During the outbreak of the Imjin War in Joseon, Jong-ryeo, the son of a noble family, and Chun-young, his former servant, find their fates torn apart by war.
Trapped by the constraints of social class, Chun-young takes up a sword to protect the people as a righteous militia fighter, while Jong-ryeo becomes a royal guard at the heart of political power.
When the two meet again amidst the chaos of the battlefield, they are no longer friends with the same dream. One fights for justice and equality, the other for order and royal authority.
However, as Jong-ryeo witnesses the king’s indifference and a corrupt regime, he begins to question everything he once believed in.
Ultimately, the two clash in a brutal duel, and Jong-ryeo falls to Chun-young’s blade. Carrying his friend’s pain and conviction, Chun-young stands before the king, putting a stop to a wrongful peace treaty and continuing the true fight for Joseon.