Shirou followed closely behind Sherin as they walked through the narrow hallway. The smooth metal walls hummed faintly with mana, and a soft blue glow pulsed beneath their feet with every step. She stopped in front of a tall metal door and placed her hand on a glowing crystal embedded in the wall. The door slid open with a gentle hiss.
"This will be your room," she said, stepping aside.
"Oh, thanks," Shirou replied, peering inside.
She handed him a small book—more like a thin manual. "Everything you need to know about the equipment is in here. You can train using the gear provided. If you want to spar, there's a golem simulator. The golems are made of stone and powered by basic mana. They're weak and predictable, but good for practice."
Shirou flipped through the pages briefly. "How do I make the golems appear?"
"Use the control screen over there," she said, pointing to a panel near the left wall. "Insert a mana crystal, choose the number, and the rest is automatic. They don't think or react—just move and hit based on simple patterns. If you need anything else, I'll be at the counter."
"Got it," Shirou nodded, stepping into the room.
It was larger than he'd expected. The left side was lined with all sorts of training equipment—weights, dummies, resistance bands, and a mana flow enhancer. The right side was completely empty, save for square outlines on the floor. Clearly, this was where the golem battles happened.
Shirou strolled toward a black punching bag hanging from a steel hook. He took a breath and began striking it. Each punch was fast and sharp, not random flailing but calculated blows—targeted, purposeful. His fists moved with precision, as though he were imagining an invisible opponent. Sweat built up along his brow, but he didn't stop.
After about thirty minutes, he stepped back, stretching his arms. His breathing had quickened, but his eyes were still sharp.
Curious, he walked over to the control screen. The interface lit up as he touched it. A number selector appeared, ranging from 1 to 15.
"Let's see how tough fifteen really are," Shirou muttered with a smirk, tapping the maximum value.
The square outlines on the right side of the room began to shift. Panels slid open with mechanical clicks, and from them rose fifteen bulky rock golems, each about a meter taller than Shirou. Their stone bodies groaned and cracked as they assembled, glowing faintly with blue mana lines across their bodies.
Shirou cracked his knuckles, rolling his shoulders. "Alright. Let's do this."
The first golem lunged with a clumsy overhead punch. Shirou ducked smoothly, wind rushing past his ears. In the same motion, he jumped forward and landed a quick double punch to its head. Cracks spiderwebbed across its stone face. One more blow shattered it, and the golem collapsed into rubble.
But the others didn't wait.
Five of them surged toward him at once. Their movements were stiff but heavy, like being charged by falling trees. Shirou narrowed his eyes.
"They're slow, but relentless."
A pulse of lightning surged through his veins. His body reacted instantly—his speed doubling in a flash of energy. He blurred to the side, avoiding one swing, then launched a spinning kick into another golem's chest. The impact sent cracks running down its torso. Before it could recover, Shirou landed and struck upward with his elbow, shattering its core.
Another came from behind. He sensed it—not from sound or sight, but instinct. He twisted his body and ducked low, letting the stone fist pass overhead. As he spun, he kicked the golem's knee joint, then launched up and smashed its head with a fierce right hook.
"Three down," he muttered, landing lightly.
But twelve remained, closing in fast.
Shirou dashed between them, his body flowing like water. His hands and feet were weapons—striking pressure points, weak joints, and cores. But he wasn't invincible. One of the golems managed to graze his side with a heavy fist, knocking him off balance.
"Tch—lucky shot."
He rolled back and pounced forward, his fists striking faster now. One by one, they fell. It took several minutes of non-stop dodging and counter-attacking, but eventually, all fifteen golems were reduced to crumbled piles.
Panting slightly, Shirou walked back to the control screen and selected fifteen again. He repeated the process—again and again. Each fight made him a little faster, a little sharper. His instincts honed with every dodge and counter.
An hour passed.
Finally, Shirou leaned against the wall, checking his status screen. His hand-to-hand combat proficiency had gone from 8 to 10 out of 100.
"Only two points? That's slow," he muttered, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "Time to speed things up."
He turned back to the control panel, but this time, he didn't raise his fists.
"Let's see how you handle this."
He reached into his inventory and summoned Emberstorm—a black-bladed sword with crimson edges, pulsing with dormant heat. As it appeared in his hand, a wave of warmth spread through the room. Flames coiled around its blade like living serpents.
Lightning crackled around Shirou's body as he selected fifteen golems again. The ground shifted. Golems rose.
He didn't wait.
In a single burst of speed, Shirou vanished.
*Zzzap!*
He reappeared in front of the first golem. Before it could even react, his sword flashed.
*Slash!*
A clean, blazing cut split the golem in half. Emberstorm burned through it like paper, leaving melted stone in its wake.
Another golem approached from behind. Shirou turned without hesitation, his blade spinning in an arc. The golem's arm flew off. Another strike cleaved through its core, and it fell with a thunderous crash.
Shirou moved like lightning—each step charged with electricity, each strike bathed in fire. The third golem swung wildly. Shirou ducked, slid forward, and sliced its leg. It staggered, and he finished it with a burning upward slash that split it apart.
A fourth tried to corner him with two others. Shirou grinned.
"Three against one? Fine by me."
He jumped high, twisting mid-air, and brought his blade down like a falling star. One golem was destroyed instantly. As he landed, he spun and sliced the second. The third reached for him—but Shirou thrust Emberstorm into its core, letting the flames erupt.
The room was filled with the sounds of breaking stone and roaring fire. Golems fell one after another, unable to match his speed, unable to withstand the fury of Emberstorm.
One last golem remained. It swung both fists in a desperate flurry. Shirou sidestepped, raised his sword, and in a single fluid motion, brought it down diagonally.
The golem split apart, flames consuming its body.
The battlefield was silent.
Fifteen golems lay in rubble, steam rising from the molten cracks left by Emberstorm.
Shirou stood in the centre, his blade resting on his shoulder, lightning crackling faintly around his legs.
"Much better," he said, smiling slightly.