Chapter Summaries

Scribe fought his way through Brain Eater’s increasingly powerful parasitized humans and found Shinri Ichijou waiting for him. Ichijou explained Keito’s plan to turn the family into demons and asked Scribe to rescue imprisoned relatives, but Scribe refused; Ichijou accepted his answer and prepared to kill himself.

• Scribe killed Gatekeeper Number Five and discovered a Brain Eater parasite inside his head.
• Scribe fought and inspected dozens of parasitized Shinri Family members, each group stronger than the last, before entering a room where humans awaited him.
• Shinri Ichijou told Scribe that Keito had revealed his plan to transform the family into demons, won most members’ support, and imprisoned those who refused.
• Ichijou asked Scribe to rescue the imprisoned family members, but Scribe refused and challenged him over their failure to seek justice for murdered civilians.
• Ichijou agreed that Hikaru and the others should fight for their own lives, then drew a short blade and said he had lost the courage to fight.

Shinri Ichijou set himself on fire after helping Keito lure Mister Scribe into the Shinri Family estate, where Mister Scribe rescued Tamayo and discovered the rooms were packed with gunpowder. As Mister Scribe fled with Tamayo, the flames reached the explosives and a massive blast engulfed the estate.

• Shinri Ichijou stabbed himself and ignited the reception room, starting a fire at the estate.
• Mister Scribe found sealed rooms and dungeon cells filled with crates, then reached Tamayo on the lowest level.
• Tamayo woke and warned Mister Scribe that the crates were part of Keito's trap, so Mister Scribe identified their contents as gunpowder.
• Tamayo recalled that Keito had used her as bait to keep Mister Scribe at the estate until the fire reached the explosives.
• Mister Scribe carried Tamayo toward the exit as the fire spread, and a huge explosion sent a pillar of flame into the sky.

A demon from the Shinri Family approached the crater to confirm Scribe's death, but Scribe emerged from underground and killed him with a Blade Wind. Scribe escaped the blast with Tamayo, though he was left gravely injured.

• A Shinri Family demon celebrated the explosion and decided to search for Scribe's corpse to prove his death.
• The demon used his Blood Demon Art to form Crimson Blood Armor and entered the blazing ruins.
• As the demon tried to leave the crater, Scribe's Blade Wind burst from underground and split him in two.
• Scribe punched through the earth and emerged carrying the unconscious Tamayo.
• Scribe's injuries were revealed to be severe, but he had survived by shielding Tamayo and relying on his Rare Blood and determination.

Scribe rescued Tamayo from the explosion and set out to destroy the Shinri Family, while Shinri Keito organized an attack on the Hyakuya Family. Keito forced Kōjin to lead the assault and told him that Shinri Ichijou and Scribe were dead.

• Scribe carried the injured Tamayo to a stream, where she woke and learned he had saved her despite his severe burns.
• Scribe explained what happened at Tsukishiki Pharmaceuticals, examined the demon-making medicine, and said he would destroy the Shinri Family.
• Scribe told Tamayo to return to Tsukishiki Pharmaceuticals and find Koume and the others, then left as the sun rose.
• Shinri Keito gathered the demonized Shinri clansmen and ordered them to attack the Hyakuya Family, threatening anyone who challenged him.
• Keito freed Kōjin and ordered him to lead the assault, then told him that Shinri Ichijou and Scribe were dead.

After the Shinri Family sought refuge at the Hyakuya Family, Kōjin revealed that his clansmen had become demons and begged Inowa to kill him. When the demons attacked, Inowa gave Kōjin a sword and trusted him to choose how to fight, and Kōjin turned on the demon threatening them.

• Keito left the captured Shinri Family members in Mahito's care and set out to bring the Brain Eater into the plan.
• Kōjin led the surviving Shinri Family members to the Hyakuya Family, where Inowa recognized him and brought him inside.
• Kōjin told Inowa that the Shinri clansmen had become demons and planned to attack, then begged his friend to kill him.
• When a Shinri clansman attacked a Hyakuya member, Kōjin urged Inowa to flee, but Inowa handed him a sword and said he believed in him.
• A demon confronted Kōjin and ordered him to kill Inowa, but Kōjin slashed the demon's throat and declared, "Exterminate demons."

Scribe reached the Hyakuya Family estate and confronted two demonized Shinri Family members who were eating a guard’s corpse. He killed Shinri Kiyoshi with a swift blade strike and faced the remaining demon as it unleashed a barrage of bone spikes.

• Mitsuhito and Inaho charged at the demon together while Scribe arrived in the town where the Hyakuya Family lived.
• Scribe found the estate under attack and saw two demons feasting on the corpse of a gate guard.
• One demon hurled poisoned bone spikes at Scribe, but his head shifted aside and the attacks missed.
• The Bone Spike Demon attacked again while Shinri Kiyoshi mocked Scribe, but Scribe cut off Kiyoshi’s head before the demons realized he had moved.
• The Bone Spike Demon shrieked and threw a dense barrage of bone spikes at Scribe.

Shinri Kōjin’s Flame Slash devastated the Hyakuya Family estate, while Hyakuya Shitsu recalled how he and Hyakuya Inowa had defended Scribe after the family cut ties with Tsukishiki Pharmaceuticals. After finding Inowa’s head and abandoning his plan to flee, Shitsu drew his Katana and attacked the demon who had killed him.

• Shinri Kōjin unleashed a Flame Slash that destroyed the Hyakuya Family gates and drew the demons’ attention.
• Hyakuya Shitsu remembered how the family had ended its cooperation with Tsukishiki Pharmaceuticals and how he and Hyakuya Inowa had continued to defend Scribe.
• Hyakuya Shitsu tried to escape the estate but encountered a demon holding Hyakuya Inowa’s severed head.
• The demon mocked Inowa for fighting to protect the family and challenged Shitsu to run.
• Hyakuya Shitsu discarded his valuables, declared he would no longer run, and attacked the demon with his Katana.

Scribe arrived at the Hyakuya Family estate and annihilated the attacking demons with a devastating Flame Slash. A surviving human stared at the devastation and heard someone say that Scribe could do what no ordinary human could.

• Hyakuya Shitsu fought the demon despite losing an arm, but the demon fatally pierced him with earth spikes.
• Scribe arrived through the flames and killed a demon near him before declaring that he would destroy them all.
• The demons joined forces and attacked Scribe with their Blood Demon Arts.
• Scribe unleashed a massive Flame Slash that consumed the demons and devastated the Hyakuya Family estate.
• A human survivor stared at the destruction as a twitching corpse said that Scribe could do what humans could not.

A badly injured survivor at the Hyakuya Family estate revealed his name as Hyakuya Hikari and believed Scribe would save humanity. Elsewhere, Shinri Masato delivered captured humans to Brain Eater, who began taking Niguma’s brain to learn where his firearms and gunpowder were stored.

• A man helped the supposedly dead survivor sit up, and the survivor said he wanted to watch Scribe leave and believed Scribe would save humanity.
• The survivor told the man his name was Hyakuya Hikari, while Scribe left the estate after finding that no important Shinri Family demons had been among those he killed.
• Shinri Masato led nearly a hundred captured men into a cave and presented them to Brain Eater as the final batch for her plan.
• Brain Eater learned Niguma managed a firearms company and demanded to know where his weapons and gunpowder were kept.
• When Niguma refused to cooperate, Brain Eater opened his skull and sent a tentacled mass toward his face to consume his brain.

Brain Eater and Niguma took over a group of men to reclaim the demons’ hidden possessions, while Scribe found another abandoned town and suspected Muzan’s forces were behind the disappearances. Ayu and Dichai discussed their plans and the threat posed by Shinri Masato, leaving their confidence in confronting him unresolved.

• Brain Eater devoured Niguma’s brain, learned the location of the hidden things, and took control of his body.
• Niguma summoned dozens of worn-out Brain Eaters, who parasitized the men and then left in groups to retrieve their things.
• Scribe entered another deserted town, estimated that tens of thousands of people might have disappeared, and continued searching for Ayu.
• Ayu met with Dichai, who had revived Tonryoku, Shiragi, and the others, and they discussed their plans and their alliance with the Shinri Family.
• Ayu asked Dichai how confident he was against Shinri Masato, and Dichai acknowledged that the question was expected.

Dichai gave Ayu a demon-made Nichirin Blade and planned to use Ayu’s ambitions to build an army of demons, while keeping his own designs secret. In Infinity Castle, Muzan summoned Kokushibo to celebrate an imminent success, leaving Kokushibo wondering whether Muzan had found the Blue Spider Lily.

• Dichai presented Ayu with a black-and-crimson Nichirin Blade that turned blue when Ayu held it, and Ayu accepted it as a gift.
• Ayu told Dichai that he had prepared everything for their plan, and they agreed that demons could provide the troops he needed to become Emperor.
• After Ayu left, Dichai told Tonryoku that Ayu was a pawn and that everything created by Blood Progeny belonged to him.
• Dichai privately declared that he would rule the world, then Tonryoku left with Shiragi and the others.
• Nakime told Kokushibo that Muzan had summoned him to celebrate an impending success, and she transported him to Muzan deep within Infinity Castle.

Kokushibo learned that Muzan had absorbed the Blue Spider Lily and was preparing to rebuild his body and wage war on humanity. Half a month later, as demons’ attacks worsened the crisis and Axuan struggled to hold onto his position as Crown Prince, Ayu returned in disguise.

• Muzan told Kokushibo that his wounds from Yoriichi had healed and that he would soon rebuild his body and crush humanity.
• The Scribe arrived too late to save a village whose people had been taken by demons, then learned that Nakime’s power made the attacks difficult to stop.
• As disappearances and rumors spread, the imperial family made Axuan Crown Prince, but his efforts failed to stabilize the nation and the Emperor considered replacing him.
• Axuan received a black-robed visitor said to be connected to Ayu and agreed to meet him.
• The visitor removed his robe and revealed himself as Ayu.

Ayu returned to Axuan’s residence and revealed himself as a demon by killing and devouring Axuan and his steward. After Scribe learned of the massacre, he left town for the Eternal Paradise Cult, concluding that demons were becoming bolder.

• Ayu told Axuan he needed him to help raise the final curtain, then killed him and devoured his heart and body.
• Ayu killed Axuan’s steward after the old man entered and recognized him, then devoured the steward’s head.
• The next morning, investigators found everyone and the animals at Axuan’s residence dead and headless, with their hearts missing.
• Scribe read reports of the massacre, concluded demons were growing more brazen, and left town for the Eternal Paradise Cult.

Scribe investigated the Shinri Family’s attack and the disappearance of thousands of commoners, then deduced that Brain Eater and Ayu were engineering Ayu’s return to power. He concluded that Ayu might become a demon emperor backed by a mass army, leaving Scribe facing a threat that could overwhelm the Demon Slayer Corps.

• Scribe went to the Eternal Paradise Cult to look for the powerful demon behind Axuan’s estate massacre, but found the cult reduced to ruins and its trail cold.
• Scribe reviewed the links between the Shinri Family, Ayu, Muzan, and Brain Eater, and suspected Ayu had become a demon while Muzan had obtained the Blue Spider Lily.
• Scribe realized Brain Eater could use clones to parasitize the tens of thousands of missing commoners and equip them with mass-produced firearms and explosives.
• Scribe deduced that Ayu was waiting to reappear as the solution to the nation’s crisis, gaining noble and popular support while assembling a powerful force.
• Scribe warned himself that Ayu could regain the Crown Prince position, become emperor, and use the nation’s military power against the Demon Slayer Corps.

Yu manipulated the public into believing the Demon Slayer Corps had abducted and abused civilians, then used wanted lists and rewards to turn society against the Corps. At headquarters, Yaozai and the Hashira faced a crisis as many members’ relatives were captured and Sanemi and Giyu struggled with the danger to their families.

• Scribe realized that Brain Eater was behind a nationwide scheme and accepted the challenge with excitement.
• Mahito and Shinri Keito arranged for released captives to portray Yu as their heroic rescuer, and Yu was reinstated as Crown Prince.
• Yu accused the Demon Slayer Corps of abductions and published a heavily rewarded wanted list, prompting civilians and relatives to report its members.
• Yu offered to release captured relatives in exchange for reporting someone on the list, worsening the Corps’ crisis and leading many swordsmen and families to be captured.
• At headquarters, Yaozai convened the Hashira, while Sanemi revealed that his mother and siblings had been captured and Giyu admitted his sister was in danger.

The Demon Slayer Corps struggled to survive Crown Prince A-Yu’s campaign against them and suspected he might be connected to demons. They unanimously decided to ask Scribe for help, but they did not know where he was after the explosion at the Shinri Family.

• Tengen Uzui warned that A-Yu had shaken the Corps by manipulating civilians, while Yaozai and the others could find no way to counter him.
• Mitsuri recalled that A-Yu’s agents had tried to capture Scribe alive, leading Yaozai to suspect A-Yu had ties to demons.
• Tomioka Giyu suggested A-Yu might have become a demon, and Yaozai told Tengen to investigate before taking action.
• Shinobu Butterfly proposed asking Scribe for help, and the Corps voted unanimously to seek him out.
• The Corps recalled that Scribe had gone to the Shinri Family before a huge explosion destroyed the town, after which they received no news of him.

Shinobu Butterfly suspected Scribe had destroyed the demons at the Hyakuya Family, and Yaozai sent her and Kanae Kocho to investigate as his health worsened. Scribe tracked the demonic presence to Ayu’s growing camp, where he confronted Anze and accused him of serving Tonryoku.

• Shinobu Butterfly linked Scribe to the battle at the Hyakuya Family, and Yaozai asked Shinobu and Kanae Kocho to investigate.
• Yaozai coughed up blood and feared the Demon Slayer Corps would run out of time without Scribe’s help.
• Scribe approached Ayu’s camp, where more than two thousand people had gathered to fight the Demon Slayer Corps.
• Scribe recognized Anze as a possible demon and accused him of being one of Tonryoku’s subordinates.
• Anze called for help, and the soldiers surrounded Scribe.

Scribe confronted Anze and uncovered the demon’s allegiance to Tonryoku and Dichai, but Tonryoku destroyed the controlled corpses before Scribe could learn more. As hurried footsteps approached, Scribe was left facing an unknown group.

• A squad captain threatened Scribe with a musket, but Scribe severed Anze’s arm and redirected the captain’s bullet into Anze’s head.
• Anze revealed himself as a demon, used his Poison Blood Bear Claws to incapacitate the soldiers, and attacked Scribe, who cut off his remaining limbs.
• Anze praised Lord Tonryoku and Lord Dichai but refused to answer Scribe’s questions, so Scribe beheaded him.
• The squad captain and the other soldiers killed themselves under Tonryoku’s control, and Tonryoku spoke through their corpses before making them explode.
• Scribe heard people rushing toward the gunshots and explosions.

Scribe returned to the Demon Slayer Corps after Nakime evacuated the demons from the compound, where he reunited with Sabito, Makomo, and Kuronose Chikan. He explained the conspiracy behind the Corps’ decline and revealed that he had killed demons, while Chikan grew furious at Scribe’s burned hands and offered to defend him.

• Scribe realized Nakime had withdrawn the demons into Infinity Castle and decided to return to the Demon Slayer Corps to confront them when they emerged.
• After reaching headquarters, Scribe reunited with Sabito and Makomo, who had recognized him from his knowledge of Urokodaki Sakonji, Mt. Sagiri, and Water Breathing.
• Scribe told Sabito and Makomo that he had killed the people because they were demons, and identified Brain Eater as the force behind the Corps’ decline and A Yu’s rule as a puppet arrangement.
• Scribe entered the Corps headquarters and reunited with Kuronose Chikan, who became upset upon seeing his burn scars and drew his Nichirin Blade to protect him.
• Scribe reassured Chikan that his injuries were minor and pushed the blade back into its sheath.

Scribe visited the gravely ill Ubuyashiki Kagaya and refused to rejoin the Demon Slayer Corps, but promised to act once and end the long struggle. Kagaya realized Scribe intended to use him as bait for Muzan, and Scribe assured him he would survive.

• Scribe left Kuronose Chikan and entered Ubuyashiki Kagaya’s residence, with Shinobu Butterfly following him inside.
• Kagaya recognized Scribe, who said he had not returned to rejoin the Corps and told the dying Kagaya that staying alive would help him.
• Shinobu treated Kagaya, but her distraction caused her to make several mistakes until Scribe reassured her he would keep his promise and fight Muzan.
• Kagaya dismissed Shinobu and Amane Ubuyashiki, then asked Scribe whether Muzan was coming for him.
• Kagaya deduced that Scribe planned to use him as bait for Muzan, and Scribe promised to kill Muzan himself while keeping Kagaya alive.