The embers of battle had faded, but something new now burned—hope.
The Iron Core had tasted war. They had bled. They had stood tall. But survival was not enough.
Because Lü Bu knew: without purpose, even the strongest warriors would crumble.
📍Outside the Ruined Village
The sun rose slowly, casting golden light on makeshift tents and soot-stained spears. Beyond the ridge, the village now rested peacefully for the first time in months.
But Lü Bu had no intention of staying.
He stood before his gathered men—all fifty-seven of them. Scarred. Dirty. Bruised. But something had changed in their eyes.
No longer were they just farmers.
No longer were they forgotten sons of the north.
They were soldiers now.
"Some of you fought with fear in your hearts," Lü Bu began, voice clear against the morning wind.
"Some of you hesitated to kill. Others wept afterward."
He paused. "I did too."
A ripple passed through the men. Silence fell.
"War is not glory," he continued. "It is pain. It is the burden we carry—for those who cannot lift swords."
"But if we don't carry it… who will?"
⚔️ The Promise That Forged a Future
Lü Bu stepped forward, planting his halberd into the dirt before him.
Then he dropped to one knee.
"I swear to you, on the steel of my weapon and the fire of my will—this is only the beginning."
"One day, we will not hide in the forests."
"One day, we will not be nameless."
"We will have land—our land."
"Where our people can sleep without fear. Where our children grow tall without chains. And where no tyrant decides our worth."
The men looked at him—some with wide eyes, others with clenched jaws. Then, one by one, they knelt beside him.
Wei Yun stepped forward, placing his sword beside the halberd.
"Then I, too, swear," he said. "Until my final breath."
Others followed. Until all fifty-seven weapons lay in a circle, glinting beneath the rising sun.
And in that quiet, sacred moment, something more powerful than gold was forged:
Loyalty.
[SYSTEM NOTICE — Unique Event Triggered]
Formation of "The First Oath"
Leadership trait upgraded: "Symbol of the People" → "Torchbearer of the Fallen"
Loyalty increased: +10%
Units gain bonus morale when defending allied lands
Hidden Progression Path Unlocked: "Empire of Ash and Fire"
📖 The Training Begins
Later that week, they moved deeper into the forest to avoid detection. Using fallen stones and old timber, they built the first rudimentary Iron Core Camp.
Lü Bu drilled them from sunrise to dusk.
Spear formations
Endurance runs through hills
Mental exercises for clarity under pressure
Live combat drills with wooden weapons
He didn't tolerate arrogance.
He didn't tolerate cowardice.
But he did teach every man that strength was not only in the body.
"You are no longer farmers," he said on the third day.
"You are warriors of discipline. Of order. Of purpose."
Wei Yun began selecting captains. Scouting squads were formed. They trained in rain, mud, and sleepless nights.
Bit by bit, the Iron Core no longer looked like peasants holding spears.
They looked like the seed of an army.
🌍 Elsewhere…
Far to the west, in a smoky war council tent, a bearded man wearing silk and iron listened to the messenger.
"A boy named Lü Bu," the scout said. "Defended a village. Killed bandits. They say his voice stilled the wind."
The nobleman laughed.
"Then we crush him before the wind becomes a storm."
But the storm had already begun.