A Warrior’s Oath

The sun barely peeked over the horizon as Joon Ha tightened the straps of his black coat. The air was thick with anticipation. The weight of Min-Jae’s revelation sat heavy on his shoulders—his own father had put a bounty on him.

Yet, fear was not what he felt.

It was clarity.

Ha-Yoon paced beside him, her brows furrowed in frustration. “I still don’t understand. You’re going to walk into a trap?”

Joon Ha met her gaze, his voice steady. “I’m going to walk in and dismantle it from within.”

She scoffed. “That’s not a plan. That’s a death wish.”

Min-Jae, who had been silent, finally spoke. “It’s risky. But if we’re smart, we can turn the trap against them.”

Joon Ha smirked. “That’s why I have you.”

Min-Jae sighed. “I hate that I missed this side of you.”

Ha-Yoon folded her arms. “Fine. Say we do this. How do you plan to fight an empire with nothing?”

Joon Ha’s lips curled. “Who said I have nothing?”

Before she could argue, a shadow moved behind them. From the misty path leading into the ruins, figures emerged—one, two, five… a dozen. Silent, disciplined, dangerous.

Ha-Yoon’s breath hitched. “Who…?”

Joon Ha turned to Min-Jae. “You brought them?”

Min-Jae nodded. “Old friends. Some from Haewon Group. Some from the streets. All of them believe in you.”

The leader of the group, a man with a scar running down his cheek, stepped forward and bowed slightly. “Joon Ha, we don’t forget our own.”

Joon Ha’s fingers curled into fists, emotion swirling beneath his stoic exterior. “Then let’s remind the world who we are.”

They gathered inside the abandoned temple, planning in hushed tones. The strategy was simple—strike first, and strike hard.

Ha-Yoon listened intently, but her mind reeled. She had never doubted Joon Ha’s power, but this was different. This was war.

As the meeting ended, Joon Ha found her standing outside, gazing at the trees.

“You don’t have to stay,” he said softly.

She turned to him, anger flashing in her eyes. “And leave you to self-destruct? Not happening.”

His lips parted slightly. “Ha-Yoon…”

She stepped closer. “You’re not fighting alone. Got it?”

Joon Ha swallowed the lump in his throat. “Got it.”

For the first time in a long while, he let himself believe in something more than vengeance.

He let himself believe in her.

Shloka/श्लोक/절

"धर्मेणैव हतो हन्ति धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः।

तस्माद्धर्मो न हन्तव्यः मा नो धर्मो हतोऽवधीत्॥"

"Dharmeṇaiva hato hanti dharmo rakṣati rakṣitaḥ।

Tasmāddharmo na hantavyaḥ mā no dharmo hato’vadhīt॥"

"다르메나이바 하또 한띠 다르모 락샤띠 락쉬따하।

타스마드다르모 나 한타브야하 마 노 다르모 하또아바딧॥"

Righteousness alone destroys the wicked; righteousness protects those who uphold it.

Therefore, one must never harm righteousness, lest righteousness itself perish.

"정의는 악을 무너뜨리고, 정의를 지키는 자를 보호한다.

그러므로 정의를 해쳐서는 안 된다. 그렇지 않으면 정의 자체가 사라질 것이다."

Like Rama gathering his allies before the battle against Ravana, Joon Ha is no longer just a fallen prince—he is a leader, a warrior, and a man ready to reclaim his destiny.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***