Chapter Summaries

Kanae and Shinobu talked about their future and the kind of person Shinobu might marry. Shinobu dismissed several potential suitors, then began considering the remaining Pillars.

• Kanae explained that Sosuke hid his injuries to keep her from worrying and that she understood his plan.
• Shinobu said she wanted to become a Pillar and support Kanae, while Kanae urged her to stay careful and promised she could write whenever she needed help.
• Shinobu imagined marrying and having children after the demons were gone, and said her future husband would need to be stronger than her.
• Kanae listed the Pillars who might suit Shinobu, and Shinobu rejected Sanemi Shinazugawa for his temper.
• Shinobu said she had heard the Serpent Pillar liked the Love Pillar and dismissed him as gloomy and creepy.

Kanae and Shinobu Kocho discussed love, and Shinobu reflected on how feelings could arrive unexpectedly rather than through careful planning. Kanae recognized that Shinobu’s words described how she had fallen for Tetsu no Sosuke.

• Kanae asked Shinobu Kocho whether she liked any of the people stronger than her.
• Shinobu Kocho said she would take her time and wait for love to come naturally.
• Shinobu Kocho teased Kanae about falling for Tetsu no Sosuke and becoming pregnant with his child.
• Shinobu Kocho described love as an unexpected feeling that could fill someone’s whole world.
• Kanae realized Shinobu Kocho’s words matched her own experience of falling in love.

Kanae reflected on how much she missed Tetsu no Sosuke, then welcomed him back and learned he had been injured while away. After laughing with Kanae and Shinobu Kocho, he was left alone with Kanae so she could examine his wound.

• Kanae listened to Shinobu Kocho and realized how deeply she missed Tetsu no Sosuke.
• Tetsu no Sosuke returned, and Kanae greeted him warmly while he rubbed his cold hands.
• Tetsu no Sosuke pulled Shinobu Kocho away from Kanae’s lap, prompting the sisters to tease him.
• Tetsu no Sosuke told Kanae he had been hurt, and both sisters laughed because they already knew.
• Kanae insisted on examining Tetsu no Sosuke’s deep wound, so he asked Shinobu Kocho to leave them alone.

After returning from battle, Tetsu no Sosuke reassured Kanae about his injuries and rested with her, while they discussed the fight. He fell asleep in her arms, and they later woke in time to eat.

• Shinobu Kocho left Tetsu no Sosuke and Kanae alone so she could rest.
• Tetsu no Sosuke showed Kanae his bandaged wounds and insisted they were not serious, though she recognized how badly he was hurt.
• Kanae urged Tetsu no Sosuke to value his life and return safely for their unborn child and their future together.
• Kanae and Tetsu no Sosuke reviewed his battle decisions and tactics until he fell asleep, and Kanae rested beside him.
• Tetsu no Sosuke and Kanae woke at mealtime, and Tetsu no Sosuke praised Kiyo Terauchi's cooking.

Tetsu no Sosuke reassured Kiyo Terauchi, then invited Shinobu Kocho to the Dojo to teach her new skills. He hinted that the lesson might involve seeing an Upper Rank Demon, but his mixed answer left Shinobu confused.

• Kiyo Terauchi felt reassured by Tetsu no Sosuke and served him another bowl of rice, which he forced himself to finish.
• Tetsu no Sosuke told Shinobu Kocho to meet him at the Dojo after dinner for a lesson.
• After taking Kanae for a walk, Tetsu no Sosuke went to the Dojo, where Shinobu was practicing with her Nichirin Blade.
• Tetsu no Sosuke stopped Shinobu's sudden attack and promised to teach her skills in exchange for paying attention.
• Shinobu asked whether he would teach her how to see an Upper Rank Demon, and Tetsu no Sosuke nodded before shaking his head.

Tetsu no Sosuke explained to Shinobu Kocho a mental training method that could help her uncover her potential and grow stronger. He left her considering how the method might build on the lessons she had gained through real combat.

• Shinobu Kocho demanded a clear explanation after Tetsu no Sosuke nodded and shook his head.
• Tetsu no Sosuke told Shinobu Kocho that his strength had grown dramatically while he recovered, and said he could now easily defeat his former self from the fight with Kokushibo.
• Tetsu no Sosuke credited Urokodaki Sakonji with pointing him toward the idea that a person's heart could unlock greater strength.
• Tetsu no Sosuke described a systematic method for quieting thoughts and examining what lay deep within the heart.
• Shinobu Kocho recalled how training and real battles had helped her improve, while Tetsu no Sosuke explained that combat could fuel a Swordsman's growth.

Tetsu no Sosuke explained how his method of reviewing battles could sharpen Shinobu Kocho’s senses and Swordsmanship, help her refine existing forms, and develop new ones. He warned that mental simulations could not surpass the limits of her body or replace knowledge of a real opponent, leaving Shinobu to admit the method was still powerful.

• Tetsu no Sosuke told Shinobu Kocho that his method let her revisit battles, learn from mistakes, and refine her Swordsmanship.
• Shinobu Kocho wondered whether mastering the method would make her invincible and let her defeat any opponent through imagined battles.
• Tetsu no Sosuke explained that simulations depended on real knowledge and that her body could not execute techniques beyond its limits.
• Tetsu no Sosuke listed the method’s benefits, including developing Sword Forms from past insights and adapting when she could not rely on sight.
• Shinobu Kocho remained unconvinced but recognized that gaining even a fraction of a battle’s lessons was already remarkable.

Tetsu no Sosuke guided Shinobu Kocho through a meditation to help her find the Inner Spring. As she reached it, her buried thoughts began to surface, and she plunged deeper into them.

• Shinobu Kocho wondered whether Tetsu no Sosuke’s method could help her recover growth from past battles and reach five feet.
• Shinobu Kocho blamed Tetsu no Sosuke for making her obsess over her height, then decided she was jealous because he had taken her older sister away.
• Tetsu no Sosuke began guiding Shinobu Kocho into meditation by changing her breathing.
• Shinobu Kocho found the Inner Spring, let its waters recede as instructed, and saw thoughts hidden deep within her heart.
• Shinobu Kocho stared in astonishment and plunged deeper into her thoughts.

Tetsu no Sosuke taught Shinobu Kocho a breathing technique and left her resting safely at the Dojo. He returned to Kanae, slept beside her, and woke to her playful glare.

• Tetsu no Sosuke watched Shinobu Kocho settle into the breathing technique and left her a note telling her to rest when she woke.
• Tetsu no Sosuke hurried back to his room and gently drew the sleeping Kanae into his arms.
• Tetsu no Sosuke woke after a restful night with Kanae resting on his chest.
• Tetsu no Sosuke pinched Kanae's cheek and teased her about admiring her husband.
• Kanae climbed onto Tetsu no Sosuke and threatened to crush him.

Tetsu no Sosuke and Kanae playfully teased and wrestled with each other in bed throughout the morning. Kiyo Terauchi called them to breakfast, after which Kanae arranged medicine to tend to Tetsu no Sosuke’s injuries.

• Tetsu no Sosuke repeatedly kissed Kanae until she retaliated by tickling and biting his neck.
• Tetsu no Sosuke briefly pinned Kanae, but let her go when she pleaded with him.
• Kanae continued to outwit Tetsu no Sosuke whenever he tried to gain the upper hand.
• Kiyo Terauchi called them to breakfast, and Kanae asked Kiyo to prepare medicine for Tetsu no Sosuke’s injuries.

Tetsu no Sosuke reminisced about how much his fighting ability and relationship with Kanae and Shinobu Kocho had changed. After the sisters left for a walk, he went to the Sword Forging Shed and resolved to keep practicing his craft for the future.

• At breakfast, Shinobu Kocho told Kanae what she had learned the previous night, and Tetsu no Sosuke scolded her for calling it useless.
• Kanae recalled Shinobu Kocho's old sparring matches with Tetsu no Sosuke and reflected on how they had become a family.
• Tetsu no Sosuke remembered his early lack of fighting skill and how he had later relied on brute strength against demons.
• After breakfast, Shinobu Kocho took Kanae for a sisters-only walk and sent Tetsu no Sosuke away.
• Tetsu no Sosuke went to the Sword Forging Shed, lit the furnace, and decided to keep up his forging skills so he could support his family later.

Tetsu no Sosuke stopped work on his forge and designed a strange Nichirin Blade and a special sheath. Kanae and Shinobu Kocho then came to ask him to spar with Shinobu, who wanted his guidance to judge her progress.

• Tetsu no Sosuke put out the forge fire, asked Shinjiro to prepare supplies, and sketched plans for a new Nichirin Blade and sheath.
• Shinobu Kocho called Tetsu no Sosuke outside, first challenging him to die and then changing the demand to a beating after Kanae objected.
• Shinobu Kocho challenged Tetsu no Sosuke to a duel, claiming that Kanae would sleep with her if she won.
• Tetsu no Sosuke protested that he was injured and that Kanae was his wife, while Shinobu Kocho complained to Kanae that he had insulted her.
• Kanae explained that Shinobu Kocho wanted to spar so she could assess her improvement and learn from Tetsu no Sosuke.
• Tetsu no Sosuke laughed and told Shinobu Kocho to ask sincerely if she wanted him to teach her.

Tetsu no Sosuke and Shinobu Kocho began a serious dojo spar so he could identify weaknesses in her swordsmanship. The match was still underway when Shinobu surprised him by redirecting her attack, forcing him to counter with his hammer.

• Tetsu no Sosuke took Shinobu Kocho to the Dojo after she grew indignant.
• Kanae, Kiyo Terauchi, and Koizumi Reiko gathered to watch while Kanae agreed to limit herself to one cup of tea.
• Shinobu Kocho drew her Nichirin Blade and attacked Tetsu no Sosuke with Playful Fling.
• Tetsu no Sosuke dodged the familiar technique, but Shinobu Kocho redirected her blade in an unexpected arc.
• Tetsu no Sosuke raised the Sunflare Hammer to attack as Shinobu Kocho's blade came at him.

Tetsu no Sosuke and Shinobu Kocho continued their sparring, with Shinobu showing how much she had improved. As Tetsu no Sosuke charged again, Shinobu faced the overwhelming force of his attack.

• Shinobu Kocho and Tetsu no Sosuke exchanged attacks at blinding speed, while Kanae followed their movements and Koizumi Reiko struggled to watch.
• After they separated, Tetsu no Sosuke realized Shinobu had practiced against him in her meditation and teased her about it.
• Shinobu Kocho challenged Tetsu no Sosuke to prove he could beat her, and he agreed to spar again.
• Tetsu no Sosuke charged with his hammer, surrounding Shinobu with the crushing pressure of an army-like attack.

Tetsu no Sosuke outmaneuvered Shinobu Kocho in a sparring match, forcing her to examine the mistakes she had made. He left her to reflect while he returned to the tea table with Kanae.

• Shinobu Kocho dodged Tetsu no Sosuke's hammer, but he grabbed her shoulder, threw her off balance, and caught her before she hit the Dojo wall.
• Shinobu Kocho recognized the skill behind Tetsu no Sosuke's powerful charge, controlled hammer strike, throw, and quick rescue.
• Shinobu Kocho sat down to review her mistakes and realized that fear had kept her from recognizing the hidden attack.
• Tetsu no Sosuke told Shinobu Kocho to think things over before they continued, then returned to the tea table and accepted tea from Kanae.

Tetsu no Sosuke helped Shinobu Kocho improve through repeated sparring and meditation before receiving a letter from Ubuyashiki Kagaya warning that demons were searching for him. He considered the danger this posed to the Hammer Hut and the people there, especially Kanae.

• Tetsu no Sosuke chatted with Kanae, Kiyo Terauchi, and Koizumi Reiko while Shinobu Kocho remained lost in thought.
• After Kiyo Terauchi and Koizumi Reiko left, Shinobu Kocho resumed sparring with Tetsu no Sosuke and then reflected on what she had learned.
• Tetsu no Sosuke received a letter from Ubuyashiki Kagaya saying that demons had targeted missing Demon Hunters and were searching for him.
• Tetsu no Sosuke considered whether the Corps might use him as bait or protect the Hammer Hut, and worried that an attack could endanger Kanae and everyone there.

Tetsu no Sosuke considered how to use himself as bait to draw out the Demons and wrote Ubuyashiki Kagaya a plan for an ambush. He urged the Corps to gather Pillar-level fighters, keep them hidden, and exercise caution in case Kibutsuji Muzan appeared.

• Tetsu no Sosuke weighed the risks of going out to attract the Demons and recognized that leaving the threat alone was not an option.
• Tetsu no Sosuke wrote to Ubuyashiki Kagaya, proposing that they hide him in a fortified trap and spread word of his location to lure in powerful Demons.
• Tetsu no Sosuke urged the Corps to gather as many Pillar-level experts as possible to form the ambush's net.
• Tetsu no Sosuke stressed that they needed to identify the approaching Demon, stay concealed, and prepare carefully in case Kibutsuji Muzan came.

Tetsu no Sosuke told Kanae that the Hammer Hut might become unsafe and explained his plan to use himself as bait against the demons. Kanae understood the risk and agreed to wait for Ubuyashiki Kagaya’s arrangements, leaving the plan to lure the demons into a trap pending.

• Tetsu no Sosuke finished and sent a letter to Ubuyashiki Kagaya with his thoughts on the coming battle.
• Tetsu no Sosuke went to find Kanae and praised the flame design she was embroidering on a Haori.
• Tetsu no Sosuke warned Kanae that the Hammer Hut might no longer be safe and explained that he planned to use himself as bait.
• Kanae recognized the value of the opportunity and urged Tetsu no Sosuke to wait for Ubuyashiki Kagaya to make arrangements.

Tetsu no Sosuke continued training Shinobu Kocho while preparing the Hammer Hut for an imminent battle. After receiving Ubuyashiki Kagaya’s letter, he arranged for Kanae to stay at the Ubuyashiki residence and planned to gather the Pillars at the Hammer Hut.

• Tetsu no Sosuke embraced Kanae, then returned to the Dojo to strengthen Shinobu Kocho before the coming battle.
• Tetsu no Sosuke sparred with Shinobu Kocho over the next two days, and she improved rapidly.
• Tetsu no Sosuke stopped Shinobu Kocho from returning to the Butterfly Estate and told her to take Kanae to Ubuyashiki Kagaya’s residence before coming back.
• Tetsu no Sosuke read Ubuyashiki Kagaya’s letter and explained that the Pillars would gather at the Hammer Hut for the battle.
• The young people and Hidden members began preparing the Hammer Hut as their new base, while elite Hidden members prepared to watch for enemy movements.

Tetsu no Sosuke sent Shinobu Kocho, Kanae, and Kiyo Terauchi to Ubuyashiki Kagaya’s residence, then stayed behind to prepare poison and forge a blade for Kanae. As he watched the furnace, he reflected on the demons’ unusual Blood Demon Arts and their hard-to-predict movement.

• Shinobu Kocho and Kanae left for Ubuyashiki Kagaya’s residence on Big Hammer, while Kiyo Terauchi set off with Shinjiro and the others to learn how to care for Kanae during her pregnancy.
• After everyone left, Tetsu no Sosuke found himself alone and discovered that the Artisan Set had already been packed for the move.
• Tetsu no Sosuke prepared poison ingredients and spent the morning working on them before lighting the furnace in the afternoon.
• Tetsu no Sosuke reflected on the Blood Demon Arts of the Lower Moon One, Lower Moon Two, and Upper Moon Six, especially their unpredictable movement.