Anomalies Of A Holy Grail War

Side Story : "Routine"

Himeno POV

"Hnngh... " I groaned in pain as my instructor struck my arm.

Seriously... He's like a thousand levels above me. Perspiration covered my face and fell down to the polished floor.

"Himeno, your breathing's all erratic. Timing your breath to synchronize with your strikes would make them carry more power." His voice was followed by reverb from the large space allowed in the gymnasium.

"Also... you should aim to concentrate your magecraft within the areas you will use within a given timeframe."

I planted my feet firmly on the ground and fixed my stance. I took a few steps forward to engage. I attempted to land a punch, but my arm got caught in his grip and I was hurled into the hard wooden floorboards instead.

"Your swings have a wide arc and are generally inefficient. You put way too much weight into it. It should have been a bit more straight and quickly executed. It is vital to be able to switch between defending and attacking in a fight." He said as he held his hand out to help me stand up. That marked the end of the session.

We took a rest on the bleachers and he handed me a water bottle. We have started this routine two weeks ago after we first encountered Aozaki-san. The gymnasium became the place to train. He created a bounded field on the off chance that other students and the staff that may come here.

"Seriously, why don't you sign up for a martial arts club?"

"That will just consume my spare time. By the way, what are your classmates planning to do regarding the special exam?"

He was referring to the Vote Selection Exam that had been announced. The day of that event had not yet arrived, but it seemed to have taken a toll on my classmates' moods, especially Ichinose.

"I'm not sure if I should be giving this information... "

"Then can I ask another question about your classmates?.. No... I guess I should have phrased that differently. Do you happen to suspect any of your classmates being mages?" Having read my thoughts, he asked a question that hadn't once crossed my mind.

"I don't think I expect anyone from my friend circle to be a magus. They're way too kind." The scene of the dismembered entered my mind... It was haunting me again...

Ever since that day in Tokyo, I hadn't been the same... Ayanokouji-kun suggested I scream my frustrations out, and I did. But, it wasn't enough. That's why he has suggested we also do this. He said that participating in physical activities reduces the amount of stress a person goes through. I quickly shook my head to get these thoughts out.

"Judging them by their personalities alone would be insufficient. How far along are you in the notebook?"

This time, he was dealing with the subject of the notebook he gave to me about a week ago. Written in it were different magic formulas for spells and rituals. There was quite a variety from creating simple golems to the blueprints of a workshop.

"Page 32."

"Then as practice, why don't you create a bounded field in your classroom?"

"... This isn't just for practice is it?"

"That's why I asked if you think any of your classmates were mages. I'm trying to find out if there is anyone else on this campus who could participate in a certain ritual."

... Certain ritual? Is this the same ritual that he had pitched to Aozaki-san?.. The Holy Grail War, or something like that.

"Wait a minute, why can't you just create one that covers the entire campus?"