Late Afternoon, Greystone District...
Click!
The beverage can flicked open, gas sizzling out as Code took a deep gulp.
"Arrgh, that hits the spot," he exhaled, squeezing the can and tossing it onto the roadside.
"Oi, this isn't the slums where you can just throw litter anywhere," Van said as he walked ahead of him.
The two walked along the road, the afternoon sun reflecting on their faces.
"Well," Code shrugged. "So we're finally going home, right?" he asked.
"Yeah, but don't be so enthusiastic about it," Van replied. "Including you, there are three members in the guild."
"Oh? That's pretty small for a first-tier sorcerer guild," Code muttered, glancing at the post stand across the road.
"Thinking of it," he continued, changing the topic, "why do you wear a mask?"
"Arrgh, because I'm Van Ackerman," Van said cooly a, pride dripping from his tone.
"Guess so," Code nodded faintly, eyes drifting around.
Van suddenly stopped walking.
"Oomph!" Code bumped into him. "Oi, don't just stop all of a sudden!" he snapped.
But Van didn't reply.
"Huh?" Code muttered, raising his gaze and following Van's eyes until it landed on the building standing far ahead.
"Woah! Is this the house?" he exclaimed, blocking the sunlight with his hand.
Before him stood a large three-story mansion with a pale pink exterior and green trim around the edges and roofline. It was perfectly symmetrical, crowned by three octagonal towers, each topped with a rounded copper dome now greenish with age.
"So this is the Ackerman Mansion I've only heard about in tales," Code marveled.
"Let's go. We're not here for sightseeing," Van said as he trudged forward, Code trailing behind, still awed by the architecture.
Van reached the door.
"Oh, I almost forgot," he said, stopping as he opened it.
"Huh?" Code turned to him.
"You're not the only zero in the team," Van replied as he pushed the door open.
"What?!" Code's eyes widened. "You mean there's another—" He stepped inside but froze mid-sentence.
CRASSHH!!
A bag of white powder dropped onto his head.
"Eh?" Code froze.
"I got you this time, Van!" a voice boomed from inside as a boy stepped forward with a triumphant grin.
But his expression changed instantly once he realized the trap had failed.
"Huh?!" the boy exclaimed in shock.
'What just happened?' Code wondered, glancing at the boy—from his bright red hair tied back with a black bandana to his outfit: a black high-collared tunic that hung past his waist over loose black pants gathered at the ankles.
"Van, you didn't say we were having a visitor," the boy said, brows furrowed.
Van stepped into the house, closing the door as his eyes shifted from the boy to Code—the white-covered figure.
Code's eyes rolled toward him, blinking.
"Pfft... hahahaha!!" Van burst into chaotic laughter. "Oh my gosh!"
Code looked between Van and the boy, who was clearly trying and failing to hold in his laughter.
"Oi, stop laughing!" the boy muttered, stifling a chuckle.
'What the hell?' Code thought. 'My first time here and I'm welcomed with a powder bath? And the bastard isn't even sorry.'
"Gaahh, my ribs hurt," Van wheezed. "Can't believe you mistook him for me, Nara."
"Aww, I'm really sorry, bro," Nara said, though guilt flickered in his eyes.
...
The passage opened into a wide sitting room, where a large TV leaned at an angle.
Onscreen, two game characters clashed in a sword duel.
"2X Combo attack!"
"Fatal hit!"
The game announced.
"Aww!" A girl sat on the floor opposite the TV, holding a controller.
She wore a tight white crop top with black leather straps crossing her torso, baring her midriff. Long black arm warmers covered her arms, and baggy black pants hung low on her hips, strapped and tucked into boots. Her hair was tied high with braided sides.
"N-No! No!" she screamed, frantically mashing the buttons in a desperate attempt to survive.
But then—
"YOU LOSE!"
The system declared.
"Ugh, fuck!" she shouted, tossing the controller aside as she jumped to her feet.
"Hahahaha!" Van's laughter echoed from the corridor.
"Eh?" The girl's head snapped toward the sound, spotting Van, Nara, and the white-coated newcomer.
"Van? You're back?" she asked.
"Ohmigosh," Van chuckled.
"For real, Van. It's not that funny," Nara snapped.
'Oh?' Code blinked as the girl's gaze landed on him.
"Wait, don't tell me..." she said, realization striking.
"Buh ahahaha!!" She burst into explosive laughter, the sound echoing through the corridor.
"Ohmigosh, I couldn't hold it!"
"Wha?" Code blurted, face flushing red. 'These guys are crazy. Is that why Van said I shouldn't be enthusiastic about meeting them?'
***
A Few Minutes Later...
"This is your room. Use it as you please," Nara said, opening the door.
"Oh?" Code stepped inside, glancing around the wide room. A large bed sat opposite the entrance, with a chair and lamp stand beside it.
"Aww, I haven't slept on a bed in ages," he beamed.
"Tough life," Nara muttered.
"You should take a bath quickly," Van said as he stepped in. "You reek of flour," he mocked.
"Tsk," Code clicked his tongue.
"Anyway, if you need help, my room's next door," Nara said with a grin. "We can play arm wrestling whenever you're free."
"Ah... uh... yeah," Code nodded awkwardly.
"Hey." Nara leaned closer, dropping his voice to a whisper. "Hina's room is at the end of the corridor. Don't go near it unless you wanna die."
"Eek!" Code shivered.
"Also, we're going out tomorrow," Van said as he turned to leave.
"Huh? To where?" Nara asked.
"I didn't tell you?" Van replied through a yawn. "We're going to meet Ken."
***
6:41 p.m., Marrowfen District, Azura.
Silence filled the dark alley until—
SPLAT!!
A wet impact rang out as a body slammed into the wall.
"Ugh!" The demon hissed, blood spilling from its mouth. Its body was crushed, facial bones shattered, limbs twisted at unnatural angles.
CLICK. CLACK.
Footsteps echoed from the shadows as a man stepped out. He wore a formal black suit over a white shirt tucked into trousers, a loose wrinkled black tie hanging around his neck. Dark bags lined his eyes, scars cut across his face, and his expression was drained, bored, and indifferent all at once.
"Oi, are you dead?" the man asked, grabbing the demon's jaw. He reached into his suit and pulled out a liquor flask.
"Maybe this will bring you back," he muttered, opening the demon's mouth and pouring beer inside.
CLUG. CLUG.
The liquid dripped out through the demon's crushed jaws.
"Aww, chug it slowly, will ya?" the man purred.
Tap. Tap.
Footsteps approached from behind as a boy entered the alley.
"Ken, what are you doing?!" the boy yelled.
"Huh? I'm feeding it booze. Maybe it'll come back to life and play some more," Ken replied, turning an uninterested gaze toward him.
"Oh my God," the boy gasped, watching the liquid pour out of the demon's ruined mouth.
"Aww, guess it's dead," Ken said, letting the body drop.
"Arrgh, let's go, Rowen," he muttered as he turned to leave.
"You're really crazy, Ken," Rowen said, shaking his head as he followed.
"When you say it like that, it makes me look like I'm the bad guy," Ken replied.
***
To Be Continued...