Chapter Summaries

Teiichi and Kanae nearly shared a kiss after falling together during a spar, but Shinobu interrupted them. Two months later, Teiichi considered how to pursue his goal of defeating Muzan and decided not to seek ordinary demon-hunting missions unless Kagaya Ubuyashiki assigned them.

• Kanae suggested sparring with Teiichi, but she lost her footing and pulled him down on top of her.
• Teiichi and Kanae gazed at each other and nearly kissed before Shinobu Kocho arrived and interrupted them.
• Teiichi told Shinobu Kocho that he and Kanae had been sparring, and Shinobu then described her mission.
• Over the next two months, Teiichi trained, sparred with Kanae, Shinobu Kocho, and Kanon, and guided Aoi Kanzaki and Kanae.
• Teiichi decided that the Demon Slayer Corps had enough strength to handle ordinary demons, so he would not request missions unless Kagaya Ubuyashiki assigned him one.

Teiichi decided to leave the Butterfly Mansion and travel around Japan, setting out with Kanae after arranging to go when one of the women next left on a mission. As they departed, Kanae said she believed Kanao would open her heart someday when she met someone she liked.

• Teiichi realized he wanted to explore the world and decided to begin by traveling around the country.
• Over dinner, Teiichi told Kanae, Shinobu Kocho, and Kanon that he planned to leave the Butterfly Mansion; Kanae accepted his decision.
• Teiichi arranged to leave after the next mission, and three days later he departed with Kanae.
• At the Butterfly Mansion entrance, Kanae reminded Kanao to smile and wave when saying goodbye, but Kanao's expression quickly returned to normal.
• On the road, Kanae told Teiichi that Kanao had closed off her heart and might someday open it after meeting someone she liked.

In Akita City, Teiichi urged Kanae to flee if she ever encountered an Upper Rank, and she promised to warn Shinobu and Kanon as well. They spent three days exploring the city together, and the chapter left them on the beach as Kanae suggested collecting and roasting the sea creatures washed ashore.

• Kanae swiftly killed a demon before it could use its Blood Demon Art, then talked with Teiichi about fighting stronger demons.
• Teiichi asked Kanae to promise she would run from any Upper Rank unless he had approved her readiness, and she agreed to tell Shinobu and Kanon to do the same.
• Kanae asked Teiichi to stay and enjoy Akita City with her before his journey, and he agreed.
• Teiichi and Kanae explored the city, chose gifts for the younger girls at the Butterfly Mansion, and walked together along the beach at sunset.
• Kanae found a sea snail and asked Teiichi whether they could collect the washed-up creatures and roast them.

Teiichi and Kanae gathered seafood, then shared a playful evening in the surf. Teiichi gave Kanae a necklace, and they kissed before Kanae rested against his chest and listened to his heartbeat.

• Teiichi and Kanae gathered seafood on the beach and grilled their catch after sunset.
• Teiichi led Kanae into the surf, where she delighted in feeling the sand shift beneath her feet, and they splashed each other.
• Teiichi pretended to be hurt, then revealed a necklace and fastened it around Kanae's neck.
• Teiichi and Kanae kissed beneath the moonlight, pausing to catch their breath before kissing again.
• Kanae leaned against Teiichi's chest, closed her eyes, and listened to his heartbeat.

Teiichi spent two years traveling around Japan, keeping in touch with Kanae by letter and returning to the Butterfly Mansion each New Year. He reunited with Tengen Uzui and his wives, and went with them to Tengen’s home for drinks.

• Teiichi set out on a two-year journey after saying goodbye to Kanae, exploring places across Japan and returning to the Butterfly Mansion only for New Year.
• Teiichi and Kanae exchanged letters once a month while he traveled, and they were delighted whenever they reunited at New Year.
• While traveling, Teiichi encountered Tengen Uzui shopping with Suma, Makio, and Hinatsuru.
• Teiichi and Tengen recognized each other and caught up after two years apart.
• Tengen invited Teiichi to his home to drink, and Teiichi accepted.

Teiichi returned to Tengen Uzui’s home and learned that the Demon Slayer Corps had gained three Hashira while he was away. As Tengen discussed the Corps’s growth and asked about Teiichi’s digestion-training method, Teiichi explained that it favored younger, talented practitioners, leaving Tengen to wonder whether ordinary members could learn it.

• Teiichi joined Tengen Uzui and his wives for dinner and heard that Sanemi Shinazugawa, Kyojuro Rengoku, and Mitsuri Kanroji had become Hashira, bringing the Corps’s total to seven.
• Tengen explained that Kyojuro had taken over the Flame Hashira position from his father, then joked about establishing an Uzui family line of Sound Hashira.
• Tengen complained that most Corps members lacked talent or discipline and asked Teiichi to become his Tsuguko, but Teiichi refused.
• Tengen told Teiichi that the Corps had improved greatly and asked about the Breathing Styles technique Teiichi had suggested for aiding digestion.
• Teiichi said the technique worked best for younger practitioners and required considerable talent, prompting Tengen to ask whether ordinary Corps members could learn it.

Teiichi sparred with Tengen Uzui, used their training to refine his swordsmanship, and continued traveling for another year. In Hokkaido during the winter of the third year, he faced a training bottleneck and considered trying underwater training while waiting for a local winter festival.

• Teiichi and Tengen Uzui sparred at the Uzui residence, and Teiichi defeated him.
• Teiichi stayed several more days to train with Tengen, stopping when Tengen could no longer find any blind spots in his techniques.
• Teiichi left the Uzui residence and traveled for another year.
• In Hokkaido, Teiichi found that his swordsmanship had stalled and his physical growth had slowed now that he was nineteen.
• Teiichi considered underwater training, then visited a familiar noodle shop in town as he waited for the winter festival.

Tanjiro sold charcoal in the village, then stayed overnight with Grandpa Saburo after hearing about demons that appeared after sunset. As Tanjiro slept, a well-dressed stranger headed toward the mountain, where Teiichi encountered Upper Rank Three.

• Tanjiro sold his charcoal and helped a villager clear his name by identifying the smell of a cat on a broken plate.
• Grandpa Saburo persuaded Tanjiro to stay at his cabin for the night and told him that demons preyed on people after sunset.
• Tanjiro wondered whether demons were real before falling asleep at Grandpa Saburo's home.
• A figure in a suit and round hat passed Grandpa Saburo's cabin and continued toward the mountain.
• Teiichi, walking through the snow late at night, turned to face a red-haired man and recognized him as Upper Rank Three.

Kato Teiichi rejected Akaza’s invitation to become a demon, challenging him to consider whether he would ever reach the Transparent World. Akaza renewed his determination to keep training, and the two prepared to fight.

• Akaza recognized Kato Teiichi’s fighting spirit and invited him to become a demon so they could pursue the Transparent World together.
• Kato Teiichi refused, saying that forcing a breakthrough would not guarantee success, and asked how long Akaza had been stuck at his current level.
• Akaza realized he could not remember how long he had pursued the Transparent World and became troubled by the possibility that he might never reach it.
• Akaza recovered his resolve, declaring that he would keep training because giving up would make reaching the Transparent World impossible.
• Kato Teiichi and Akaza exchanged names and prepared to fight.

Akaza and Teiichi began their battle in the snowy field, where Teiichi’s speed and strength overwhelmed Akaza despite his Compass Needle. After both recovered from a powerful clash, they faced each other and prepared to attack again.

• Akaza activated Destructive Death: Compass Needle as Teiichi lowered into a fighting stance.
• Teiichi used First Form: Dust Whirlwind Cutter and launched a rapid assault that Akaza blocked with Destructive Death: Disorder.
• Teiichi’s blade severed Akaza’s arm, but Akaza dodged a fatal neck strike by twisting his body.
• Akaza used Annihilation Style, and Teiichi countered with Fifth Form: Cold Mountain Wind, creating an explosion that blasted them apart.
• Akaza regenerated his arm and spine while Teiichi assessed the fight, then the two charged at each other as the last snowflake landed.

Teiichi and Akaza fought fiercely in the woods as Akaza’s Compass Needle helped him counter the Demon Slayer’s attacks. Teiichi revealed iron weights strapped to his arm and launched a sudden sword strike that left Akaza wondering if he was about to die.

• Teiichi and Akaza exchanged rapid sword strikes and Blood Demon Art attacks as Akaza relished the long-awaited battle.
• Akaza used Compass Needle to detect openings in Teiichi’s forms and attacked despite taking wounds from the wind blades.
• Akaza shattered the ground with Ten Thousand Leaves Flashing Willow, raising a curtain of snow and soil to obscure their vision.
• Akaza punched through the curtain, but his fist struck iron weights strapped to Teiichi’s arm.
• Teiichi followed the clash with Eighth Form: Primary Gale Slash, and Akaza saw the green blade rapidly approach.

Akaza began regenerating his head after breaking through the limit, while Muzan attacked the Kamado family and turned Nezuko and Rokuta into demons. Teiichi removed his weights and resolved to keep Akaza pinned down until sunrise.

• Akaza's head began dissolving, but his desperate will to survive made his headless body start growing it back.
• Muzan killed Delia, Takeo, Shigeru, Kie, and Rokuta, then injected Nezuko and Rokuta with his blood before leaving.
• Muzan sensed a presence to the southeast, while Kokushibo and Doma separately reacted to Akaza's change.
• Teiichi watched Akaza regenerate, removed his weights, and decided to hold him until the sun rose.

Akaza regenerated his head and resumed fighting Teiichi, convinced that breaking past his limits had made him impossible to kill. Teiichi kept defending and cutting Akaza apart, but Akaza’s reckless attacks pushed him back until Teiichi severed Akaza’s head again.

• Akaza regenerated his head, challenged Teiichi to continue the fight, and noticed that Teiichi had removed his weights.
• Akaza charged Teiichi, who blocked his fist and countered with Wind Breathing, Third Form: Clean Storm Wind Tree.
• Teiichi and Akaza traded rapid attacks, and Teiichi realized Akaza was sacrificing defense because decapitation no longer seemed to matter to him.
• Akaza’s disregard for his wounds let him press Teiichi back, even as Teiichi severed his arms.
• Teiichi cut off Akaza’s raised arm before he could finish his attack, then used Eighth Form: Primary Gale Slash to sever his head again.

Teiichi fought Akaza, who had surpassed his limits and could survive decapitation, and realized that he only needed to keep the demon occupied until sunrise. As Akaza regrew his head and welcomed another attack, Teiichi charged back into the fight.

• Akaza’s headless body regrew its arms and attacked Teiichi, who parried the blow and struck with Wind Breathing’s Seventh Form.
• Akaza sensed Teiichi’s wind blades despite lacking a head and shattered them with Destructive Death: Air Type; Teiichi then charged through the shock waves.
• Teiichi severed Akaza’s partially regrown head, but Akaza continued attacking and sent Teiichi flying with a powerful blow.
• Teiichi realized Akaza’s decapitation would not kill him and decided to stall until sunrise rather than fight to the death.
• As Akaza regrew most of his head, Teiichi charged again, and Akaza grinned and urged him to continue fighting.

Teiichi and Akaza fought fiercely in the woods, with Akaza repeatedly regenerating and urging Teiichi to become a demon. Their battle ended in an explosion that forced them apart, and Akaza noticed dawn approaching and began considering how to escape.

• Teiichi and Akaza traded rapid attacks, with Akaza ignoring injuries and losing limbs while Teiichi guarded against his strikes.
• Akaza invited Teiichi to become a demon and fight alongside him, but Teiichi firmly refused.
• Akaza resumed his assault and unleashed Destructive Death: Annihilation Style, while Teiichi countered with Sixth Form: Black Wind Mountain Mist.
• The two were thrown apart by the resulting explosion, and Akaza noticed the growing light on the horizon and considered escaping.

Akaza tried to escape Teiichi by hiding his retreat behind a storm of mud and snow, but Teiichi pursued him and forced him to confront the fight. Akaza abandoned his flight and met Teiichi in a fierce battle, which continued with Akaza showing no fear of death.

• Akaza unleashed Air Type and Annihilation Style to obscure the battlefield and flee, but Teiichi’s Dust Whirlwind Cutter cleared a path through the mud and snow.
• Teiichi caught sight of Akaza and pursued him, keeping close enough that Akaza realized he could not escape to safety from the sunlight.
• Akaza stopped himself by crashing into a tree, then turned and charged at Teiichi.
• Teiichi attacked with Claws: Koto Wind, and Akaza answered with Annihilation Style before they resumed fighting at close range.
• Teiichi saw Akaza’s savage fighting spirit and lack of fear of death, and resolved to give him the battle he had always wanted.

Teiichi unleashed his full speed against Akaza, beheading him and then battling through Akaza’s attacks as he regenerated. Akaza awakened the Supreme Territory, gaining the ability to read Teiichi’s movements without relying on Compass Needle.

• Teiichi used Wind Breathing’s Eighth Form, Primary Gale Slash, and beheaded Akaza.
• Akaza unleashed Blue Silver Chaotic Afterglow, forcing Teiichi to deflect a barrage of projectiles while Akaza regenerated.
• Akaza charged with Eight-Layered Demon Core, and Teiichi countered with Third Form: Clean Storm Wind Tree as they clashed fiercely.
• Akaza began perceiving Teiichi’s movements and breathing clearly, dodged a slash, and struck Teiichi with Disorder.
• Teiichi dodged Akaza’s first punch but suffered a wound on his left cheek, then blocked the next blow and was thrown backward.
• Akaza wept and recognized his awakening as the Supreme Territory.

Akaza reached the Supreme Territory and awakened the Transparent World, forcing Teiichi into an even fiercer battle. As the rising sun began to burn Akaza, they acknowledged each other as worthy opponents, and a pipa sounded through the forest.

• Akaza reached the Supreme Territory and realized he felt calm rather than joyful.
• Akaza and Teiichi resumed their fight, clashing at speeds beyond a Hashira's ability to follow.
• Teiichi used Wind Breathing forms against Akaza, but Akaza's increased speed and strength let him pressure Teiichi.
• Akaza kicked apart Teiichi's Primary Gale Slash and continued exchanging blows with him, devastating the forest around them.
• The sunlight began burning Akaza, and he and Teiichi praised each other as worthy opponents.
• Akaza looked at the sun for the first time in his memory as a pipa's note rang through the forest.

Teiichi nearly killed Akaza, but Muzan pulled Akaza into the Infinity Castle before the fight could end. Akaza recovered from his sunburns in the castle, where he encountered Gyokko.

• A door to the Infinity Castle opened beneath Akaza, and Teiichi rushed to attack him as he fell through it.
• Akaza vanished when the door closed, leaving Teiichi frustrated and wondering why Muzan had intervened.
• Teiichi concluded that Akaza had drawn Muzan's attention by breaking through his limits, then abandoned his scattered weights and headed down the mountain.
• Akaza landed in the Infinity Castle and realized that Muzan had saved him.
• Gyokko emerged from a pot and asked about Akaza's injuries, but Akaza tore away his sunburned flesh and rapidly regenerated.

Akaza gathered with the Upper Ranks in Nakime’s room and struck Doma after Doma touched his shoulder, surprising the other demons. When the biwa sounded to bring in Kokushibo, Akaza sensed something in the direction of a closed room and stared toward it.

• Hantengu, Daki, Doma, and Gyokko gathered with Akaza while Nakime waited for Muzan’s arrival.
• Doma teased Akaza and put a hand on his shoulder, so Akaza punched him and landed a real injury.
• Gyokko tried to smooth things over with Doma, who invited him to visit and see a pot decorated with a woman’s head.
• After Nakime’s biwa sounded, Doma counted the gathered Upper Ranks and guessed that Kokushibo had arrived.
• Akaza sensed something near a floating room with closed doors, and everyone turned to look as tapping sounds came from inside.