As the battle on the Nullarbor Plain ended and the destruction Ren had wrought began to subside, an advanced military helicopter landed nearby.
*WHUP!* *WHUP!* *WHUP!*
The sliding door opened, revealing a female pilot in full uniform with a nervous expression. Without much talk, Ren stepped inside.
*WHUP!* *WHUP!* *WHUP!*
The helicopter took off immediately, leaving behind the desert landscape now littered with the wreckage of machines—a sight no witness could ever forget.
The short journey took Ren from the barren battlefield to the dazzling lights of a metropolitan city. Majestic bridges and skyscrapers presented a stark contrast to the devastation he'd just left behind.
The helicopter landed on a luxurious helipad atop a skyscraper.
Naturally, all the accommodations provided were courtesy of the Australian Mage Association. It was their way of showing both respect and fear toward him.
Unlike in Japan, where local factions like the History Compilation Committee tried to exploit Campione, Western factions treated Campione with the highest protocol. After all, Campione like Marquis Voban, Doni, Luo Hao, and Alec often caused massive trouble, leading to unimaginable destruction in their regions.
As a result, the West had directly experienced the damage Campione could cause, unlike the peaceful Far East, like Japan, where Campione tended to live tranquil lives.
Upon arriving at the Shangri-La Sydney, Ren was greeted by high-ranking members of the Australian Mage Association. They were all dressed in lavish, elegant attire, but their faces were filled with tension. One of them, an elderly man with a thick beard, stepped forward.
"Welcome, King Ren. On behalf of the Australian Mage Association, we wish to express our gratitude for your—"
Ren raised a hand, cutting the man off.
"I'm tired. I just want to rest. I don't want to be disturbed."
The old man nodded quickly, his face paling. "Of course, of course, Your Majesty. We understand. Please follow us."
And so, Ren was escorted to the most luxurious suite at the Shangri-La Sydney, occupying the entire top floor with large glass windows offering a 360° view of Sydney Harbor.
Perhaps the Australian Mage Association had investigated that he was a man of certain appetites. The hotel staff assigned to him on this Day of Silence, specially prepared for him, consisted solely of beautiful, curvaceous women with ample bosoms—Ren's type.
A stunning blonde woman in a mini-dress that barely covered her approached him with a seductive smile.
"Your Majesty, we've prepared everything for you. Please, sit and relax."
Unlike the conservative women of Japan, Western women were open-minded. They shamelessly hinted to Ren that they were still virgins, offering themselves as a reward for his victory.
But Ren was too exhausted. Having nearly depleted his magical energy, he wasn't in the mood for anything risqué.
Ren took a bottle of wine from the woman's hand. "But I just want to bathe and soak. You can leave."
"Are… are you sure?" The woman asked, her eyebrows raised. "We're here to serve you, sir. Whatever you desire—"
Ren shook his head. "Don't make me say it twice. I just want to rest. No disturbances."
With a slightly disappointed expression, the woman nodded. "Very well, sir. If you change your mind, we're in the next room."
Ren didn't respond. He simply walked to the bathroom, stripped off his tattered clothes, and stepped into the large jacuzzi.
The warm water washed over his wounds, providing a soothing, comforting sensation. He poured a glass of wine, sipped it slowly, and leaned back in the jacuzzi. From the bathroom window, he could see the Sydney Harbor, with the iconic Opera House and the majestic bridge.
Relaxing in the jacuzzi, Ren gazed at Sydney. The city sparkled below, its bridges and skyscrapers a calming sight after the brutal battle. He sipped his wine, feeling the warmth slowly ease his tense muscles.
"It's been a while since I fought all-out like that. Back in England, when I faced two Heretic Gods in one day and another the next, my magical energy wasn't drained like this."
Closing his eyes, Ren reflected on the battle at Nullarbor Plain. It had demanded constant use of his Divine Authorities, whether for speed, strength, or explosive attacks. Though he'd ended the fight with a decisive victory, the consumption of his magical energy far exceeded his expectations.
Opening his eyes, Ren stretched his body, his wounds healing automatically—slowly by his standards but a medical miracle by any doctor's measure.
"As expected from a civilization capable of crossing the cosmos. They're tough. Their technology is advanced, but they couldn't handle magic."
Ren felt his magical energy, now at a mere 10%. The sensation was strange, as he rarely found himself in such a state.
Though there was no precise metric, a Campione's magical energy was generally known to be hundreds of times greater than that of a trained mage. According to information from the Witenagamot, the world's highest mage council, a Campione's magical energy was equivalent to a Dragon Vein.
What is a Dragon Vein?
It's the energy flowing across the earth's surface and its channels. If we consider the Earth a single living organism, the Dragon Vein corresponds to the energy circulating within its body, like blood vessels in a human. By tapping into a Dragon Vein, large-scale Magical Arts, otherwise impossible, become feasible.
For instance, Stonehenge in England, where Alice performed a grand global-scale ritual to induce forced sleep, was not a random location. Stonehenge is a powerful Dragon Vein, a point where the earth's energy radiates with extraordinary intensity.
In terms of power, a Dragon Vein's magical energy is often likened to hundreds of times the capacity of a high-level mage or even equivalent to a massive nuclear power plant if converted to explosive force.
The magical capacity required for global-scale rituals is beyond what any ordinary mage, no matter how powerful, could achieve. Only by harnessing a Dragon Vein's energy can such magic be realized.
In this context, Ren's magical energy as a Campione, reduced to 10% after the Nullarbor battle, reflects the immense energy consumed during the fight. He didn't just defeat his enemies—he unleashed power equivalent to a nuclear bomb.
"By the way, how are the other Campione doing? Are they still fighting, or are they done?"
Ren reached out and picked up a crystal bell placed nearby.
Its chime broke the silence of the luxurious room, summoning the female staff waiting outside.
Soon after, the bathroom door opened slightly. The beautiful blonde woman, now in a micro-bikini that barely covered her, peeked in.
"Does Your Majesty need something?" she asked softly.
"Get me a tablet. I want to check on the other Campione battlefields."
"Understood, Your Majesty. Please wait."
The woman bowed deeply, then turned and left. Ren leaned back in the jacuzzi, enjoying the warm water and his wine.
Shortly after, she returned, carrying a silver tablet with its screen already on. She placed it on the table beside the jacuzzi and bowed deeply again.
"Here it is, Your Majesty. The live broadcast of the Prime War. We've prioritized the channels for you."
"Mm."
Nodding lightly, Ren picked up the tablet with his right hand.
The woman bowed again, then respectfully left the room, leaving Ren alone.