As soon as Renji heard this, a faint smile appeared on his face as he thought:
Just as I thought—he's a nice and sensible guy, not just one of those adventurers who take their life for granted once they come into contact with a demon.
Then he cleared his throat and said,
"Very well. I'm very glad that I've finally found a companion."
"Finally?" Takeshi asked himself.
Seeing the puzzlement on the man's face, Renji clarified,
"Well, to be perfectly honest, I've been traversing the Shadow Realm every night for the past three months, and up until now, I hadn't met a single living person."
He then made a short pause and added, "At least, not here within the Boneyard."
The man's words prompted Takeshi to think,
So he's been here for three months and hasn't met a single person? This just confirms that my fate is sealed—at least for as long as I'm the blessed of this demon. And he also mentioned that this place we are currently in is called the Boneyard. How interesting.
Then Renji also added, "And I'm also unbelievably grateful that the first person I stumbled upon is a normal and reasonable person such as yourself. You didn't even have a reaction to my last name."
The last sentence left Takeshi deeply confused and forced his thoughts to stir:
I didn't react to your last name, and that's why I'm reasonable? What did he say it was again? Shiranui, right? Should I know this name? It was never mentioned in the book before—this is definitely the first time I'm hearing about it. I'd like to ask him, but him saying that my lack of reaction surprised him means it's probably a well-known name in this world. And me not knowing it would appear highly suspicious. I'll just ask around when I return to the real world.
After this final thought, Takeshi wanted to let out a self-deprecating laugh, but he managed to suppress it.
I actually called the other place the real world, he thought to himself.
Once those thoughts subsided, he turned to Renji and asked, "Is it possible to leave the Boneyard?"
Renji replied, "I have to be honest. I have no idea. I don't know much about the Shadow Realm, so I can't say whether the Boneyard is the entirety of it, or just a part. That's one of the questions I hope to answer through my partnership with you."
Takeshi nodded and noted in his mind: So he really does only know a little more than I do. I wonder how he came by the knowledge he already has.
He hesitated for a moment, considering whether it would be too intrusive to ask, since they had only just met. But ultimately, since they were now officially partners, he figured that there was no point in keeping secrets, and that Renji wouldn't find the question too forward.
After hearing the question, Renji chuckled and replied, "He told me."
Takeshi blinked in confusion. "He?"
Renji explained without hesitation, "My demon."
Hearing this, Takeshi was taken aback.
He can converse with his demon?!
After a few seconds, he calmed himself and thought, Well, it's not actually that surprising. I also spoke with the demon I'm blessed by, but how is he so friendly with his?
Unable to suppress his curiosity, Takeshi asked, "How are you able to converse with your demon so casually? Is it because you have a contract with him?"
Renji chuckled again.
"I see you're quite curious about these things. That's only natural. And yes, that's part of the reason. Once you form a contract with a demon, you can call upon him by name—and if he wishes, he can speak to you. But that depends heavily on the demon's personality, how many humans he's contracted with, and whether he finds you interesting."
Then he quickly added, "But this only works if you're contracted. If you're just blessed by a demon, he can only vaguely perceive and influence the world through you. Communication becomes one-sided—he speaks, and you listen."
Hearing this, Takeshi felt a pang of disappointment.
So he can speak to me... he just chooses not to. Am I really that uninteresting?
Now, having exhausted all the questions he had, an awkward silence filled the air. Takeshi could clearly see that Renji wanted to ask him something but was holding himself back.
Wanting to break the silence, Takeshi asked, "Should we perhaps explore the Boneyard in search of an exit?"
The moment he said that, Renji's eyes lit up. "I was just about to ask you the same thing. I was only a little hesitant because I thought you might not want to head out right away after having such a near-death experience."
Takeshi quickly assured him that he was alright. And with that, the two men left the campsite and ventured deeper into the Boneyard.
As they walked, Takeshi began to think about something: The campfire we were at was clearly made out of wood, but for the time I've been here, I haven't seen a single actual tree.
He then asked, "Um, I'm curious. Where did you get the wood for the campfire?"
Renji, continuing forward without turning to face him, replied, "You've observed correctly—there aren't any trees in the Boneyard. At least, I haven't come across any during my time here."
Then he gave his answer.
"I brought it from the real world. As you've probably noticed, all the items you were in contact with—your clothes, that sword of yours—they were brought over with you. That's how I got the pieces of wood, too."
Takeshi was delighted by the answer. Every new discovery that gave him a better understanding of this terrifying place filled him with a bit of hope. After that exchange, the two fell into silence once more.
As they walked through the dense forest of bones, Takeshi once again surveyed his surroundings. Everything around him looked strange and out of place—like this realm had been assembled from various things that didn't quite belong together, yet somehow combined to form a terrifying scene. He paid particular attention to the silk-like material that hung from the sky, obscuring it. He wanted to ask Renji if he knew why the Boneyard looked this way, but before he could, both of their attentions were drawn to a sudden sound in the distance.
It was a scream—and from the sound of it, it came from a woman.
Renji instantly snapped to alertness.
Another human?! Is it really another person, or some beast playing tricks on us? I've been here for over three months and haven't met a single human until today. Isn't it too much of a coincidence to meet another on the very same day?
Remaining cautious, Renji turned to Takeshi and said, "I think we should check it out."
Takeshi nodded without hesitation, and the two of them took off running in the direction the scream had come from. They weaved between massive bones of varying shapes, jutting out from the ever-shifting gray sand like ancient monuments. In less than thirty seconds, they reached a small clearing nestled among towering pillars of jagged bone. And there, in the center of the clearing, they were met with a sight that filled them with dread.
Towering over the scene stood a massive skeletal serpent. It looked strikingly similar to the giant skeleton Takeshi had seen earlier—its eye sockets burned with the same white flames, streaked with shifting shades of gray and black. Menacing and silent, the creature loomed over two figures. Both were female. One of them was crouched down in fear, while the other stood protectively in front of her in a defensive stance. In her hands, she held two daggers seemingly formed from shadows themselves. Despite her readiness to fight, it was clear from the look on her face that she was just as terrified as the one she was trying to protect.
Seeing the dire situation, Renji shouted, "Don't fight it—we don't stand a chance against it!"
Takeshi frowned at his words.
We?! What do we have to do with this?! This is their problem.
Clearly, he didn't feel the same sense of obligation to help other humans in need as Renji did.
The moment the two women heard Renji's voice, their heads snapped toward the source in unison. Upon seeing the two men, the woman wielding the shadowy daggers turned to the one cowering behind her and said, "Run with them. I'll hold it off."
Without hesitation, the frightened young woman sprinted toward Takeshi and Renji.
Hearing her words, Renji called out, "What are you doing?! You don't stand a chance against it!"
The woman turned her head slightly, just enough to respond, "I know. Just run! I'll be fine."
You don't have to tell me twice, Takeshi thought, already preparing to run the moment she gave the word.
But Renji hesitated. Something in him wouldn't allow him to simply turn his back on someone in danger. Within moments, he made his decision—he would stay and help fight the beast.
Is he crazy?!
Takeshi thought in disbelief. But now that Renji had committed himself, Takeshi realized he couldn't run away either.
With a resigned sigh, he drew his sword, while Renji conjured a fireball in his hand. Together, they charged toward the skeletal serpent.
But just as Takeshi was closing the distance, the entire scene vanished in an instant.
In a blink, he found himself once again laying on the creaky wooden porch of the house where the family had let him stay the night.