Upon hearing this, Takeshi thought:
Knowledge? I was hoping for something a bit more materialistic… and besides, I don't possess any knowledge that I could exchange.
After settling his thoughts, he said, "Alright. But there are two problems. The first is that I don't believe I possess any knowledge that you don't already know. And the second is that I will not be staying around this village—returning all the way here would be highly inefficient."
Hearing this, the old man chuckled and said, "Well, the first thing you said is true at the current moment. But to be honest with you, I only know a lot of surface-level knowledge. And I believe you'll be able to acquire knowledge that interests me in time."
Takeshi had to cut him off and ask, "How can you be so certain that I'll obtain knowledge you don't already possess?"
The old man then said, "Well, it's quite simple. You asked me about the Shiranui family, yet you knew nothing about it—and that's a name that's very hard to hear these days. That just suggests to me that you'll be basking in knowledge I yearn for in the future."
Takeshi was taken aback after hearing the man's deduction:
He saw straight through me… I have to hide my cards better in the future.
Then the old man continued speaking, "As for the second problem you pointed out, I also have a solution for that. Once you wish to ask me a question, write it down on a piece of paper and say my name out loud. Shortly after, my courier will arrive."
This forced Takeshi to think: That's very impressive! But this all seems too good to be true… Did I really just now establish a friendly relationship with a man that's been alive for more than 400 years? I'll accept it for now, but I still have to be wary of him and his unknown means.
Then the old man asked, "Have you asked everything you wanted?"
Takeshi gave him a nod in response.
The old man then said, "Very well. I wish you the best of luck in your travels." He pointed toward the door, signaling for Takeshi to exit.
Takeshi then got up and walked toward the door.
Once Takeshi exited and left the house, the old man let out a deep sigh.
"I couldn't pry into him at all. It's like there's a barrier preventing me from seeing any of his secrets… What did you see, Soldras?"
After a second or two, an ethereal voice echoed within his mind.
"I couldn't see anything more than you could. And I also didn't sense any demonic aura coming off of him. This likely means that he's a blessed of a demon ranked even higher than me, which would explain why I'm unable to peer into his mind."
Meanwhile, back on the streets of the village, Takeshi's thoughts were a mess.
I forgot to ask him where I could obtain a map… or just any general way to get a better understanding of this world's layout. But maybe it's better this way. He's incredibly sharp—he'd likely figure out that I'm not from this world just from that single question.
With that thought, he came to a halt, standing still in the middle of the dirt path that ran through the village.
What should I do now? I still have the whole day ahead of me before night falls…
After a bit of thinking, he still wasn't sure what his next move should be. But there was one thing he was certain of—he no longer had any reason to stay in this village. He felt he had exhausted everything useful it had to offer.
With that, Takeshi left the village behind and once again began aimlessly wandering through the wilderness.
He spent a couple of hours wandering, and during that time, he entered a vast forest. Its mostly green trees completed the picturesque scene, blending with the various types of vegetation that blanketed the ground. Every part of the forest appeared still, yet vibrantly alive.
Takeshi was now deep within this serene forest.
Soon, in the distance—between a group of trees—he saw a large Torii gate made of stone. Time had clearly left its mark on it, the weathered surface showing signs of great age. Behind the magnificent arch stood six stone steps, leading up to an old shrine.
At the top of the moss-covered stairs, in front of the shrine, sat a man in a meditative position. He was bald and dressed in the robes of a monk.
Takeshi instinctively tensed at the sight but quickly reminded himself that, even in the real world, scenes like this weren't particularly strange. With that, he decided to approach the man.
He walked closer to the stone arch and the stairs beyond it.
As he reached the bottom of the steps, the monk lowered his hands from the prayer pose and shifted into a more casual sitting position.
Then, he spoke, "What brings you to this forest, traveler? Are you a lost soul, or perhaps someone with a clear goal in mind who is simply passing through? Or… are you something entirely different from both?"
After a few seconds of silence, Takeshi responded, "I am a lost soul… with a clear goal in mind."
It was clear what he meant. He called himself a lost soul because he was stranded in a world not his own, and the goal he referred to was returning home—to the real world.
The monk gave a calm nod and replied, "I see. Then I will pray for you to find your way to the goal you seek."
Takeshi thought to himself: Pray? I wonder what deities they believe in here. The book never mentioned anything like that.
Curious, he asked the monk, "To what deity will you pray?"
Without hesitation and in the same serene tone, the monk replied, "To the one I put all of my faith in. The great god who wields fate and fortune."
Takeshi raised an eyebrow, surprised by the answer—but then something caught his eye.
Around the monk, dozens of four-leaf clovers began to sprout from the ground, as if called forth by some invisible will. His eyes widened in disbelief.
The deity the man worshipped… might actually exist.
But before the awe could settle in, Takeshi forced the thought out of his mind.
No deity can help me. I alone have to find my way back to the real world.
He then asked the monk, "Can your god grant me strength?"
The monk, still facing the shrine, replied calmly, "No. But he can help you attain it." After a short pause, he added, "Perhaps our meeting here… was his doing."
Hearing this, Takeshi was taken aback. He asked, "I don't quite get what you mean."
The monk slowly stood up and turned to face him. His face was thin, with sharp features and calm brown eyes.
As he walked down the moss-covered steps, he said, "Perhaps He made us meet so that you could become stronger."
Takeshi now understood a little more, but he was still mostly confused.
The monk stepped closer until there was only a meter of space between them. Then he spoke again.
"Attack me."
Takeshi blinked, stunned. "What?"
The monk didn't break eye contact. "I'm only doing what God instructed me to do."
After a pause, he repeated, "Attack me."
Now, Takeshi understood his intentions. The monk wanted to gauge his strength. Still, Takeshi didn't want to fight the man. But the unwavering gaze left him with no real choice.
He took a step forward and threw a punch.
To his surprise, the monk effortlessly dodged and countered with an open palm that struck him in the ribs.
Takeshi stared in disbelief, thinking: He could've hit me in the head, but he chose not to.
Realizing that the man didn't mean him any real harm, Takeshi relaxed slightly—but he didn't let his guard down.
He swung again, only for the same outcome to repeat: the monk dodged with ease and pushed him back.
Seeing that his punches were useless, Takeshi attempted a kick. But the moment he lifted his leg, the monk swiftly swept the other out from under him.
Takeshi hit the ground.
Frustration began to well up inside him. The monk was humiliating him.
Just as he was about to rush back in, the monk raised a hand and said, "That's enough. I've seen your weaknesses." After a moment, he added, "I'm offering to help you fix them. But only if you want to. If not, we can part ways here."
Takeshi took a deep breath and seriously considered the offer.
I don't have anything better to do. I can only benefit from this. He's willing to help me improve my combat skills and he's not asking for anything in return. Plus… I might learn more about this world from him too.
After a short pause, Takeshi nodded.
"I accept."