WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Jujutsu Kaisen, Chapter #124, by Gege Akutami, Stefan Koza and Snir Aharon, available now in English from Viz Media.
Jujutsu Kaisen's cranks up the action as Itadori and Kugisaki continue their battle against Mahito and his duplicate during the "Shibuya Incident Arc." By combining her Hairpin and Resonance techniques, Kugisaki heavily turns the fight's tide in their favor, but a twist from the cursed spirit throws things out of balance.
Mahito had previously split himself into two bodies with his duplicate encountering Kugisaki while the original continued to clash with Itadori. Unlike Mahito's main body, his double can't manipulate transfigured humans or other souls, but can still change his form. This means he'll predominately use his speed, enhanced durability and ability to dangerously morph his body -- like changing his fist into the end of a flail.
Kugisaki's Resonance
Kugisaki feigns ignorance as Mahito's double shrugs off any damage taken from her Hairpin Technique, which, with her scattered nails, can inflict some severe destruction. Still, unless she can attack Mahito's soul, the cursed spirit will remain mostly unfazed. However, having realized the situation, Kugisaki actives her Resonance to ostensibly use the double as a pseudo Straw Doll to inflict damage on the main body's soul.
Itadori recognizes Kugisaki's Resonance, thanking her for reminding him that he isn't alone in the fight, before pummeling Mahito with a flurry of devastating punches. Though Itadori hopes to end the battle there, the two Mahitos seem to share a quick psychic link, deciding to run away after realizing Kugisaki's cursed technique is his natural counter since the damage is being reflected across both bodies.
Mahito & His Double Switch Opponents
Itadori and Kugisaki follow their respective Mahitos, who leads them into the opposite sides of the same subway corridor. Though Idatori arrives in time to notice the original and double pass each other, he tries to warn Kugisaki of Mahito's intent, but it's too late. While Kugisaki was fighting the double, she didn't have to remain wary of his hands since only the original can manipulate souls. However, not noticing them switch allowed Mahito to land a direct hit on her.
The results of Mahito's hands making contact are virtually always devastating as his target has their souls transformed, morphing their bodies into grotesque forms. However, following Kento Nanami's death to that very fate just a few chapters prior, there's hope that Kugisaki learned from her teacher's mistakes. The chapter ends with a flashback to a young Kugisaki, who is angrily playing video games. Someone sitting next to her suggests that she "go for the kill when the opponent is recovering."
Whether Kugisaki's flashback indicates that she has a final trick up her sleeve or if yet another Jujutsu Sorcerer will fall to Mahito is yet to be revealed. Regardless, Itadori, having already crushed the face of the duplicate, will hold nothing back against the dangerous cursed spirit as the fight rages on.
