I Got My System Late, But I'll Become Beastgod-Chapter 80: A Legend

As the doors of the RuneRail closed behind them with a soft hiss, a low hum filled the air. Magic pulsed through the walls—gentle but alive. Faint blue runes shifted across the crystal surface, glowing softly, guiding the train on its way.

Outside the glass windows, the world turned into streaks of light and color. The train moved faster than sound, yet inside, it felt calm and quiet. Aamir leaned back, watching the scenery blur into nothing. For now, it was peaceful—but inside, something heavy stirred. The road ahead wasn’t just a journey. It was a step toward something bigger.

Aamir, Riya, and Raj sat together on one side. Across from them were Seenu, Meera, and Kunal. On the opposite side of the train, six other students sat quietly, each lost in thought. One row ahead sat Master Haider, and at the very end, the last student, fidgeting with nervous hands.

"These seats are actually super comfy," Riya said, settling in.

Aamir nodded. "Yeah. I didn’t think it’d be this fancy."

Kunal gave a small smirk. "You’re way too excited. Give it a few hours—you’ll be bored stiff. It’s a long ride."

Seenu leaned forward. "So, we’re going straight to Valtania?"

Haider didn’t even turn. "No. The RuneRail stops once before the capital of Valtania."

"Oh. Got it, sir," Seenu replied.

Aamir turned to Kunal. "So, you’ve ridden this before?"

"Of course. Haven’t you?"

"Nope. First time."

"Same here," Riya said.

Kunal shrugged. "Makes sense why you’re so hyped then. Enjoy it while it lasts."

Aamir glanced to the left, where the six students sat. His eyes paused on one of them—Arjun. He remembered their fight during the Top Twelve trials. Aamir never forgot strong opponents, and Arjun had impressed him.

"Hey, Arjun," Aamir said. "How’s your training going?"

Arjun looked up, surprised, then smiled. "Oh, Aamir. I’ve been training a lot since our match. I’ve gotten stronger."

"Good. Let’s spar after the tournament."

"Yeah, I’d like that."

The boy next to Arjun leaned over. "Hey, Raj! I’m training too. I’ll beat you this time if we face off!"

Raj squinted. "Wait... what’s your name again?"

The boy groaned. "Seriously? It’s Tushar!"

Raj rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry, man. I forget a lot of stuff. But sure—we’ll fight."

Tushar crossed his arms. "After we fight, you won’t forget my name again."

Haider, listening the whole time with eyes half-shut, chuckled quietly. "They’re all fired up today."

The last student near him shifted slightly. He wanted to say something—just one sentence—but froze. Then a whisper slipped out.

Haider’s eyes opened. "Hmm? Did you say something?"

The boy turned pale. "N-No, sir. Nothing."

Haider raised an eyebrow, then shrugged. "Alright, then."

He reached into his dimensional bag, pulled out a thick book, placed it over his face, and leaned back.

Within moments, he was fast asleep.

The student sitting beside Haider blinked in confusion. He glanced at the book covering Haider’s face, then leaned back and muttered to himself, "That was quick..."

Meera leaned closer to Riya and whispered, "How does he even sleep like that?"

Riya giggled. "He probably trained himself to nap anywhere—even mid-battle."

"Or maybe he’s just pretending," Seenu added. "I’ve heard some warriors rest with one eye open."

Meanwhile, Aamir turned to Kunal. "Hey, so... since you’re not in the tournament, what will you do while we’re all fighting?"

Kunal didn’t look up. "I’ll read books."

Aamir groaned. "Man, you’re boring."

Kunal smirked. "Maybe. But at least I won’t be getting punched in the face."

Riya giggled. "He’s got a point."

"Still," Aamir said, stretching his arms, "You’re on a train to the capital of Aryavrata with the strongest students in the country—and your plan is to read?"

"Yes," Kunal said flatly. "And maybe nap. Or write notes."

Aamir shook his head, grinning. "Unbelievable."

From across the aisle, Meera smiled softly as she listened to them bicker. Seenu had already pulled out a small notebook, sketching something quietly. Raj leaned against the window, dozing off, his head occasionally bumping the glass.

A few minutes passed in relative quiet. Then, Seenu suddenly said, "Do you think we’ll actually meet royalty during the tournament?"

Meera replied, "Probably yes... or maybe not. But the High Council will definitely be there. That’s pressure enough."

Kunal added, "Aryavrata doesn’t have royalty. But some nations do—like Kyrope."

Seenu nodded, eyes lighting up. "Oh, well... that would be fun then."

Aamir asked, "What’s the High Council?"

Kunal replied, "The High Council is made up of the kings of all twelve nations."

Aamir’s eyes widened. "Wait—you mean all twelve kings will be there? Then I’m going to make sure my fight is something they’ll never forget!"

"Honestly," Riya said, "I’m more scared of embarrassing myself on live broadcast than fighting."

Aamir turned to her. "You? Scared?"

She nodded. "Not of fighting. Of freezing. Messing up. All of Aryavrata will be watching."

Aamir paused, then said quietly, "We all have something to prove."

For a moment, the group fell silent.

Then Kunal spoke, voice calm and distant. "Pressure makes diamonds. Or crushes you."

Everyone glanced at him.

"That’s... dark," Raj said, rubbing his eyes.

Kunal gave a lazy shrug. "Just saying."

Meera chuckled. "You’d make a good philosopher."

"No thanks. I prefer books and silence."

Aamir smiled faintly as he looked around at his team. There was nervousness, banter, quiet strength—and an unspoken bond forming between them. Whether they liked it or not, they were in this together.

The RuneRail continued slicing through shimmering tunnels of mana-infused wind. Outside, the world was a blur, but inside, it felt like time had slowed down. The stillness of the moment settled over them like a fragile dream.

Aamir leaned back in his seat again. The hum of the train, the steady rhythm of magic, and the soft chatter of students—it all felt surreal.

And yet, he knew.

This calm wouldn’t last.

And just like that, one and a half days flew by in a blur.

Aamir leaned back in his seat, groaning, "Oh man, now I’m really getting bored."

Kunal laughed. "Haha! I told you the excitement wouldn’t last. Look at you now."

"Yeah, yeah, Professor Kunal," Aamir grumbled, crossing his arms.

Raj stretched and said, "Don’t worry. Just one and a half days more and we’ll reach our destination."

Aamir’s eyes widened. "One and a half DAYS? You think that’s nothing? That’s torture, man! So long... Ahhh!"

Seenu rolled his eyes. "Stop acting like a child, man. Look at you—"

Before Aamir could respond, the RuneRail suddenly slowed down.

A soft hiss filled the air. The train halted.

Aamir sat up. "Wait, what happened? Did we reach?"

Haider opened one eye lazily. "Calm down. This is the stop I mentioned earlier. Not Valtania yet."

The doors of the RuneRail slid open with a gentle whoosh.

A moment of silence passed...

Then, thirteen figures stepped in.

Clad in matching black and red tracksuits, they moved in perfect sync—disciplined, quiet, and sharp-eyed.

They passed by Aamir’s group without a glance, and settled in the seats behind Haider.

Twelve of them were young—clearly students.

The thirteenth was a man in his fifties, his long white-streaked hair tied neatly into a ponytail. His presence was heavy... commanding.

His steps were silent, but his presence felt like thunder. As he passed, every student instinctively straightened, as if reacting to an invisible pressure.

Even Kunal looked up from his book.

Aamir’s gaze met the man’s for half a second—and he felt like a sword had been unsheathed in front of his face. Cold, sharp, absolute.

"Who... is he?" Riya whispered, her voice barely audible.

Seenu didn’t answer. He couldn’t. His breath had caught in his throat.

He took the seat beside Haider and leaned slightly toward him.

"Well, long time no see, Haider," the man said with a slight smirk.

Shinroku’s sharp eyes briefly scanned the students. His gaze lingered on Aamir for a moment—measuring, unreadable—before flicking away as if filing away a mental note.

Haider looked up, a rare smile tugging at his lips. "I’m not a free man like you, Shinroku."

Across the aisle, Seenu had been staring wide-eyed ever since the group entered. Aamir noticed and nudged him. "Hey. What’s up with you? You look like you saw a ghost."

Seenu blinked, still stunned. "Look at their uniforms... and the way they move. They’re from Kyokai."

"So?" Aamir shrugged.

Seenu turned to him, eyes lit with awe. "So? Look at that man—he’s Shinroku Takeda. A legend! People say he’s as strong as Master Haider. And Kyokai’s whole fighting style—it’s just so cool. I’ve always been inspired by them."

Meera whispered, "Wait... Shinroku Takeda? The one who took down a titan-ranked mythic wyvern alone during the Kyokai border war?"

Seenu nodded rapidly. "Yes! And he wasn’t even injured. People say his sword can tear through barriers like paper."

Riya raised an eyebrow. "That’s insane... Why’s someone like him traveling with students?"

Kunal replied, "Maybe for the same reason Master Haider is with us. Their Academy must have strong contenders too."

Aamir raised an eyebrow and smirked. "What now? You gonna ask him for an autograph? Calm down, fanboy."

Seenu grinned, not even denying it. "Maybe I will, so what."

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