Chapter Summaries

Tengen Uzui freed Zenitsu Agatsuma and discovered that a Demon’s Blood Demon Art had trapped a woman inside a space behind the wall. He forced the Demon to bargain, and it offered to release the woman if he stopped attacking.

• Tengen Uzui cut into the wall and pulled Zenitsu Agatsuma free.
• Tengen Uzui tried to enter the wall, but the Demon’s arms pushed him back.
• The Demon warned Tengen Uzui that destroying its Blood Demon Art would kill the woman trapped inside.
• Tengen Uzui attacked the wall and insisted the woman, a Pillar, would find a way out.
• The Demon offered to release the woman if Tengen Uzui stopped slashing.

Tengen Uzui kept attacking the demon concealed inside the wall while Kanae pressured him from within his Blood Demon Art. The demon’s power was nearly exhausted, and he realized that if his art collapsed, Kanae would survive and he would be forced out of the wall.

• Tengen Uzui rejected the demon’s attempt to bargain and continued striking the wall while watching for a chance to enter.
• The demon saw that Tengen’s attacks wounded him without healing and that Kanae was still fighting with resolve.
• The demon worried that the other demon had failed to kill the blacksmith, leaving him to face Kanae while his Blood Demon Art weakened.
• The demon revealed to himself that his claims about Kanae dying with the space were lies and that she would return to the real world if his art broke.
• The demon recognized that drawing a living person into his Blood Demon Art had left him unable to move from his position.

Kanae and Tengen forced Lower One out of his illusion and discovered his wounded real body trying to escape. They pursued him before he could hide inside a rock.

• Lower One expelled Kanae from his Blood Demon Art after Tengen intervened.
• Kanae recognized that Lower One was trying to flee and stabbed through a wall, forcing him out of hiding.
• Tengen heard the demon’s scream and leaped outside, with Kanae following.
• Kanae and Tengen spotted Lower One racing toward a rock, and Kanae warned Tengen not to let him hide inside it.

Tetsu no Sosuke stopped Lower One from escaping and joined Tengen Uzui and the Flower Pillar in confronting him. Lower One seized an opening to attack Tetsu no Sosuke, but his enormous arm was suddenly severed.

• Tetsu no Sosuke struck Lower One with Breath of the Sun—Form Three: Comet Waltz, stopping his escape without killing him.
• Tetsu no Sosuke stood with Tengen Uzui and the Flower Pillar, leaving Lower One surrounded by three opponents.
• Lower One chose the injured Tetsu no Sosuke as his likeliest escape target and noticed him watching the woman from his domain.
• Lower One charged and formed a giant hand from countless arms to attack Tetsu no Sosuke.
• Lower One turned to find his right arm had suddenly disappeared.

Tengen Uzui and Tetsu no Sosuke attacked Lower One, who tried to escape by merging into a tree. Lower One was badly wounded but remained alive as Kanae's flower-shaped slash rose to meet him.

• Tengen Uzui struck Lower One with Breath of Sound, Form One: Boom, and blasted him away.
• Lower One spotted a tree he could use to escape, but Tetsu no Sosuke moved to keep him from reaching it.
• Tetsu no Sosuke hit Lower One with Breath of Sound, Form Three: Comet Waltz, slashing his chest and abdomen and sending him flying.
• Lower One survived the wound and saw Kanae attack with Breath of the Flower, Form Four: Red Flower Dress.

Tetsu no Sosuke and the others defeated Lower One, and Tengen Uzui decapitated the demon before he could escape. After Kanae reunited with Tetsu no Sosuke, the group searched the area and confirmed that no demons remained.

• Lower One used the arms bursting from his back to escape Tetsu no Sosuke's slashes, but the blades cut through his torso.
• Tengen Uzui cut off Lower One's head as the demon tried to flee, and Lower One's body crumbled into ash.
• Tetsu no Sosuke praised Tengen Uzui, then embraced Kanae while Tengen fumed over the cellar's condition.
• Kuwajima Jigoro told Tetsu no Sosuke and Kanae they should get married, while Zenitsu Agatsuma envied them.
• Tetsu no Sosuke, Kanae, Tengen Uzui, Kuwajima Jigoro, Zenitsu Agatsuma, and Kaigaku searched the area and found no remaining demons.

After the demons attacked Kuwajima Jigoro's retreat, Kanae treated Tetsu no Sosuke's severe wounds and explained that he would likely return to the Butterfly Estate once the Water Pillar arrived. Tetsu no Sosuke accepted that the Corps needed to protect him, and the group waited for the next day.

• With no demons nearby but the retreat no longer safe, the group had Kaigaku and Zenitsu Agatsuma keep watch while the others slept.
• Kanae treated Tetsu no Sosuke and discovered a deep chest-to-waist cut that had narrowly missed his organs, along with numerous other injuries.
• Kanae told Tetsu no Sosuke that she had sent word by Kasugai Crow and that the Water Pillar's arrival would likely mean a return to the Butterfly Estate.
• Tetsu no Sosuke agreed that, given the danger to him and his forging method, the Corps would be right to keep him under protection.

As Kanae treated Tetsu no Sosuke’s wounds, they discussed the demons’ attack and questioned why Tengen Uzui had not intervened. Their teasing grew intimate before Kanae turned the conversation to reviewing the battle, leaving Tetsu no Sosuke disappointed by her rejection.

• Tetsu no Sosuke questioned why Tengen Uzui had not appeared during his fight with Lower Three and recalled that the Sound Pillar had looked angry at him.
• Kanae agreed that Tengen Uzui had seemed unusually weak and drained, while Tetsu no Sosuke jokingly suggested his wives were responsible.
• Kanae accidentally pressed down on Tetsu no Sosuke’s wound, then blushed when he teased her and tried to look at her smile.
• Kanae stopped Tetsu no Sosuke from getting carried away and asked him to review the battle, leaving him dejected by her firm rejection.

Tetsu no Sosuke and Kanae reviewed the demons’ attacks and the battle, discussing the strange Blood Demon Arts and the role luck played in his fight with Lower Three. Kanae recognized the name Breath of the Moon, and Tetsu no Sosuke hoped her knowledge might reveal more about Upper Rank One.

• Kanae mistook Tetsu no Sosuke’s silence for reluctance, but he explained that he had been reviewing the battle.
• Tetsu no Sosuke and Kanae reasoned that the timid demon’s Blood Demon Art had drawn the house’s occupants into a hazy world while Lower One separated Kanae.
• Tetsu no Sosuke questioned what had happened to Tengen Uzui and how Zenitsu Agatsuma had escaped the demon’s Blood Demon Art.
• Tetsu no Sosuke said luck had been crucial in his fight with Lower Three, whose obsession with beautiful swordsmanship gave him time to recover.
• Kanae said she had heard of Breath of the Moon, and Tetsu no Sosuke hoped she could provide information about Upper Rank One.

Kanae discussed the Breath of the Moon and Kokushibo with Tetsu no Sosuke, then reviewed his battle with the female Demon. She praised his decisions but warned him that his counterattack had been reckless, leaving him to consider the danger he had overlooked.

• Kanae speculated that the Breath of the Moon might be connected to the Breath of the Sun and said Tetsu no Sosuke's inherited technique could be the Breath of the Sun.
• Tetsu no Sosuke said the female Demon seemed more like an enthusiast of the Breath of the Moon than a skilled swordswoman, and Kanae suggested reporting the encounter to Master.
• Tetsu no Sosuke recounted the battle while Kanae listened and concluded that he had been incredibly lucky.
• Kanae praised Tetsu no Sosuke's reactions and his use of words to make the Demon choose an attack he could exploit.
• Kanae criticized Tetsu no Sosuke for attacking the Demon while her center was exposed, noting that her ribs could have turned into blades and killed him.
• Tetsu no Sosuke accepted Kanae's criticism without making excuses.

After Tetsu no Sosuke recovered from the battle, he and Kanae reflected on how dangerous Lower One’s Blood Demon Art had been and reaffirmed their promise to return safely. At daybreak, a cry of alarm jolted them awake, and Kanae went to find out what had happened.

• Kanae told Tetsu no Sosuke to stay alert and reminded him of their promise to win and return safely.
• Kanae admitted she had been frightened because she could not escape the Demon’s trap to help Tetsu no Sosuke.
• Kanae said she was glad she had trusted Tetsu no Sosuke, kissed his cheek, and stayed beside him until he fell asleep.
• At daybreak, Tetsu no Sosuke and Kanae woke to someone shouting that something terrible had happened.
• Kanae told Tetsu no Sosuke she would go investigate.

Tetsu no Sosuke learned that Kaigaku had drugged the rice balls meant for him, accidentally causing Tengen Uzui’s severe diarrhea and leaving Sosuke without help against Lower Three. The Former Rumble Hashira planned to punish Kaigaku, and Sosuke worried Kaigaku would hold a grudge.

• Zenitsu Agatsuma announced that the Sword Forging Shed had a cesspit, and Kanae told Tetsu no Sosuke that Tengen Uzui had stayed in the cellar.
• Tetsu no Sosuke realized that Tengen Uzui’s illness might have started after he ate the rice balls and suspected Kaigaku had tampered with them.
• Tengen Uzui overheard Sosuke’s suspicion and stormed out to confront Kaigaku.
• Kanae confirmed that Kaigaku had used too much laxative to weaken Sosuke, but Tengen Uzui had eaten the rice balls instead.
• Kanae said the Former Rumble Hashira planned to punish Kaigaku, while Sosuke worried that Kaigaku would hold a grudge.

After Tetsu no Sosuke recovered enough to travel, Ubuyashiki Kagaya ordered him and Kanae back to the Butterfly Estate while Giyu Tomioka and Tengen Uzui watched the area. Tetsu no Sosuke left without confronting Kaigaku, deciding he would have to find another way to deal with him later.

• Giyu Tomioka arrived after the Lower Moon Demon had already been defeated and checked Tetsu no Sosuke's injuries.
• Kuwajima Jigoro spent the morning berating Kaigaku while Kanae remarked on how long it had gone on.
• The Hidden delivered Ubuyashiki Kagaya's orders: Tetsu no Sosuke and Kanae were to return to the Butterfly Estate, Kuwajima Jigoro was to relocate, and Giyu Tomioka and Tengen Uzui were to monitor the area for two days and nights.
• Tetsu no Sosuke and Kanae said farewell to Kuwajima Jigoro, Zenitsu Agatsuma, and Kaigaku, then began their journey back.
• Tetsu no Sosuke decided that Kaigaku's drugging of him was not enough to make Kuwajima Jigoro recognize Kaigaku's character, so he would look for another chance to deal with him.

On the journey back to the Butterfly Estate, Tetsu no Sosuke recovered enough to continue with Kanae after the Hidden left. As they discussed the failed search for Kibutsuji Muzan, Tetsu no Sosuke heard a savage growl in broad daylight.

• The Hidden carried Tetsu no Sosuke along safe routes and cared for him until he could walk with little trouble.
• Tetsu no Sosuke told the Hidden to return to their duties, and they left him and Kanae to continue toward the Butterfly Estate.
• Tetsu no Sosuke told Kanae he would need to forge another hammer, but Kanae urged him to recover first and said she would report the events at the former Rumble Hashira's home to the Master.
• Kanae explained that Giyu Tomioka and Tengen Uzui had found no clues despite waiting several days at the former Rumble Hashira's home.
• Tetsu no Sosuke heard a low, savage growl and looked up at the dark, snowy sky, realizing it was still broad daylight.

Tetsu no Sosuke and Kanae followed a wounded wolf into the forest and found it dead with its pups. As they buried the family, Kanae discovered one surviving white pup and asked to take it home.

• Kanae struck the wounded wolf with the back of her blade after it lunged at Tetsu no Sosuke.
• Tetsu no Sosuke and Kanae followed the wolf’s blood trail and found it dead beside several dead pups.
• Kanae asked to bury the wolves, and she and Tetsu no Sosuke dug a grave for them.
• Kanae found a living white wolf pup in the hollow and asked Tetsu no Sosuke if they could raise it.

Tetsu no Sosuke reluctantly agreed to let Kanae keep the White Wolf Pup after she promised to raise it gently. As they debated what to name the sleeping pup, Kanae insisted on calling it Big Hammer.

• Tetsu no Sosuke worried that the White Wolf Pup might grow up and eat someone at the Butterfly Estate.
• Kanae argued that she could raise the pup gently, and Tetsu no Sosuke gave in.
• Kanae called herself the pup's mommy, while Tetsu no Sosuke silently filled in the pit.
• Tetsu no Sosuke suggested naming the pup Little White, but Kanae rejected the name and proposed Big Hammer.
• Kanae defended Big Hammer as a strong name and reminded Tetsu no Sosuke that the pup had saved his life.
• Kanae demanded to know what name Tetsu no Sosuke would choose instead.

Tetsu no Sosuke and Kanae reached the Wisteria House after burying the white wolf family, bringing the surviving pup with them. The next morning, they fed and handled the pup, and Tetsu no Sosuke proposed raising it to carry them when it grew up.

• Tetsu no Sosuke named the White Wolf Pup Big Hammer, and Kanae cuddled it affectionately.
• Tetsu no Sosuke and Kanae searched for a hunter after burying the wolf family, found no one, and continued to the Wisteria House.
• Kanae fed Big Hammer the next morning, and Tetsu no Sosuke noted that it ate readily.
• Tetsu no Sosuke picked up the trembling pup while Kanae watched, and Big Hammer resigned itself to his grasp.
• Tetsu no Sosuke told Kanae they could raise Big Hammer to become a mount when it grew up.

Tetsu no Sosuke and Kanae returned to the Butterfly Estate with White Wolf Hammer and found Shinobu Kocho waiting at the gate. Shinobu rushed toward them with her hand on her sword, leaving Tetsu no Sosuke wondering whether she meant to welcome him or attack him.

• Tetsu no Sosuke joked with Kanae about their future family growing large enough to need White Wolf Hammer to carry them.
• Kanae wrapped White Wolf Hammer in a blanket against the cold as they traveled toward the Butterfly Estate.
• Tetsu no Sosuke and Kanae reached the Butterfly Estate at sunset after a long absence.
• Shinobu Kocho waved at them, then ran toward Tetsu no Sosuke with a strange expression and her hand on her sword.
• Tetsu no Sosuke noticed Shinobu had drawn her sword.

Shinobu Kocho attacked Tetsu no Sosuke after mistakenly believing he and Kanae had a child together. Kanae planned to discipline Shinobu, while Tetsu no Sosuke tried to plead her case and earned Kanae’s suspicion.

• Shinobu Kocho challenged Tetsu no Sosuke with her Swordsmanship, then angrily attacked him while accusing him of having a child with Kanae.
• Tetsu no Sosuke denied knowing about any child, and Shinobu Kocho ran toward the Butterfly Estate.
• Kanae explained that Shinobu had held back and said she would teach her younger sister a lesson for attacking without asking what happened.
• Tetsu no Sosuke urged Kanae to limit the punishment to a scolding, but Kanae suspected he wanted to influence how severely she punished Shinobu.

At the Butterfly Estate, Shinobu Kocho mistook Big Hammer for Kanae’s baby and dressed it in baby clothes. After Kanae cleared up the misunderstanding, Shinobu worried aloud about Kanae and Tetsu no Sosuke living together, leaving the two alone to tease each other.

• Shinobu Kocho dressed Big Hammer in baby clothes, and it struggled to move before giving up and glaring at everyone.
• Kanae asked Shinobu if she understood that nothing had happened, and Shinobu suspiciously questioned whether Tetsu no Sosuke could really have resisted her.
• Kanae scolded Shinobu for reading nonsense, then grabbed her by the collar and tossed her out of the room.
• Tetsu no Sosuke teased Kanae about proving he had no hidden problem, then pulled her into his arms and said Shinobu worried about her.