The dimly lit room was bathed in the warm, golden glow of the candles, casting flickering shadows on the walls. The air was thick with the scent of old books and the faint tang of smoke from the earlier fire. Code and Van sat amidst the scattered papers and scattered remnants of their earlier experiment, the tension between them palpable.

"Alright, let's get started," Van said, as he took another strand of thread from the table, and stretched it to Code, who collected it, and raised it, just as Van did, thinking the trick lay in raising the thread.

Code stared at the thread for a while, but nothing happened. He turned his head to Van, his face worrisome, "it's not working", he exclaimed.

"What are you doing?", Van asked, his tone humorous. "Uhn? What do you mean? Aren't you supposed to raise the thread up like this?", Code asked, as he raised the thread towards Van.

Van immediately burst into laughter. "Hahaha, my ribs are hurting," he added, still chuckling.

Code gave Van a look, as if saying, 'serves you right', as he grabbed the thread with both hands. "But seriously, how do I do it?", Code asked, his tone laced with tiredness and frustration.

"All you have to do is infuse the thread with tenzen until it's super saturated, then it snaps," Van said, raising the thread, and in that instant, it snapped. "Easy-peasy, right?" he added, chuckling. It seemed really easy for Van, but Code didn't understand anything Van had just said or done. He didn't even know what 'tenzen' was.

"What's tenzen?" he asked, his tone inquisitive.

Van's tone turned mocking. "What? You don't even know what tenzen is? Really, whoever registered you as a sorcerer just sent you on a suicide trip," he added, bursting into laughter.

Code retorted, raising his brows, "Very funny... are you going to tell me or not?"

Van composed himself, his tone serious. "I guess we would have to start from square one... But that would be square zero for you," he added, bursting into laughter again.

Code shook his head, thinking to himself, "Arrrgh... this guy's crazy."

Van's laughter echoed through the room for about five minutes before he finally cleared his throat. "Ahem! My ribs hurt so much."

He stood up, his tone serious. "Alright, Code, this time I'm serious. Let's get started."

Code replied, his tone indifferent, "You're just going to start laughing again."

Van assured him, "Nah... I'm serious. Let's get started."

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Code's eyes darted with disbelief. "Alright."

Van began."So, since we are starting from square zero, you need to know what tenzen is.". He took a bottle of water, and placed it on the table. "Matter, time, space, gravity, life, and death are all interconnected by a fundamental force known as tenzen. Tenzen is an omnipresent energy that permeates every aspect of the universe, from the smallest subatomic particles to the vast expanse of cosmic space. It's the underlying fabric that weaves everything together, governing the intricate web of relationships between all things. Think of tenzen as the resonance that harmonizes the universe, allowing particles to interact, forces to exert influence, and life to emerge. Every action, every event, and every decision sends ripples through the tenzen, shaping the world around us in subtle yet profound ways. For example...", Van paused, and stretched his hand to the bottle of water on the table. In that instant, the bottle began to quiver, the water inside churning and foaming as if heated from within.

Code's eyes widened in surprise, as the bottle's quivering grew more intense, its glass walls straining to contain the building pressure. Then in that instant, the bottle exploded, its glass shattering, as the water burst forth in a violent release.

"Woah...crazy!", Code exclaimed, his eyes glinting with awe. He had never seen something like this before.

"Impressive right? I know", Van replied, as he raised his shoulder.

"How did you do it?", Code asked, his tone laced with surprise.

Van continued, "Every form of matter, from the smallest particle to the largest structure, has a unique tenzen signature. This signature determines how much tenzen the matter can absorb, manipulate, and emit. Think of it like a container that can hold a certain amount of water - the container's capacity is its tenzen signature. When you infuse matter with tenzen, you're essentially filling its container. If you overfill it, the container bursts, releasing the excess tenzen in a burst of energy. That's what happened to the bottle - its tenzen signature was exceeded, causing it to shatter."

Code asked enthusiastically, "so, how do I get tenzen?"

Van's tone turned grim. "That's where your problem lies, Code. You have tenzen, but you can't manipulate it."

Van's words hung in the air like a death sentence. "What do you mean?", Code asked, still gripped by Van's revelation.

Van's tone turned grave as he continued, "Tenzen has a counterpart, a mirrored force known as anti-tenzen. Anti-tenzen is the absence of tenzen, and yet, it's not just a void - it's a presence that can exert its own influence. Anti-tenzen mostly exists in the absence of tenzen, and vice versa. This delicate balance is what governs the interactions between tenzen and anti-tenzen. However, tenzen and anti-tenzen can coexist, but that's only when they are at equal concentrations, neutralizing the effects of each other. The slightest imbalance in either of the two could lead to a catastrophic explosion."

Code's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh... that's why you said I shouldn't pour the water."

"The thread you used earlier is specially crafted to be infused with tenzen," Van explained. "But when you exposed it to the fire, the flames disrupted the tenzen within the thread, creating a void that was quickly filled by anti-tenzen. This meant that the thread's internal balance was precarious, with the anti-tenzen inside the thread mirroring the tenzen outside it. If you had poured water onto the thread at that point, the introduction of tenzen from the water would have upset the balance, causing a catastrophic reaction, and... well, let's just say we wouldn't be having this conversation."

Code's skin crawled as he grasped the magnitude of the risk. "So, uh... how does that relate to me?" he asked, his face etched with worry.

"Normally, being a Zero would imply that you're unable to manipulate tenzen," Van said, his eyes narrowing in thought. "But I believe there's more to it. Your possession by Aidra is probably the key. Aidra's anti-tenzen concentration is unparalleled, and the fact that you're still alive suggests that your own tenzen concentration has adapted to balance it out. It's a precarious equilibrium, one that could have far-reaching implications for your abilities as a sorcerer. However, what's most surprising is how your tenzen adapted to Aidra's in so little time. I mean, most Zeros cannot maintain the balance, and usually end up taken over by the demons possessing them."

Code gulped, his eyes wide with trepidation. "So, does that mean I cannot be a sorcerer?" he asked, his voice trembling slightly.

Van's tone was grim, but a hint of amusement seeped into his voice. "Yes..." he replied, his words dripping with gravity.

Code's eyes widened further, alarm written across his face. But before he could react, Van's tone shifted, taking on a sly, teasing quality.

"Ahem! You didn't let me finish. I meant to say, 'Yes...is what any other person would say.'"

Code's expression transformed from alarm to annoyance, his brows narrowing in mock irritation. "Oh, for real? You did that deliberately, didn't you?" He couldn't help but chuckle, a sense of relief washing over him.

"Alright, but are you sure you're ready for this?" Van's tone was cautionary, a hint of skepticism creeping in. "It's not going to be a walk in the park."

Code's response was immediate and resolute. "Yes!" he exclaimed, his enthusiasm unwavering. He was determined to seize this opportunity to grow stronger, no matter the challenges that lay ahead.