Chapter Summaries

Su Chen laid out the Rehabilitation Training match rules, and Kyojuro’s praise of the Butterfly Mansion encouraged Aoi Kanzaki. When the injured Corps members chose trainers, a crowd of women rushed to join Su Chen, prompting him to cultivate an elegant idol-like persona.

• Su Chen explained that each trainer could add an activity and that patients’ positive reviews would determine the winner.
• Kyojuro praised the Butterfly Mansion’s medical staff, and Aoi Kanzaki felt encouraged by his recognition and Su Chen’s words.
• Shinazugawa found that no patients had chosen him, while five chose Kyojuro and dozens crowded around Su Chen.
• Su Chen contemplated his popularity, ran simulations, and gained idol-related skills that changed his appearance and bearing.
• Su Chen touched his chin, sending the crowd into a frenzy.

Su Chen's admirers overwhelmed the Butterfly Mansion until Kanao restored order, while Shinazugawa struggled to recruit trainees and heard the Corps members gossiping about him. He selected four men, then learned they had been fighting demons alongside his brother Genya.

• The female Corps members crowded around Su Chen, and Shinobu Kocho struggled to keep them back until Kanao used Overlord Flower Breathing Style, Second Form: Overlord's Plum Blossom, to scatter them.
• Shinobu grew jealous after realizing Su Chen had taught Kanao the Overlord Flower Breathing Style, while the crowd at the Butterfly Mansion settled down.
• Kyojuro chose trainees and prepared a rehabilitation plan as Shinazugawa tried to select men for his intense training.
• After overhearing the Corps members' complaints, Shinazugawa pointed out four men and forced them to answer him with Wind Breathing, No Sword Form: Gale-Tengu.
• One of the four men criticized Genya for breaking team rules, and another slapped him to stop him from insulting Shinazugawa's younger brother.

Su Chen organized rehabilitation training at the Butterfly Mansion, choosing Shinobu Kocho as his fifth patient while Kanao Tsuyuri demonstrated the exercises. Shinazugawa, short one patient, returned with Inosuke and insisted he could join his team.

• Shinazugawa led Genya and three others into rehabilitation after Su Chen’s explanation that the group had been holding Genya back.
• Su Chen chose Shinobu as his fifth rehabilitation patient after Kanao revealed that Shinobu still wore a bandage he had tied.
• Kanao demonstrated stretching, a medicinal-broth reaction game, and a game of cat and mouse for the assembled members.
• Shinobu told Shinazugawa he would lose if he could not find a fifth patient, so he went into the wards to get one.
• Shinazugawa returned carrying Inosuke, with Aoi clinging to his clothes, and declared that Inosuke could join his team.

Shinobu Kocho let Shinazugawa take over Inosuke’s rehabilitation while Su Chen treated the other corps members and prepared to massage her. As Shinobu lay down nervously, Su Chen activated Bullet Domain and named his newly learned technique Shadowless Massage Hand.

• Aoi Kanzaki objected to Inosuke competing because he was unusually dejected, but Shinobu Kocho let Shinazugawa try to train him.
• Shinobu Kocho watched Su Chen massage four male corps members and saw his technique improve until his hands moved too quickly for her to follow.
• Su Chen told Shinobu he had washed his hands to avoid getting her sister’s clothes sweaty, easing her fears that he might take advantage of her.
• Su Chen prepared fresh bedding, asked Shinobu to lie on her stomach, and began massaging her as she nervously tried to relax.
• Su Chen activated Bullet Domain, and the system reported that he had named his newly learned technique Shadowless Massage Hand.

Su Chen gave Shinobu Kocho an intense massage that left her unable to walk, then carried her to a private ward to recover. He reminded her that winning his competition would bring money to the Butterfly Mansion, leaving Shinobu tempted to support him despite her playful wish that he lose.

• Su Chen used his Demon Hand Massage on Shinobu Kocho, whose body relaxed until she asked him to stop.
• When Shinobu Kocho could not stand, Su Chen carried her through the watching Corps members to an empty ward.
• Su Chen explained that the massage had loosened her stiff body and urged her to return for daily treatment.
• Su Chen told Shinobu Kocho to rest until she could move again, then reminded her that his competition could earn money for the Butterfly Mansion.
• Su Chen mentioned that Shinobu Kocho could not afford him a Nichirin Blade and asked whether she could still bear to see him lose.

Shinobu Kocho reluctantly agreed to come out after Su Chen left, while Shinazugawa’s brutal massage training ended with Tomioka Dairo unconscious and dislocated. The three remaining Tomioka brothers huddled together, afraid that one of them would be next.

• Shinobu Kocho clenched her fists, agreed to come out, and watched Su Chen return to the competition area.
• Shinazugawa massaged Tomioka Dairo and scolded the four Tomioka brothers for watching Su Chen and Kyojuro’s training.
• Shinazugawa increased the force of his massage as Tomioka Dairo tried to relax, then dislocated his shoulder and knocked him unconscious.
• Aoi Kanzaki examined Tomioka Dairo, blamed Shinazugawa for using too much force, and wheeled him away.
• Tomioka Jiro, Tomioka Saburo, and Tomioka Kotaro huddled in a corner, terrified of being chosen next.

Su Chen stopped Shinazugawa from forcing the Tomioka brothers through his reckless training and explained that a doctor should prioritize patients’ recovery over winning a competition. Shinazugawa reflected on Su Chen’s advice while the patients praised Su Chen and felt grateful for his care.

• Shinazugawa tried to make Tomioka Jiro undergo a painful massage, but Su Chen appeared and stopped him.
• Su Chen questioned Shinazugawa’s harsh rehabilitation method, and Shinazugawa revealed that he had devised Infinite Onslaught Training.
• Shinazugawa saw that Su Chen’s patients had progressed through their exercises while his own patients were frightened or injured, and he asked how Su Chen had managed it.
• Su Chen told Shinazugawa to treat his patients sincerely and focus on their recovery rather than the competition.
• Shinazugawa pondered Su Chen’s advice as the Corps members and Tomioka brothers praised Su Chen and felt moved by his concern.

Inosuke regained his confidence after seeing Su Geng confront Shinazugawa, while Shinobu Kocho returned from treatment feeling stronger. Su Chen began a fourth stage of rehabilitation focused on meditation and concentration, preparing to distract the trainees with an iron rod and dustpan.

• Inosuke remembered the wild sow who had raised him, saw her strength and gentleness in Su Geng, and stood up to challenge Shinazugawa.
• Shinobu Kocho emerged from the ward feeling lighter and stronger, and thanked Su Chen for helping her.
• Su Chen told Shinazugawa that his advice also applied to his younger brother, then left with Shinobu Kocho to resume training.
• Su Chen explained that the fourth stage trained the patients to focus and think by meditating for an hour.
• Su Chen gave Shinobu Kocho an iron dustpan taken from Aoi's cart and planned to strike it with an iron rod to distract the meditating patients.

Su Chen tried to train four patients in resisting distractions, but Shinobu Kocho disrupted them with her sweet voice. He turned the lesson on Shinobu, who lost her composure when he teased her with an intimate “Sister Shinobu” before she apologized and moved away.

• Shinobu Kocho distracted Su Chen’s four patients with her gentle greetings, causing them to abandon their meditation and apologize to him.
• Su Chen decided to train Shinobu Kocho in distraction resistance and seated her for meditation.
• Su Chen whispered “Sister Shinobu” near Shinobu Kocho’s ear and blew her a kiss, making her lose her composure.
• Shinobu Kocho admitted she was wrong, regained her composure, and moved away from Su Chen.

Su Chen began a concentration exercise with four patients while Shinazugawa, worried about losing their competition, prepared to disrupt them. The chapter ended as Shinazugawa launched a bladeless Wind Breathing technique toward Su Chen and the meditating group.

• Su Chen discovered that nibbling Shinobu Kocho’s ear and calling her “Sister Shinobu” flustered her, then coached four patients in concentration and meditation.
• Inosuke collapsed after landing 101 attacks on Shinazugawa, who approved of his grit and considered him a potential Wind Hashira Tsuguko.
• Shinazugawa noticed Su Chen and the five patients meditating calmly and feared losing the competition and his chance to learn about the Demon Slayer Mark.
• Shinazugawa decided to interfere by whipping up gales, took a sword stance without a blade, and used Wind Breathing, Bladeless Form-Claws: Purifying Wind.

Su Chen used Shinazugawa’s distraction to help his patients and Shinobu Kocho meditate, while Shinazugawa disrupted Kyojuro’s rehabilitation training to keep the competition from ending. Shinazugawa then challenged Kyojuro to a one-on-one contest, determined to win the method for awakening the Demon Slayer Mark.

• Su Chen stayed calm as Shinazugawa unleashed a wind attack, and all six people meditating remained focused.
• Su Chen’s Bullet Domain recorded his progress in meditation, focus, physical training, and analyzing Shinazugawa’s movements.
• Kyojuro helped a fourth patient learn to use breathing to stop wounds from bleeding, leaving only one patient unfinished.
• Shinazugawa attacked Kyojuro with his Wooden Sword and interrupted Kyojuro’s final patient’s training.
• Shinazugawa proposed replacing the rehabilitation competition with a one-on-one tournament and handed Kyojuro a Wooden Sword.

Kyojuro Rengoku intercepted Sanemi Shinazugawa as their fierce fight sent dangerous aftershocks through the hall. Su Chen protected the meditating Shinobu Kocho from one strike, was injured and fainted, and Shinobu ordered Kanao Tsuyuri to take him away as she drew her Nichirin Blade.

• Kyojuro Rengoku blocked Sanemi Shinazugawa’s attack and challenged him, then the two Hashira exchanged rapid Breathing Style strikes.
• Kanao Tsuyuri neutralized an aftershock headed toward Su Chen and the patients, but another attack flew toward Shinobu Kocho.
• Su Chen stepped in front of Shinobu Kocho and used Blazing Breathing, Third Form: Three Thousand Blazing Flames to stop the attack.
• Su Chen’s weakened body suffered severe backlash, and he collapsed unconscious with blood at the corner of his mouth.
• Shinobu Kocho woke and learned that Su Chen had been injured protecting her, then ordered Kanao Tsuyuri to take him away while she drew her Nichirin Blade.

Shinobu Kocho stopped Shinazugawa’s fight by paralyzing him with her blade and blamed him for injuring Su Chen and damaging the Butterfly Mansion. She went to check on Su Chen, but Aoi Kanzaki could not explain why he remained unconscious despite having no unusual injuries.

• Shinobu Kocho rushed into the fight and stabbed Shinazugawa in the kidney, paralyzing him with her blade’s poison.
• Shinobu Kocho confronted Shinazugawa for fighting inside the Butterfly Mansion and warned him she would hold him responsible if anything happened to Su Chen.
• Shinobu Kocho broke down over Shinazugawa’s damage to her sister’s home, then calmed herself and went to check on Su Chen.
• Aoi Kanzaki told Shinobu Kocho that Su Chen’s body seemed ordinary, but she could not explain why he remained unconscious.

Su Chen recovered at the Butterfly Mansion and developed a stronger Breathing Technique, Total Concentration: Hundred Refinements. Shinobu Kocho told him that the Butterfly Mansion had gained three Hashira admission slots, including one gifted by Rengoku, leaving Su Chen expected to visit the Rengoku Family and repay the favor.

• Shinobu Kocho examined Su Chen and discovered that his injuries had healed.
• While asleep, Su Chen used Total Concentration: Focus to recover and comprehended Total Concentration: Hundred Refinements.
• Su Chen woke to find Shinobu Kocho asleep beside his bed after watching over him through the night.
• Shinobu Kocho told Su Chen that Shinazugawa conceded his admission slot after breaking the rules and damaging the Butterfly Mansion.
• Shinobu Kocho explained that Rengoku had also given his slot to the Butterfly Mansion as a gift for Su Chen and invited him to visit the Rengoku Family.

Su Chen learned that Shinazugawa’s blood was the only blood compatible with his unusual constitution, and Shinobu Kocho shared her research into its effects. As Su Chen prepared for the day’s match, Shinobu gave him a Demon Slayer Corps uniform and a new Nichirin Blade to try.

• Shinobu Kocho told Su Chen that Inosuke had wanted to become his Tsuguko, Kanao had stayed by his side, and Shinazugawa had conceded after she stabbed him with an anesthetic-coated Nichirin Blade.
• Shinobu Kocho explained that Su Chen had rejected transfusions from Inosuke, Kanao, and herself, while Shinazugawa’s blood had proved compatible.
• Shinobu Kocho showed Su Chen the buckets of Shinazugawa’s blood she had collected and described her research into its effects, including a possible link to Genya Shinazugawa’s demon eater constitution.
• Su Chen asked Shinobu Kocho for a Nichirin Blade ahead of the day’s match, and she brought out a uniform and blade issued by Oyakata-sama.
• Shinobu Kocho tried the uniform on Su Chen, but it was too tight, so she hurriedly removed it and offered him the Nichirin Blade to try.

Su Chen modified his and Shinobu Kocho’s Nichirin Blades with poison-holding blade rings, and Shinobu was deeply moved by his thoughtfulness. The chapter left them together in the Butterfly Mansion’s backyard, with Su Chen’s match against Shinazugawa still ahead.

• Su Chen learned that the Nichirin Blade he had been given was forged by Haganezuka for Tanjiro, while Kanamori was responsible for making Su Chen’s own blade.
• Su Chen took Shinobu Kocho to the Butterfly Mansion’s backyard and borrowed her Nichirin Blade.
• Su Chen drilled six holes into his own blade and fitted them with copper rings to create poison-holding blade rings.
• While Shinobu watched, Su Chen modified her blade as well, making it lighter and able to store more poison.
• Su Chen returned Shinobu Kocho’s modified blade, and she admired it while becoming emotional over the care he had shown her.

Shinobu Kocho confessed her anger and grief to Su Chen, who comforted her until she fell asleep in his arms. The next morning, Su Chen prepared for his match with Shinazugawa and invited Kanao Tsuyuri to come along.

• Shinobu Kocho told Su Chen how furious she was over her sister Kanae's death, her struggles as the Insect Hashira, and Shinazugawa destroying Kanae's keepsake.
• Su Chen embraced Shinobu and reassured her that she could express her feelings and deserved someone to protect her.
• Shinobu tried to push Su Chen away, then broke down crying in his arms and nearly confessed that she liked him.
• Su Chen noticed Shinobu's increasingly strong wisteria scent and worried about the poison she had been injecting into herself.
• Shinobu fell asleep, and Su Chen carried her back to her room before preparing for his match with Shinazugawa by applying anesthetic to his Nichirin Blade.
• Kanao Tsuyuri saw Su Chen leaving for the match and he invited her to go with him.

Su Chen left the Butterfly Mansion with Kanao to attend his match against Shinazugawa at the Ubuyashiki Residence, where the Demon Slayer Corps gathered to watch. He arrived to cheers and reunited with Inosuke, Zenitsu, and Tanjiro before the match began.

• Su Chen persuaded Kanao to accompany him, gave her shoes, and left the Butterfly Mansion with her after reassuring its girls.
• Kakushi members built a stage at the Ubuyashiki Residence as Demon Slayer Corps members and nearly all the Hashira gathered to watch Su Chen face Shinazugawa.
• Su Chen arrived with Kanao, and the crowd greeted him enthusiastically while Kanao grew nervous under their attention.
• Su Chen comforted Kanao by taking her hand, then greeted Inosuke, Zenitsu, and Tanjiro.

Su Chen met Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke, then encountered the Hashira and learned that Kyojuro Rengoku had gone to investigate a demon on the Mugen Train. Realizing Rengoku could die fighting Akaza, Su Chen resolved to focus first on winning his match against Shinazugawa so he could become strong enough to save him.

• Inosuke charged at Su Chen and begged to become his disciple, but Kanao Tsuyuri subdued him before Tanjiro and Zenitsu led him away.
• Su Chen realized the trio had come to watch his match, then continued on with Kanao Tsuyuri.
• Su Chen greeted the Hashira and asked Mitsuri Kanroji where Kyojuro Rengoku had gone; Obanai Iguro explained that Rengoku was investigating a demon aboard the Mugen Train.
• Su Chen recognized that Rengoku might die fighting Akaza and considered how to protect him.
• Su Chen decided that winning his match against Shinazugawa was his most urgent task, since he needed Hashira-level strength to face the Upper Ranks.

Su Chen prepared to face Sanemi Shinazugawa in a battle meant to prove he had Hashira-level strength and earn a place in the Demon Slayer Corps. Before the match, Shinazugawa acknowledged Su Chen and warned him not to die, leaving their relationship on better terms.

• Su Chen assessed his strength as above Lower Rank Demons but below ordinary Hashira, and saw the day's battle as crucial to his advancement.
• After thanking Iguro for news about Kyojuro Rengoku, Su Chen went with Kanao Tsuyuri toward the Ubuyashiki Residence.
• Su Chen met Sanemi Shinazugawa, who said he had recovered and would not hold back in their match.
• Shinazugawa admitted he had already acknowledged Su Chen and urged him not to die; Su Chen replied that he had his own resolve.
• Su Chen and Kanao vanished into their preparation room, and Shinazugawa smiled to himself.