“Help! Somebody, help!” 

The cry ripped through the chaos, desperate and raw. 

The Han Clan’s ancestral estate, once a place of peace, was now a battlefield. Imperial guards stormed through the gates. Deadly shadow cast over the ancient halls. 

“You won’t get away with this!” 

A defiant voice, filled with grit and fury, cut through the cacophony. 

Steel clanged against steel, and the air buzzed with the brutal symphony of combat. 

The Han Clan’s disciples, caught unprepared, snatched up swords and spears, anything that could serve as a weapon. They charged the invaders with everything they had. 

But these were not ordinary foes. The guards moved with lethal precision, cutting down anyone who dared to resist. 

“Defend the clan!” 

A desperate call to arms, but the odds were crushing. The Han Clan had never faced an attack like this. Blood splashed across the floor, mingling with the anguished cries and the relentless clash of weapons. 

Panic spread like wildfire. 

The Han Clan’s stronghold was in chaos. Disciples and clan members dashed in all directions, desperately seeking escape or safety. Groups tried to mount a defense, but the imperial guards overwhelmed them swiftly. 

The unity of the Han Clan crumbled under the relentless assault. 

The battle was brutal and unending. The Han Clan’s fighters, though valiant, were hopelessly outnumbered and overpowered. Their resistance weakened with each passing moment. 

Through the chaos strode General Baek Jinhyun, his eyes fierce and focused. He surveyed the scene, then raised his voice, commanding attention above the din. 

“Men!” he roared. “Encircle the Han territory! Let no one escape!” 

The imperial guards snapped to attention. 

“No mercy,” General Baek continued. “We are the emperor’s sword. The Han Clan has defied the empire, and they will pay the ultimate price. Crush any resistance!” 

His words were cold and final. The guards moved with precision, tightening the noose around the Han Clan’s home. 

“Report every movement,” Baek ordered. “We do not stop until the Han Clan is no more.” 

The guards surged forward. The once-mighty Han Clan was being dismantled piece by piece. 

This was the endgame. 

Above the chaos, an old man appeared, hovering with an air of authority. It was Han Cheol-min, the eldest of the Han Clan. His presence commanded attention, and the guards looked up in surprise. 

“General Baek!” Cheol-min’s voice boomed. “Why have you brought this destruction upon my people? What crime justifies this attack?” 

General Baek Jinhyun, glaring up at Cheol-min, replied with a harsh edge. “Your clan is accused of treason. We are here to end your rebellion and restore order.” 

“Treason?” Cheol-min's face twisted with disbelief. “We have served the empire faithfully. What treachery do you speak of?” 

Elders from the Han Clan appeared, their presence charged with power. They flanked Cheol-min, their eyes fixed on General Baek, demanding answers. 

Baek stepped forward, sword raised, his gaze fierce. “Spare us the lies, Cheol-min. We have proof you conspired with enemies to assassinate the crown prince.” 

“Lies!” Cheol-min retorted. “We have never betrayed the empire. Is this about what I uncovered?” 

Baek’s eyes narrowed. He lunged forward, before Cheol-min can add any more word to that. “Enough of your deceit! Confess, and perhaps your people will be spared.” 

General Baek Jinhyun's sword sliced through the air, aimed straight for Han Cheol-min. But Cheol-min was ready. He sidestepped swiftly, evading the lethal strike. “You won’t silence the truth, Baek!” 

Baek’s grip tightened, his frustration mounting. He lunged again, intent on cutting down the elder. 

With a quick motion, Cheol-min called upon his ancestral weapon. From the ground rose a gleaming halberd, the symbol of the Han Clan’s strength. He twirled it with a practiced hand. 

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“I won’t stand by as hidden forces tear apart our foundation,” he declared. “I will defend my people, even at the cost of my life.” 

Baek’s eyes narrowed. He leaned in close, his voice a harsh whisper meant only for Cheol-min. “It’s too late. The empire is already ours.” 

Their weapons clashed in a frenzy of steel. Baek’s sword was a blur of deadly precision, but Cheol-min met each strike with the swift, powerful movements of his halberd. The courtyard echoed with the clang of metal and the shouts of battle. 

Baek thrust his sword forward, aiming for Cheol-min’s heart. But Cheol-min dodged, spinning to the side. He countered with a rapid slash of his halberd, the blade whistling as it cut through the air toward Baek. 

Baek parried, his sword moving in a flash. But Cheol-min was relentless. He pressed his attack, his strikes growing faster and more forceful. 

The balance of power began to shift as Cheol-min drove Baek back with a series of powerful blows. 

With a final, sweeping arc of his halberd, Cheol-min disarmed Baek. The general's sword flew from his grip, clattering to the ground. Baek stumbled, eyes wide with disbelief. He had been defeated. 

But Cheol-min’s victory was short-lived. Seo Joon, a figure from Baek’s side, struck from behind. Thin, razor-sharp strings, almost invisible, whipped through the air, piercing Cheol-min’s chest. 

Cheol-min gasped, blood seeping through his robes. The strings wrapped around him, pulling him down. Seo Joon emerged from the shadows, his laughter cold and cruel as he dragged the elder through the dirt. 

The Han elders, who moments ago had cheered Cheol-min’s triumph, stood frozen in horror. Their leader, their patriarch, was being humiliated and tortured before their eyes. Cheol-min, weakened and bleeding, knew his end was near. There was no escape from this brutal reality. 

Seo Joon sneered, dragging Han Cheol-min through the dirt. “Well, well, the great Han Cheol-min finally falls. Your precious Han Clan won’t last without you.” 

Cheol-min, gasping through the pain, managed to speak. “You may have won this battle, but the war is far from over.” 

Seo Joon laughed, his grip tightening. “Do you really think anyone from your clan can stand against me? They’re all weak. Just like you.” 

“My sons and grandsons will rise,” Cheol-min replied, eyes fierce despite his injuries. “They’ll protect our clan and bring you down.” 

“Your optimism is pathetic,” Seo Joon taunted. “They’re no match for me.” 

Cheol-min’s defiance didn’t waver. “The Han Clan will endure. The empire will see the tyranny you represent.” 

Growing impatient, Seo Joon raised his string, ready to strike the final blow. “Enough talk. It’s over for you, old man.” 

But before he could act, a shout cut through the chaos. “Stop! You will not lay a hand on our patriarch!” Han Tae-yang, one of the clan’s strongest warriors, charged forward, weapon drawn. 

“Tae-yang!” Cheol-min gasped. “Protect my sons and grandsons. That’s my final request.” His voice was weak, but his eyes shone with gratitude. “Thank you, Tae-yang. Protect our family. The future of the Han Clan rests on them.” 

Seo Joon smirked, tightening his hold. “Too late for that, Cheol-min. Your clan will be nothing but a memory.” 

Han Tae-yang’s eyes blazed with fury. “You won’t get away with this!” He advanced on Seo Joon, determination in every step. 

“Ha! What can you do against me?” Seo Joon mocked, still gripping Cheol-min with his strings. 

Tears streamed down Tae-yang’s face. “Patriarch, I won’t let you die in vain. I’ll—” 

But before Tae-yang could act, the strings morphed into a massive axe. With a swift, brutal strike, the axe fell, ending Cheol-min’s life in an instant. Tae-yang froze, horror and shock paralyzing him. 

Realizing Cheol-min’s final words, Tae-yang turned, racing to find Han Ji-myeong and Han Seung-won. As he ran, he saw the younger members, including little Han Se-yeon and Joo-won, wide-eyed and confused. Scooping them up onto his shoulders, he sprinted with all his might, heart pounding with urgency and grief. 

The Han Clan’s future now depended on their escape. 

... 

Han Tae-yang sat in the shadows as the weight of his failure pressed down on him. 

Outside, the Han Clan’s estate was a scene of devastation, but inside, he was safe, hidden. 

He clenched his fists, hating himself for being forced to hide while his friends and family fought and died. 

He was a warrior, trained to protect, but the patriarch’s final words haunted him: “Protect the future.” 

In the corner of the hiding place, little Se-yeon, Joo-won, Do-hyun, and Woo-jin played, oblivious to the carnage outside. This was the future Cheol-min had entrusted him to save. 

Outside, the cries of the dying had faded. 

The silence was deafening, broken only by the occasional sob of survivors. Tae-yang’s heart ached for those lost. The once vibrant streets of the Han Clan’s home were now littered with bodies, the lifeless eyes of the fallen staring into nothingness. 

The few survivors were eerily silent, as if drained of the ability to mourn. 

Tae-yang took a deep breath. He had to honor Cheol-min’s last request. He vowed to protect the remaining clan members and to one day avenge those who had perished. 

As dawn broke, Seo Joon stood triumphant atop a pile of bodies, Cheol-min’s among them. 

He held an imperial edict with a red seal. The once lively streets were now deathly quiet, with only the wind stirring the debris and leaves scattered across the ground. 

Seo Joon laughed, a chilling sound that echoed through the desolate city. He raised the edict high and spoke in a commanding voice. 

**“By the authority of the imperial court, the Han Clan is declared guilty of treason and colluding with enemies to murder the crown prince. Before his death, Han Cheol-min admitted his sins and accepted eternal banishment to the Unforgiving Gorge. 

The Han Clan is stripped of all titles, privileges, and assets. Their name will be erased from history. They will be forgotten forever. 

Let this be a warning to all who dare threaten the empire’s peace. Justice will prevail, and traitors will face the same fate. 

Signed and sealed by the hand of Seo Joon, loyal servant of the emperor.”**