Chapter Summaries

Teiichi agreed to join the next day’s Hashira Battles so the Hashira could experience the gap between themselves and Upper Rank One firsthand. After dinner, Kanae worried he might humiliate Sanemi Shinazugawa, but Teiichi insisted Sanemi could handle a serious fight.

• Sanemi Shinazugawa challenged Teiichi, but Gyomei Himejima stopped him and defended Teiichi as a guest of the Demon Slayer Corps.
• Gyomei Himejima invited Teiichi to participate in the next day’s Hashira Battles so the Hashira could better understand Upper Rank One’s strength, and Teiichi accepted.
• Kanae asked Teiichi to go easy on Sanemi Shinazugawa, while Mitsuri learned that Teiichi had defeated Kanae and Shinobu Kocho in only a few moves.
• Teiichi explained that he would not hold back because the Hashira needed to understand the difference in strength, and Shinobu Kocho agreed that Sanemi could take the defeat.
• When Shinobu Kocho asked how Teiichi knew Sanemi’s personality, Teiichi called it a man’s intuition.

Mitsuri learned that Kanae and Teiichi were dating, while Shinobu asked Kanae whether Teiichi’s Lifting Light as Though Heavy technique could help her cut off a demon’s head. Teiichi went to Kanae’s room at night, but Shinobu opened the door and asked what he was doing there.

• Mitsuri asked Kanae about her relationship with Teiichi, and Kanae told her they were dating and shared how they had met.
• Mitsuri reacted with excitement and envy to Kanae and Teiichi’s romance, and Shinobu comforted her.
• Shinobu asked Kanae whether learning Lifting Light as Though Heavy might let her sever a demon’s neck, and Kanae agreed it could help.
• Shinobu warned Kanae that Mitsuri might be interested in Teiichi, but Kanae said Mitsuri would not pursue someone who was already in a relationship.
• Teiichi, unable to sleep alone after sharing Kanae’s bed, went to her room, where Shinobu opened the door and questioned him.

Teiichi explained to Shinobu Kocho why Lifting Light as Though Heavy was unlikely to suit her fighting style, and she agreed to keep developing her speed and Wisteria Poison. The next day, Teiichi and Sanemi Shinazugawa began their spar with a tense standoff.

• Kanae and Shinobu Kocho agreed to spar with Teiichi again the next day.
• Teiichi told Shinobu Kocho that she needed to master Wielding the Heavy as Light before attempting Lifting Light as Though Heavy.
• Teiichi advised Shinobu Kocho to build on her speed-focused fighting style and research Wisteria Poison.
• At Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters, Sanemi Shinazugawa challenged Teiichi to a spar and boasted that he wanted to test his strength.
• After the spar began, Teiichi and Sanemi Shinazugawa held their positions and challenged each other to make the first move.

Teiichi overwhelmed Sanemi Shinazugawa in a brief spar, defeating him with a wooden sword and pinning his blade beneath his foot. The Hashira watched in shock, discussed the gulf between their strength and Teiichi’s, and Gyomei Himejima volunteered to face him next.

• Teiichi struck Sanemi Shinazugawa with such force that Sanemi was sent flying and struggled to defend against his follow-up attacks.
• Sanemi used Wind Breathing to counter and then attacked Teiichi’s lower body, but Teiichi stomped on the wooden sword and trapped it in the ground.
• Teiichi held a Nichirin Blade to Sanemi’s neck, ending the match.
• Tengen Uzui and the other Hashira reacted to Teiichi’s swift victory, while Gyomei Himejima and Kyojuro Rengoku urged everyone to train harder.
• Kagaya Ubuyashiki asked who would spar with Teiichi next, and Gyomei Himejima volunteered.

After losing to Teiichi, Sanemi Shinazugawa reflected on his weakness as Gyomei Himejima prepared to face Teiichi in the Hashira Battles. Meanwhile, Shinobu Kocho gained the advantage over Kyojuro Rengoku, and the chapter ended as she launched her next attack.

• Sanemi Shinazugawa rejected Teiichi's offered hand and vowed to surpass him after losing their match.
• Gyomei Himejima told Sanemi Shinazugawa he had joined the battles to test himself against someone with strength like Upper Rank One's, then faced Teiichi.
• Teiichi declined to switch to a Nichirin Blade, and Gyomei Himejima began his attack with Stone Breathing, First Form.
• Shinobu Kocho evaded Kyojuro Rengoku's Flame Breathing, Fifth Form: Flame Tiger, and prepared Dance of the Bee Sting: True Flutter.

The Hashira Battles ended with the Demon Slayer Corps reflecting on how the matches could help them improve, and Teiichi met with Kagaya Ubuyashiki to discuss whether they could defeat Muzan Kibutsuji. Teiichi insisted they would succeed, just as Amane Ubuyashiki arrived with a little boy.

• Shinobu Kocho defeated Kyojuro Rengoku, and they discussed how Hashira Battles helped them identify weaknesses rather than simply compete.
• Kagaya Ubuyashiki agreed that the battles were meant to help the Hashira learn from one another and grow stronger.
• The three-day Hashira Battles ended, with Gyomei Himejima blocking the most of Teiichi's strikes and Mitsuri Kanroji surprising Teiichi by enduring one head-on.
• The next day, Kagaya Ubuyashiki asked Teiichi whether the Demon Slayer Corps could truly kill Muzan Kibutsuji, and Teiichi said they would succeed.
• Amane Ubuyashiki entered the tea room with a little boy.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki asked Teiichi to train Muichiro Tokito, and Teiichi agreed to take him as his sole disciple. Amane Ubuyashiki recalled finding Muichiro and his brother after they had been gravely injured, and the chapter ended with Amane trying to save Muichiro while Yuichiro was already dead.

• Kagaya Ubuyashiki asked Teiichi to take Muichiro Tokito as a disciple, and Teiichi agreed on the condition that he would teach no one else for now.
• Kagaya explained that Muichiro and his older brother, Yuichiro Tokito, had been left alone after their parents died, and that Amane had repeatedly invited them to join the Demon Slayer Corps.
• Amane Ubuyashiki traveled with Hinaki Ubuyashiki and Nichika Ubuyashiki to visit the brothers, explaining that their ancestors had been among the first Breathing Style swordsmen.
• Amane and her daughters found Yuichiro and Muichiro lying bloodied and motionless inside their home.
• Amane discovered that Muichiro was still breathing, while Hinaki reported that Yuichiro was dead, and Amane ordered them to save the younger brother.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki entrusted Muichiro Tokito to Kato Teiichi as his disciple after hearing how Muichiro had killed a demon without training. Teiichi brought Muichiro to the Butterfly Mansion and planned for him to take Final Selection with Aoi, leaving Kanae and Shinobu reassured after learning of his feat.

• Kagaya Ubuyashiki explained Muichiro's lost memories and asked Teiichi to train him, and Teiichi accepted.
• Amane Ubuyashiki explained the master-disciple relationship, and Muichiro knelt to accept Teiichi as his master.
• Teiichi introduced Muichiro to Kanae and Shinobu, and Kanae invited him to make the Butterfly Mansion his home.
• Teiichi said he planned for Muichiro to take Final Selection with Aoi, prompting Kanae and Shinobu to question whether he would be ready.
• Teiichi revealed that Muichiro had already killed a demon alone, and Kanae concluded that he might be ready for Final Selection.

Giyu Tomioka told Teiichi about the demon girl he had spared and sought reassurance that his choice was right. Teiichi supported protecting her if she remained on humanity’s side, then suggested Giyu leave the Demon Slayer Corps.

• Giyu Tomioka asked Teiichi to speak privately after Kanae, Shinobu Kocho, and Muichiro went ahead.
• Giyu told Teiichi that he had spared a demon girl who tried to protect her older brother, and sent the boy to Master Urokodaki.
• Teiichi believed Giyu’s account and said sparing the girl was acceptable if she would not eat people and remained on humanity’s side.
• Giyu admitted he did not want to kill the girl and feared that the Corps might punish her, her brother, himself, and Master Urokodaki.
• Teiichi asked Giyu why he did not leave the Corps too.

Teiichi brought Muichiro to the Butterfly Mansion and began teaching him Wind Breathing, explaining why understanding how a Breathing Style worked mattered. The chapter left Aoi wondering whether Muichiro was strong enough to learn it and whether Teiichi could teach it effectively.

• Teiichi told Giyu that he could leave the Corps if its demands became too much, and Giyu agreed that Teiichi could tell Kanae about his troubles but not Shinobu.
• Teiichi caught up with Kanae and Shinobu and joked that Giyu had come to him for direction in life.
• At the Butterfly Mansion, Teiichi introduced Muichiro to Aoi as his apprentice and urged Aoi to master Total Concentration: Constant before Final Selection.
• Teiichi took Muichiro, Aoi, and Kanao to a hill, where he assigned the girls to train and began teaching Muichiro Wind Breathing.
• When Muichiro questioned why he needed to learn the theory, Teiichi explained that understanding Breathing Styles would help him forge his own path and become stronger.

Teiichi coached Muichiro in Wind Breathing until Muichiro learned the technique, surprising Aoi. That night, Teiichi reunited with Kanae and teased her with a playful “punishment.”

• Teiichi corrected Muichiro’s breathing and told him to keep practicing until he could maintain Total Concentration: Constant all day and while sleeping.
• Aoi Kanzaki worried that Teiichi’s teaching was ineffective, then learned that Muichiro had already mastered Wind Breathing.
• Teiichi returned to the Butterfly Mansion with Muichiro, Aoi Kanzaki, and Kanao.
• Teiichi joined Kanae in bed, teased her about missing him, and moved closer as she invited him to kiss her.

Teiichi encouraged Kanae by telling her about a demon who did not eat humans, then guided Muichiro toward developing a Breathing Style suited to him. As the Final Selection approached, Muichiro began to understand that style by reflecting on what mist meant to him.

• Teiichi told Kanae that Giyu had met a demon who did not eat humans, and Kanae asked to visit the demon and her brother in secret.
• Teiichi taught Muichiro Wind Breathing's sword forms, then explained that Muichiro should develop a Breathing Style that suited him best.
• Muichiro said he liked watching clouds, so Teiichi told him to observe the dawn and sunset clouds while sensing and adjusting his breathing.
• After nearly ten days, Muichiro still had not mastered Mist Breathing, so Teiichi asked him what mist meant to him.
• Muichiro recalled the many shapes and colors of the clouds and realized that they were all mist.

Muichiro created Mist Breathing, while Aoi Kanzaki faced demons during the Mount Fujikasane test and proved she could fight them. After Muichiro appeared to protect her, Aoi argued that every person's life was precious, but he insisted people had different value.

• Muichiro changed his breathing rhythm and named his new Breathing Style Mist Breathing.
• Aoi Kanzaki encountered a demon on Mount Fujikasane and beheaded it with her Nichirin Blade.
• Aoi chased down and killed a second demon, gaining confidence in her ability to carry out missions.
• Muichiro startled Aoi by placing a hand on her shoulder, then explained that he had followed her to keep her safe.
• Aoi told Muichiro to protect the other test-takers and said everyone's life was precious, but Muichiro replied that everyone had different value.

Muichiro stayed beside Aoi Kanzaki during Final Selection, letting her face the demons while promising to intervene if she was in danger. When Aoi froze before a powerful demon, Muichiro rescued her and killed it, then told her she should have been able to win.

• Muichiro agreed that stronger candidates might be more valuable to protect but decided to keep Aoi safe while letting her fight any demons they encountered.
• Over several days, Aoi killed demons during the trial while Muichiro remained nearby to protect her.
• Muichiro and Aoi found a muscular demon feeding on a dead candidate, and it charged at Aoi after taunting her.
• Aoi froze as the demon swung at her, so Muichiro pulled her clear and beheaded the demon with Mist Breathing, Fourth Form: Shifting Flow Slash.
• Muichiro calmly told Aoi that the demon was strong but slow and that she should have been able to beat it.

Kanae Kocho and Kato Teiichi visited Sakonji Urokodaki to see Nezuko, who had become a demon but did not eat people. They found Nezuko and Tanjiro asleep, collected a small sample of Nezuko’s blood, and left to stay at a nearby Wisteria House.

• Kanae Kocho and Kato Teiichi arrived at Sakonji Urokodaki’s home on Mount Sagiri and explained they had come to see Nezuko.
• Sakonji Urokodaki showed them Nezuko and Tanjiro asleep in a side room, explaining that Nezuko had been sleeping since she helped Tanjiro fight a demon.
• Kanae asked Sakonji Urokodaki for permission to draw a little of Nezuko’s blood, and he agreed.
• Kanae collected a small blood sample from Nezuko, then she and Teiichi declined lodging and said they would return to the nearby Wisteria House.

Tanjiro began training with Sakonji Urokodaki, who told him that one of the people whose scent he had noticed might be the strongest person he would ever meet. At the Butterfly Mansion, Teiichi decided to keep Muichiro in training and limit his missions, then prepared to leave, promising Kanae he would return for the New Year.

• Tanjiro woke early, noticed two unfamiliar scents, and learned from Sakonji Urokodaki that one belonged to someone exceptionally strong.
• Aoi Kanzaki told Teiichi and Kanae she would work at the Butterfly Mansion because she was afraid of demons, and Kanae reassured her that the choice was normal and helpful.
• Teiichi decided to keep Muichiro training beside him, arrange fewer but difficult missions, and let him go independently once he could withstand around ten of Teiichi's sword strikes.
• Kanae realized Teiichi planned to travel again and later asked when he would return.
• Teiichi left two days later and promised Kanae he would come back for the New Year.

Teiichi trained Muichiro near Hoshio Town and explained why he practiced in the sea, while Muichiro completed his assigned sword swings. Ginko arrived with a report of frequent disappearances in Kazami Town, and Muichiro was asked to investigate suspected demon activity.

• Muichiro completed a thousand practice swings with his Nichirin Blade while Teiichi returned from the sea with fish.
• Teiichi praised Muichiro’s training and explained that sea training required more strength and full-body effort.
• Ginko arrived and argued with White Feather before delivering her mission report.
• Ginko told Muichiro that suspected demon activity had caused frequent disappearances in Kazami Town and urged him to go there immediately.

Muichiro investigated the disappearances in Kazami Town with Teiichi, then encountered Lower Rank Six during his first mission. After wounding the demon, Muichiro pursued him, but Lower Rank Six threatened to kill a surviving captive.

• Muichiro told Teiichi that all the missing people were female and that disappearances happened both inside and outside Kazami Town.
• Teiichi explained that stronger demons could evade hunters with their Blood Demon Arts and advised Muichiro to kill demons quickly when possible.
• Muichiro heard footsteps at night and found Lower Rank Six carrying a fat man over his shoulder.
• Muichiro attacked Lower Rank Six with Mist Breathing, evaded his blue flames, and cut off one of his arms.
• Lower Rank Six burned away Muichiro's mist, grabbed the wounded captive, and threatened to kill him if Muichiro came closer.

Muichiro killed Lower Rank Six and celebrated with Teiichi at a market in Kazami Town. After hearing reports of someone being mauled by a bear, Teiichi wondered whether Muichiro had really killed the demon.

• Lower Rank Six threatened Muichiro with a hostage, but Muichiro charged ahead, threw the man aside, and cut off the demon's remaining arm and head.
• Ginko praised Muichiro for killing Lower Rank Six, and Muichiro said the fight had felt too easy before sending Ginko to inform the Master.
• The next day, Teiichi and Muichiro ate dango and watched Ginko reenact the battle while Ginko and White Feather argued about Muichiro's talent.
• At Kazami Town's market, Teiichi overheard people discussing someone mauled by a bear and asking if a demon was responsible.
• Teiichi turned to Muichiro and asked whether he had really killed Lower Rank Six, while Muichiro asked what was wrong.

Teiichi and Muichiro investigated a bloody attack that the police had blamed on a bear, while the previous night’s events revealed that the culprit was a demon who could split into two bodies. The chapter ended with the demon’s second head and body forming, exposing him as Lower Rank Six-Twins.

• Teiichi questioned Muichiro about the blue-flame demon’s Blood Demon Art and whether another demon might have killed someone outside town.
• Teiichi and Muichiro read the police notice about a deadly bear attack and went to inspect the house where it happened.
• Teiichi and Muichiro found three mutilated corpses inside the house, and Teiichi noticed bloody footprints on the floor.
• The previous night, a demon in a mountain cabin ate one victim’s leg and promised the surviving girl he would spare her.
• The demon screamed as a second body grew from his waist, and the girl saw that both heads were marked Lower Rank Six-Twins.