The second event of the Inter-Academy Festival was the Dimensional Labyrinth.
Unlike the Mana Fortress Defense, which tested team coordination against external threats, this challenge plunged sixty individual competitors into an ever-shifting maze where the laws of physics themselves were negotiable. The event was designed to test adaptability, spatial awareness, and problem-solving under pressure—qualities essential for any high-ranking mage operating in unstable environments.
The massive arena had been transformed overnight. Gone were the fortress structures, replaced by a sprawling labyrinth constructed of gleaming obsidian walls that seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it. Viewing screens positioned around the spectator stands displayed various sections of the maze, allowing the audience to track competitors' progress through the otherwise opaque structure.
