After two good episodes, it isn’t likely that it would be the same next since they have a story to tell. But still, the story is getting better now since we are over and done with introducing most of the characters.

Episode 10 sees Damdeok waking up in the village, still unable to believe what has transpired thus far. Overrules Hyun Woo advice to stay put and decides to head back to palace to question Kiha and see his father’s body. Sujini tags along and Hyun Woo has no choice but to go as well.

Earlier, we also have Ho Gae telling Kiha what happened last night and daring her to kill him since he believes he can’t be killed since he is the Jyushin king. What a pity she didn’t since he would have died for sure!

Lord Yeon tries to force the Oracle to follow him and discard Damdeok and she refuses because she can’t defy the Heavens. Then we see the funeral for the dead Julno men and then the Goguryeo council discussing about the King’s death and wanting Damdeok dead. Lord Yeon manages to strip Damdeok of his Crown Prince position until further notice.

Damdeok manages to sneak into the Oracle domain and she tells him about the events leading up to the King’s death. He also gets to hear once again that it WAS Kiha who killed him and he can’t accept the truth. Having to know that his father did indeed died at the hands of a woman he loved and trusted since he was young must truly hurt as he leaves with tears in his eyes.

Sujini meanwhile manages to get Kiha to come out and meet Damdeok secretly. Unknown to them, its all a trap as Hwachun minions arrives before her and attacks them. Damdeok misunderstood Kiha as he thinks that she has a hand in this. As he is deliberating, Sujini gets hit by an arrow and Damdeok decides that his relationship with Kiha is over. Kiha is left heartbroken as her fate with Damdeok is left in tatters.

Sujini recovering from the poisoned arrow wound as we learn that the Black Village people are exceptionally good healers. Damdeok appears grateful to her for being always there for me and Sujini gives him some advice about being a King. Cute to see Sujini getting all shy when Damdeok looks at her intently. Then Damdeok called her name which made her go all smiles.

Then its a series of meeting between Kiha, Ho Gae and Dae Jang Ryo as they each threaten each other about going to the council to determine Damdeok’s fate. They mention something about the Judgement Sword system where the heavens would judge whether you are guilty or not. How? The sword is driven into your heart. No one has ever survive this system.

We end at episode 10 with Damdeok making a late entry into the council as everyone is shocked at seeing him appear. Episode 11 continues this as Damdeok takes in everyone complaints about him and agrees to take the Judgement Sword. As he steps up, Kiha stretches out her hand but Damdeok ignores her, clearly drawing a line between them. Damdeok believes that if he is truly the Jyushin King, he wouldn’t die and so he will follow his destiny.

As Ho Gae prepares to stab him, Kiha snatches the Sacred Sword and plunges it into Damdeok heart instead! In shades of we shall die together, she whips out a small knife and prepares to kill herself once Damdeok is dead. Everyone is shocked at this turn of events especially Sujini and Ho Gae while Dae Jang Ryo is delighted that Damdeok won’t bother Kiha anymore.

Shock turns into amazement as the Sacred Sword starts shining brightly and then turns into dust. Damdeok survives the Judgement Sword but Jumong’s Sacred Sword is no more. What a waste since that sword looked pretty!

Animated gif of Jumong Sacred Sword turning into powder!

Following that, Damdeok decides to acknowledge his destiny and accepts being the King. The Oracle proclaims Damdeok as the King for now. Since Jujak proclaims Ho Gae the King while Black Turtle supports Damdeok, the person who finds the two remaining symbols will be proclaimed the Jyushin King.

Damdeok decides to be a good King and enlist the help of Hyun Woo to help him become one. Meanwhile, Lord Yeon enlists people from all over the region to beef up his army and they numbered 40k by the end of episode 11. Damdeok however has barely 8k of troops.

Meanwhile at Hwachun headquarters, the evil Dae Jang Ryo decides to use his black magic to weed out Kiha’s memory of Damdeok. But no matter how he tries, there is something inside Kiha that blocks him from doing so. In the end, Kiha lapses into a coma.

Damdeok meets his allies. General Ko whom his father entrusted him to teach Damdeok martial arts since childhood. The Julno tribe leader who was loyal to his father and the Julno tribesman who was the only survivor at Dae Ja castle.

Rest of the episode sees Dae Jang Ryo bringing Kiha to Yeon’s Residence where she burns up everything around her as she remains comatose. But she eventually wakes up in tears as Ho Gae hugs her to soothe her feelings.

Damdeok makes a visit to Bak Son’s blacksmith and she gets awestruck before introducing him to all forms of armour she had collected. She then shows her own armor creation and even demos it him which was helluva funny.

Next was Jumochi as Damdeok tries to recruit him into his force but he declines because he doesn’t like him! Lolz! But change of mind as the lady decides to serve Damdeok because he would be fighting against the Yeon family anyway.

To save face, Jumochi proposes a fight with Damdeok which the latter declines. But he counter-offers by offering to withstand 30 blows from Jumochi instead. Jumochi offers 10 blows as he is confident of his skills and Damdeok agrees.

And the episode ends at that as the conclusion of that fight would be shown in episode 12.