As the setting sun cast a warm, golden glow over Azura's streets, Van Ackerman stepped out of the house, gazing up at the sky. "Sigh, they should be back by now," he muttered, concern laced in his tone. Just then, a voice carried on the wind, and Van's eyes lit up. "Speak of the devil," he said, as Code, Hina, Nara, Ken, and Alpha approached.
"Oi!" Ken exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with mischief. Van raised an eyebrow. "Yo! You look like you've been through a war. Everything okay?" His tone was laced with amusement.
Ken's eyes bulged. "Yeah, I'm fine. Unlike some people who wear masks to hide their clown-like appearances." Van's mask seemed to be the target.
Van's eyes narrowed. "Well, at least I'm not the one who looks like they got struck by lightning." Ken's face turned red.
"Bring it on, pretty boy!" Van taunted, his tone mocking. Ken cracked his knuckles. "I guess a limb or two will do!"
Meanwhile, Code, Hina, and Nara watched the exchange with amusement. "What's with them?" Code asked, chuckling.
Nara shrugged. "Just the usual Ken-Van drama. They're always at each other's throats." Code smiled, marveling at their antics. Alpha, however, seemed uninterested and slipped into the house, closing the door behind her.
As the night descended, casting a silver glow over the city, the group retreated into the house, the Ken-Van drama momentarily forgotten. They gathered around a circular table, laden with Hina's signature dish, the aromas wafting through the air. Nara and Code claimed the left side, while Ken and Alpha occupied the right, with Van positioned in front, beside Ken. Hina sat at the far end, opposite Van.
Van's gaze swept the table, his voice laced with skepticism. "I heard demons appeared at the station" Code nodded solemnly. "Yeah, they just popped out of nowhere. It was chaos."
Ken's eyes lit up, his face gleaming with anticipation. "And then I showed up and took care of business!" He chuckled, relishing the attention. Alpha's unexpected applause caught everyone's attention, her earlier indifference replaced by admiration. Hina raised an eyebrow, amused by the dynamic.
Van attempted to break the ice with Alpha,"He-hey," he muttered as he waved at her, but she dismissed him with a cold shoulder, her gaze shifting away like he was invincible.
Finally, they dug into the food.
Code's eyes widened in rapture. "This is insane!" He exclaimed, as the placed the food into his mouth. It was really good.
One thing Code never got to enjoy was good food. He had been living on the streets since he was very young, but finally, he was able to taste good food.
'I will remember this for the rest of my life,' he thought to himself, as he savoured the rest of his food.
Nara enthusiastically devoured his food, the atmosphere transforming into a lively celebration. Van, still shrouded in mystery behind his mask, observed the group with interest, his gaze lingering on Alpha before shifting to Ken.
As they sat around the table, Ken's whisper was barely audible as he nodded toward Code, who was engrossed in his food. "Is that him?" Van's response was low and solemn, his voice barely above a whisper. "Yeah, he's the one." Ken's face scrunched up in concern as he dropped his fork, his eyes wide with wonder. "I still don't believe it. Aidra, how?" Van shrugged, his expression unreadable. "Who knows."
The meal concluded, and Nara swooped in, snatching Van's food with a mischievous grin. "Just preventing waste," he said, diving into the extra serving with gusto. Code, still savoring his food, suddenly turned curious. "Hey, Van, why don't I have a badge?" Van's response was casual, but with a hint of seriousness. "There aren't any reservations for 9th-grade sorcerers."
Ken's eyes widened in surprise, and he turned to Code with a mixture of amusement and incredulity. "Wait, you're a 9th-grade?" Code nodded, his expression neutral. Ken burst into laughter, unable to contain his mirth. "Ohmigosh! I've never met a 9th-grade sorcerer!" Alpha joined in, her chuckles soft at first, then growing louder as she caught the infectious laughter.
Code's cheeks flushed red as he hissed, "Tch," and looked away, embarrassed. "What's with being a 9th-grade sorcerer?" he muttered to himself, feeling a bit self-conscious. Ken and Alpha's laughter only intensified, until Hina intervened, her voice firm but amused. "That's enough."
Alpha snorted, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "A 5th-grade shouldn't talk either!" She exclaimed, laughing again. Hina's face darkened, her teeth gritted. "You asking for a fight?" Alpha's laughter only grew louder, and Van watched the exchange with amusement, unsure how to intervene.
As the commotion died down, Code turned to Nara, who was enjoying the spectacle with a grin. "What's her grade?" Nara's response was nonchalant, his voice low. "She isn't a sorcerer." Code's thoughts turned speculative, his mind racing with possibilities. "Probably got rejected," he thought to himself, his eyes drifting toward Alpha with curiosity.
After the laughter had quieted down, Van continued, his voice thoughtful. "Maybe you should do an appraisal, who knows, your power level might have increased. What do you think?" Code nodded enthusiastically, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Yeah, you're right. I'm gonna do an appraisal and get me a badge."
Hina's expression turned serious. "But Van, the only place you can do an appraisal is at the WAS headquarters." Van's face fell, as he shook his head. "Aww, I didn't think of that." Code remained oblivious, his enthusiasm undeterred. "What?"
Nara replied, his tone matter-of-fact. "The only WAS headquarters in Eldrid region is at Hazen."
Code's face fell as he exclaimed, "Hazen? You mean, all the way to Wistal?" His tone was laced with sadness, memories of his life in the streets of Hazen flooding his mind. He really didn't want to go back there, but if it meant he would finally be regarded as a sorcerer, he'd do it. "I'm going!" Code exclaimed, standing up. Everyone looked at him, and he added, "I've made up my mind."
Van sighed, his expression concerned. "That's not the problem here. The distance is very large, all the way from Azura here in Easton, to Hazen in Wistal." Code raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "Hmm, ya sure? How come we got here so fast that time?" He asked Van, referring to their journey from Wistal to Azura(chapter 5).
Van shook his head slightly, a hint of a smile in his tone. "Oh that? Nah, it's what gods like me can do," he said, his tone casual. Alpha's eyes narrowed, catching the subtle sarcasm in Van's tone. "Tch," she muttered under her breath.
Code sat back down, his eyes fixed on Van. "So, what do we do now? Can't you use the same... trick again?" Van's expression darkened slightly. "First, it's not a 'trick,' and second, it only works for two people at most." Code's face lit up. "Then that works!" Van groaned, placing his head on the table. "No, it doesn't."
Nara chimed in, his tone dry. "Van's lazy." Code looked at Nara, confused. "What? So what do I do now? I have to get a badge at all costs!" He crossed his arms, determination etched on his face.
Hina suggested, "Why don't you go by train?" Van's head snapped up, his eyes gleaming with enthusiasm. "Perfect! That would work. You guys go by train. I'm sure it'll be a fun ride." He added, his gaze locking onto Ken. "And maybe Ken can go with you." Van's eyes turned pleading.
Ken hesitated, shoving his hands into his pockets. Van's eyes grew more insistent, and Ken shifted his gaze away, only to meet Code's intense stare. Hina and Nara chuckled at the exchange, and eventually Ken relented. "Alright, alright. I'll go."
Ken's concern was evident. "But Van, are you sure about that? I mean, what if they find out he's a Zero?" Hina nodded in agreement. Van reassured them, "No need to worry about that. Whoever sealed Aidra knows his turf. Even a tenzometer can't go beyond the seal. I mean, if I can't, then no one can."
Code heaved a sigh of relief. "Alright, I guess I'm all set." Van nodded, his expression reassuring. "And as for your tenzen, I've got that covered. The training you did has suppressed your anti-tenzen aura, so the tenzometer will only detect tenzen from you."
Just then, Alpha cleared her throat, commanding everyone's attention. "If Ken's going, then I am." Code raised an eyebrow. "Why?" Alpha's response was simple. "We fly together." Ken nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that's true."
Hina and Nara chimed in, their voices enthusiastic. "We're going too!" Code's eyes widened. "You guys too?" Hina grinned. "We're not gonna be left out of an adventure." Van groaned, rubbing his temples. "Who's gonna pay for your tickets?"
Ken stood up, stretching his arms. "Alright, we set out tomorrow. It's gonna be a long ride." He yawned. "I better get some rest." As Ken disappeared into the hallway, Nara followed suit. "I'm so tired." Code also stood up, and Hina excused herself to pack.
The room fell silent, leaving Van and Alpha alone. Van hesitated, unsure what to say. "Yo, wanna talk?" he stammered, trying to sound casual. Alpha ignored him, standing up and walking away. Van sighed, feeling frustrated.
"What did I do wrong?" he wondered, as she disappeared into the hallway.
***
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