*Vwoom*
I watched as the mana swirled around the final troll's head, pushing through its skull and into where I assumed the core was located.
"Everyone, get ready! Something is happening with the final one, and I don't like it!" I shouted.
Everyone tensed and turned to the final troll, preparing for anything.
It twitched once, then twice.
Then it stopped moving, and its head sagged forward.
...
...
...
"I-is it dead?" someone asked.
...
I moved some spiritual energy over its body and sensed nothing—no movement, no blood flow, no signs of life at all.
"What in the hells is going on?" I wondered to myself.
Mathew had moved over to the rest of us and waited as well, ready for anything.
...
"There is no way it just died, right?" someone else asked.
"Could it have been some sort of life-binding magic? When one dies, the others die too?"
That wasn't possible. I would have noticed that.
I moved spiritual energy closer to its chest.
Finding none of the organs moving, I moved to the head and paled.
The core inside its head was sucking mana in like crazy, to the point that a mana vortex was created.
*Twitch*
I then noticed its finger twitch.
*Twitch*
Then again.
"IT'S ALIVE!" I shouted.
Everyone panicked a bit as its body started to pulsate, its flesh bulged, and veins popped as its body grew to almost 20 meters tall, and its skin turned from a grayish-green to a dark reddish colour.
Its tusks were green and turned black, same with the eyes, as they turned into black orbs, almost like the void itself.
'Shit, it's an evolution!'
"RRRAAAUUUUGGGGHHH!!!!" it bellowed as it started ripping itself out of the restraints.
Its aura burst forth, and I could tell it was on par with a high A-rank monster, bordering on low S-rank.
^Volt, are you near the arena?^ I asked him telepathically.
^I am. I have been watching from the academy rooftop. I figured you didn't want me to appear unless it was seriously dire.^ he replied.
^Thanks. Even now, revealing I'm a summoner would be bad. How long until the academy security comes along?^
^Security team? I doubt they know this is happening.^
^What do you mean?^ I asked, appalled. ^Several of the staff members left to inform the guards of the situation.^
^I didn't see any leave the arena. I will go check it out.^
zztp
I sensed him teleport to the arena entrance, and he paused.
^How many were sent?^ he asked.
^Around 6, I think. Why?^ I responded, a little worried.
^There are 4 bodies here, all killed assassin-style, and I am sensing traces of shadow magic.^ he said.
^Aaron?^ I asked, already knowing the answer.
^Most likely.^
'Shit.'
I pulled out a lavender flower and summoned Lavender, hiding her around everyone's legs.
^Take Glare and go find out what happened. Use the same trick from the other day with Aaron's note.^ I told her.
^Right.^ she replied, took Glare from me, and left to join Volt.
^Volt, stay nearby and watch over Ark and Orin. Those two are down right now and are in the most danger.^
^Got it.^ he replied.
I then focused back on the troll as I formulated a plan while I moved towards Terra and Zek.
"I need a mage from each element to come to me! I have a plan, but I need elemental mana from as many elements as possible! Terra and Zek continue casting restraining spells. I will leave the two of you till the end.
As for everyone else, I need the troll restrained for as long as possible. When I give the signal, everyone must clear a path between the troll and me and evacuate ASAP."
"Right!" everyone called out, still nervous and scared but holding it together.
Moving fast, two water, one wind, and three light mages rushed over to me, along with Matthew.
I pulled out a large empty mana crystal and held it up for everyone to see.
"Put as much attributed mana into this crystal as possible. Don't worry about it mixing. I will handle that." I explained.
Matthew looked at the crystal, and realization and fear showed on his face.
"Jack, don't tell me you're going to make a mana bomb!?" he nearly shouted, and for good reason.
Mana crystals are only supposed to be able to store one kind of mana. If someone tried to store more than one kind, the mana would start to become volatile, being confined to a small space with a different attribute.
Eventually, the crystal would become fragile, break, and explode. And with all the mana released at once, it can become very dangerous. But that isn't what I am doing here.
I shook my head. "No. I am going to use it and cast a custom fusion spell." I said.
He paled. "F-Fusion magic! That kind of power would kill everyone here!" he stated in shock.
I turned to him and replied, "That is why I need everyone else to immobilize the troll while I prepare the spell. Then once it is down, I will give a signal, and everyone must clear a path for the spell and run."
I then turned to the mages and held out the crystal. "Now fill it."
They all looked scared but complied.
Each of them put as much attributed mana into the crystal as possible, but it was a very slow process.
Having two minds focus on controlling the mana in the crystal to help keep it stable, I used another to watch the troll.
It was slowly breaking the restraints, but Terra and Zek were thankfully keeping up. But that worried me, because once I take mana from them, they will have to stop making restraints.
I turned to Ark and Orin, and Orin was standing up now. His head was probably clearing, but he was still too out of it.
Finally, I turned to all the students, all of them working together to defend each other regardless of social standing or class.
I smiled. This is the kind of world I would love to be a part of... if only the path I chose would let me live like this for a bit longer.
~
[Ark's POV] ~back 2 minutes~
"I'm sorry," Jack said before running back to the other students.
I stood there, embarrassed and ashamed.
I am no fighter, and I can't use magic. I know this, yet I still feel guilty for being so useless.
I sat down next to Orin and watched as Jack and the professor issued commands to everyone and helped prepare them for the fight.
Then the trolls broke through the gate. I couldn't help but watch as they smashed through and glared at all the students in front of them.
"THOSE ARE HIGH TROLLS!" I heard Jack warn everyone.
I then watched as Jack pulled out some bottles with weird liquids. Araki started shooting arrows, hitting the trolls in the eyes, blinding them. Terra, Zek, and the water mages worked together to restrain the trolls, giving them a chance to attack.
Through all this, I watched helplessly as so many impressive people worked together to fight the trolls, while I had to stay behind because I was so useless.
I closed my eyes, trying to hold back my tears, and pulled my knees to my chest.
'Why do I have to be so weak and useless?' I thought to myself.
'Do you wish to remain like that?' A thought popped into my head, but it wasn't mine.
~
[Jack's POV]
"Hoh, that is all I got," the final mage said, exhausted and very low on mana.
I nodded, said, "Good, conserve the rest and use it to defend the others," and examined the crystal.
So far, it was stable, and looking at the amount of mana in the crystal, it was enough to cast a tier 4 spell. However, that doesn't account for the different kinds of mana compressed into one spot.
"Ok... Hope it works in the end." I mumbled to myself.
I then turned to Terra and Zek.
Both of them were working hard on making restraints and thankfully still had a lot of mana left over.
"I need your mana now, but you will have to stop making restraints."
"Is it safer for one of us to go or both?" Terra asked.
I took a moment to calm my thoughts before saying, "Neither. One of you stopping gives us more time, but I might not be able to keep the crystal stable, and if both of you stop, then the troll might break out before we finish."
Matthew hesitated for a second before saying, "I might be able to hold it back longer."
I turned to him, curious. "How?"
He looked determined and said, "I have a [Minor Domain]."
My eyes shot open in shock. "Y-you do? Why didn't you—... no, if you didn't, then it isn't complete, right?" I asked.
He nodded. "It isn't finished, and I can only use it for a few seconds, but I can try to cut its arms and legs off, or even the head."
I nodded and thought for a second.
^Is he able to sever the head or spinal cord?^ I asked the book.
^Negative: the evolved troll is very tall, and its skin is very tough and the bones even more so. He might be able to cut the flesh, but his [Domain] is likely not strong enough to cut through the bone and allow a full decapitation. pinpointed at the joints in both arms and legs should be possible, though.^
I nodded and said, "Just get the arms and legs, but aim for the shoulder and hip points. It seems to have a high resistance to physical damage, so magic is better."
He nodded.
Then, not being able to see Araki, I just shouted out, "Araki, you're on rescue! When Matthew goes down, you're to pull him back!"
"Right!" I heard him shout from my left.
I then turned to Terra and Zek and said, "Stop now and begin putting mana into here."
The two nodded and began, while Matthew ran over to the troll.
I watched as he got into a fighting stance and took a slow and calm breath.
Terra, however, looked at me a little confused. "What is he doing? I heard something about a domain, like it's some magic item. What is it?"
I looked her in the eye and glanced at Zek. He looked at me and nodded, showing he already knew.
I sighed and explained, "[1]A domain is a powerful ability unique to everyone able to cast it. Among mages, it isn't inaccurate to say only one in a million can use it. Matthew has a [Minor Domain], a weaker version but still powerful.
I will explain more later, but just know that if someone is caught inside a domain, unless they have their own or are a lot stronger than the user, they will lose. However, if a domain isn't fully formed, it could kill the user if they overuse it."
Finishing the explanation, I turned to watch.
The troll had noticed the vines and ice stop and was working even harder to break out.
Matthew, now in a calm state of mind, spoke, "[Minor Domain: Severance Field]."
-
[1]: Many mages see a fully formed [Domaign] that can be deployed at will for as long as you want with no cost to the caster as the true pinnacle of magic.
It's ridiculously rare to find someone able to use one. Even among Primogenitors, Heroes, Demon Lords or High-Ranking Etherials (Rank 8+), beings that could destroy the world, only around half of them can use it, and that's with some generous rounding up.
Only 1 [True Domain] has been shown so far in the book, and it shouldn't be hard to figure out who the caster is.
Also, yes, the domains are based off of 'Domain Expansion' from Jujutsu Kaisen, love the anime and the chaos it embodies.