The road north was much quieter than Kael had expected.
There were no cheering crowds, No scheming nobles and No church bells reminding everyone who the fate has favored.
Dirt, trees, wind—the world held its breath as he left. Roots remembered his footsteps.He wasn't just walking away—he was being released, slowly, by a planet that had grown quiet in his presence.
He felt seen, like the world was seeing him taking his first steps in defying the very nature of this world.
Kael sat inside the carriage, staring out the window as the capital disappeared behind the tall hills. The farther the carriage took him, the lighter his chest felt. He is not safe, never safe as safety is a luxury only to strong. But he felt lighter.
Like loosening of a tight rope strangling his body, giving him a momentary relief.
He exhaled slowly, taking a sign of relief and rubbed his face.
"That was too fucking close, I almost got fucked up there" he muttered.
Leon Ashford.
Even now, the memory of that calm, emotionless smile made his skin crawl.
The hero hadn't threatened him. He hadn't accused him or had even done anything overtly hostile.
And that was the thing that scared Kael the most.
Leon didn't need to be aggressive; he hasn't have to do anything physically as the world will bent around him automatically, in his favour.
Kael leaned back against the seat, staring at the ceiling as the carriage rattled onward the dirt road.
In the novel, Leon had been written as righteous, firm, compassionate—but never merciful to villains. He believed evil needed to be cut out early, before it spread. He will do anything to erase the one he considers evil as he is the most righteous one in this world, atleast according to the novel.
Kael swallowed.
And I'm the one who is "evil" by default.
That encounter with Leon had confirmed something much important.
The story wasn't gone, it was always there.
But had just… adjusted.
He was off-script, and the world didn't like that, so the story is twerking slightly to adjust itself the same as in orginal novel.
"Great," Kael whispered. "So now even fate's improvising."
The thought sent a cold shiver down his spine, anyone looking could tell just how frightened he was by the revelation.
Now, If the plot began correcting itself this early, then simply running away wouldn't be enough. It is not going to change anything.
He needed leverage.
He needed strength.
And before that all—
He needed a purpose, a reason, a goal.
Not revenge nor ambition, they meant nothing much to him at this moment.
A reason strong enough to keep moving.He wanted a reason, a spark, a single thread to cling to, anything that can help him moving forward in this world that continues to crush him, break him.
Kael closed his eyes slowly.
First I have to survive , he reminded himself. Figure the rest out later.
As the sunlight faded slowly from the sky, They reached a small border town just before sunset.
Stonewatch.
A speck on the map, if it appeared at all—maybe, though no one bothered to name it twice. It wasn't a place of prophecy, nor ruin, nor power. Just a bend in the road where dust settled and travelers passed without pause.Merchants rested here out of necessity, not desire.
Locals live quietly—unmoved by any legends, or by heroes. They didn't even know what was or who was choosen one.
It was kind of place that was forgotten by author—just a breath between chapters.
Kael stepped out of the carriage and breathed in deeply.
The air smelled different.
Less was the scent of perfume. More was iron, dust, and sweat.
He liked it or could say he loved it.
The inn was modest one but clean. Wooden beams, faded banners was there with a fire crackling at the center. No one paid him more than a passing glance, no one knows him here.
Good.
He checked in under his real name—no need for paranoia yet as who would remember his name or even imagine him coming here—and ordered food.
As he waited, Kael focus was on the conversation going on in the inn.
A pair of mercenaries arguing about pay and their share.A merchant complaining about monster attacks on the northern road, making his business difficult.A soldier quietly nursing a drink, his lifeless eyes staring into nothing.
This wasn't a stage, nor was ever meant to be.
This was a place where people lived—and died—without fanfare.
Kael realized something then.
In the novel, none of these people mattered, as the story was of Leon adventures and in that they were background noise at most.
But now?
They were real, they were living, breathing eating and interacting with him.
And for the first time since transmigrating in this world, that realization hit him hard.
If I ever screw up… I won't just die alone on a platform.
He clenched his fist in anger.
"Fuck."
The thought sobered him faster than fear ever could.
That night, Kael couldn't sleep again.
Not because of nightmares this time, as what nightmare would be more terrifying that the reality happening here.
But because of silence, his thought wandering.
He lay on the narrow bed, staring at the low ceiling and listening to the wind howl outside the inn.
This was freedom.
And it terrified him to his core.
Because In the capital, everything had been decided already. His role, his life the way he would love , act and finally die.
Here?
Nothing was guaranteed, absolutely nothing.
No safety net. No noble name to hide behind. His father would not be able to save his life if he encounters something. He may even be killed by a passing bandit.
If he died out here, the world wouldn't even notice, no one will even spare a glance at him. He would just become a lunchtime topic for everyone to talk about.
Kael let out a shaky breath.
"So this is what it feels like," he murmured. "Being nobody, starting with nothing".
Strangely, the thought didn't hurt as much as he'd expected, he is calm about it.
Maybe the old Kael would've hated this, heck he would not have come here in first place.
But he—
He felt relieved.
The attack came at dawn.
Kael was halfway through breakfast when shouting erupted outside.
"Run!!!!, Monsters!" someone yelled. "From the treeline!"
Chairs screeched. Steel clashed. A child wailed. The wind carried a unique stench.
Kael stood up immediately, his heart slamming against his ribs.
It's Too soon.
He grabbed his cloak and hurriedly stepped outside.
The scene was in chaos.
Three wolf-like beasts—larger than horses, their hides dark and matted—charged toward the town gates. Saliva dripped from jagged fangs. Guards scrambled into formation, fear written across their faces.No horns had blown. No warning—just the sudden thunder of claws on dirt and the guttural snarls of creatures that had come uninvited.
Kael recognized them instantly.
They were Iron fang Wolves. Classified as Low-tier monsters but they are enough to be Deadly to untrained civilians.
In the novel, they were used once—as an excuse for Leon to show off his strength, who without even breaking sweat killed them in a flash.
Kael's mouth went dry.
Leon isn't here.
Which meant one thing—
"If they breach the gate," Kael muttered, "people die."
This wasn't a cutscene, this scene is not mentioned in the novel.
Which means no hero was coming.
A guard shouted orders, his voice cracking. One of the wolves leapt over , and in a single snap, crushed the soldier's head between its jaws.
Blood hit the dirt.
Kael froze.
For half a second.
Fear screamed at him to run. To hide. To survive quietly. To stay away from all this.
A voice was heard behind him. It was a child who cried out somewhere behind him.
Something inside Kael snapped.
"Fuck this," he hissed.
He moved.
Not because he was brave.
Not because he was strong.
But because standing still felt worse—like letting the world win, to succumb to his fate, to live in guilt that he could have saved the childs live had he moved a little faster.
Grabbing a fallen spead on the ground, Kael's hand closed around the spear—cold iron, trembling fingers, mana flickering like a dying candle. He wasn't a hero. He was just a common men transmigrated in this world.
He wasn't powerful but he remembered a key detail from the novel. The weakness of Iron fang wolves. They had a weakness.
The throat.
The moment one wolf lunged towards a fallen guard, his jaws still dripping of blood , Kael acted.
He didn't shout, as it would alert it. He didn't pose.
He just drove the spear forward with everything he had, putting every ounce of his strength in it.
The tip sank into the wolf's flesh.
The wolf howled, thrashing wildly, gasping for breath.
Kael was knocked back, slammed into the dirt, pain exploding through his shoulder, still concious till now only because of his will to survive, despite being drained.
But the beast fell.
No further movement.
Dead.
For a moment, everything went quiet.
Kael lay there, gasping, staring at the sky.
I'm still alive.
The guards rallied. The remaining wolves were driven off with losses—but the town held.
Hands grabbed Kael, pulling him up.
"Are you alright?" someone asked.
Kael nodded weakly, adrenaline still flooding his veins.
His arms were shaking.
Not from fear but From realization.
He hadn't waited for fate.
He had acted.
He looked at the blood on his hands.
"…So this is how it starts, My story" he whispered.
Not to the destiny.
But he just took a choice.
And for the first time, Kael understood something terrifying and empowering. He always knew about it in his heart but today he felt it.
If he stayed passive, the world would kill him.
But if he moved...even slightly.
Just a little more effort, then maybe...
The road ahead will not end at the execution platform anymore