I Got My System Late, But I'll Become Beastgod-Chapter 215: Return to Base

The crimson portal swallowed them whole.

Aamir and Riya stepped through, leaving the hill behind—the grave, the guardian beast, and the silence of PurushottamPuri fading into memory.

On the other side, the world shifted. They emerged near the fortified walls of Base One, the largest stronghold of the resistance. Torches burned across its battlements, their flames casting shadows that stretched like weary sentinels.

The night was quiet here. Too quiet.

Aamir exhaled heavily, his shoulders sagging for the first time since the battle. Riya’s hand still rested lightly in his own, her warmth anchoring him even when his chest felt hollow.

Neither of them spoke at first. The portal closed behind them with a dull shimmer, cutting them off from the battlefield.

Meanwhile, at Base Three...

Raj wiped blood from his blade, his knuckles trembling despite himself. Around him, soldiers moved quickly to stabilize the wounded and burn the bodies of the fallen before corruption could spread. The smell of ash and iron hung heavy in the air.

Meera stepped beside him, her daggers still dripping. She glanced at Raj, reading the storm on his face.

"You’re thinking of him, aren’t you?" she asked softly.

Raj didn’t answer at first. His eyes flickered toward the direction Aamir had vanished with Riya. Finally, he let out a bitter chuckle.

"Five years. We thought he was gone. Dead. And now he’s back—burning like fire itself. But the cost..." His voice cracked. "...he had to lose her to return."

Meera’s throat tightened. She wanted to say something—anything—but even she couldn’t find the right words. Instead, she slipped her hand into his, grounding him.

Seenu approached, his sword strapped across his back. His expression was sharp, but his eyes carried a rare flicker of worry.

"He’s stronger than before. Much stronger. But..." Seenu’s gaze drifted to the blackened battlefield. "The way he fought. That Chimera form. If Riya hadn’t been there—he wouldn’t have returned to himself."

Kunal, standing not far off with Ji-Won at his side, crossed his arms. His usual sarcasm was absent. His voice was flat. "He’s not the same Aamir we knew. He’s harder now. Wilder. Like the world broke him and reforged him into something else."

Ji-Won squeezed Kunal’s arm gently, whispering, "But he’s still him. Deep down. He wouldn’t have protected his mother’s body if he wasn’t."

Kunal sighed, glancing at her. "Yeah. Maybe."

Silence settled again, the only sound the crackle of fire and the cries of medics treating the wounded.

Raj finally spoke, his tone firm. "We’ll let him grieve. We’ll let him find his footing. But when he comes back here—when he steps into Base One—we need to be ready. Because Aamir’s return doesn’t just change the war." His jaw tightened. "It changes everything."

Back at Base One...

Aamir walked through the heavy gates, the guards bowing instinctively as his aura brushed past them. Even without trying, his presence made the air heavy, the ground seem firmer beneath their feet.

But Aamir didn’t acknowledge them. His eyes were forward, his thoughts still at the grave.

Riya stayed at his side, her staff glimmering faintly as she whispered something only he could hear.

"You did the right thing. She’s at peace now."

Aamir’s lips twitched faintly. "Peace... I wonder if that even exists anymore."

Inside the base, soldiers and civilians alike paused in their tracks. Whispers rippled through the halls.

"That’s him..."

"The Beastlord..."

"He returned..."

Some looked at him with awe. Others with fear. But all with recognition.

Aamir ignored it all. He only wanted silence. A place to think.

When they reached the war hall, the leaders’ banners still hung high—the phoenix of the Alliance burning bright above. But tonight, it felt dim to him.

Riya finally broke the silence, her voice firm but gentle. "You need to rest."

Aamir shook his head. "No. Rest is a luxury. I need to keep moving."

She grabbed his wrist, stopping him. Her eyes burned into his, fierce and unyielding.

"Then rest for her. If not for yourself—then for your mother. She gave you her strength. Do not waste it by burning out before the fight even begins."

Aamir froze. Her words cut through the storm in his chest. Slowly, reluctantly, he exhaled. "...Fine."

That night, Aamir sat alone in a quiet chamber given to him. The moonlight bled through the window, pale and cold.

He replayed everything in his head—the fight, the transformation, Parkh’s mocking grin, and the final smile his mother gave him before the end.

The new energy pulsed faintly in his veins, peach-coral light threading with golden sparks. Solaris Vitalis. A gift he didn’t deserve, yet couldn’t refuse.

He clenched his fists.

"Zorwath. I swear. Your time will end."

Far away, deep within a blackened fortress carved from obsidian stone, Zorwath sat upon his throne.

His crimson eyes glowed faintly as he watched through a mirror of blood. Parkh’s death replayed before him, the Chimera form of Aamir tearing through his general like paper.

Yet Zorwath didn’t rage. He didn’t scream.

He smiled.

"So... the boy grows fangs." His voice was a low hum, dripping with amusement. "He bleeds. He breaks. He kills. Just as I wanted."

The shadows at his feet writhed, whispering like a thousand tongues.

Zorwath leaned back, his clawed hand resting against his chin. "Grow stronger, Beastlord. Grow until even gods notice you. Because when you do... you’ll be mine."

His laughter echoed, a sound like knives scraping across bone, filling the halls of his fortress.

Back at Base One, Aamir stood by the window, his crimson eyes reflecting the moonlight.

Riya appeared behind him, her voice soft but unwavering. "Tomorrow... the council will gather again. They’ll want answers. And so will your friends."

Aamir didn’t turn. His jaw tightened.

"Then tomorrow... I’ll give them answers."

He closed his eyes. For the first time that day, exhaustion washed over him.

And somewhere deep inside—buried beneath rage, grief, and fire—was the faintest spark of warmth.

The memory of her smile.

The strength she left behind.

Next day...

The council chamber was still buzzing from the revelations of the day. Leaders whispered among themselves, soldiers looked shaken, and the flames in the crystal lanterns flickered as if unsteady under the weight of everything that had been spoken.

Aamir stood tall in the center, his crimson cloak still torn, the mark of five clover leaves glowing faintly on his forehead. His gaze was calm, but his words hit like steel.

"After this council ends, I will return to my mission. I cannot stay here too long."

The hall went silent again.

Rizwana raised a brow, her voice sharp. "You just returned. And you think you can run off again? Do you even understand what your presence means here?"

Aamir’s eyes narrowed. "Yes. But my mission cannot wait. If I delay, more worlds fall. More people die. Zorwath will not stop until everything burns."

He turned, already stepping toward the exit. But before he could leave—

"Stop!"

Raj’s voice cut across the hall, firm and filled with emotion.

Everyone turned. Raj stood there, fists clenched, his usual steady posture wavering for once. His eyes locked onto Aamir.

"At least attend my marriage before you leave."

Aamir froze. His steps halted.

He looked back over his shoulder. "...Marriage?"

Raj smirked faintly, though his eyes glistened. "Yeah. You’ve been gone for five years, Aamir. You missed a lot. The world didn’t stop while you were away. It moved forward. We moved forward. And next week... Meera and I are getting married."

Gasps rippled across the chamber. Some smiled faintly, others whispered in surprise.

Meera stepped up beside Raj, her head high, though her cheeks flushed with rare warmth. "It’s true. And I want you there, Aamir. You were always part of our journey. If you vanish again without standing with us now... then what was the point of you returning at all?"

Aamir’s chest tightened. He didn’t know what to say.

Kunal broke the silence with a crooked grin. "Damn right. If you run away again, I’ll drag you back myself. You think we waited five years just to see you pop in, bury your mother, and vanish into the stars again? No way."

Seenu’s tone was cooler, but his words carried weight. "Your mission may be important, Aamir. But so is this. Bonds matter. People matter. You once told us to protect what we care about, didn’t you? So care about this too."

Aamir looked around the room. Riya, standing silently near the corner, her emerald eyes trembling with unspoken emotions. Ji-Won smiling softly, her hand resting on her belly where new life grew. Raj and Meera, their hands intertwined, defiant and unyielding.

And Kunal and Seenu—both staring at him with the same fire he once carried for them.

For the first time since he returned, Aamir felt the weight of years he had missed.

He clenched his fists. His voice cracked.

"...I don’t have the right to be part of this. I left. I disappeared when you all needed me most."

Raj’s voice rose, sharp and unshakable.

"You don’t need the right, Aamir. You’re our brother. And brothers stand together—through battles, through losses, and through weddings. You owe us that much."

The words pierced deeper than any blade.

Aamir’s lips parted, but no words came. He turned his face slightly, hiding the tremble in his jaw.

Riya finally stepped forward, her staff tapping lightly against the stone floor. Her voice was soft, but steady. "He’s right. You’ve carried this burden alone for too long. You don’t have to run the moment you breathe. Stay... even just for a while. Let us remind you what you’ve been fighting for."

The council chamber was silent. Everyone watched, waiting for his answer.

Aamir closed his eyes. He inhaled slowly, then exhaled. When he opened them again, the crimson glow in his gaze softened slightly.

"...Fine. I’ll stay."

Raj’s shoulders dropped with relief. Meera smiled faintly, tears brimming in her eyes.

But Aamir lifted a finger sharply.

"But only until the wedding ends. After that—I return to my mission. I won’t compromise on that."

Raj grinned, clapping his hands together. "Deal. That’s all I wanted." 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Kunal smirked, elbowing Seenu. "See? The beast still has a heart under all that fire."

Seenu chuckled faintly. "Hmph. Don’t get used to it."

The tension broke, laughter rippling faintly through the hall. For the first time since Aamir’s return, the resistance felt a spark of warmth—a spark that hadn’t been there in years.

But Aamir... he only looked down, his fists tightening.

His mother’s smile flickered in his mind. The grave he had left behind. The promise he had made.

He whispered softly, a vow only he could hear.

"I’ll stay. Just this once. But Zorwath... your time is still running out."

Later that night, when the council chamber emptied and the torches burned low, Aamir stood alone at the balcony overlooking the base. The stars stretched endlessly above, their cold light reminding him of all the worlds still waiting.

Riya stepped out beside him. She didn’t speak at first. She just stood close enough for her shoulder to brush against his.

Finally, she whispered. "Thank you. For staying."

Aamir glanced at her, his lips curling faintly. "...Don’t thank me yet. I still don’t know if I’ll be any good at weddings."

She laughed softly, the sound light in the heavy night. Then, after a pause, she added in a quieter tone—words that made his chest tighten:

"Even if you leave again... I’ll wait."

Aamir didn’t answer. He just stared at the stars, his jaw tight, his heart torn.

For now, he had agreed to stay.

But the war was far from over.