Chapter Summaries

Sato and the other Demon Slayers chose to confront the approaching Upper Rank rather than abandon the villagers’ evacuation. They charged the Water Lily Bodhisattva, while Doma watched from its head and dismissed their attack as useless.

• Nakamura urged Sato and the others to flee, arguing that an Upper Rank was beyond their strength and some villagers would survive regardless.
• Sato explained that holding the demon back could help more villagers escape, then let the Slayers choose whether to stay or return to the evacuation effort.
• Three Slayers volunteered to stay, and Nakamura overcame his fear and joined them.
• Sato led the group into the woods, where they waited for the Water Lily Bodhisattva to arrive.
• Sato ordered the Slayers to charge the Water Lily Bodhisattva, and Doma watched them from atop its head.

Mitsuri arrived in time to save Nakamura from Doma’s Water Lily Bodhisattva and faced Doma alone. As Doma tried to court her, he recalled taking in Kotoha and her baby, whose name he remembered as Inosuke Hashibira.

• Doma struck Nakamura with the Water Lily Bodhisattva, but Mitsuri intervened and rescued him.
• Mitsuri told Nakamura that he and the other corps members had bought her time, then sent him to the village.
• Doma asked Mitsuri if she had a boyfriend and offered to kill the person she liked so she would date him.
• Mitsuri rejected Doma, saying she already liked someone and would not choose him even if she did not.
• Doma remembered Kotoha fleeing her abusive husband with her baby, and recalled that the child was named Inosuke Hashibira.

Doma confronted Mitsuri Kanroji at the Swordsmith Village and attacked with the Water Lily Bodhisattva. Mitsuri struggled to damage its massive arm with an unfamiliar Nichirin Blade as she tried to hold Doma off.

• Doma remembered Kotoha and asked Mitsuri Kanroji her name, briefly considering turning her into a demon.
• Doma began attacking with the Water Lily Bodhisattva, ending Mitsuri’s attempt to stall by talking.
• Mitsuri dodged the Bodhisattva’s huge ice arm and struck it repeatedly with Fifth Form: Swaying Love, Wildclaw.
• Mitsuri realized her borrowed Nichirin Blade could not cut through the Bodhisattva’s thick arm and retreated as it smashed craters into the woodland.

Mitsuri struggled to bypass Doma’s Water Lily Bodhisattva, then destroyed his Crystalline Divine Child to protect the escaping Swordsmith Village residents. As Doma tried to rush past her, Mitsuri leaped above the Bodhisattva’s head and attacked him with Love Breathing, Fifth Form.

• Mitsuri realized that Wind Breathing was best suited to counter Doma’s freezing air and Water Lily Bodhisattva, and decided to attack Doma directly instead of the giant construct.
• Mitsuri tried to run up the Bodhisattva’s arm but jumped away when ice spikes spread across it, leaving her to keep dodging its strikes.
• Doma recognized that Mitsuri and the Sound Hashira were stronger than Hashira he had faced in the past, and summoned two Crystalline Divine Child to kill the fleeing villagers.
• Mitsuri charged after the ice figures while evading the Bodhisattva, then struck both with her Nichirin Blade and shattered them.
• Doma tried to drive the Water Lily Bodhisattva past Mitsuri, but she leaped above its head and met his gaze as she used Love Breathing, Fifth Form: Swaying Love, Wildclaw.

Mitsuri Kanroji continued fighting Doma atop the Water Lily Bodhisattva, preventing him from reaching the Swordsmith Village. Tengen Uzui freed himself from the ice, recovered their Nichirin Blades and explosives, and descended the cliff to support her.

• Doma used the Water Lily Bodhisattva's arm to force Mitsuri off its head, but she jumped back up and kept fighting.
• Tengen Uzui realized his frostbitten lungs and trapped wrists left him unable to move, then used the Transparent World and his Breathing Style to warm his body.
• Tengen broke the ice around his wrists and saw Mitsuri holding Doma back near the village.
• Tengen dug his and Mitsuri's Nichirin Blades and his explosives from the ruined guesthouse.
• Tengen jumped from the cliff and slid down its face with both Nichirin Blades embedded in the rock.

Teiichi and the others waited at Doma’s mountain temple, but a Kasugai Crow reported that Doma had attacked the Swordsmith Village. Teiichi rushed there with Nezuko, leaving Kanae, Giyu, and Sanemi to withdraw from the temple.

• Sanemi questioned how long they would wait for Doma, and Teiichi suggested giving him half a month before assuming he had moved elsewhere.
• Teiichi asked Sanemi about his training with Himejima, and Giyu revealed that Sanemi had not completed it, prompting Sanemi to challenge him to a duel.
• A Kasugai Crow announced that Doma had attacked the Swordsmith Village, where Lady Kanroji and Lord Uzui were present.
• Teiichi told Kanae, Giyu, and Sanemi to leave the temple in case Doma returned with Kokushibo and the others.
• Teiichi jumped from the cliff with Nezuko, slowed his fall with wind, caught her, and ran toward the Swordsmith Village.
• Sanemi watched Teiichi disappear and wondered aloud whether he was still human.

Tengen Uzui survived his fall down the cliff and returned to help Mitsuri fight Doma, though his damaged blades and injuries limited him. He reached Mitsuri and called for her to catch the blades, and she greeted him with surprise that he was still alive.

• Tengen Uzui slowed his fall by driving his dulled Nichirin Blades into the cliff, then pulled them free and ran toward the battle.
• Mitsuri dodged the Water Lily Bodhisattva's attacks while avoiding the icy mist Doma's construct released as its limbs wore down.
• Mitsuri realized the mist came from tiny ice fragments chipped off the Water Lily Bodhisattva when its arms struck the ground.
• Tengen Uzui arrived and called for Mitsuri to catch his blades, and Mitsuri turned toward him in delight and exclaimed that he was not dead.
• Tengen Uzui coughed and scolded Mitsuri for her greeting as she approached him cautiously.

Mitsuri and Tengen Uzui joined forces against Doma, and Mitsuri’s Love Breathing damaged the Water Lily Bodhisattva. Teiichi reached the Swordsmith Village and found three ice figures beside two frozen bodies.

• Tengen Uzui returned Mitsuri’s Nichirin Blade and warned her that his injuries and frostbitten lungs had weakened him.
• Doma sent the Water Lily Bodhisattva to attack Mitsuri and Tengen Uzui.
• Mitsuri used Love Breathing, First Form: Shivers of First Love, and cut the Bodhisattva’s wrist.
• Teiichi crossed the mountain with Nezuko on his back and hurried toward the Swordsmith Village.
• Teiichi sensed something unusual near the workshops and found three ice figures beside two frozen bodies.

Teiichi destroyed Doma’s ice figures, found a new Nichirin Blade beside Tetsumoto Homura, and rushed to confront the Water Lily Bodhisattva. Meanwhile, Doma regenerated its severed arm and attacked Mitsuri and Tengen Uzui with a powerful sweeping palm.

• Three ice figures attacked Teiichi, but he cut them apart with a flash of silvery moonlight.
• Teiichi found a new Nichirin Blade in a wooden case beside Tetsumoto Homura, drew it, and watched blue-green wind patterns spread across its blade.
• Teiichi apologized to Tetsumoto Homura, put Nezuko on his back, and hurried toward the Water Lily Bodhisattva to deal with Doma.
• Doma regenerated the Water Lily Bodhisattva’s severed hand and said he intended to capture Mitsuri and Tengen Uzui.
• Mitsuri dodged the Bodhisattva’s descending palm and cut through the debris it blasted outward, but the palm then swept toward her.

Mitsuri Kanroji and Tengen Uzui fought Doma’s enormous Water Lily Bodhisattva while trying to protect the fleeing villagers, but Doma’s freezing mist steadily wore them down. Tengen fell, and Mitsuri was badly wounded; as she struggled to rise, a surging gale swept onto the battlefield.

• Mitsuri told Tengen that retreating too far would let Doma send his Crystalline Divine Children after the villagers, so they took turns fighting within the mist.
• Tengen’s lungs grew frostbitten despite the gunpowder blasts thinning the mist, and he and Mitsuri repeatedly switched places to limit their exposure.
• Tengen coughed up blood and was struck by a rock from the Bodhisattva’s attack, leaving him unable to stand.
• Mitsuri refused to abandon Tengen and charged Doma, but his Barren Hanging Garden overwhelmed her and a folding fan slashed her.
• Mitsuri fell wounded and wept as she struggled to rise, then a powerful gale swept into the battlefield.

Kato Teiichi arrived as Doma tried to finish Mitsuri and Tengen Uzui, using powerful winds to drive Doma back and carry the injured Hashira away. Kato caught them and told Nezuko to grow and guard them against the Infinity Castle’s teleportation.

• A violent gale swept away Doma’s mist, and Mitsuri realized Kato Teiichi had arrived.
• Kato’s Wind Blades forced Doma to defend himself as he recognized that they had grown strong enough to threaten Upper Ranks.
• Doma tried to reach Mitsuri and Tengen Uzui, but Kato’s winds carried both Hashira away.
• Kato caught the fleeing Hashira and ordered Nezuko to grow and keep the Infinity Castle from teleporting them away.

Teiichi pursued Doma through the woods and repeatedly destroyed the Infinity Castle portals before Doma could escape. After Teiichi cut Doma in half and closed the portal again, Doma stopped retreating and asked Teiichi to let him go.

• Nezuko stayed with Mitsuri and Tengen as Teiichi rushed after Doma.
• Doma nearly escaped through a portal, but Teiichi's wind blades destroyed it before he could enter.
• Doma reached a second portal and fought off Teiichi's wind blades with his fans as he began entering the Infinity Castle.
• Teiichi unleashed Wind Breathing: Modified, Third Form: Wind Fall, severing Doma at the waist and destroying the portal.
• Doma regenerated and retreated, but when no new portal appeared, he faced the approaching Teiichi and asked to be spared.

Teiichi kept Doma alive so he could show Muzan that Nezuko had conquered sunlight. After Doma sent the message, Teiichi rejoined Tengen Uzui and Mitsuri, where Tengen accused him of watching from the sidelines during their previous fight.

• Teiichi told Doma he needed him alive to deliver a message to Muzan, and Doma agreed after Teiichi threatened him with his Nichirin Blade.
• Teiichi revealed that Nezuko had conquered sunlight and brought Doma close enough to see her standing in the sunlight.
• Doma sent the message to Muzan while Teiichi and Doma continued toward Nezuko and the others.
• Teiichi explained to Mitsuri that he had kept Doma alive to inform Muzan, and Mitsuri felt reassured by his promise to protect her.
• Tengen Uzui asked whether Teiichi had also watched from the sidelines during the previous fight against Upper Rank Six.

Teiichi bandaged Mitsuri and had Nezuko heal her and Tengen Uzui before giving orders for the aftermath of Doma’s attack. After paying respects to the dead at the cemetery, Teiichi learned Mitsuri’s sword was finished and asked why she was still staying in the village.

• Teiichi bandaged Mitsuri, then asked Nezuko to use her Blood Demon Art to heal Mitsuri and Tengen Uzui’s frostbitten lungs.
• Teiichi instructed Nakamura to notify Kagaya Ubuyashiki, keep the villagers away until sunrise, and find a doctor.
• At sunrise, Teiichi watched Doma disintegrate and felt relieved that only one last matter remained.
• Teiichi and Mitsuri visited Tetsumoto Homura’s grave, where Kotetsu explained that Tetsumoto and Yamamoto had died protecting them.
• Teiichi learned Mitsuri’s sword was already finished, and Mitsuri admitted she had stayed in the village because she had nothing to do outside.

Muzan summoned Kokushibo and Akaza and revealed that he had confirmed a demon living in sunlight, but that demon was with Kato Teiichi. As they weighed the danger of trying to seize it, Kokushibo suspected the Demon Slayer Corps had shared the information to lure them into a fight.

• Muzan summoned Kokushibo and Akaza, then told them that Kato Teiichi had killed the other demons who had not appeared.
• Muzan dismissed the dead Upper Ranks as replaceable and announced that he had found a demon that had overcome sunlight.
• Kokushibo suggested that Muzan could eat the demon, and Muzan explained that it was with Kato Teiichi.
• Akaza considered the losses and feared that Kokushibo might have to cover their retreat if they tried to seize the demon.
• Muzan confirmed that he had verified the demon's ability through Doma's eyes, and Kokushibo concluded that the Demon Slayer Corps was trying to force them into a fight.

Amane Ubuyashiki held the Hashira Meeting in Kagaya Ubuyashiki’s place and explained that his illness had worsened. Teiichi told the Hashira that he had sent Muzan information about Nezuko conquering sunlight, and the Corps planned to prepare for Muzan’s final attack.

• Muzan regretted not bringing Kokushibo and Akaza when he first learned of Nezuko, but wondered whether to fight despite suspecting a trap.
• Teiichi told Sanemi Shinazugawa that he had delivered the message to Muzan and arrived in time to help save the Swordsmith Village from Doma.
• Amane Ubuyashiki announced that Kagaya Ubuyashiki could no longer appear before the Hashira because his illness had worsened.
• Teiichi explained that he had used reports of Nezuko conquering sunlight to lure Muzan out, and Mitsuri Kanroji said she and Tengen Uzui had held Doma off until Teiichi arrived.
• Amane reported that demon sightings had nearly disappeared, suggesting Muzan was preparing for the final battle, and outlined restrictions on Corps members’ movements.
• When Shinobu Kocho asked what the Corps could prepare in a few days, the Hashira turned toward Teiichi.

Teiichi outlined preparations for the coming battle against Muzan Kibutsuji, including training ordinary Corps members and teaching the Hashira their enemies’ fighting habits. After the meeting, Giyu tried to leave and insisted he was different from the other Hashira, leaving them demanding an explanation.

• Teiichi announced plans to maintain Corps training, gather more members for preparation, train the Hashira, and study Muzan Kibutsuji, Kokushibo, and Akaza.
• Kyojuro explained that Muzan might bring back hundreds or thousands of ordinary demons, making trained Corps members necessary to support the Hashira.
• The Hashira agreed to unite against Muzan Kibutsuji and discussed training schedules, facilities, and supplies before Amane Ubuyashiki left to consult Kagaya Ubuyashiki.
• Giyu tried to leave the meeting, prompting Sanemi, Obanai, and Tengen Uzui to discuss how little he spoke with the other Hashira.
• When Shinobu Kocho asked Giyu to explain his remarks, he said he was different from the others.

Teiichi urged Giyu to explain why he acted differently from the other Hashira after Sanemi argued that Giyu looked down on them. Giyu finally began his story, but Sanemi interrupted him before he could continue.

• Sanemi questioned Giyu about what he meant by being different from the others, and the Hashira gave mixed opinions about Giyu's attitude.
• Teiichi told Giyu that many people misunderstood him and suggested he share his past and explain his words.
• Teiichi clarified to Sanemi that he meant their positions differed because he was not a Hashira, not that he looked down on them.
• Gyomei offered to ask the Master to let Teiichi rejoin the Demon Slayer Corps, but Teiichi declined, saying they shared the goal of defeating Muzan Kibutsuji.
• Teiichi again encouraged Giyu to explain himself, and Giyu sat down and began, “It all began a long time ago...” before Sanemi cut him off.

Giyu recounted losing his sister Tsutako to a demon and later befriending Sabito, who died saving others during Final Selection. He explained that he had not truly passed the trial and left the Hashira meeting believing he did not deserve his place among them.

• Sanemi demanded that Giyu get to the point, and Teiichi urged Giyu to continue.
• Giyu said his sister Tsutako hid him from a demon that killed her when he was thirteen.
• Giyu recalled that Master Urokodaki trained him and that Sabito encouraged him after Tsutako's death.
• Giyu revealed that a demon incapacitated him on the first day of Final Selection, while Sabito killed nearly all the demons and died saving the other candidates.
• Giyu told the Hashira that he felt unworthy of being a Hashira, then said he would leave.

Kanae challenged Giyu to honor the future his sister and Sabito had entrusted to him, prompting him to return to his seat and accept his responsibilities as a Hashira. Teiichi then suggested the Hashira share their pasts, and he and Shinobu began telling how demons had led them to the Demon Slayer Corps.

• Sanemi confronted Giyu, but Gyomei calmed him, and Kanae asked Giyu to consider whether he was honoring the future entrusted to him.
• Giyu reflected on the grief he had avoided and returned to his seat, saying he would fulfill his responsibilities as a Hashira.
• Mitsuri reacted to Giyu's tragic past, while Obanai and Gyomei noted that many Demon Slayer Corps members had suffered similar losses.
• Teiichi suggested that everyone discuss important parts of their pasts, and he explained that Kazeno Shoma had saved him from a demon and become his teacher.
• Shinobu Kocho said a demon had also disrupted her and Kanae's peaceful lives and that Himejima had saved them, but their attempt to join the Demon Slayer Corps had not gone smoothly.