[Vol. 7] Chapter 171: The Abandoned Zone
Violet paid special attention to these three girls not only because of their exceptional qualities but also for another important reason.
Each of them, along with Gladys Wickliffe, who had previously appeared by Carinvega’s side at the banquet but wasn’t participating in the [Morst Underground Labyrinth] due to having already graduated, seemed to be wrapped in a mysterious invisible "field". This energy felt similar to what surrounded Carinvega, though noticeably weaker. It made them stand out from everyone else in a very distinct way.
Among them, Carinvega Frederick had the strongest concentration of this strange field. Whenever she appeared in public, it would radiate outward indiscriminately, affecting everyone around her. Violet had observed that this energy didn’t last long, as soon as Carinvega left, it would quickly fade away.
The other four girls also had traces of this same mysterious energy, but theirs couldn’t spread like Carinvega’s, and the strength of it was clearly much weaker. This suggested that there was some kind of hidden connection between them.
At the banquet, Sethlin had speculated that this might be a power related to fate, something similar to the divine blessings left behind by the gods, like those seen in [God Favored] individuals. However, the true source of this energy and its exact effects remained unknown, even to Sethlin and Violet.
Studying these girls and how their actions connected to Carinvega might be the key to uncovering the truth.
After briefly greeting Violet, the Frederick Royal Academy team was ready to enter the competition grounds, the [Morst Underground Labyrinth], also known as the "Holy Land of Adventurers".
This massive dungeon-like area was located within the Lannas Province, over several dozen kilometers away from Sainz Academy City. Traveling such a long distance with an entire group would be troublesome and risky. Once outside the [Eternal Day] barrier, unexpected dangers could arise along the way.
To solve this problem, Sainz Academy had built a teleportation anchor point that led directly to the underground labyrinth. With the help of the "Tower of Space" in the Third Academic District, participants could be instantly transported to a designated safe zone on the first underground floor.
Similarly, if participants encountered danger inside the labyrinth,where the harsh conditions made medical treatment and rescue difficult—they could use the same teleportation method to return to Sainz City for help.
Despite the dangerous nature of this competition, Sainz Academy had gone to great lengths to ensure student safety. This thorough planning was one of the main reasons why the event had gained widespread support from major organizations.
Violet and the others met the Imperial Princess in a secret chamber directly beneath the "Tower of Space" in the Third Academic District. This location was chosen because it was the only place where the tower’s miraculous protective powers could be fully unleashed.
As they stepped into the glowing silver teleportation array, it took only a few seconds before the faint floating sensation of weightlessness faded. When they regained their footing, they found themselves in a completely different space.
"So this… is the legendary [Morst Underground Labyrinth]? It’s spectacular."
Carinvega murmured with curiosity as she looked around. Violet, also visiting this place for the first time, remained calm but subtly observed their surroundings.
They had arrived in an underground city, a long-abandoned one.
Above them, nearly a hundred meters high, dark rock walls blocked out sunlight and fresh air from the surface. Everywhere they looked, the landscape was filled with collapsed buildings, crumbling ruins, and the remains of a once-thriving city. The area was dimly lit, but it wasn’t completely dark, glowing crystals had naturally grown along parts of the ceiling and roadsides, casting a faint illumination over the ruins.
This place matched the descriptions in the records, the “Abandoned Zone” of the [Morst Underground Labyrinth].
The labyrinth itself was a massive, multi-layered dungeon, with each section featuring dramatically different environments. In fact, the differences were so extreme that they seemed completely unrelated to one another. These changes occurred every ten floors, creating distinct zones.
The first nine floors, along with the entrance area, formed the ruins of a devastated city, which was known as the "Abandoned Zone".
Once an explorer passed the ninth floor, the labyrinth would suddenly transform into an entirely different environment. A vast, untouched jungle, seemingly unrelated to any underground setting. This new area was called the "Jungle Zone".
The Jungle Zone also spanned ten floors, and once an explorer crossed the nineteenth floor, the environment would undergo yet another drastic change. The twentieth floor and beyond became a dark, damp cave system, more in line with what one would expect from a deep underground labyrinth. This section was called the "Cavern Zone".
The Abandoned Zone, Jungle Zone, and Cavern Zone were the primary areas where 99.9% of adventurers operated. These sections had been extensively explored, making them relatively safer compared to deeper layers.
Of course, some pioneering explorers had reported that even stranger environments existed deeper inside, but those had little to do with the competition organized by Sainz Academy.
According to the rules, all teams were strictly limited to the first three zones of the labyrinth. Entering the 30th floor or beyond, where powerful spatial barriers prevented teleportation, was strictly forbidden. Any team that broke this rule would be immediately disqualified, and they would have to take full responsibility for any consequences.
The golden-haired girl, Rosie, scanned their surroundings before speaking up first.
"Your Highness, we should get moving. The other academies’ competitors must have entered the labyrinth by now. The competition officially starts from this moment. We need to reach the Jungle Zone and Cavern Zone as soon as possible, staying in just the first ten floors won’t be enough to compete for victory."
Her words were met with nods of agreement from the rest of the group, including Orluk and Noelle. As the true leader of the team, Carinvega also gave a slight nod in approval.
It was obvious that Rosie wasn’t just one of the strongest members of the team, she also had significant influence in decision-making. If Carinvega was the official captain, then Rosie was undoubtedly the vice-captain.
In other words, if Carinvega weren’t present, this young girl would likely have been the undisputed leader of the team.
As Violet silently observed these young people quickly strategizing their next steps, she pondered this thought to herself.
Of course, she had no intention of joining their discussion, let alone assisting them in any way. As an exam proctor, she had only two official tasks for this mission.
First, monitor the competitors from start to finish and ensure fair play, preventing any cheating.
Second, protect their lives if absolutely necessary.
Each team in the [Morst Underground Labyrinth] had been assigned a powerful escort, someone on par with Rosie’s Sky-Level Peak strength. Combined with the advanced magitech equipment from Sainz Academy, these escorts were more than capable of ensuring the safety of the competitors within the first twenty floors.
The "little dragon girl" and her team had a similar arrangement, though their escort's mission was slightly different.
But putting that aside, with Carinvega as their absolute core, the team had outstanding coordination. They quickly finalized their plan, formed an optimal formation, and began their descent into the next floor of the labyrinth.
Meanwhile, Violet activated her [Chameleon Cloak], concealing her presence as she followed them.
Just as she had said before. Unless the team faced an absolute life-or-death crisis, the proctor would not interfere with the competition in any way.