Captain Price walked alongside the principal, his steady footfalls echoing through the halls as they made their way toward the gym. The air smelled faintly of disinfectant and worn textbooks, the usual school atmosphere—a stark contrast to the battlefields he was used to. A few students passed by, some sneaking curious glances at the soldiers stationed throughout the halls.

As they neared the gym doors, the principal hesitated slightly before speaking. "There’s something I should mention," he said, adjusting his glasses. "We have a few pro athletes in the student body," the principal explained, adjusting his glasses. "One in particular is a Russian MMA fighter—gold medalist, very skilled, well-known in his field. . Some teachers are concerned about how he might react during the drills, given… well, tensions between certain countries, and, well, he represents Russia on an international level."

Price gave a slow nod, his expression unreadable. "SAS doesn’t hold grudges," he said evenly. "Kid’s a student, not a soldier. Doesn’t matter where he’s from."

One of the nearby officers, arms crossed, added, "We’re here to teach, not to pick fights."

The principal let out a breath of relief. "Good to hear. We try to keep things neutral here, but… you understand why I asked."

Price gave a nod as they reached the gym doors. "No problem on our end. Let’s get to work."

As they neared the gym, a few officers and soldiers stood waiting by the doors, chatting quietly. Inside, students were already gathering, stretching on the mats, some eyeing the soldiers with curiosity.