep adding weight until Megumi collapses from the weight.

But Megumi smirks and says, “Even if it’s incomplete, a domain is a domain.” He then proceeds to point out that they are surrounded by shadows not only below, but also above. Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 171 then ends with Megumi dropping Max Elephant directly on top of Reggie, laughing and asking who will collapse first.


Speculations

Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 171 shows the fight between Megumi and Reggie finally coming to a close. That is, unless Reggie manages to either escape or reveal another trick to support the weight of Max Elephant before the shikigami crushes him. In case Reggie is defeated, Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 172 will also reveal if Megumi will kill Reggie.

Considering his current obsession with saving Tsumiki, Megumi will probably go to any lengths to score points and use the rule added by Higuruma to give points to his sister and keep her alive.

In Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 171, Megumi shows a disturbing similarity to Gojo during the Gojo's Past Arc, after he is almost killed by Toji Fushiguro and unleashes the true power of his Limitless and Six Eyes. The Zen'in Ten Shadows and the Gojo Limitless are believed to be natural enemies, and Megumi's power-up suggests that the student and teacher duo might face each other in the future.

The next chapter will probably also provide information about Yuuji’s current whereabouts, now that the matter with Higurama has been settled.


Where to read Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 171

The release of the manga chapter was delayed by a week due to New Year celebrations. The official translations for Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 171 will be available on VIZ and Manga Plus sites for the series on January 17, 2022.


The article reflects the views of the writer.

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