The training ground was silent.
The captured spies stood restrained.
Surrounded.
Watched.
Ram stood in front of them.
His eyes sharp.
His mind full of questions.
Before he could speak—
Shiva Sai arrived.
His presence changed everything.
"Don't take them to the regular prison," Shiva Sai said.
His voice calm.
But commanding.
"Take them to my prison."
Ram turned.
"…Your prison?"
Shiva Sai nodded.
"I want to know why they came."
Ram stepped forward.
"Then we should question them now—"
"Enough."
The word cut through the air.
Ram froze.
Shiva Sai looked directly at him.
His eyes no longer soft.
Not a father's eyes.
A general's.
"You are an officer," Shiva Sai said.
"Do you question your General?"
Silence.
Ram clenched his fist.
"…No."
Shiva Sai stepped closer.
"Even if I am your father…"
His voice lowered.
"Here, I am responsible for the military."
Ram didn't look away.
"Can you take that responsibility?" Shiva Sai asked.
Ram had no answer.
Shiva Sai turned away.
"Then follow orders."
The soldiers moved immediately.
Taking the prisoners away.
Before leaving—
Shiva Sai stopped again.
Without turning back.
"Go train yourself."
Ram looked up.
"You are not at the stage where you can question me."
Those words hit harder than any weapon.
Then—
Shiva Sai added,
"And take the child with you."
Ram glanced at Karna.
Standing quietly.
Watching everything.
"Train him," Shiva Sai continued.
"He will become a military officer."
Ram's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Teach him how to live in this world."
"Teach him control."
"Teach him discipline."
A pause.
"And teach him how to earn."
Now Ram looked surprised.
Shiva Sai finally turned slightly.
"For power without purpose…"
"…is destruction."
Silence filled the space again.
Ram slowly nodded.
"…Understood."
Shiva Sai walked away.
Without another word.
Karna stepped closer to Ram.
Looking up at him.
"…Will you train me?"
he asked quietly.
Ram looked down at him.
For a moment…
He remembered everything.
The night.
The power.
The danger.
Then—
"…Yes."
His voice was firm.
From that moment—
Their journey truly began.