When the three members of Team 277 followed the magical fluctuations to their target, they had unknowingly entered the heart of this region.
The dim earthen passage grew wider and wider. What had originally been only a few meters across had now expanded to ten meters, yet the broader space did nothing to ease the increasingly deathly atmosphere. On the contrary, the farther they advanced, the more oppressive the air became, and the grayer the earthen walls turned. By the end, not even a few dry branches remained.
After passing through the final passage, a massive hollow appeared before them.
The hollow was still surrounded by the same earth as the passages before it. The ceiling and walls were gray to the point of whiteness. There was no light source within, leaving it completely pitch-black. Although such darkness could not obstruct a magical girl's vision, it was still enough to cast a layer of psychological oppression over them. What felt even more stifling was that, aside from a dead tree hanging down from the very center of the hollow, this enormous space was quite literally "empty." There was nothing remotely interesting to see, nor was there the slightest sound. It was as though every tangible and intangible thing had been drained from this place, reducing it to a land of death.
The three of them entered the space while maintaining their formation: Tudingui in front, Foxtail Grass at the rear, and Larkspur in the middle. They looked around, hoping to find something meaningful.
"Looks like there's nothing here."
Foxtail Grass pressed close behind Larkspur's head and whispered, "Could we have taken a wrong turn? Maybe this maze area isn't actually open to examinees?"
"Probably not."
Larkspur shook her head. "According to the chief examiner, the entire maze was created for