Meanwhile, Takuma's scarecrow demon had gotten off the horse, returning to its original size. As if it were a human being, making no sound other than the creaking of its wooden legs, Karasu crouched near the bonfire, sitting next to its tamer.
When Yoichi's frog demon was summoned, the scarecrow turned its face in that direction. The buttons it had in place of its eyes peered at the newcomer, and the perpetual smile sewn onto the cloth had the usual macabre look partially illuminated by the firelight.
"Hey, hello buddy!" Yoichi greeted, excited to meet his new teammate. The bonfire's flame swayed due to the wind, and its light reflected off the amphibious demon's damp back.
Managing to get a closer look at it while it wasn't covered in blood, Yoichi noticed that the Hikigotsu had small yellow and brown spots along its spine. In addition to them, other subtle striped patterns decorated the lower legs. Like an ordinary frog, the two hind legs looked much more powerful than the front ones, allowing the demon to make great leaps.
The amphibian picked up Yoichi's voice and, moving slowly on its webbed feet, turned toward him. Its skin was green and smooth, covered with a thin gelatinous layer. Its eyes were the same color as the leaves of the oak trees in the valley.
"Grooak!" Algamok croaked. Its throat swelled, becoming spherical like a helium balloon. Its mouth was large and curved upward as if it were constantly smiling. Yoichi remembered that, during the battle, that beautiful specimen of frog demon had displayed its arsenal, consisting of two sticky extendable tongues and a gaseous venom.
*groak*groak* - The new demon continued to croak in the background, and his tamer couldn't help but observe it smugly along with Takuma. "Hikigotsu are common demons in this area, especially in the swampier sector. I take it you tamed it in the Boneside Swamp, right?" the Grimbrook warrior commented.
"Correct," Yoichi replied. Thanks to the Demon Pet System, he knew that the Hikigotsu's combat level was seven. "I'm not sure how to use its skills, but I think it showed me all of them during our fight. If I'm not mistaken, poison-type demons are strong against grass-type demons, right?" Yochi asked, not remembering all the notions from the book 'Fundamentals of Demon Taming'.
"Yes, that's right. And not only that, Hikigotsu are poison-grass type demons. This feature makes them resistant immune to poisonous attacks, and even more resistant to attacks by other grass demons," Takuma explained. "When I was younger, and the Boneside Swamp wasn't that dangerous, my grandfather often took me there," he added.
Yoichi's eyes framed his new amphibious friend again. "So you're a good fighter, huh? I never imagined that my second tamed demon would be a poison demon. Hmm... you need a name, dude," the young tamer thought aloud. He rubbed his fingertips over his chin, thinking of a name that might fit a demon with that look.
"I've got it!" he chuckled. "I'm going to call you Gengo! How do you feel about that?" - Yoichi's way of interacting with demons struck a chord with Takuma. The Grimbrook warrior had never known anyone to treat them with such respect.
"Grooak! Graak!" the Hikigotsu answered, hopping in place and moving its big mushy amphibian belly.
*groorg*burp* - At that very moment, Yoichi's stomach growled from hunger. The happy expression of the young Nightblades tamer changed suddenly while he touched his stomach. "Fuck... I forgot to buy food in Grimbrook. I'm literally starving," he complained.
"Don't worry, I took care of that detail", Takuma smiled, pulling something out of his travel backpack. "Here, take one of these," he said. From a yellowish cloth bag, Takuma pulled out a small white root that recalled the shape of a beet.
Peering at the strange tuber from top to bottom, Yoichi grabbed it questioningly. "What is that? A radish?" he inquired, joking about the food's funny appearance and smelling its scent closely.
"Hahah! Not really. It's called Hiringu turnip, and it's a remedy that the elders of my village use against hunger. A small gift from the Boneside Swamp," Takuma replied, taking a turnip for himself as well and placing the small pouch back in his backpack.
Yoichi rubbed his fingertips against the tuber's hard peel, unable to wrap his head around the fact that it was edible. "Its taste isn't the best, but I can assure you that if you chew on it for about half an hour, the feeling of hunger will disappear," the Grimbrook warrior explained again. "You'll get used to it."
Immediately after those words, Takuma pulled out a small knife from his backpack. Its blade was so small that the object could only be used to cut fruits or vegetables. In fact, under Yoichi's astonished eyes, Takuma peeled the Hiringu turnip, threw its peel into the fire and devoured it in several bites.
"Take this," the red-haired boy muttered, speaking with his mouth full. From the sound of chewing, the turnip sounded rubbery and slightly smelly. Yoichi grabbed the pocketknife from Takuma's hand and peeled his meal.
After stuffing the turnip into his mouth, the disgusting taste of the tuber forced Yoichi to plug his nose and close his eyes. Takuma couldn't help but laugh his head off, mocking his city friend, who wasn't used to the customs of the countryside.
Although Yoichi didn't eat anything substantial that night, the dinner in front of the bonfire in Takuma's company was one of the funniest of his life. There continued to be vivid chemistry between him and the Grimbrook warrior that would soon become a friendship.
However, although the two adventurers were well hidden within a group of oak trees, they had not thought of an important detail. Lighting a bonfire in a place that didn't have particularly high headlands wasn't a good idea if you wanted to stay hidden.
While they chuckled at the funny faces of Yoichi chewing on the Hiringu turnip, the thin smoke from Takuma's bonfire wafted through the treetops.
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