Chapter Summaries

Xia Xi completed a rushed Yoriichi Imitation Type Combat Puppet and prepared to test it. He recruited Tetsujin and Hotaru Haganezuka to fight the puppet together.

• Xia Xi spent seventeen days studying Tetsujin's Mechanism Technique and building the puppet in his lodgings.
• Xia Xi inserted a Nichirin Blade into the puppet and attached a mask modeled after Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
• The System rated the completed Yoriichi Imitation Type as extremely imprecise and only partly finished.
• Xia Xi wound up the puppet, handed Tetsujin a Nichirin Blade, and told him to spar with it.
• Xia Xi realized Tetsujin was not a swordsman, called over Hotaru Haganezuka, and ordered both men to take the puppet apart.

Xia Xi tested his new [Imitation Type] by having Haganezuka and Tetsujin fight it, then reassured Tetsujin that he would defeat Muzan. He agreed to teach Tetsujin and Kotetsu mechanical engineering, but immediately ordered them to move in for an intensive training session.

• Xia Xi told Haganezuka that a blade was hidden inside the [Imitation Type], inspiring him to fight it alongside Tetsujin.
• The puppet knocked Tetsujin down, while Haganezuka traded blows with it until Xia Xi urged him to charge and the puppet ran out of clockwork power.
• Xia Xi removed the [Imitation Type]'s spine and gave it to Haganezuka, who left delighted with his prize.
• Tetsujin praised Xia Xi's abilities, admitted he had once feared him, and asked whether humanity would defeat the demons in their generation.
• Xia Xi confidently promised to take down Muzan, then agreed to teach Tetsujin and Kotetsu mechanical engineering.
• Xia Xi told Tetsujin to fetch Kotetsu and bring their belongings so they could begin training that night.

Xia Xi rapidly built and dismantled combat puppets, then kept two differently styled Yoriichi-faced models as he considered a color-coded team. After Tetsujin, Hido Tamamaru, and Village Chief Tiezhen saw the eerie workshop and praised his craftsmanship, Xia Xi recruited Hotaru to help train, and his Mechanical Puppetry skill reached LV.2.

• Xia Xi dismantled successive combat puppets to reuse their parts, then kept Unit Five as Thunder Type and made a Water Type unit.
• Xia Xi considered focusing his puppet army on Water Breathing and imagined creating a seven-color team with different swordsmen's faces.
• Tetsujin asked why Xia Xi used Yoriichi Tsugikuni's face, and Xia Xi claimed it came from a dream as Tetsujin explained legends of inherited memories.
• Hido Tamamaru and Village Chief Tiezhen entered the workshop, were startled by the many Yoriichi-faced puppets, and praised Xia Xi's craftsmanship.
• Xia Xi asked Hotaru to stay and help train, and his Mechanical Puppetry skill advanced to LV.2.

Xia Xi showed Tetsujin three new combat puppets, including the powerful 12 Thunder Type, and prepared to forge his own blade with high-quality iron sand. When Tetsujin realized Xia Xi would soon leave the Swordsmith Village, Haganezuka reacted only after learning he would lose his chance to study Xia Xi’s forging techniques.

• Xia Xi unveiled the 12 Thunder Type and the 11 Water Type and 11 Fire Type, explaining their features and specialized designs.
• Tetsujin praised Xia Xi for developing new combat puppets based on Yoriichi Type Zero.
• Xia Xi said he had improved his forging skills and planned to make his own blade using iron sand from Village Chief Tiezhen.
• Tetsujin realized Xia Xi was preparing to leave the Swordsmith Village and felt reluctant to part with him.
• Tetsujin told Haganezuka that Xia Xi was leaving and taking the Sengoku-period blade, prompting Haganezuka to shout that Xia Xi could not leave before teaching him everything.

Xia Xi forged three customized Nichirin weapons in Swordsmith Village and named them before preparing to leave. Meanwhile, Shinobu Kocho arrived after a battle and confronted a wounded Demon.

• Xia Xi ignored Haganezuka's request and began forging weapons with the village's fine ore.
• Xia Xi forged a Great Tachi, a modified Uchigatana, and a new pair of Fist Armor, while Haganezuka mistook his work for a farewell lesson.
• Xia Xi named the weapons Three Nourishing Fire Feathers, Five Grain Paths, and Wind-Severing Iron Fist.
• Xia Xi packed to leave Swordsmith Village as Shinobu Kocho thanked someone for holding a Demon until help arrived.
• Shinobu Kocho shook her Raccoon, dropped a magazine, and asked the wounded Demon to die quietly.

Shinobu Kocho's squad defeated a poison-wielding demon and treated the wounded swordsmen. At the hospital, Takitsuki Kazetoriin offered Shinobu a position as her adjutant, revealing that Kanae was close to becoming a Hashira.

• Shinobu Kocho and her teammates answered a distress call in Tottori Prefecture and killed the demon that had poisoned the previous squad.
• Shinobu and her team treated the wounded swordsmen and brought them to a nearby hospital.
• The next day, Shinobu learned the hospital was running low on medicine and arranged for Momo and Riko to gather herbs.
• Takitsuki Kazetoriin arrived, praised Shinobu's medical work, and told her Kanae had been sent to support swordsmen in the Four Kingdoms.
• Kazetoriin asked Shinobu to become her adjutant so she could see Kanae more often, then revealed Kanae was nearing the threshold to join the Nine Hashira.

Takitsuki Kazetoriin offered Shinobu Kocho a position as his medical adjutant, and the two later rushed to confront a demon outside town. Shinobu attacked first with Poison Breathing, whose speed reminded Kazetoriin of Thunder Breathing.

• Takitsuki Kazetoriin offered Shinobu Kocho the chance to become his medical adjutant, and she said she wanted to discuss it with Kanae before deciding.
• Takitsuki Kazetoriin thanked Shinobu Kocho for saving the wounded Swordsmen, and they spent the day talking and sharing dinner.
• A Corps member reported that a demon had killed a Senior Swordsman outside town, so Takitsuki Kazetoriin and Shinobu Kocho ran to confront it.
• Takitsuki Kazetoriin judged the demon's body tough but saw no Twelve Kizuki markings, then invited Shinobu Kocho to test herself against it.
• Shinobu Kocho drew her Nichirin Blade and used Poison Breathing's First Form: Sting, prompting Takitsuki Kazetoriin to wonder if her attack resembled Thunder Breathing.

Shinobu Kocho overcame a heavily armored demon with poison, but Kazetoriin revealed the gap between their strength by finishing it with ease. Elsewhere, an Upper Rank Four demon killed Shinobu’s teammates and began hunting for the blue flowers, leaving a warning that Shinobu was in danger.

• Shinobu Kocho used swift footwork and airborne poison to weaken the armored demon, then pierced its shell with a powerful thrust and injected multiple poisons.
• The poisoned demon tried to attack Shinobu one last time, but Kazetoriin caught its bone spike and cut it apart with the Long Whip.
• A hunched old demon sensed that a promising demon had been killed near the town and spoke of atoning to Lord Muzan.
• The blind Upper Rank Four demon killed one of Shinobu Kocho’s teammates, mortally wounded the other, and questioned her about the blue flowers.
• The surviving Swordsman saw the dead Kasugai Crows and realized the old demon was an Upper Rank before she died, hoping Shinobu would escape.

Shinobu and Kazetoriin investigated the disappearance of Momo and Nashi, only to face Upper Rank Four, whose body split into four demons. The demons attacked the hospital as Kazetoriin and Shinobu fought to protect its wounded, and Shinobu wondered whether the four were merely clones.

• Shinobu told Kazetoriin that Momo and Nashi had vanished while gathering herbs, and their Kasugai Crows had also gone silent.
• An old demon appeared and mourned Momo and Nashi, then Kazetoriin attacked him and destroyed part of the hospital wall.
• The demon split into Sekido and Urogi, and Kazetoriin recognized the mark of Upper Rank Four and sent his Kasugai Crow to summon reinforcements.
• Kazetoriin dragged Urogi into Sekido, but the demons multiplied into four, and Sekido’s lightning briefly paralyzed him.
• Shinobu blocked a spear attack aimed at Kazetoriin, who counterattacked and used his whip to pull Urogi down again.
• Sekido’s lightning failed to hit Shinobu after she redirected it through steel wires, and she questioned whether the four demons were clones.

Takitsuki Kazetoriin drove the four Upper Rank demons away from the hospital and fought them outside town, using his whip and martial skill to repeatedly behead them. When the demons adapted and began to overwhelm him, Shinobu Kocho joined the battle and attacked Aizetsu.

• Takitsuki Kazetoriin used his whip and martial arts to send Sekido flying and dragged Urogi away from the hospital, drawing all four demons out of town.
• Shinobu Kocho followed and watched as Kazetoriin countered the demons’ lightning, wind, spear, and sonic attacks with prepared wires and careful timing.
• Kazetoriin bound Sekido, Karaku, and Aizetsu together and beheaded them at once, but the demons regenerated while Urogi escaped his strike.
• As the four demons coordinated their attacks and Kazetoriin grew tired, his attempt to disarm Aizetsu failed and he retreated from Karaku’s storm.
• Shinobu Kocho appeared behind Aizetsu and launched a sudden upward thrust with her poisoned Nichirin Blade.

Takitsuki Kazetoriin and Shinobu Kocho fought Upper Rank demons, using poison and decapitation to bring them down, but the demons kept regenerating. As Kazetoriin prepared to hold them off so Shinobu could escape, Xia Xi arrived, leaving the battle poised to change.

• Shinobu Kocho poisoned Aizetsu with Gold Poison while Takitsuki Kazetoriin severed his arm, and the two incapacitated him as Kazetoriin beheaded Karaku, Urogi, and Sekido.
• The severed heads regenerated, and the demons revealed they had killed many Hashira; Aizetsu recovered from the poison by cutting contaminated flesh from his body.
• The four demons attacked together, and Takitsuki shielded Shinobu with Cocooned Jade before telling her to flee.
• Takitsuki prepared his secret art to buy Shinobu time, but Xia Xi arrived and surprised both the Demon Slayers and the demons.

Xia Xi arrived to back up Takitsuki Kazetoriin and Shinobu during their fight against the Upper Ranks, then swiftly cut down Karaku, Aizetsu, and Sekido. The surviving demons discovered that Xia Xi’s bright red blade’s wounds burned and prevented them from regenerating.

• Takitsuki Kazetoriin and Shinobu Kocho welcomed Xia Xi as their backup, and Shinobu complained that she and her sister had missed him.
• Xia Xi crossed the distance to Karaku and destroyed his upper body with a single punch.
• Sekido sent Aizetsu to test Xia Xi, but Xia Xi caught Aizetsu’s spear and beheaded him with his Nichirin Blade.
• Xia Xi’s next slash cut Sekido in half and flattened the area around the demons.
• Sekido collapsed and roared that he could not regenerate through the burning pain of his wound.

Xia Xi defeated Hantengu’s emotional clones with his red blade and poison bullets, then uncovered their hidden true body, Fear. The clones merged into Zohakuten, whose new form confronted Xia Xi and Kazetoriin.

• Sekido realized the Bright Red Nichirin Blade hindered the clones’ regeneration, while Urogi fled into the sky and attacked from above.
• Xia Xi shot Urogi down with crimson red iron sand bullets laced with poison, and Kazetoriin explained that decapitation and poison could not kill the clones.
• Xia Xi discovered the hidden Hantengu · Fear and recognized that Fear was likely the true body sustaining the clones.
• Urogi began merging the scattered clones and their remains into himself as Kazetoriin tried to stop him and Xia Xi hurled Five Grains Path toward Fear.
• The merged demon became Hantengu · Zohakuten, and Xia Xi stepped in front of Kazetoriin to withstand its powerful attack.

Xia Xi and Kazetoriin faced Zohakuten, Hantengu’s powerful fused form, while Kazetoriin carried Shinobu away to pursue Hantengu’s real body. Xia Xi stayed behind to fight Zohakuten, and Shinobu urged him to survive as he signaled that they would win.

• Zohakuten emerged as the fusion of Hantengu’s emotions, delighted that Joy had taken control and vowing to cut Xia Xi into pieces.
• Shinobu challenged Zohakuten’s claim that Xia Xi was the villain, while Xia Xi and Kazetoriin traded barbs with the demon.
• Xia Xi told Kazetoriin to find Hantengu’s real body and took on Zohakuten, who summoned enormous wooden dragons with his Taiko.
• Kazetoriin carried Shinobu away as Xia Xi knocked down a pursuing wooden dragon and began fighting Zohakuten alone.
• Shinobu shouted that Xia Xi was important to her and her sister and begged him not to die; Xia Xi answered with a thumbs-up.

Xia Xi fought Zohakuten after the Upper Rank Four entered his powerful four-in-one form, turning aside his wooden dragons and rejecting his offer to become a demon. Xia Xi shattered Zohakuten’s defenses and blasted him apart, but realized that beheading him would not be enough to finish him.

• Zohakuten unleashed his wooden dragons, and Xia Xi dodged their attacks while punching through their defenses.
• Zohakuten offered to turn Xia Xi into a demon, but Xia Xi mocked the demons’ failed recruitment efforts and refused.
• Zohakuten fired his Frenzied Pressure Resonance Wave, but Xia Xi dodged it and countered with ranged air projectiles.
• Xia Xi drew Sanyō Firefeather and used Yao Breathing: Bright Red Blade and Fourth Form: Water Luminary · One Slash · Seas Swept Level to break through Zohakuten’s wooden dragon barrier.
• Xia Xi struck Zohakuten with My Style: Six King Gun: Maximum Round, blasting apart his chest and neck and knocking his head away.
• Xia Xi realized Zohakuten could regenerate and that simply beheading him would not defeat him.

Xia Xi overwhelmed Zohakuten with his Bright Red Nichirin Blade while Kazetoriin and Shinobu Kocho searched for Hantengu's hidden true body. They exposed the tiny wooden sphere concealing him and prepared to attack, as Xia Xi suddenly worried about who would receive the experience for the first Upper Rank kill.

• Zohakuten unleashed shock waves and wooden dragons, but Xia Xi cut through them with his increasingly powerful Bright Red Nichirin Blade.
• Zohakuten tried to trap Xia Xi in midair, but Xia Xi split several giant wooden dragons with his Spirit blade helm breaker-soaring dragon and severed Zohakuten's arm.
• Kazetoriin and Shinobu Kocho searched for Hantengu's true body while Xia Xi battled Zohakuten nearby.
• Shinobu Kocho used modified Wisteria Poison Mist Bombs to fill the area with purple smoke, while Kazetoriin sensed movement underground through Steel Wire.
• Kazetoriin located a small wooden sphere hiding Hantengu, and he and Shinobu Kocho readied their breathing techniques to attack.
• Xia Xi realized Kazetoriin might kill Hantengu first and wondered whether a team kill would count toward his experience.

Shinobu Kocho and Kazetoriin defeated Hantengu’s Hatred form, only to discover that the real Hantengu had escaped while Zohakuten continued fighting Xia Xi. As Hantengu fled and tried to attack a Kakushi, a hidden swordsman burst from a wooden box and struck his neck.

• Shinobu Kocho failed to pierce Hantengu · Cowardice’s tiny body, and Kazetoriin cut through his defenses as he fled.
• Hantengu transformed into a giant, but Kazetoriin evaded his punches and beheaded him with his whip while Shinobu injected poison into the wound.
• Shinobu and Kazetoriin realized the demon was not the true body when Zohakuten’s battle with Xia Xi continued and the severed head revealed the word [Hatred].
• The real Hantengu escaped beyond the Hashira’s sight, then spotted a Kakushi and grew large to attack them for strength.
• A swordsman in yellow robes shot out of a wooden box and slashed Hantengu’s neck before he could reach the Kakushi.

Takayuki opened Xia Xi’s lightning-marked crate when Hantengu approached, releasing the Combat Puppet [Thunder Type], which helped kill the Upper Rank demon. Xia Xi then learned the main quest had advanced to eliminating Muzan Kibutsuji, while Muzan saw Hantengu’s final vision of the puppet’s sun-patterned earrings and destroyed his mansion in rage.

• Takayuki spotted Hantengu approaching and turned the key in Xia Xi’s lightning-marked crate before fleeing.
• [Thunder Type] emerged from the crate and struck Hantengu with two Nichirin blades while the demon was weakened from fighting Xia Xi and suffering poison.
• [Thunder Type] severed Hantengu’s head and shredded his remains, killing him as his final vision showed the puppet’s sun-patterned earrings.
• Xia Xi saw a proficiency gain and the main quest update to eliminate Muzan Kibutsuji.
• Muzan saw Hantengu’s final vision of the dual-wielding figure and its hanafuda earrings, then destroyed his Western-style mansion in a rage.

Muzan panicked after Hantengu’s final glimpse reminded him of Yoriichi Tsugikuni, then resolved to have the Upper Ranks investigate quietly. Xia Xi reviewed his gains from defeating Hantengu and tested a newly unlocked navigation feature, which failed to reach Akaza.

• Muzan recognized the hanafuda earrings Hantengu had seen and feared that Yoriichi Tsugikuni might have returned, though he reasoned the swordsman must be dead.
• Muzan decided to summon the Upper Ranks and order them to investigate quietly.
• Xia Xi received 3,816 experience from Hantengu’s death, raising Dawn Breathing to LV.6 (3890/16000) and Thunder Breathing to LV.6 (672/16000).
• Xia Xi examined the newly unlocked navigation feature and used it to plot a comfortable route to Kanae Kocho.
• Xia Xi selected Akaza as his destination, but the system said the target was unreachable without effective special transportation.

After Kazetoriin and Shinobu Kocho believed Upper Rank Four had escaped, Xia Xi realized his Mechanical Puppet had actually killed the demon while guarding the luggage. The group examined the puppet, and Kazetoriin then asked Xia Xi whether he had taught Shinjuro the glowing technique that suppressed demon regeneration.

• Kazetoriin and Shinobu Kocho told Xia Xi they had killed a decoy marked with “Hatred” and thought Upper Rank Four had escaped.
• Xia Xi suspected the demon had died despite their confusion, and Takayuki arrived with the Mechanical Puppet Thunder Type.
• Takayuki explained that Thunder Type had automatically defeated the demon while saving his life, revealing that the puppet had killed Upper Rank Four.
• Kazetoriin and Shinobu Kocho examined Thunder Type and questioned Xia Xi about its construction and possible poison weapons.
• Kazetoriin asked Xia Xi whether he had taught Shinjuro the glowing technique that suppressed demon regeneration.