Chapter Summaries

Shinobu Kocho treated the critically wounded Tetsu no Sosuke while waiting for the battle against Upper Moon One to end. At dawn, Tsujimoto Takato emerged from the forest grievously injured and apologized to her.

• Shinobu Kocho dragged Tetsu no Sosuke from the forest and tried to stop his severe bleeding.
• Shinobu Kocho sent a Kasugai Crow to report that Upper Moon One had appeared, then continued tending to Tetsu no Sosuke.
• Shinobu Kocho waited through the night as the sounds of fighting in the forest grew less frequent.
• At dawn, Tsujimoto Takato stumbled out of the forest with one eye, one leg, and much of his hair gone, and apologized to Shinobu Kocho.

Three months after Tsujimoto Takato died from his wounds after the battle with Kokushibo, Shinobu Kocho continued training and reflected on how powerless she had felt that night. She had grown stronger, but she could not change what had happened.

• Tsujimoto Takato apologized for failing to kill Kokushibo and told Shinobu Kocho not to blame herself.
• Tsujimoto Takato praised Shinobu Kocho for helping Tetsu no Sosuke survive, then died while watching the sunrise.
• Shinobu Kocho broke down in tears as she waited for the Hidden to arrive.
• Shinobu Kocho came to her senses on the way to the Butterfly Estate, where Kanae accompanied her and the barely breathing Tetsu no Sosuke.
• Three months later, Shinobu Kocho trained with her Nichirin Blade and reflected on her progress and her inability to change that night.

Shinobu Kocho struggled with guilt over the battle and Tsujimoto Takato’s death while Tetsu no Sosuke remained unconscious. Kiyo Terauchi announced that Tetsu no Sosuke had awakened, and Shinobu rushed to him on Big Hammer.

• Shinobu Kocho worried that Big Hammer would not wake and remembered the aftermath of the battle.
• Kanae comforted Shinobu Kocho after she survived the battle and saved Tetsu no Sosuke.
• Shinobu Kocho recalled Tetsu no Sosuke’s many wounds and Tsujimoto Takato’s final words.
• Kiyo Terauchi announced that Tetsu no Sosuke had awakened.
• Shinobu Kocho rode Big Hammer toward Tetsu no Sosuke.

Tetsu no Sosuke woke after three months unconscious, and Kanae and Shinobu Kocho broke down in tears. After joking with Shinobu, he asked what had happened after the battle.

• Shinobu Kocho entered Tetsu no Sosuke's room and began crying when she saw Kanae in tears.
• Tetsu no Sosuke woke weak and pale, then joked that he had thought he was dead because both women were crying.
• Tetsu no Sosuke teased Shinobu Kocho and asked Kanae to kick her out, making Shinobu cry harder.
• Kanae checked Tetsu no Sosuke's wrist and found that he was weak but had no serious injuries.
• Tetsu no Sosuke recalled the battle and asked what had happened afterward.

Tetsu no Sosuke recovered at the Butterfly Estate after his battle with Kokushibo and reflected on how close he and the Storm Pillar had come to defeating him. He regained strength quickly and planned to return to demon-slaying missions.

• Tetsu no Sosuke woke after three months unconscious and asked about Kokushibo and Tsujimoto Takato, but received no answer.
• Kanae helped Tetsu no Sosuke recover, and within days he could walk and use the Automaton Puppet for rehabilitation.
• Tetsu no Sosuke rested on the veranda and recalled Kokushibo's powerful sword forms.
• Tetsu no Sosuke remembered that he and the Storm Pillar had severed only one of Kokushibo's hands despite his using Extreme Flow Intent for nearly three minutes.

Recovering from his battle with Kokushibo, Tetsu no Sosuke reflected on his swordsmanship and realized he could develop a new form. Kanae told him they had to attend the Pillar Meeting the next day, where he was expected to become a new Pillar.

• Tetsu no Sosuke reviewed the flaws in his fighting and gained inspiration for a new sword form.
• Tetsu no Sosuke wondered how Kokushibo had created his defensive Breath of the Moon technique.
• Kanae and Kanao visited Tetsu no Sosuke, and he remarked that Kanao seemed taller.
• Big Hammer came to lie beside Tetsu no Sosuke, and Kanae let him stay despite her concerns about his injuries.
• Kanae told Tetsu no Sosuke that a Kasugai Crow had summoned them to the Pillar Meeting the next day.
• Tetsu no Sosuke remembered Ubuyashiki Kagaya's promise to make him a Pillar and Kanae asked if he was ready.

Tetsu no Sosuke doubted he deserved to become a Pillar, but Kanae reassured him by recalling his achievements. After Kanae embarrassed herself with a joke, Kanao began flipping her coin and hurried away, prompting Kanae to ask what she had been deciding.

• Tetsu no Sosuke questioned whether he deserved to become a Pillar because he felt weaker than Tsujimoto Takato, the Storm Pillar.
• Kanae reminded Tetsu no Sosuke that he had helped defeat Upper Moon Two, fought Upper Moon One alongside the Storm Pillar, and killed two Lower Ranks.
• Tetsu no Sosuke teased Kanae, who accidentally admitted she used her kind heart and beautiful face to keep him to herself.
• Kanao flipped her coin and started to leave, then flipped it again and quickened her pace.
• Kanae stopped Kanao and asked what she had been deciding with her coin.

Kanao decided to tell Kiyo Terauchi and the others what had happened, while Tetsu no Sosuke and Kanae shared a laugh over her strange coin toss. Kanae then asked Tetsu no Sosuke to marry her, and the chapter ended as she cried and cupped his face.

• Kanao tossed her coin and decided to tell Kiyo Terauchi and the others what had happened.
• Big Hammer barked, and Tetsu no Sosuke scolded it for barking instead of howling before it went to sleep.
• Tetsu no Sosuke and Kanae laughed together and embraced, and Kanae said Kanao was beginning to think for herself.
• Kanae asked Tetsu no Sosuke to marry her, but he responded with a joke about a marriage-pressure trilogy.
• Kanae began to cry and cupped Tetsu no Sosuke's face, while he tried to comfort her.

Kanae confessed that Tetsu no Sosuke’s near-death injury made her fear they would never have a life together, and she asked to become his wife while they were both still alive. Tetsu no Sosuke held her as she wept, unable to find words to comfort her.

• Kanae told Tetsu no Sosuke that her greatest fear during his unconsciousness had been regretting that they never became spouses or shared their happiness.
• Kanae said their dangerous lives had made her realize they could not count on a beautiful future arriving, so she wanted to cherish the present.
• Kanae asked to be Tetsu no Sosuke’s wife, even briefly, so they could share that bond before either of them died.
• Kanae buried her face in Tetsu no Sosuke’s chest and sobbed, while he held her and struggled to answer.

Tetsu no Sosuke and Kanae agreed to marry after sharing their fears and affection. They considered how to arrange the wedding and decided to ask the Master, though Kanae realized Tetsu no Sosuke might raise the matter at the next Pillar Meeting.

• Tetsu no Sosuke comforted Kanae and proposed that they get married, and she accepted.
• Big Hammer watched the couple, then covered its eyes with its paws.
• Tetsu no Sosuke worried about arranging a wedding while they served in the Demon Slayer Corps.
• Kanae suggested asking the Master for advice, explaining that the Master's wife had officiated at past Corps weddings.
• Tetsu no Sosuke agreed to ask the next day, and Kanae blushed when she realized that was the day of the Pillar Meeting.

Tetsu no Sosuke and Kanae decided to ask Ubuyashiki Kagaya for advice about their marriage, then rode Big Hammer to the Pillar Meeting. They arrived early and reunited with the other Pillars, while Giyu Tomioka seemed lost in inner turmoil.

• Tetsu no Sosuke and Kanae failed to plan much after deciding to marry, so Kanae suggested asking Ubuyashiki Kagaya for advice.
• Tetsu no Sosuke and Kanae left for the Pillar Meeting together on Big Hammer, who had grown stronger after eating Lower Two's arm.
• Tetsu no Sosuke and Kanae arrived early at Ubuyashiki Kagaya's courtyard, where Giyu Tomioka, Iguro Obanai, and Kanroji Mitsuri were already waiting.
• Kanroji Mitsuri greeted Tetsu no Sosuke and asked to ride Big Hammer, while Tetsu no Sosuke lifted Kanae down into his arms.
• Iguro Obanai cheered up after seeing Tetsu no Sosuke and Kanae together, while Tetsu no Sosuke noticed Giyu Tomioka's inner turmoil.

Tetsu no Sosuke reunited with Giyu Tomioka, who gave him medicine and briefly discussed the junior apprentice and his sister. Tetsu no Sosuke returned to Kanae, and they reflected on Giyu’s difficulty expressing himself.

• Tetsu no Sosuke approached Giyu Tomioka and told him his injuries were healing.
• Giyu Tomioka gave Tetsu no Sosuke a bottle of medicine.
• Tetsu no Sosuke told Giyu Tomioka that he had met his junior apprentice and the apprentice’s sister, and Giyu agreed they seemed all right.
• Tetsu no Sosuke returned to Kanae, who remarked that Giyu still struggled to show what he was thinking.

Tetsu no Sosuke reunited with the Hashira, who checked on his injuries and reacted to his growth after his battle with Kokushibo. Ubuyashiki Kagaya arrived and began addressing the gathered Demon Slayers.

• Kanroji Mitsuri invited Tetsu no Sosuke and Kanae to visit her and try her training methods, and Tetsu no Sosuke agreed.
• Tengen Uzui, Sanemi Shinazugawa, Kyojuro Rengoku, and Gyomei Himejima arrived and asked after Tetsu no Sosuke's injuries.
• Sanemi Shinazugawa claimed he would have done better, and Tetsu no Sosuke argued that he would have died; Kyojuro Rengoku praised Tetsu no Sosuke's progress.
• Tengen Uzui remained unsettled by the underground incident at Kuwajima Jigoro's place, while Gyomei Himejima cried and Iguro Obanai briefly chatted with Tetsu no Sosuke before feeding his snake.
• Ubuyashiki Kagaya arrived with Ubuyashiki Amane, sat on the veranda, and quickly got to the point after a few opening words.

Ubuyashiki Kagaya appointed Tetsu no Sosuke as the Hammer Pillar, but Sosuke disliked the title and could not think of an alternative. He recalled that he had meant to choose a title earlier, but events and his three-month coma had left him no time to decide.

• Ubuyashiki Kagaya named Tetsu no Sosuke the Hammer Pillar, and the other Hashira accepted the appointment.
• Tetsu no Sosuke asked whether his Pillar title could be changed, but Kanae told him that titles could not be changed once bestowed.
• Ubuyashiki Kagaya explained why he thought the Hammer Pillar title suited Tetsu no Sosuke, who realized he had no other title in mind.
• Tetsu no Sosuke recalled that he had considered choosing a title three months earlier, but the Hayakawa Estate events, Kuwajima Jigoro's apology, Kokushibo, and his coma had prevented him from deciding.

Tetsu no Sosuke described his battle with Upper Moon One, Kokushibo, and warned the Pillars about his overwhelming swordsmanship and strength. The Pillars debated whether to avoid him until they could gather their forces, but Iguro Obanai’s question about a victim in danger left them without an answer.

• Tetsu no Sosuke left the choice of his new title to Ubuyashiki Kagaya and then recounted his fight with Kokushibo.
• Tetsu no Sosuke explained how Shinobu Kocho’s Poison and Kokushibo’s injuries had helped him hold the demon off until dawn, though Tsujimoto Takato did not survive.
• Gyomei Himejima said even a Pillar would likely die fighting Kokushibo alone.
• Sanemi Shinazugawa rejected running away, while Kyojuro Rengoku proposed avoiding direct combat until the Pillars could attack together.
• Iguro Obanai asked what they should do if Kokushibo was eating someone, and the courtyard fell silent.

The Demon Slayer Corps agreed to avoid fighting Kokushibo directly and to let him continue feeding if necessary, with Ubuyashiki Kagaya accepting responsibility for that choice. Tetsu no Sosuke tried to raise another matter, but Tengen Uzui and then Kyojuro Rengoku took the floor, leaving him unsure whether to speak as Kagaya grew exhausted.

• Ubuyashiki Kagaya told the Corps to avoid a direct confrontation with Kokushibo and gather their forces for a decisive attack.
• Ubuyashiki Kagaya said the Demon Slayers should let Kokushibo feed if they encountered him and that he would bear the sin.
• Tetsu no Sosuke recognized Kanae's reminder that he had something else to report and prepared to speak.
• Tengen Uzui stepped forward to share recent concerns and ask Ubuyashiki Kagaya for guidance.
• After Kagaya resolved Tengen Uzui's problems, Kyojuro Rengoku stepped forward, while Tetsu no Sosuke waited for a chance to speak.

At the Pillar Meeting, Tetsu no Sosuke announced that he and Kanae had decided to marry, surprising the other Hashira. The meeting ended on Tetsu no Sosuke’s realization that Kyojuro Rengoku had been referring to his own birth as a previous happy occasion.

• Ubuyashiki Kagaya invited Tetsu no Sosuke to speak before ending the Pillar Meeting.
• Tetsu no Sosuke announced that he and Kanae had decided to get married.
• Sanemi Shinazugawa reacted with surprise and said he hated Tetsu no Sosuke even more, while the other Hashira responded in different ways.
• Kyojuro Rengoku welcomed another happy occasion for the Corps and said there had been one before because he had been born.
• Tetsu no Sosuke initially misunderstood Kyojuro Rengoku, then realized what he meant.

Tetsu no Sosuke and Kanae agreed to marry, and Ubuyashiki Kagaya promised to choose a wedding date. After the Pillar Meeting, Ubuyashiki Amane privately advised Kanae about how pregnancy could affect her work as a Pillar, leaving the couple to return to the Butterfly Estate together.

• Tetsu no Sosuke told Ubuyashiki Kagaya that he wanted to seize happiness and marry Kanae while they were still alive.
• Ubuyashiki Kagaya approved their marriage and said Ubuyashiki Amane would officiate, then reminded Tetsu no Sosuke to inform the Swordsmith Village.
• The Pillars congratulated Tetsu no Sosuke and Kanae after the meeting ended.
• Ubuyashiki Amane took Kanae aside and advised her that pregnancy would mean stepping back from the front lines as a Pillar.
• Tetsu no Sosuke laughed as he and Kanae rode Big Hammer back to the Butterfly Estate.

Tetsu no Sosuke and Kanae discussed how marriage and children could change a Demon Slayer’s life, then received the date for their wedding. As the wedding drew near, Tetsu no Sosuke worried about his new responsibilities and struggled to notify everyone he knew.

• Tetsu no Sosuke and Kanae talked about marriage, children, and how women might serve the Demon Slayer Corps after giving birth.
• Tetsu no Sosuke received a letter from Ubuyashiki Kagaya setting the wedding for the third of the next month.
• Tetsu no Sosuke grew anxious about becoming a husband and began writing wedding invitations to his friends and acquaintances.
• Goto complained that Tetsu no Sosuke kept recalling more people and making the couriers return with additional letters.
• Tetsu no Sosuke and Kanae made a complete list of everyone they knew and wrote the remaining letters together.

Tetsu no Sosuke and Kanae prepared for their wedding while Shinobu Kocho was away, but Kanae reported that Shinobu had returned furious. Sosuke feared Shinobu would resent their decision to marry without her.

• Tetsu no Sosuke asked Ubuyashiki Kagaya and Kawahara Chintetsu for advice about wedding preparations.
• Ubuyashiki Kagaya told Sosuke that Amane was sewing Kanae's Shiromuku and Tsunokakushi and that the Hidden were handling other preparations.
• Sanemi Shinazugawa sent Sosuke an angry letter for burdening Ubuyashiki Kagaya with wedding matters, and Sosuke threw it away.
• Kanae rushed in and told Sosuke that Shinobu Kocho had returned and was furious.
• Sosuke panicked because he and Kanae had decided to marry while Shinobu was away.