Scattered

Tanjiro uses Water Breathing's Second Form to strike at Father's arm but cannot pierce his tough skin. Inosuke pins the demon's other arm yet fares no better. Father throws them aside and charges, knocking Inosuke into the river when he tries to attack from behind. Tanjiro then uses an improved variant of the Second Form to fell a tree onto the giant, pinning him and rescuing Inosuke. He prepares to finish the demon with the Tenth Form, but Inosuke, weakened by blood loss, warns him to stay alert.

Father lifts the same tree and slams it against Tanjiro, catching his blade in the trunk, then flings him far into the forest. As Tanjiro flies away, Inosuke calls out a name. Believing Father to be one of the Twelve Kizuki, Tanjiro shouts for Inosuke to survive and wait, promising to return.

Atop the suspended house, Zenitsu's condition deteriorates and he can barely breathe, worrying the transformed Slayers he had saved. As he apologizes to Nezuko, a butterfly drifts down and is revealed to be Shinobu Kocho, who gently checks on him. Meanwhile, Tanjiro arrests his fall with the Second Form, landing safely. A scream draws his attention, and he turns to find Rui slicing the Daughter's face with blood-soaked threads. Rui, startled to see him, asks what he is staring at, insisting their affair is not a spectacle.

The battle against the Father of the Spider Family continues, with both Tanjiro and Inosuke unable to cut through his hide. Tanjiro is separated from Inosuke and the giant demon.

Shinobu Kocho arrives and discovers the poisoned Zenitsu. Tanjiro, having landed elsewhere, encounters Rui in the act of harming the Daughter of the Spider Family.

This Mount Natagumo Arc chapter was adapted in Episode 18 of the anime. It introduces the Insect Pillar Shinobu Kocho to the on-page action of the arc.

The chapter sets the stage for the central confrontation between Tanjiro and Rui by placing them face to face for the first time during the spider clan conflict.