The dimly lit room was suddenly transformed into a vibrant party zone. Van, Nara, and Hina scurried around, decorating the space with colorful streamers and balloons.
"Come on, Code! Get ready to party!" Hina exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Code, still feeling a bit dazed from his earlier ordeal, watched in amusement as the trio worked their party magic.
Nara, meanwhile, was busy setting up a makeshift DJ booth, his fingers flying across the controller as he mixed a lively tune.
Van, donning his signature mask, was... well, being his usual enigmatic self, lurking in the shadows and observing the chaos with an air of quiet amusement.
As the music pulsed and the lights flashed, Code couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude towards his new friends. Who would have thought that a party would be the perfect antidote to his troubles?
Little did Code know, however, that this party would be more than just a celebration...
Finally, after all the ruckus of the party preparation, everyone sat down to eat in the parlour. The warm glow of the lanterns cast a cozy ambiance, and the delicious aroma of the food wafted through the air.
Nara, seated beside Code, let out a loud "Itadakimasu!" and dug into the steaming hot noodles. Code glanced at Van, who sat across from him, his mask glinting in the dim light. Code wondered, as he always did, what lay beneath that enigmatic mask.
Hina, seated opposite Code, smiled mischievously. "Don't bother trying to catch Van without his mask, Code. You won't succeed."
Code chuckled and shook his head. He turned his attention to the food, which looked like a complex web of noodles and spices. He picked up his chopsticks, and as he took his first bite, his eyes widened in surprise. The flavors exploded on his tongue, a perfect balance of spicy and salty.
"Wow," Code breathed, his eyes locked on the food. "This is incredible."
Hina grinned, pleased with herself. "Told you it's good." She leaned in, a mischievous glint in her eye. "You know, Code, this dish is called 'Dragon's Breath'. It's a specialty of our town."
Code, still savoring the flavors, looked up at Hina with tears-stained cheeks. "It's... it's incredible!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with genuine enthusiasm.
The group erupted into laughter, and even Van's mask seemed to gleam with a hint of amusement. For a moment, they all just enjoyed the warmth and camaraderie of the meal together.
As they ate, the conversation flowed easily, with Nara regaling them with stories of his culinary adventures. Van listened intently, his mask glinting in the light, while Code and Hina chatted and laughed together.
The meal was a warm and lively affair, filled with good food, good company, and plenty of laughter.
The festivities died down, and Van's voice cut through the silence. "Code, welcome to the group."
Code's grin faltered for a moment before he replied, "Thanks."
Nara clapped him on the back, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "So, Van, what's the real reason we're here?"
Van's expression turned somber. "Code is a Zero." He dropped the bombshell.
The room fell silent, the only sound the soft hum of the music. Nara's eyes widened in surprise, and he took a step back. "Whoa, that's heavy."
Van nodded. "And he's got the Aidra" He added.
Nara's face lit up with fear. "Ohmigosh!" He exclaimed.
Code felt a surge of fear at Nara's reaction. He knew being a Zero meant he was in trouble.
Hina's expression turned thoughtful. "This is massive. A zero containing Aidra? The same Aidra. I thought he was just a legend."
Van nodded. "Yeah, it's a lot to take in, but it's him."
Code's heart sank in fear, his mind racing with worst-case scenarios.
"I don't know, guys. I think I'm just going to turn myself in." Code suddenly said, as his gaze shifted heavenwards.
Hina's expression turned incredulous. "What? No way, Code! You can't just turn yourself in. Do you know what they'll do to you? Especially now that you have Aidra in you."
Code shrugged, his gaze drifting to the ceiling. "I don't know. But I don't see any other way out."
Van intervened, turning to Code. "Hey, we're a family, Code. We're not going to let that happen to you."
Nara nodded in agreement, smacking Code's back. "Yeah, we're in this together, bro."
Code felt a surge of joy run through his spine. His heart pumped with excitement as he realized he was no longer alone.
"But really, the major question is how did you get possessed by not just any demon, but Aidra?" Hina said, as her gaze shifted to Code's.
"That's what I don't know too," Code replied, his tone laced with confusion.
Hina turned to Van, her eyes demanding answers. "How?" She asked.
Van's expression turned serious. "There are only two ways of becoming a zero - either by making a contract with a demon, or by consuming the part of a demon's body. However, none of that works with special class demons."
"Good grief," Hina sighed.
"Code, remember when I told you to let him out?" Van asked, turning to Code.
Code nodded slightly, as he remembered. "Yeah, yeah."
"Did he come out?" Hina and Nara exclaimed in unison, their eyes widened.
"No," Van replied. "Even my technique couldn't bring him out. It's like he was sealed."
"Sealed?" Van's words echoed in Code's mind.
'When? How?' He began asking himself. His heart kept racing, and something kept telling him that Van was right. But the question that kept bugging his head, was: "Who could have sealed Aidra?" Code's thinking couldn't get him an answer, as he knew next to nothing about his childhood. From what he could remember, his parents died after he was given birth to.
Hina's expression turned serious, her eyes clouding with concern. "Something's wrong."
"Sealing Aidra... Is that even possible?" Nara asked.
"If it is, then a sealer that can seal an entity as strong as Aidra, has to be beyond this world." Van replied.
"We can't have anyone knowing about this, or else, we might have the world turning against us," Van continued. "Code, you need to get stronger, to be able to fight against the demon in you." Van said, his voice echoing throughout the room. "The fact that you are still alive means your tenzen power is great enough to balance Aidra's anti-tenzen."
Nara turned to Code, his curiosity evident in his gaze. "So, what's your sorcery style?" he asked, his voice filled with excitement, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.
Code hesitated, unsure of how to respond. "Sorcery style?," he stammered, his face flushing with embarrassment.
Nara's eyes widened in surprise, his face alight with wonder. "Nani?" he exclaimed, his voice filled with surprise. "Like your tenzen affinity?" he added.
But Code shook his head, and replied, "I don't know."
Van intervened, his tone calm and soothing. "We haven't found out yet," he explained, his eyes locked on Code, his expression reassuring.
Nara's face lit up with surprise, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Hmm..." he exclaimed, his voice filled with wonder.
Code smiled, feeling a sense of wonder wash over him. He was still trying to wrap his head around the revelation.
Van stood up, his eyes locked on Code. "He's going to train with me. Code, come with me," he instructed, his voice firm, his gaze commanding.
Nara clapped Code on the back, his grin mischievous. "Don't die, okay?" he joked, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
Code's heart skipped a beat as he processed the warning. "Die?" he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper, his mind racing with worst-case scenarios.
Hina shot Nara a warning glance, her eyes flashing with annoyance. "Nara, don't scare him," she chided, her voice firm.
Nara grinned mischievously. "Just telling the truth," he retorted, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
As Code followed Van into the next room, he couldn't shake off the feeling of uncertainty that lingered in the air. What lay ahead? Only time would tell.
"I hope I don't die," Code whispered to himself, his heart racing with anticipation and fear.
Nara's voice echoed from behind, "Don't worry, Code! We'll protect you... unless you're allergic to training. Then you're on your own!".
***
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