Recaps

Teiichi shattered Doma’s Water Lily Bodhisattva with his modified Wind Breathing, but the battle remained a stalemate until Nakime’s doors appeared beneath the fighters. The chapter ended with Kokushibo looming over Teiichi and unleashing his Ninth Form: Waning Moons, Swathes.

• Doma sent the Water Lily Bodhisattva’s knife-hand down at Teiichi while Kokushibo and Akaza attacked from either side.
• Teiichi used Modified First Form: Wind Slash to break off the Bodhisattva’s arm, then unleashed Modified Third Form: Wind Meteor and split its body in two.
• Gyomei Himejima sensed Teiichi’s attack as he continued fighting, while Kokushibo and the others resumed their assault after the Bodhisattva fell.
• The battle stayed at a stalemate as Teiichi grew exhausted and the horizon began to brighten.
• Nakime’s pipa notes summoned illuminated doors across the ground, and Teiichi tried to escape the area with his gales.
• Kokushibo appeared above Teiichi and began Ninth Form: Waning Moons, Swathes.

Gyomei discovered that Kato had been transported into the Infinity Castle, where Teiichi faced all six Upper Ranks without a way out. Teiichi refused Kokushibo’s offer to become a demon and fought on as his strength faded and wounds began to accumulate.

• Zohakuten and the other demons withdrew through Nakime’s doorways after Muzan ordered them to return and deal with a Demon Slayer.
• Gyomei searched the silent battlefield and realized that Kato had been taken into the Infinity Castle with the demons.
• Teiichi landed inside the Infinity Castle and saw six figures waiting above him, while Muzan remained absent.
• Kokushibo offered Teiichi one last chance to become a demon, but Teiichi silently refused and drew his blade across his palm.
• The six Upper Ranks attacked Teiichi, who blocked their blows and dodged the lightning until exhaustion slowed him and the first cuts opened on his body.

After the battle, Kanae and Shinobu Kocho learned that Teiichi had disappeared alongside the demons, and Kanae struggled to accept the possibility that he was gone. Shinobu found Kanae alone, silently crying over the crescent-moon necklace he had given her.

• Kanae and Shinobu Kocho found the battlefield devastated and searched for Teiichi and Gyomei Himejima.
• Gyomei Himejima told them that Teiichi and Upper Ranks One, Two, and Three had vanished, and he believed Teiichi had been teleported away with the demons.
• Kanae insisted Teiichi might still return, then left to search for him while Shinobu Kocho bandaged Gyomei Himejima.
• Kanae stumbled across the battlefield, remembered her time with Teiichi, and sat holding their crescent-moon necklace.
• Shinobu Kocho found Kanae sitting alone and saw tears streaming down her cheeks.

Teiichi struggled to survive a relentless assault by Akaza, Sekido, Gyokko, and Kokushibo in the Infinity Castle as his wounds and exhaustion mounted. The Upper Ranks debated turning him into a demon, while Kokushibo insisted they respect Teiichi’s refusal.

• Akaza attacked Teiichi with Flowing Light Flash while Sekido sent lightning toward his escape route.
• Gyokko unleashed ten thousand slime-fish, and some broke through Teiichi’s defense and wounded him.
• Kokushibo struck Teiichi with Moon-Dragon Ringtail, but Teiichi managed to hold on to his Nichirin Blade.
• Akaza proposed turning Teiichi into a demon, and Doma suggested forcing demon blood into him if he was near death.
• Kokushibo argued that Teiichi’s wishes should be respected, while Teiichi used the pause to catch his breath.

Teiichi used the Infinity Castle’s unusual gravity and his Wind Field to evade Kokushibo and the others while building up the wind inside the castle. After many failed attempts, he finally formed a Wind Blade, and more began appearing throughout the Infinity Castle.

• Teiichi considered ways to escape and decided that destroying the Infinity Castle on a massive scale might work.
• Teiichi fell from the building and used his Wind Field to change direction, making it difficult for Kokushibo and the others to pursue him.
• Akaza called for Nakime, who sent buildings hurtling toward Teiichi as he dodged or cut through them.
• Teiichi kept the gales circling inside the Infinity Castle until their force impeded Kokushibo and the others and widened the distance between them.
• Teiichi repeatedly tried to condense the wind into blades, finally forming one on his hundred-and-seventeenth attempt as more cyan Wind Blades appeared.

Teiichi used his remaining stamina to unleash a vibrating Red Nichirin Blade against Kokushibo and Akaza in the Infinity Castle. After breaking Kokushibo’s sword and wounding him, Teiichi beheaded Akaza and turned his attention to Gyokko, while Muzan learned that the Infinity Castle was in danger of being destroyed.

• Teiichi filled the Infinity Castle with random Wind Blades while Nakime sent houses toward him and Kokushibo.
• Teiichi activated Vibrating Blade and clashed with Kokushibo, snapping Kyokokukamusari and cutting Kokushibo’s flesh before he retreated.
• Teiichi rushed Akaza and severed his head and limbs, though Akaza’s regeneration meant the Red Nichirin Blade could not kill him outright.
• A subordinate warned Lord Muzan that the Infinity Castle would be destroyed if the battle continued.
• Teiichi abandoned attacking Doma, who was enclosed in ice, and turned toward Gyokko as Gyokko begged him for mercy.

Teiichi fought through the collapsing Infinity Castle, killed Hantengu, and prepared to attack Doma before Muzan ordered Nakime to teleport him out. Outside Shimizu City, Kanae and Shinobu had believed Teiichi was dead, but he returned alive and reunited with Kanae.

• Nakime warned Muzan that the Wind Field was destroying the Infinity Castle, and Muzan sensed Gyokko's death.
• Teiichi found Hantengu's true body inside the Demon of Resentment and killed him.
• Teiichi headed toward Doma, but Muzan ordered Nakime to teleport him out of the castle.
• Kanae, Shinobu Kocho, and Gyomei Himejima mourned Teiichi as they walked toward Shimizu City.
• Kanae spotted the bloodied Teiichi standing on a slope, and he opened his eyes and told her, "I'm back!"
• Kanae embraced Teiichi and sobbed with joy.

Muzan reprimanded the Upper Ranks for their failures and promoted Nakime to Upper Rank Four, assigning her to repair Infinity Castle and gather intelligence. He left Upper Rank Five vacant, ordered the demons to keep a lower profile, and singled out Doma to behave himself.

• Muzan condemned the Upper Ranks for failing to find the Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters and Blue Spider Lily or deal with Kato Teiichi, while Daki apologized.
• Kokushibo admitted they could not defeat Kato Teiichi and urged Muzan to keep the other demons out of sight.
• Muzan gave Nakime more blood and appointed her Upper Rank Four, tasking her with repairing Infinity Castle before gathering intelligence.
• Muzan refused to fill the vacant Upper Rank Five position, disappointing Daki.
• Muzan ordered the demons to keep their behavior in check and especially warned Doma.

Muzan ordered Doma to reduce his followers to fewer than a hundred and warned the demons to avoid relying on Nakime if they encountered Kato Teiichi. Three days after being brought to the Butterfly Mansion, Teiichi awoke, met Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke, and was left facing Tanjiro's apology.

• Muzan demanded that Doma keep his followers under a hundred and warned the demons to behave around Kato Teiichi.
• Teiichi woke at the Butterfly Mansion after sleeping for three days and found himself heavily bandaged, weak, and hungry.
• Teiichi met Aoi Kanzaki, who told him Kanae and Shinobu were operating, and he headed to the courtyard.
• Zenitsu mistook Teiichi for a bandage freak, and Inosuke attacked him before Tanjiro identified him as Mr. Kato.
• Tanjiro apologized to Teiichi with a deep bow.

Tanjiro apologized to Teiichi for revealing his location to Upper Rank Two, but Teiichi forgave him after learning he had been forced to protect the passengers. Kanae escorted the recovering Teiichi back to his room, while Zenitsu asked Tanjiro to promise that Nezuko would marry him someday.

• Tanjiro confessed that he had told Upper Rank Two where Teiichi was after the demon threatened everyone aboard the Mugen Train, and offered to accept punishment.
• Teiichi forgave Tanjiro, then learned that the passengers were safe but Kyojuro Rengoku had been badly injured and would need months to recover.
• Inosuke challenged Teiichi to a fight, and Tanjiro scolded him for disrespecting Rengoku and challenging an injured man.
• Kanae came to check on Teiichi and led him back to his room, leaving Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke behind.
• Zenitsu told Tanjiro he had already found the girl he wanted to marry and asked him to promise that Nezuko would marry him someday.

Tanjiro struggled to respond to Zenitsu’s demand to marry Nezuko, while Teiichi promised Kanae he would ask for her hand in marriage by next year. Teiichi then explained Nakime’s Infinity Castle and demonstrated his Wind Blade to Kanae and Shinobu Kocho.

• Zenitsu demanded that Tanjiro agree to his future marriage to Nezuko, and Tanjiro said Nezuko should choose for herself.
• Kanae checked Teiichi’s healing injuries, and the two shared a quiet embrace.
• Shinobu Kocho asked when Teiichi would marry Kanae, and he promised to ask for her hand by next year at the latest.
• Teiichi explained that Nakime used Infinity Castle to transport people and objects between locations and into its separate dimension.
• Teiichi began explaining how he had escaped Infinity Castle by forming a Wind Blade around his finger.

Teiichi explained how he escaped Infinity Castle by using Wind Field to destroy its buildings in about ten seconds, then revealed that he had killed Upper Rank Four and Upper Rank Five. Kanae arranged food for him, and Shinobu left to report his news to Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters.

• Teiichi told Kanae and Shinobu Kocho that he used Wind Field to create wind blades throughout Infinity Castle and destroy its buildings.
• Teiichi explained that Infinity Castle spanned a few kilometers and that his attack took about ten seconds, though it consumed enormous stamina.
• Teiichi asked Shinobu Kocho to inform Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters that he had killed Upper Rank Four and Upper Rank Five.
• Aoi Kanzaki brought Teiichi the food Kanae had arranged, and Teiichi thanked her.
• Shinobu Kocho left to write a letter to headquarters after Kanae reminded her to report Teiichi's news.

Teiichi recovered at the Butterfly Mansion while Kanae told him how its staff and Kanon were doing. He then considered how to make Muzan learn that Nezuko could withstand sunlight, leaving himself with a risky plan involving Daki, Nezuko, and Tanjiro.

• Kanae brought Teiichi rice porridge and explained that Shinobu, Aoi, and the girls helped manage the Butterfly Mansion.
• Kanae said Kanon was away on missions and needed four more demon kills to qualify as a Hashira.
• Kanae fed Teiichi the porridge before leaving when Shinobu called for her.
• Teiichi reasoned that Muzan needed to learn Nezuko could withstand sunlight, but the remaining opportunity to expose that fact was likely the Entertainment District encounter with Daki.
• Teiichi considered delaying Daki's death and bringing her and Nezuko into the sun, even if he had to restrain Tanjiro.

Teiichi visited the injured Kyojuro at the Butterfly Mansion and reassured him about their recent encounter with Upper Rank Two. The chapter left Teiichi reading the newspaper aloud while Kyojuro listened from his bed.

• Teiichi visited Kyojuro and met his younger brother, Senjuro Rengoku, who had come to care for him.
• Kyojuro asked about Teiichi’s injuries and apologized for failing to stop Tanjiro from revealing his location.
• Teiichi told Kyojuro there was no need to apologize and reassured him that he would recover from his injuries.
• Kyojuro said he needed two months of rest and described how Upper Rank Two had quickly defeated him once he got serious.
• Teiichi asked what Kyojuro had been doing, learned Senjuro had been reading him the newspaper, and offered to take over.
• Teiichi began reading the newspaper aloud to Kyojuro.

Teiichi reflected on Kyojuro’s belief that he was destined to defeat Muzan and realized Muzan could keep him out of the Infinity Castle battle. Kanae comforted him, and he relaxed on her lap as she promised to support him.

• Teiichi said goodbye to Senjuro after visiting Kyojuro at the Butterfly Mansion.
• Kyojuro told Teiichi that the Hashira and Kagaya believed he was heaven’s chosen and would kill Muzan.
• Teiichi worried that Muzan could use the Infinity Castle to keep him from joining the fight.
• Kanae found Teiichi troubled and offered him comfort, telling him she would always support him.
• Teiichi lay with his head in Kanae’s lap as she massaged him, and he grew sleepy.

More than ten days after waking, Teiichi sat with Kanae and Shinobu Kocho at Headquarters, where Mitsuri Kanroji and Tengen Uzui argued over whether sakura mochi counted as fine food. Teiichi settled the dispute, and he asked Tengen when he had started studying ingredients.

• Teiichi, Kanae, and Shinobu Kocho sat together beneath the eaves while Teiichi continued recovering from his injuries.
• Mitsuri Kanroji joined them, greeted Teiichi, and happily described the many foods she had eaten for breakfast.
• Shinobu Kocho teased Mitsuri about getting fat, and Mitsuri insisted that eating had never changed her figure.
• Kanae asked Mitsuri about her favorite food, and Mitsuri declared that sakura mochi was her favorite.
• Tengen Uzui arrived and argued with Mitsuri that sakura mochi was not fine food, prompting Teiichi to mediate.
• Teiichi asked Tengen when he had started studying ingredients.

At the Hashira gathering, Teiichi discussed his repeated encounters with Upper Ranks, while Gyomei Himejima warned that the demons were far stronger than Tengen Uzui believed. Sanemi Shinazugawa and Obanai Iguro arrived, and Kanae explained that Kyojuro would miss the meeting because of his injuries.

• Tengen Uzui joked with Teiichi about his three encounters with Upper Ranks and his latest battle against six of them.
• Gyomei Himejima thanked Teiichi for supporting him in the past and warned that Upper Ranks were extremely powerful, especially without the Transparent World.
• Sanemi Shinazugawa and Obanai Iguro arrived and questioned whether the others had already begun sharing information before all the Hashira were present.
• Kanae told Sanemi Shinazugawa that Kyojuro would miss the meeting because his injuries had not healed, and the others would relay any important information to him.

The Hashira gathered at the estate, where Teiichi checked in with his disciple Muichiro and Sanemi nearly fought Giyu before Kagaya intervened. Kagaya arrived and the Hashira knelt to greet him.

• Sanemi asked Obanai about Rengoku encountering Upper Rank Two, and Obanai explained that the demon had demanded Mr. Kato's address in exchange for sparing the Corps members and train passengers.
• Muichiro arrived, greeted Teiichi and Kanae, and told Teiichi that his missions and training were going well and that he was carrying three hundred jin.
• Giyu stopped short of joining the others, provoking Sanemi to approach him while the Hashira watched without intervening.
• Mitsuri worried that Sanemi and Giyu might fight, but Shinobu told her they would have to fight during the Hashira Battles anyway.
• Kagaya called out to Sanemi and Giyu, stopping their confrontation, and the Hashira knelt as Kagaya arrived with Hinaki and Nichika supporting him.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki held a meeting to discuss the Upper Ranks and what Rengoku and the others had learned during the Mugen Train mission. The Hashira learned that Akaza defeated Rengoku, while Teiichi explained why Akaza had not worn weights when they fought.

• Kagaya Ubuyashiki gathered the Hashira and Teiichi indoors to discuss the Upper Ranks, delaying the meeting until Teiichi had recovered from his injuries.
• Kagaya Ubuyashiki explained that Kyojuro, Tanjiro Kamado, Zenitsu Agatsuma, and Inosuke Hashibira defeated Lower Rank One and then encountered Akaza, who had taken Upper Rank Two from Doma through a Rank Replacement Blood Battle.
• Obanai Iguro asked for practical information about the Upper Ranks, and Shinobu Kocho reported that Akaza had initially fought Rengoku while wearing weights and holding back.
• Teiichi wondered why Akaza had not worn weights against him, and Shinobu Kocho suggested Akaza had avoided doing so because six fighters were ganging up on Teiichi.
• Teiichi explained that he had kept his weights on because Akaza was only Upper Rank Three and Teiichi had previously fought Doma; Shinobu Kocho then said Akaza swiftly defeated Rengoku once he got serious.

At the Hashira Meeting, Teiichi assessed the Hashira’s strength against the Upper Ranks and shared intelligence about their techniques. Kagaya Ubuyashiki revealed that demons had sharply reduced their activity, suggesting Muzan had grown wary after Teiichi’s battle, and declared that killing Upper Ranks Four and Five had shifted the balance in the Corps’ favor.

• Gyomei Himejima said that grasping the Transparent World had let him hold off Upper Ranks Four, Five, and Six, and Teiichi explained the Upper Ranks’ strength tiers.
• Teiichi judged the Hashira far below Upper Rank Three but stronger than Upper Six, and said Gyomei would fare better against Doma with Wind Breathing.
• Teiichi briefed the Hashira on the Upper Ranks’ techniques he had witnessed in battle.
• Kagaya Ubuyashiki reported that demon appearances had fallen drastically over the previous ten days, and attributed the change to Muzan responding to Teiichi’s threat.
• Kagaya Ubuyashiki said the Corps had lost Upper Ranks Four and Five and that the balance between the Demon Slayer Corps and the demons had shifted.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki agreed to have Sanemi Shinazugawa train with Gyomei Himejima while the other Hashira took over his guard area. After three days of Hashira training, Teiichi assessed the Hashira’s techniques and ranked their current combat strength.

• Kagaya Ubuyashiki asked how to keep ordinary members training as demon appearances declined, and Teiichi proposed that they train with the Hashira.
• Teiichi predicted that Giyu Tomioka would beat Sanemi Shinazugawa, noting that Giyu had mastered Wielding the Heavy as Light while Sanemi had not.
• Gyomei Himejima suggested that Sanemi cultivate his temperament with him, and Kagaya agreed to discuss the plan with Sanemi.
• Teiichi sorted the Hashira by their progress with Wielding the Heavy as Light and Lifting Light as Though Heavy, placing Gyomei Himejima and Muichiro Tokito in the top training tier.
• The Hashira Battles established the current combat rankings: Gyomei placed first, Giyu second, Kanae third, Muichiro fourth, Shinobu fifth, Mitsuri sixth, Tengen seventh, Sanemi eighth, and Obanai ninth.

After Giyu Tomioka defeated Sanemi Shinazugawa in the final Hashira Battle, Kagaya Ubuyashiki arranged for Sanemi to train with Gyomei Himejima so he could improve his temperament and master Wielding the Heavy as Light. The next day, Teiichi and Kanae left to visit Teiichi’s former teacher, while Tengen Uzui asked Teiichi to train his Tsuguko, Inosuke Hashibira.

• Giyu Tomioka defeated Sanemi Shinazugawa in the final match of the Hashira Battles, while Teiichi sat out because of his injuries.
• Tengen Uzui teased Teiichi and Kanae about their relationship, and Kanae shyly hid behind Teiichi.
• Kagaya Ubuyashiki explained that Sanemi needed to train his temperament with Gyomei Himejima to master Wielding the Heavy as Light, and Sanemi agreed.
• The next day, Tengen Uzui asked Teiichi to help train his Tsuguko, Inosuke Hashibira, and Teiichi agreed.
• Teiichi declined Tengen Uzui’s invitation to visit a hot spring because he and Kanae were going to pay respects at the cemetery, then predicted that Tengen would kill an Upper Rank before they met again.

Teiichi visited Kazeno Shoma’s grave, told him that he had avenged him by killing Hantengu, and reflected on the time since Shoma saved and trained him. Kanae paid her respects beside him, and they left the graveyard planning to return together next New Year.

• Teiichi knelt at Kazeno Shoma’s grave and told him that he had killed Hantengu and would make sure Muzan’s defeat ended everything in this era.
• Teiichi reflected on how Shoma had saved him after he transmigrated and taught him a Breathing Style.
• Teiichi examined a fallen leaf and the ant on it, then Kanae arrived and poured sake at Shoma’s grave.
• Kanae told Teiichi that she had paid her respects to members who had fought alongside her, and suggested they return together next New Year.
• Teiichi placed the fallen leaf atop Shoma’s gravestone.

After returning to the Butterfly Mansion, Teiichi helped Aoi Kanzaki and the girls hang sheets, then watched Tanjiro encourage Kanao to speak for herself. Zenitsu greeted Teiichi, but a sudden thud behind Tanjiro and Kanao interrupted them.

• Teiichi and Kanae returned to the Butterfly Mansion, where Aoi Kanzaki and Kiyo, Sumi, and Naho were hanging sheets.
• Kanae went to check on a seriously injured Corps member, while Teiichi helped Aoi Kanzaki and the girls with their chores.
• Teiichi found Tanjiro prompting Kanao to answer aloud, and Kanao told Tanjiro that she remembered what he had said.
• Zenitsu watched Tanjiro and Kanao while training, then dropped his weights and greeted Teiichi.
• Tanjiro and Kanao turned to greet Teiichi, but a thud sounded behind them.

Teiichi agreed to spar with Inosuke despite his injuries and repeatedly dodged his attacks, striking his wrists to expose flaws in his techniques. As Inosuke launched another assault, he produced four black beads and sprang a new move on Teiichi.

• Inosuke challenged Teiichi to the duel he had been promised, and Teiichi accepted despite Tanjiro's concern.
• Inosuke charged with Beast Breathing, but Teiichi evaded his blades with ease.
• Teiichi struck Inosuke's wrists, disarming him and pointing out a blind spot in his technique.
• Inosuke resumed attacking, growing more excited as Teiichi continued to dodge and tap his wrists.
• Inosuke pulled four black beads from his pocket and shouted that he would use Boar Blast.