After the Swordsmith Village Arc, the story transitions into the Training Arc, which spans from Chapter 128 to Chapter 136. This Arc focuses on the intense training undergone by the demon slayers.
The following information contains spoilers from Chapters 128 to 130 of the manga. We recommend continuing to read the manga to fully support Demon Slayer and uncover what happens next.
During this arc, the pillars engage in rigorous training sessions, honing their skills and preparing for upcoming battles. The objective is for the pillars to reach a state where the demon slayer mark appears, indicating heightened abilities and a greater chance of success in fighting demons.
The demon slayers also face various challenges and receive specialized training from different pillars, each focusing on different aspects such as stamina, flexibility, quick movement, sword skills, and more. This intense training motivates all members of the demon hunters to prepare themselves for the upcoming fights.
Tanjiro Goes Back to the Butterfly Estate
Tanjiro returns to the Butterfly Estate after being unconscious for seven days. Mitsuri and Muichiro also slept for two days then regained their strength.
The Swordsmith Village had to relocate to protect themselves from dangerous demons that appeared at night. Despite facing powerful attacks from two upper moon demons, the village was able to limit the number of casualties. However, there was no time for grieving because the demons wouldn’t stop, and life continued despite the losses. Gotou, a familiar Kakushi, explained to Tanjiro that the Demon Slayer Corps had established several backup villages to relocate to if needed.
Gotou expresses his happiness at Tanjiro’s quick recovery and the survival of everyone. He questions about Tanjiro’s sister, as he heard something unfortunate had occurred. Tanjiro shares that his sister can now walk in sunlight, which he doesn’t consider to be a bad thing while enjoying some onigiri. Gotou then asks about Nezuko‘s future, whether she will revert to being human or become a full demon, and Tanjiro informs him that Tamayo is currently investigating this matter.
Zenitsu’s First Time Seeing Nezuko Talk
Gotou informs Tanjiro that none of the hunters are seriously injured and they are still having fun with Nezuko. The scene then shifts to Zenitsu’s first encounter with Nezuko after she gained the ability to speak. Zenitsu screams so loudly that Aoi, Sumi, Naho, and Kiyo cover their ears. Nezuko simply smiles and greets Zenitsu with a hesitant “W-Welcome!” as she is still learning how to speak.
Zenitsu bursts with excitement, exclaiming, “She’s so cute, I’m having heart attacks!” Aoi humorously responds, “Yes, please have one!” Zenitsu continues to babble around Nezuko, wondering if she is speaking for him and if she is making an effort for his sake. He excitedly talks about getting married, praising how beautiful Nezuko is under the moonlight and now even more so under the sun.
He offers to feed her eel and sushi every day if they were to marry. Zenitsu’s eyes widen, he breathes heavily, and he holds Nezuko’s hands while making this declaration. Nezuko casually responds, “Welcome back, Inosuke,” leaving everyone stunned and speechless.
Zenitsu, visibly angry with veins popping on his forehead, exclaims, “Where is that pig? I’m going to spitroast that thing alive!” The reason behind Nezuko’s specific response is that two days prior, Inosuke had arrived at the Butterfly Estate while injured, then he made it his goal to make Nezuko remember his name.
A Pillar Meeting Is Comenced
At the Ubuyashiki estate, an urgent meeting of the Pillars takes place. Sanemi starts off by expressing his jealousy of encountering upper moons. Obanai asks about the well-being of Mitsuri and Muichiro. Mitsuri happily responds, thinking to herself, “They’re worried about me!” Meanwhile, Muichiro admits that he hasn’t fully regained his strength yet.
Gyomei becomes emotional as he explains the significance of preserving the Pillars, as losing more of them would put the demon hunters in a difficult situation. However, he praises the noble achievement of defeating two upper moons without any casualties. Shinobu remarks on the surprising quick recovery of Mitsuri and Muichiro, and inquires if anything significant occurred. Giyuu interrupts, suggesting that their leader, Oyakata-sama, likely intends to discuss everything, including this matter, with them.
Amane arrives on the scene and apologizes for the delay. She explains that she will be representing Ubuyashiki Kagaya at the pillar meeting as his illness has worsened, and he expresses his regret for not being able to attend.
Gyomei offers his prayers for Ubuyashiki’s well-being and encourages Amane to remain strong. Amane respectfully bows in response.
Read more: Demon Slayer Season 4: Hashira Training Arc Announced
The Hashira Discuss Muzan’s Plan and the Demon Slayer Mark
During the Pillar meeting, Amane shares crucial information with the Hashiras. She reveals that with Nezuko’s newfound ability to withstand sunlight, Kibutsuji Muzan is expected to change his objectives and target Nezuko in order to obtain the power to conquer the sun for himself. Amane warns that a full-scale battle is on the horizon.
Amane also brings up reports of unusual marks that appeared on Mitsuri and Muichiro during their encounters with the fourth and fifth upper moons. She asks about the origins of these marks, seeking an explanation from Mitsuri and Muichiro themselves.
Akane discloses that skilled swordsmen, known as the first breath, nearly defeated Kibutsuji Muzan during the Sengoku Era. These swordsmen possessed marks resembling demon crests. People familiar with this knowledge have passed it down through the generations.
Sanemi questions why this information was kept hidden, as he was unaware of it. Akane explains that many individuals had been eagerly anticipating the appearance of these marks, leading to a lot of speculation and uncertainty over time. She suggests that perhaps the information was never firmly established back then, and given the constant threat of the demon hunters facing annihilation, the lineage of the marks may have faded over time. However, she does share one important piece of information: “Once one person has that mark on them. It starts spreading to others. As if they’re resonating.”
Kiriya adds that the description about the marks came from one of the swordsmen of the first breath. Amane reveals that the person who initially possessed these marks was Kamado Tanjiro, but when they asked him about it, he struggled to provide a clear explanation. Amane then turns to Muichiro and Mitsuri for their experiences.
Mitsuri, like Tanjiro, finds it difficult to explain the origin of the marks and apologizes for any inconvenience caused. On the other hand, Muichiro reflects on his previous battles and realizes that there were noticeable differences. He suggests that if certain conditions are met, everyone may be able to acquire these marks. This concludes Chapter 128 of the story.
In Chapter 129, Muichiro shares his experience during the previous battle. He explains that he had been poisoned and couldn’t move, so he focused on using his breathing techniques to slow down the circulation of the poison in his body. However, something unexpected happened when a boy attempted to save his life, triggering a rush of old memories. Muichiro lost control of his emotions and felt intense anger. He recalls his heart rate reaching over 200 beats per minute, and his body temperature rising above 39 degrees Celsius.
Shinobu is shocked and questions how Muichiro was able to continue fighting in such a critical condition that could have been life-threatening. Muichiro responds by suggesting that this extreme state of being can be used as a sort of test: Will one survive or die to it? This, he believes, might be the determining factor for whether the mark appears or not.
The Pillars reach a consensus that obtaining the demon slayer mark will be their top priority. They decide to conduct mark training, in which all those who have manifested the mark must participate, regardless of the circumstances under which it appeared. No exceptions will be made.
Afterward, Akane takes her leave, followed by Giyuu, who states that he is not involved in the meeting. This sparks anger in both Obanai and Sanemi, and even Shinobu questions Giyuu about his sudden departure without providing any details. Giyuu simply responds, “I’m not like you guys,” which further annoys Sanemi. Then Giyomei intervenes with a clap of his hands, capturing everyone’s attention with his remarkable strength. Giyomei then suggests, “Take a seat, let’s talk a bit more. I have a proposition.”
Hotaru Delivers Tanjiro’s New Sword
In the following panel, we return to Tanjiro resting on his bed at the butterfly estate. He greets Hotaru with a wide smile, but Hotaru responds with heavy breathing and remains silent. Instead, Hotaru presents Tanjiro with a new sword. Tanjiro expresses his gratitude and gazes at the sword, now adorned with Rengoku’s hilt. Overwhelmed with emotion, Tanjiro sheds a tear.
As Tanjiro examines the blade, he notices that it possesses a distinct, deeper shade of black compared to his previous sword. He also remarks on the high-quality feel of the steel. Finally, Hotaru breaks his silence and mentions that the previous wielder of the sword must have been a remarkably strong swordsman. Hotaru points out the character ‘Mestu’ also known as ‘destruction,’ engraved at the end of the sword near the hilt.
Hotaru further explains that the swordsmith who crafted this blade intended it to be used for the eradication of all demons. The swordsmith deliberately left no trace of their identity, except for that character. It seems that the hierarchy of demon hunters was established after this sword was created, which is why only the Pillars bear the characters ‘Akki Messatsu’ or ‘destroy all evil demons’ on their own swords.
Hotaru and Tanjiro then engage in a heated argument, mostly fueled by Hotaru’s side, as he blames Tanjiro for the events that took place during the Swordsmith Village Arc. Meanwhile, it is revealed that Genya is sleeping nearby Tanjiro’s bed, and the two of them being noisy disturbs his rest. Recognizing the disturbance they caused, Tanjiro apologizes, and Hotaru decides to return to the Swordsmith Village.
The Hashira Training
In Chapter 129, Inosuke bursts through the window and excitedly informs Tanjiro about an upcoming intense training session. He mentions that many strong individuals will be gathering for this session and expresses his excitement at seeing Tanjiro after a long time.
Chapter 130 marks the beginning of the special training session known as “pillar training.” Zenitsu explains to Tanjiro that it involves the lower-ranked individuals training alongside the pillars. Normally, the pillars only train their designated successors and no one else. This is because the pillars are usually occupied with tasks such as protecting their assigned regions, gathering information about demons, and honing their swordsmanship. However, with Nezuko’s ability to withstand sunlight, the appearance of demons has significantly decreased. As a result, the pillars now have more time to focus on nighttime patrols and daytime training.
Zenitsu expresses his frustration and says the training is like living in hell. The conversation between Zenitsu and Tanjiro takes a humorous turn, and Tanjiro takes the opportunity to thank Zenitsu for teaching him the breath of lightning technique, which proved helpful during the Swordsmith Village Arc. This brightens Zenitsu’s mood momentarily, but his happiness is interrupted when Tanjiro’s crow, Matsuemon, pecks him on the forehead. Matsuemon delivers a letter from Ubuyashiki, summoning Tanjiro. Ubuyashiki requests Tanjiro to urge Giyuu to stop isolating himself and to face forward alongside everyone else. Tanjiro agrees to fulfill this request.
The training sessions proceed as follows:
- Former Sound Pillar Uzui Tengen – Initial Hazing via Basic Stamina Training
- Love Pillar Kanroji Mitsuri – Flexibility Training
- Mist Pillar Tokitou Muichiro – Quick Movement Training
- Serpent Pillar Obanai Iguro – Sword Skill Revision Training
- Wind Pillar Sanemi Shinazugawa – Infinite Pounding Training
- Stone Pillar Gyomei Himejima – Muscle Reinforcement Training
- Water Pillar Giyu Tomioka – Not Stated
- Insect Pillar Shinobu Kocho – Did Not Participate
The pillars also have the opportunity to enhance their skills by confronting numerous swordsmen in intense battles. If someone’s heart rate and body temperature reach the required level for the mark to manifest, it will be a victory for everyone. Those who already possess the mark will train to maintain their “marked state” consistently. When all the members of the demon hunters learned about this information, they became highly motivated to prepare for the forthcoming battles.
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