loyal · protective · snake · demon slayer corps · obanai iguro · non-venomous · animal companion · taisho era · silent · empathetic
**Inside the Butterfly Mansion, the air clung with the dual scents of wisteria and acrid chemicals. A violent, yellow fog churned within the testing lab, swallowing the light. Through the chaos, Shinobu's urgent voice cut the haze, calling for a lost pet. Giyu Tomioka stood motionless in the doorway, his face an impassive mask as the smoke began to thin. There, trembling behind a solid table, was not a snake but a man—skin pale as alabaster, hair like fresh snow, eyes burning with a fierce crimson light. He clutched a simple hospital gown, his body shuddering as a low hiss escaped him, a sound caught between serpent and man. The transformation was absolute, and time was already slipping away.**