A/N Big thanks to everyone for the Power stones and Golden tickets, they mean a lot. As usual, please don't hesitate to comment or drop a review. ENJOY)

Power stones people, Gimme it.

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They crossed the boundary into Magnum Three with no resistance—just a stone archway separating the districts, engraved with the number 3 in thick, silver lines. No guards. No teachers. No regulation spells humming in the corners.

Orion stepped through the threshold—

—and immediately understood why the outer magnums were considered a different world.

Magnum One was pristine. Magnum Two was lively.

Magnum Three was alive.

The buildings here weren't as polished—stone gave way to reinforced wood, metal plating, and mismatched construction. Stacked windows, hanging lanterns, makeshift signs glowing with dim mana runes. Hundreds of dorm structures stretched in long rows, separated by wide walkways and neon-lit alleys.

Shops lined the sides—weapon stalls, repair stands, snack counters, potion booths, charm sellers, game rooms, workshop sheds, training pits.

No symmetry.

No rules.

But everything was functional.

The density hit immediately.

Orion counted instinctively.

Based on the academy's records… 400 in Magnum One, 3,600 in Magnum Two, and 16,000 in Magnum Three.

He scanned the area.

These streets alone held at least a few hundred students. And this was only one of many pathways.

"If the place we're going is deep inside," Orion murmured, "we won't reach it tonight."

"Relax," Thaddeus said, waving his hand lazily. "It's not that far."

He pulled out his bracelet and tapped through a few screens.

"Let me contact the guy."

The group paused at a street corner while Thaddeus sent a quick pulse-message. Erevan leaned against a post. Arlen stared around like he'd just walked into wonderland. Caelum kept one hand casually in his pocket, monitoring foot traffic with mild tension.

Orion watched people.

Fights. Deals. Arguments.

Upperclassmen trading information.

Students sprinting between buildings.

Shady figures slipping into alleyways.

It was a complete ecosystem—organized chaos.

A few minutes later, Thaddeus's bracelet chimed.

"He's close," Thaddeus said.

They didn't wait long.

A boy sprinted toward them from one of the side streets—short brown hair, wiry frame, bright eyes, maybe thirteen or fourteen. His breathing was uneven, but his steps were confident enough.

"There you are!" he wheezed, slowing down. Then his eyes landed on the group.

He froze.

Orion saw the recognition hit him like a stone.

The boy straightened immediately, trying to look composed, though his shoulders stiffened. "Uh… I didn't know you were bringing people."

"Why?" Thaddeus asked casually. "Is it a problem?"

The boy shook his head too quickly. "No! No, not a problem. It's just—uh—well—"

He eyed them again. One… two… three… four… five.

Their posture. Their calm expressions. Their clean clothes. Their unbothered confidence.

He realized instantly these weren't normal first-years.

They were the first-years.

Arlen stepped closer with an easy grin. "Relax. We're just checking the place out."

That seemed to calm the boy a little.

"A-Alright then," he said, clearing his throat. "Follow me."

They moved.

Magnum Three thinned out the deeper they went—not in population, but in lighting. The lanterns dipped into darker shades. Glow-stones flickered. The air grew thicker, humming with unspoken rules.

They walked down a long stairway beneath an inn, then through a narrow hall carved under the building. The walls here were darker, reinforced. Mana-suppressing runes faintly glowed along the ceiling, marking the path.

Arlen whispered, "Why does this look like the beginning of a bad idea?"

Erevan smirked. "Because it probably is."

Thaddeus only seemed amused.

The boy leading them kept glancing back every few steps—to check that they were still behind him, or maybe to check that they weren't about to turn around.

After a series of short tunnels and side corridors, they reached a low-ceiling walkway lit by red mana-crystals. A reinforced gate sat at the end, guarded by two burly older students wearing black armbands.

Both men looked them over.

Their eyes paused on Orion's group… then narrowed—not out of hostility, but out of calculation.

"New kids?" one asked.

"Yeah," the boy leading them said, slightly breathless. "First timers."

The second guard stepped forward. "Twenty points each."

Arlen blinked. "We have to pay?"

"Twenty. Each," the guard repeated. "Non-negotiable."

Erevan crossed his arms. "For what exactly?"

The guard shrugged. "To enter."

Orion could tell by their mana signatures—they weren't lying. This was the price. Not a scam. Just… the rules here.

Caelum leaned toward Orion. "This place is obviously regulated by students. They need points to keep it running."

"Mm," Orion hummed.

The boy who led them shifted nervously. "I should've warned you…"

Thaddeus waved it off. "Doesn't matter."

The group exchanged glances.

It wasn't cheap—twenty points each was the cost of a proper meal in Magnum One. But they had the points, and curiosity was stronger than hesitation.

"I'll pay mine," Orion said.

"Same," Erevan echoed.

A few taps later, the guards checked their bracelets and stepped aside.

The gate slid open.

Heat, noise, and the thick scent of dust and sweat rushed outward.

They stepped inside—

—and the world expanded.

It wasn't a room.

It was an underground arena.

A massive hollowed chamber big enough to house several hundred students. Elevated stone bleachers surrounded a central pit layered with dirt and runes. The roar of the crowd washed over them—cheers, shouts, groans, laughter.

Orion froze for a heartbeat.

There were real fights happening.

Brutal wrestling matches.

Mana sparring duels.

Magical beasts inside cages, awaiting release.

Booths selling food, charms, gambling slips.

Students sitting in groups, leaning forward as if watching a major tournament.

Others yelling bets, names, odds.

It was overwhelming.

Arlen's jaw dropped. "What… is this place?"

Thaddeus's friend—who had stopped at the entrance—spread his arms with a proud grin.

"See? Fun."

The boys didn't even get to reply before a loud voice from behind shouted:

"Hey! Move! You're blocking the path!"

They quickly stepped aside, startled, as an older student carrying a tray elbowed past them.

The boys finally gathered near one of the inner walkways, looking out over the chaos.

"This…" Arlen whispered, eyes sparkling, "is insane."

Erevan rested his hands behind his head. "I didn't think it would be this big."

Caelum scanned the arena, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Thaddeus was practically vibrating with satisfaction.

Orion, meanwhile, stood silent.

He wasn't scared.

Just… shaken.

This wasn't the academy he had been shown.

This was a living organism of unregulated competition—students testing limits without oversight, without restraint, without any guarantee of safety.

This place existed beneath the surface.

Hidden. Thriving.

How much more of this academy is unseen?

His worldview shifted—not drastically, but enough to leave an imprint.

"So," Arlen finally whispered, pulling Orion from his thoughts,

"…what now?"

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