As the bell rang at the end of the class at 3:15 AM, all the students gathered their belongings and left quietly. All they could think about was how unlucky they were to already have homework in their very first "Magic Theories" class. Noah and Sirius left the lecture hall, but Professor Elena stayed behind — perhaps she had another class with different students at that hour.
Noah and Sirius exited the university building and made their way to the gate, where they patiently waited for Neriah and Enel.
Noah was leaning against the wall while Sirius had picked up a small rock and was tossing it up and catching it repeatedly to pass the time and stave off boredom.
Eventually, Neriah and Enel arrived, slightly out of breath. It was obvious they had run so they wouldn't keep Noah and Sirius waiting.
"S-Sorry we're late," Neriah said, his voice trembling and breath ragged.
"Anyway, let's just head straight to Sector 3!" Sirius said, having clearly lost his patience. He frowned, began tapping his foot on the ground repeatedly, crossed his arms, and tapped his forearm with his index finger.
"Alright, let's go. I've got something to buy there too," Enel said as he wiped the sweat from his forehead and began walking alongside Sirius.
Noah glanced at Neriah, who was still panting like an old man.
"Dude… how old are you, seriously?" Noah asked, concerned that Neriah might actually be an adult disguised as a student.
"Shut up, I'm 18 just like everyone else," Neriah replied, clearly annoyed by the indirect jab — though his heavy breathing made his claim a bit hard to believe.
"I doubt that. Anyway, let's catch up with the others," Noah said with a sarcastic smile. Neriah finally caught his breath and hurried after Enel and Sirius.
The group arrived at the train station, which was empty. They didn't have to wait long. Before Sirius could even start a conversation, the train had arrived. To Noah's surprise, it was mostly empty — with only a few students inside — unlike the crowded ride that morning.
They all sat together.
"So, what are you guys going to buy?" Neriah asked curiously, directing the question mainly at Sirius, since he was the one who insisted on showing Noah around and mentioned needing something from Sector 3's market.
"I forgot. But since Enel wants to buy something, ask him instead," Sirius said sarcastically while staring out the window. Neriah was annoyed by him and wished he could punch him — but sadly, he couldn't.
"What are you going to buy, Enel?" Noah asked, curious.
"My target today is one of the rare creatures — the Mexican axolotl. It possesses extraordinary regenerative abilities — even regrowing organs like the brain and heart. If I can analyze its cellular regeneration at a molecular level, we might get one step closer to understanding the keys to biological immortality," Enel replied calmly, eyes still fixed ahead, lost in thought.
Noah then added an idea.
"Have you considered expanding your research scope? Beyond regeneration, you could study the neural responses during the repair process. The brain doesn't just rebuild itself — it reconstructs memory and functionality, which might be more complex than physical regeneration itself," he said, rationally and after a short pause.
"Insightful analysis, Noah… I hadn't thought about combining regeneration with neural reconnection like that… Actually, I need an assistant. What do you think about helping me with the research?" Enel said, finally looking up at Noah with focused eyes full of calculation, his expression genuinely intrigued.
"Assistant, huh? Hmm… Sure, I don't mind," Noah agreed to help Enel. He hadn't really wanted to bring up the idea since it might distract Enel from the core purpose of the research, potentially creating a flaw if he focused too much on one aspect. Noah thought to himself that maybe he should learn when not to let his curiosity get the best of him.
The train arrived at Sector 3, and the doors opened. Most of the students exited. A cool breeze slapped Noah's face as soon as he stepped outside. He noticed a slight change in the weather and looked up at the sky but didn't pay it much attention.
The entrance to Sector 3 was the train station itself. Noah and the group left the station, and anticipation was evident on Noah's face. It was his first time here, and it felt like stepping into a completely different world compared to the other sectors he had visited.
Noah was warmly welcomed as they officially entered Sector 3's central market. The market was buzzing with life. The shouts of vendors — all students — calling out their goods filled the air. The sounds blended together in a chaotic yet vibrant symphony. Stalls lined both sides of the road, packed with colorful fruit, fresh vegetables, fragrant spices, fluttering clothes, and gleaming weapons — from swords and spears and axes, to, knives, and daggers.
Noah's eyes widened in awe as he took it all in. There were students with friends, lovers, or alone, haggling with vendors — countless faces, each carrying its own story.
"This… is all one market?" Noah asked, barely hiding his amazement.
"Yep! And this is just the first part. Wait till we get to the food area!" Sirius said with a laugh, patting Noah on the right shoulder.
Neriah rolled his eyes with a short sigh while Enel walked silently behind them, observing everything.
Noah looked up, but the sky was hidden by colorful fabric canopies shading the market, giving the place a warm and cozy atmosphere. He hadn't expected a place this chaotic to be so beautiful.
"This… is truly amazing," Noah whispered to himself. The place was full of life and chaos — more lively than the university building or anywhere else Noah had ever been.
The group began moving on, with Noah hanging back beside Enel, observing quietly and scanning both right and left from the corners of his eyes, carefully controlling his excitement.
They left the covered area filled with stalls and entered a completely different zone. Noah was still stunned by what he saw. As soon as they stepped onto the stone-paved ground outside, a new wave of excitement hit Noah. Dim lights and strange smells filled the district. Lined with shops on both sides of the street, the area echoed with sellers' voices and the hammering of metal. It was less crowded, with fewer students, but no less alive. The scent of coal and molten iron filled the air. In front of one shop, a large blacksmith hammered a glowing sword — clearly an adult, not a student.
This district was known for blacksmiths, along with shops selling magical tools and herbs, armor repair workshops, and even handmade jewelry stores. There were also pet shops displaying bizarre animals behind glass cages — the reason Enel had come.
"The district we were just in is called the 'Canopies District,' named after the fabric covers overhead. But this one is the 'Open District,' due to the contrast between the two. Of course, these names were just made up by the students. None of the university zones were officially named by the higher authorities — it's the students who come up with them," Neriah explained, clarifying the nature of the university's districts.
Noah felt a sense of wonder creeping into his heart. This was the open district, and it looked like an ancient city with its stone-paved streets and the cement-and-brick shops. Despite the strange names, Noah didn't pay much attention to them.
They continued moving through the crowded streets, each person seeing the place through their own lens, with their own perspective. The group took several turns—sometimes to the right, sometimes to the left—following Sirius's lead until they reached a narrow alley lined with odd shops and filled with a mix of strange smells.
One small shop stood out. Its front was made of old, slightly cracked glass, and above it hung a wooden sign engraved with faded words: "The Wild Whispers Depot." Behind the glass, cages of various sizes and shapes could be seen, holding creatures Noah had never seen before: a snake with eyes like a cat's, a bird with four wings and a voice like children whispering, and a small creature that looked like a rabbit but had the tail of a snake.
A strange aromatic scent wafted from inside the shop, like a mix of incense and fresh herbs. Noah entered with Sirius and the others, his eyes wide with awe as they wandered among the cages and the strange creatures that whispered, roared, or giggled softly.
Behind a table stood a very thin man, his skin pale as if it hadn't seen sunlight in years. He wore a robe the color of ash, and his large eyes were the color of dark honey.
"Welcome to my little world... I am called Raikel Attin, Keeper of Whispering Souls," he said in a calm, monotonous voice, smiling faintly.