With Alex declared the winner, the Magic Tower Siege event finally came to an end.
For the newcomers division, this marked the conclusion of the second magic event, bringing the mage-side competitions for the first-year students to a close.
With both magic events completed, only one event remained for Phase One of the Nine Academy Tournament.
This time, it would not be for mages.
The final event of the newcomers division belonged to the knight students.
The Grand Maze Trial of the Knight Division.
Just like the previous events, each academy would send ten representatives, bringing the total number of participants to ninety students. Unlike the magic competitions, however, this trial focused entirely on close combat ability and real battlefield performance rather than spellcasting.
The purpose of the Grand Maze Trial was to evaluate several aspects of a knight's capability at once, including combat ability, survival skills, judgment, endurance, and adaptability in a real combat environment.
The event had been designed to simulate real combat conditions as closely as possible. Participants would be forced to make decisions without guidance while facing unpredictable situations throughout the maze.
This was also an individual ranking event.
Although the students entered as representatives of their academies, the final results would be recorded separately for each participant. Just like before, all ninety students would ultimately be ranked from first place to ninetieth place based on their performance inside the maze.
The Grand Maze Trial took place within a massive artificial maze created through a large-scale magical formation constructed specifically for the tournament.
From the outside, the structure appeared to be nothing more than a wide circular field surrounded by tall barrier pillars.
But once the formation activated, the interior space expanded far beyond its visible size.
At the start of the event, all participants would be teleported to random positions along the outer regions of the maze.
No one would begin with equipment.
Weapons, shields, tools, and even basic medical supplies had been scattered throughout the labyrinth beforehand. Every participant would need to search for resources on their own while navigating deeper into the maze, all while competing against the other students who were also moving toward the center.
The deeper one progressed, the more dangerous the environment would become.
Only those who could fight, survive, and adapt at the same time would be able to reach the center of the Grand Maze.
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Preparations for the final event began soon after the announcement. Participants of the Knight Division gradually gathered near the entrance of the formation field, forming groups across the staging area.
For Alex, however, there was barely any time to rest.
Since he had taken part in both mage events, his schedule had become far tighter than most of the other students. The Magic Tower Siege had only just concluded, yet he was already standing among the knight participants, preparing for the next event with hardly any break in between.
As before, one of the tournament staff members stepped forward holding a familiar item.
"Extend your arm."
Alex did so without complaint. The official fastened a mana-restricting band around his wrist, securing it firmly in place. A faint glow spread briefly across the engraved seal before fading, confirming that the restriction had activated.
Just like in the previous knight event, the band prevented him from using magic—or even circulating mana through his body.
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At the center of the arena stage, the rabbit-kin announcer hopped onto the elevated platform. Her long ears twitched slightly as she raised one hand to signal for attention.
Above the arena, four massive display panels lit up simultaneously, projecting a wide image visible from every corner of the stadium.
The projection revealed a massive circular structure divided into multiple layers.
"This is the Grand Maze Trial field prepared for the Knight Division!"
Her cheerful voice echoed across the arena as the diagram slowly rotated, revealing the complex layout of the labyrinth.
The maze consisted of countless corridors, chambers, and branching pathways arranged in circular rings that gradually led toward the center. Each section was separated by thick formation barriers, allowing different areas of the maze to be sealed off as the trial progressed.
"Various mechanical traps have been installed throughout the maze to simulate real battlefield hazards," the announcer continued, pointing toward different sections of the projection as glowing markings appeared across the map.
Pressure plates connected to hidden arrow launchers were placed along certain paths. Concealed pitfalls had been built into narrow corridors where a careless step could lead to instant elimination.
Some floors were designed to collapse under sudden weight, while others triggered swinging blades or falling nets meant to restrain anyone caught off guard.
There were also crushing gates that could slam shut without warning, and fire vents built into certain walls capable of releasing sudden bursts of flame.
Some traps were meant to cause only minor injuries.
Others were dangerous enough to remove a participant from the trial immediately if triggered recklessly.
"In addition," the announcer said, her smile widening slightly, "some mechanisms can also be activated manually."
A quiet ripple of murmurs spread through the audience.
"This means participants may also use traps against each other—if they are able to control the timing correctly."
On the display, the projection shifted toward the very center of the maze. A large circular chamber appeared at the heart of the labyrinth.
"The main objective of this event is to advance toward the center while surviving both the hazards of the maze and the interference of other participants. Those who remain active when the trial ends will gather here for the final ranking evaluation."
The diagram zoomed out again, showing the entire structure from above.
"There is also a strict time limit." she continued, "The Grand Maze Trial will last for three hours."
Lines of light appeared across the outermost ring of the maze on the display, slowly moving inward.
"As time passes, the outer sections will gradually close due to the formation. Any participant caught outside the active area when a sector is sealed will be automatically removed from the trial. Students must continue advancing toward the center if they wish to remain in the event."
The rabbit-kin announcer waited for the murmurs in the arena to settle before continuing. Her expression turned slightly more serious as the next set of rules appeared across the displays above.
"Combat between participants is permitted. There are no restrictions on fighting inside the maze. Participants are allowed to engage one another freely, and eliminating other students will contribute to your final evaluation."
The formation surrounding the labyrinth had been designed to prevent fatal injuries. If a participant received critical damage, the formation would automatically activate and teleport them outside the maze.
At that point, the student would be considered eliminated from the trial.
The announcer gestured toward the center of the projection, and several lines of text appeared beside the map.
"Ranking in the Grand Maze Trial will be determined using multiple factors, including survival time, distance reached within the maze, number of eliminations, and final position at the end of the trial."
The image zoomed toward the central chamber once again, emphasizing the large circular zone at the very core of the labyrinth.
"Participants who successfully reach the center zone will receive the highest evaluations. Students eliminated in the outer areas will naturally be placed lower in the ranking."
Another diagram appeared, showing the outer rings of the maze slowly shrinking as glowing formation barriers moved inward.
"As explained earlier, the active area of the maze will continue to contract as time passes. Students who fail to move inward in time will be removed automatically once their sector closes."
The announcer paused briefly before delivering the final rule.
"The Grand Maze Trial will end when the three-hour time limit expires…"
A short silence followed.
"…or when only one participant remains inside the maze."
This time, the reaction from the audience was much louder.
Unlike the earlier events, there would be no fixed number of winners and no guaranteed placements for each academy. In the end, everything would depend on how long each student could survive—and how far they could push themselves inside the maze.
Near the entrance of the formation field, all ninety knight representatives stood ready. Their expressions were tense as the final instructions came to an end.
For this event, strength alone would not be enough.
Only those who could fight, endure, and make the right decisions under pressure would make it to the center.
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The final instructions came to an end, and the participants began forming lines near the edge of the formation field.
One by one, the knight representatives stepped into their assigned positions, waiting for the signal that would send them into the maze.
Alex stood among them in silence, watching the line slowly move forward.
Then an unexpected thought crossed his mind.
'This really feels like those games from my previous life…'
The structure of the event, the scattered equipment, the shrinking safe area, even the fact that participants could eliminate each other while advancing toward the center—it all reminded him of the battle royale games he used to play back on Earth.
'PUBG… COD… something like that.'
He almost let out a quiet sigh.
'And the Magic Tower Siege was basically tower defense.'
The more he thought about it, the more accurate the comparison seemed. The only real difference was that this time there was no screen, no controller, and no reset button if something went wrong.
This was real.
The line in front of him moved forward again.
One student after another stepped into the formation circle, disappearing in flashes of light as the teleportation formation activated. Each time the circle beneath their feet glowed, the air distorted slightly before the participant vanished without a trace.
Alex stepped forward when his turn came.
The moment he entered the center of the circle, the light beneath him flared brightly, and the world around him blurred.