The irony would have made him laugh if he wasn't on the verge of passing out.
But he couldn't pass out yet. Not yet.
Gege forced his eyes to stay open, forced his body to move. Through the haze of pain and blood loss, he could hear it—labored breathing, growling. He turned his head to see Tanjiro stumbling back through the trees, Nezuko still on his back, but something was wrong.
The girl's eyes had changed. Pink. Demonic. Her fingernails had elongated into claws, and she was thrashing against her brother's hold, snarling.
"No, Nezuko, please!" Tanjiro's voice cracked. "It's me! It's Tanjiro!"
'She's transforming. Already.'
Gege tried to stand but his legs wouldn't cooperate. He fell forward, catching himself on his remaining hand, his katana clattering to the ground beside him.
'Move. Move, damn it!'
Using his sword as a crutch, he forced himself upright. Each movement sent fresh waves of agony through his body, but he couldn't stop. Not when those kids needed him.
He staggered toward them, his vision swimming. Tanjiro had managed to pin Nezuko to the ground, but she was still struggling, still snarling, her teeth snapping at his face.
"Tanjiro" Gege rasped, his voice barely above a whisper.
The boy's head snapped toward him, eyes wide with terror and grief. "Please, sir, she's not—she wouldn't—this isn't her!"
"I know." Gege fumbled at his belt with his remaining hand, fingers clumsy from blood loss. There—a small bamboo muzzle, standard equipment for Hashira when dealing with newly turned demons. He'd never thought he'd actually use it to *save* one.
He dropped to his knees beside them, the impact sending stars across his vision. "Hold her still."
"What are you—"
"Trust me." Gege met Tanjiro's eyes. "I'm not going to kill her. But she can't be allowed to hurt anyone. Especially you."
Tanjiro's grip on his sister tightened, tears streaming down his face as he nodded.
With trembling fingers, Gege fitted the bamboo muzzle over Nezuko's mouth. She thrashed violently, but the transformation wasn't complete yet—she was still weak enough that between Tanjiro's hold and Gege's remaining hand, they managed to secure it.
The moment the muzzle was in place, Nezuko's struggles began to weaken. Her growls turned to confused whimpers, her pink eyes flickering between demonic and almost... aware.
"There" Gege breathed, slumping back. "That should... keep her from attacking. For now."
"Sir, your arm—" Tanjiro's voice broke. "You lost your arm. Because of us. Because you saved—"
"Listen carefully." Gege cut him off, knowing he was running out of time. His consciousness was slipping, the edges of his vision going dark. "Go to... Mt. Sagiri. Find a man named... Urokodaki Sakonji. Tell him... Tomioka Giyuu sent you."
"But—"
"He'll train you. Teach you to fight. To protect your sister." Gege's eye met Tanjiro's, and he put every ounce of conviction he could muster into his words. "She didn't eat anyone. She can still... be saved. But you'll need to be strong. Stronger than you can imagine."
"You..." Tanjiro's eyes were impossibly wide, tears flowing freely now. "You believe she can be saved? Even after she became a demon?"
"I've seen... impossible things tonight." Gege felt a bitter smile tug at his lips. 'Like being reincarnated and losing an arm in the same hour.' "One more impossibility... won't hurt. Now go. Before more demons... come."
"Sir, you're dying! I can't just leave you—"
"Demon Slayers are coming. I'll be fine." 'Hopefully Muzan hadn't killed them all' "Your sister needs you. Go."
Tanjiro stared at him for a long moment, this one-armed Demon Slayer who'd appeared out of nowhere, fought a demon so powerful the very air had felt wrong, and lost his arm protecting two strangers. Then, slowly, he bowed—a deep, formal bow that spoke of a debt that could never be repaid.
"I won't forget this" Tanjiro said, his voice thick with emotion. "I swear on my family's name, I'll become strong enough to repay this debt. I'll protect Nezuko. I'll make sure your sacrifice wasn't in vain."
'Sacrifice.' The word echoed in Gege's fading consciousness. Shanks had sacrificed his arm for Luffy, betting it on the future. Now Gege had done the same for Tanjiro and Nezuko.
'I really did become like him, huh?'
"Just... live" Gege managed. "Both of you. That's enough."
Tanjiro lifted Nezuko onto his back—she was calmer now, the muzzle doing its job—and gave Gege one last look before turning and running into the forest.
The moment they disappeared from view, Gege's strength finally gave out. He collapsed onto his back in the blood-stained snow, staring up at the falling flakes. Each snowflake caught the moonlight, creating a cascade of tiny stars above him.
'I actually did it. Saved them both from Muzan, why the fuck was that Michael Jackson still there tho.'
The thought brought a strange sense of peace, even as his consciousness began to slip away.
'Gordon Ramsay, you absolute bastard. You could have warned me it would hurt this much.'
Footsteps crunched in the snow. Multiple people, getting closer. Voices calling out.
"Over here! I found him!"
"It's Tomioka-san! He's—oh gods, his arm—"
"Get a tourniquet! Now! He's losing too much blood!"
Hands on him, voices shouting medical instructions, the sensation of being lifted. It all felt distant, like it was happening to someone else.
The last thing Giyuu registered before the darkness claimed him was a single thought.
'Shinobu's going to kill me for this.'
Then nothing.
**Three Days Later - Butterfly Mansion**
Consciousness returned slowly, like surfacing from deep water.
The first thing Giyuu noticed was the smell—medicinal herbs, clean linens, and something faintly sweet. The second thing was the softness beneath him. A futon. Clean, comfortable, and definitely not blood-soaked snow.
'I'm alive.'
He tried to move and immediately regretted it. Pain lanced through his left shoulder—or rather, where his left shoulder ended. The absence of his arm was a strange, phantom sensation, his brain insisting something should be there even though he could feel the bandages wrapped around the stump.
"I wouldn't recommend moving yet, Tomioka-san."
The voice was soft, feminine, and carried an edge of something Gege couldn't quite identify. He forced his eyes open to find himself in a spacious room with sunlight streaming through the windows. Beside his futon sat a young woman in a Demon Slayer uniform with a white haori adorned with butterfly patterns.
Purple eyes. Dark hair with a purple tint, styled with a butterfly ornament. A gentle smile that somehow felt dangerous.
'Kocho Shinobu.'
"Kocho-san" Gege rasped, his throat dry.
"Here." She lifted a cup of water to his lips, supporting his head with surprising gentleness. He drank gratefully, the cool liquid soothing his parched throat.
"How long?"
"Three days. You've been unconscious since they brought you here." Her smile didn't waver, but her eyes were assessing. "You lost a significant amount of blood. The fact that you applied a tourniquet likely saved your life, though I must say—" her tone took on a slightly sharper edge "—it was a rather crude application. You're lucky you didn't cause more damage."
"Sorry" Giyuu muttered. "Wasn't exactly... thinking clearly."
"No, I imagine not. Given that you apparently encountered Kibutsuji Muzan and lived to tell the tale." She tilted her head, that smile never changing. "Though 'lived' might be generous. You very nearly died. Twice. Once from blood loss and once from infection."
Gege looked down at his left side. The bandages were fresh, clean, professionally applied. His entire left shoulder and part of his chest were wrapped, the stump of his arm ending just below where his shoulder had been.
'Gone. Really gone'
"I've treated the wound as best I can" Shinobu continued, her voice returning to that gentle, almost musical tone. "There will be scarring, of course. And phantom pains—you'll likely experience those for quite some time. I can provide medication for that, though I suspect you'll refuse it."
"I don't need—"
"You do." Her smile sharpened infinitesimally. "But you'll refuse anyway, because you're a Hashira and Hashira are notoriously stubborn about such things. I've prepared the medication regardless. Take it or suffer—the choice is yours."
Despite everything, Gege felt a small smile tug at his lips. Shinobu's bedside manner was... unique. Gentle and threatening in equal measure.
"Thank you" he said quietly. "For saving my life."
Something flickered in her eyes—surprise, maybe?—but it was gone before he could identify it. "It's my duty as the Insect Hashira and a medical professional. Though I must admit, this is the first time I've had to treat a Hashira for... this extent of injury."
She stood, moving to a table where various medical supplies were neatly organized. "Oyakata-sama has been informed of your awakening. He's requested a private audience with you as soon as you're able to walk. Before the Hashira meeting."
'Before the meeting.' That meant the other Hashira didn't know yet. Or at least, didn't know the full extent of what happened.
"The meeting is..."
"Tomorrow morning." Shinobu began preparing what looked like fresh bandages and ointment. "Oyakata-sama thought it best to wait until you were conscious. The other Hashira have been... concerned. Particularly after the crow's report mentioned Muzan."
Gege tried to sit up, using his remaining arm to push himself upright. The world tilted dangerously, but he managed to stay conscious. Shinobu was beside him in an instant, her hands steadying him without actually touching his injuries.
"Slowly" she chided. "Your body has been through significant trauma. It needs time to recover."
"Don't have time" Gege muttered. "If Oyakata-sama wants to see me—"
"He can wait another few hours while I change your bandages and ensure you won't collapse the moment you try to stand." Her tone brooked no argument. "Now, hold still."
She began unwrapping the bandages on his shoulder with practiced efficiency. Gege hissed as the cool air hit the wound, the sensation somewhere between pain and a horrible, crawling wrongness.
"The arm was completely severed," Shinobu said clinically, though her hands remained gentle. "Clean cut, almost impossibly so. Whatever Muzan used, it was sharp enough to cut through bone without crushing it. Small mercies, I suppose—made treating it easier."
Gege watched her work, noting the concentration in her expression, the careful precision of her movements. This close, he could see the faint dark circles under her eyes, the slight tremor in her fingers that spoke of exhaustion.
'She's been taking care of me for three days straight, hasn't she?'
"You should rest" he said.
Shinobu's hands paused for just a moment. "I'm not the one who lost an arm, Tomioka-san."
"You're exhausted."
"I'm fine." She resumed working, applying a cooling ointment to the wound that made Gege flinch. "My stamina is sufficient for my duties."
"Shinobu."
She looked up, surprised. He'd used her first name. No honorific. Their eyes met, and for a moment, that perpetual smile faltered.
"Thank you" Gege said again, putting more weight into the words. "Really. I know this couldn't have been easy."
Something passed across her face—too quick to read—before the smile returned, softer this time. "You're welcome, Giyuu-san."
'Giyuu-san.' Not Tomioka-san.
The use of his given name felt... significant, though Gege couldn't say why. Maybe it was a Shinobu thing. Maybe it was something else.
She finished applying fresh bandages, working in silence. When she was done, she sat back, examining her work with a critical eye.
"There. That should hold until tomorrow. I'll need to change them again after your meeting with Oyakata-sama." She stood, brushing off her uniform. "I'll have someone bring you food. You need to regain your strength."
"Shinobu."
She paused at the door, glancing back.
"How bad is it? Really?"
She studied him for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Then, quietly: "You lost your arm confronting the most dangerous demon in existence and survived. Most would call that a miracle. But you're a Hashira now with a permanent disability that will affect your combat effectiveness, your ability to perform certain techniques, and your overall survival rate in future encounters."
She paused, then added, even more quietly: "The question isn't how bad it is. The question is what you'll do despite it."
With that, she left, sliding the door closed behind her with a soft click.
Gege sat alone in the room, staring down at his missing arm.
'What will I do despite it?'
The template hummed in his chest, that warmth that had saved his life still present. 10% of Shanks' power. Shanks had lost his arm and still became one of the strongest pirates in the world. Still commanded respect, still protected what mattered to him.
'If he could do it, so can I.'
The resolve settled in his chest like steel. This wasn't the end. It was just the beginning.
**Several Hours Later - Ubuyashiki Estate**
Giyuu knelt in the garden of the Ubuyashiki estate, his remaining hand resting on his thigh. The position was awkward with only one arm—he couldn't perform a proper formal bow—but he did his best.
Across from him, seated on a cushion with his wife Amane beside him, was Ubuyashiki Kagaya. The leader of the Demon Slayer Corps looked exactly as Gege remembered from the anime—gentle features marred by a curse that was slowly consuming him, his eyes kind despite the disease spreading across his skin.
"Giyuu" Kagaya said softly, his voice like a gentle breeze. "I'm relieved to see you awake. Shinobu informed me you were recovering well, but seeing it myself brings me peace."
"Oyakata-sama." Gege bowed his head. "I apologize for the concern I've caused."
"There's nothing to apologize for. You encountered Kibutsuji Muzan and survived—that alone is extraordinary." Kagaya's expression grew contemplative. "The crow's report was... sparse. It mentioned you arriving at the Kamado household, confronting Muzan, and being found severely injured. But I suspect there's more to the story."
Gege's jaw tightened. This was the moment. What could he say? The truth was impossible—*I'm actually a teenager from another world who got reincarnated into Giyuu's body with the power template of a pirate emperor*—yeah, that would go over well.
"I arrived too late to save the family," Gege said carefully, sticking as close to the truth as possible. "Muzan had already attacked. There were two survivors—a boy named Kamado Tanjiro and his sister, Nezuko. She'd been turned into a demon."
Amane's eyes widened slightly. Kagaya simply nodded, encouraging him to continue.
"Muzan was still there when I arrived. I engaged him to protect the survivors." Gege gestured to his missing arm. "He was... far stronger than I anticipated. I managed to land a strike that injured him, but he took my arm in the process. The arrival of additional Corps members caused him to retreat."
"You injured Muzan?" Kagaya leaned forward slightly, interest sharpening his gaze. "How?"
'Good question.' How did he explain suddenly being stronger than Giyuu should have been?
"I don't know" Gege said honestly. "In that moment, facing him, something inside me... changed. I felt stronger, faster. Like I could see his movements more clearly. It was enough to surprise him, at least."
Not technically a lie. The template had activated. He had felt stronger. Kagaya didn't need to know about the supernatural anime power part.
Kagaya studied him for a long moment, those kind eyes seeming to see straight through him. Then, slowly, he smiled.
"I see. Sometimes, when faced with impossible odds, we discover strengths we never knew we had. Perhaps your encounter with Muzan awakened something within you." He paused. "The boy and his sister—where are they now?"
"I sent them to Urokodaki Sakonji. Told the boy to seek training."
"Even though the girl is a demon?"
"She didn't attack her brother. Didn't eat anyone." Gege met Kagaya's eyes steadily. "I believe she can be saved. That there might be a way to turn her back."
Silence fell in the garden. Somewhere nearby, wind chimes tinkled softly.
Finally, Kagaya spoke. "You've always been different, Giyuu. Distant, yes, but perceptive. If you believe this demon girl can be saved, then I trust your judgment. I'll send word to Urokodaki to expect them."
Relief washed through Gege. "Thank you, Oyakata-sama."
"However," Kagaya's tone became more serious, "the other Hashira will need to be informed. About Muzan, about your injury, about this demon girl you've allowed to live. Tomorrow's meeting will be... difficult."
"I understand."
"Do you?" Kagaya tilted his head. "Giyuu, you've lost your arm. Some of the Hashira may question whether you can still fulfill your duties. Others will be concerned about the precedent of letting a demon live, regardless of the circumstances. And all of them will want to know exactly what happened during your encounter with Muzan."
Gege's hand clenched. "I can still fight. The arm doesn't change that."
"I believe you. But you'll need to prove it to them." Kagaya's expression softened. "I'm not telling you this to discourage you. I'm telling you so you're prepared. The meeting tomorrow will be a test—not just of your strength, but of your resolve."
"I'm ready."
"Then rest tonight. Recover what strength you can." Kagaya glanced at Amane, who nodded and rose gracefully. "The meeting is at dawn. I'll have someone escort you from the Butterfly Mansion."
Gege bowed as best he could with one arm. "Thank you, Oyakata-sama. For everything."
As he turned to leave, Kagaya's voice stopped him.
"Giyuu. One more thing."
Gege looked back.
"Whatever changed in you during that fight—hold onto it. Nurture it. We'll need every advantage we can get in the future to come."
'If only you knew' Gege thought, touching his chest where the template hummed with warmth. 'If only you knew.'
**That Evening - Butterfly Mansion**
Gege sat on the engawa overlooking the garden, watching the sun set. His shoulder ached despite the medication Shinobu had practically forced on him, and phantom pains kept making him reach for an arm that was no longer there.
Footsteps approached from behind.
"You should be resting" Shinobu said, sitting down beside him without waiting for an invitation. She'd changed from her Demon Slayer uniform into a simple purple kimono, her hair down for once.
"Couldn't sleep."
"The medication—"
"Isn't enough." Gege flexed his remaining hand. "Every time I close my eyes, I see it. The fight. Muzan. Losing the arm."
Shinobu was quiet for a moment. Then: "That's normal. Trauma doesn't fade quickly, especially physical trauma of this magnitude. You'll have nightmares for a while. Flashbacks. Moments where you forget and reach for something with an arm that's no longer there."
"Sounds like you're speaking from experience."
Her smile turned brittle. "I've treated many injured Demon Slayers, Giyuu-san. I've seen what trauma does to people."
'But not what it did to you' Gege thought, remembering Shinobu's backstory. Her sister's death and Her rage masked behind a smile.
They sat in silence, watching the sky turn from orange to purple to deep blue. Stars began to emerge, one by one.
"The Hashira meeting tomorrow" Shinobu said eventually. "It won't be pleasant."
"Kagaya-sama warned me."
"Shinazugawa will probably challenge you. Iguro might too. They'll want proof you can still fight with one arm." She glanced at him. "Can you?"
"I'll have to."
"That's not an answer."
Gege turned to meet her eyes. "I don't know, Shinobu. Honestly, I don't know if I can still fight at the level I need to. But I'm going to try. Because if I don't, if I give up now, then Tanjiro's sacrifice means nothing. My arm was lost protecting those kids. I can't let that be for nothing."
'Tanjiro's sacrifice?' Shinobu's expression shifted. "The boy... he did something?"
Gege blinked, realizing his mistake. "No, I meant—my sacrifice. For Tanjiro. Sorry, the medication is making me fuzzy."
Shinobu looked like she wanted to press the issue, but let it drop. "Get some rest. Tomorrow will be a long day, and you'll need your strength."
She stood to leave, but Gege spoke up. "Shinobu. Thank you. For taking care of me. For... everything."
She paused, her back to him. For a moment, he thought she wouldn't respond. Then, softly: "You're welcome, Giyuu-san. Try not to lose any more limbs. I'd prefer to keep my patients intact."
Gege "I'll do my best."
After she left, he sat alone in the gathering darkness, one hand resting on his chest where the template pulsed with warmth.
Tomorrow would be hell. The Hashira meeting. Questions he couldn't fully answer. Challenges to his ability to continue as a Hashira.
But tonight, he was alive. Tanjiro and Nezuko were safe. And for the first time since waking up in this world, Gege felt something like hope.
'10% down'he thought, feeling the template's power humming inside him. '90% to go. If Shanks could do it, so can I'
'I'll become strong enough to protect them all. Even with one arm.'
'I swear it'
The stars above seemed to shine a little brighter, as if in answer.
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