Alpha Squad 17 II

"Who does he think he is, showing us up like that?" one of them muttered.

Another nodded, his tone bitter. "Just because he's from the Magnus household doesn't mean he's better than us."

"He'll slip up eventually," a third recruit sneered. "No one's perfect."

Asher ignored the whispers, his attention focused elsewhere. He wasn't here to make friends or to prove himself to them. His goal was far beyond their petty rivalries.

When the last recruit stumbled across the finish line, Renard finally called an end to the session. "That's enough for today," he announced. "Rest up. Tomorrow, we'll be conducting combat drills. If you thought today was hard, you're in for a rude awakening."

The recruits groaned but nodded, dragging themselves toward the barracks. Asher followed, his expression calm as ever. Emily had already left earlier, leaving him to navigate the new environment on his own. He welcomed the solitude—it gave him time to reflect and strategize.