Florida Man in Magus World: Unleashing Liberty and Freedom

*BRRR*

Felix's ATV roared as it cruised over the rough mountainous terrain. Relying on the protective barrier's force, he plowed through shrubs and debris that littered the way, carefully avoiding the contaminated zones.

Even now, it felt surreal to him—being pushed to such extremes by a corrosive gas, something he had never imagined could be so deadly.

Taking a sharp turn, Felix slid down a steep slope, eyes scanning the horizon. A smile crept across his face as he left the plateau behind. The more complex hills and slopes lay ahead, uninhabited by the local highlanders. Surely, he thought, the dangers should be behind him now.

As he descended, Felix found himself grinning wider. His mind wandered to old tunes from the past, melodies he hadn't thought of in years. The mental soundtrack lifted his spirits, making him feel like a character in a high-octane movie or anime, speeding downhill like a daredevil. His confidence soared, along with his adrenaline.

Growing bold, Felix pushed the ATV harder, his speed climbing rapidly. He hit a small incline and before he knew it, the vehicle launched into the air, soaring ten feet high. His heart skipped a beat as he braced for impact.

When the ATV hit the ground, his knees ached from the jarring impact, and his head spun for a moment, but it wasn't enough to deter him. Felix simply laughed it off.

He quickly toggled his system map, switching to a 3D terrain view. With calculated precision, Felix picked out shortcuts, choosing routes that would get him out of this province faster.

Soon, he spotted another natural ramp—this one slightly higher, about twelve feet. Without hesitation, he floored it, sending the ATV flying once more. The vehicle crashed down hard, facing a much steeper slope ahead—a nearly 60-degree incline stretching 300 feet tall. One wrong move on this slope, and Felix knew he could tumble to his death.

But Felix was too exhilarated to care. He gunned the throttle.

100 MPH.

110 MPH.

120 MPH.

The ATV's speed climbed dangerously, but Felix remained focused. The slope raced toward him, and with a sharp pull of the steering handles, the front tires lifted while the rear ones dug into the cliff. The vehicle shot forward, landing with a hard thud. Felix flinched as his body absorbed the impact, but his hands stayed firm on the handlebars.

He was making great progress. At this pace, he thought, he'd be out of the province before noon. Relief began to wash over him, the tension easing as the thrill took hold.

*RUMBLE.*

The ground shook, and the sun disappeared. A looming shadow darkened the sky, followed by a stench Felix knew all too well—the nauseating odor of a carnivorous beast's excrement filled the air.

His heart sank. He recognized that scent.

Felix's jaw clenched as he glanced at the system map. His worst fear materialized in the form of a massive purple dot, hovering directly over his position. It wasn't just near him—it was on top of him.

Without thinking, Felix slammed on the brakes. The ATV screeched to a halt as Felix looked up, his stomach churning with dread.

The megalith dragon had returned.

*RUMBLE*

To Felix's surprise, the megalith dragon flew westward, paying no attention to him or the activity on the ground below. Its focus remained fixed on something in the distance, as if it had found a more intriguing target.

Felix stood frozen, eyes locked on the dragon until it disappeared over the horizon. His right hand clutched his chest, where his heart threatened to spike its BPM to 300.

"Jesus Christ, that scares me," Felix thought, letting out a nervous chuckle.

With the path now clear, he resumed his journey. He prayed that he wouldn't cross paths with the dragon again.

.

.

Meanwhile, the megalith dragon's sharp eyes caught sight of something in the distance. A spark of excitement surged through its massive frame.

There was a floating island, hovering majestically in the sky!

For a dragon, what could be more luxurious than a towering mountain?

The answer? A flying land!

Its mouth watered at the thought. If it could claim this island as its new territory, it would be unbeatable. No female dragon would resist his advances with such a prize in his possession. Male dragons? They'd be green with envy, squirming at his dominance over such an extraordinary domain!

The wealth and grandeur of Highland Province suddenly felt insignificant. The floating island was the ultimate treasure, the crown jewel of any dragon's collection.

With a wide, toothy grin, the megalith dragon flapped its wings harder and shot straight toward its new prize, eager to make the floating island its new lair.

.

.

The megalith dragon and Felix weren't the only ones heading west. Following closely behind the dragon, a lone figure balanced on a gleaming sword, flying at the speed of sound. If the man didn't change course, he would soon catch up with the beast.

This man was none other than Shin Tanaka, the renowned sword saint. He had slipped out of the capital city, using the chaos in the neighboring towns as a convenient distraction. After all, he had no business teaching at the Royal Magi Academy.

Why would a swordsman who knew nothing about mana even try to teach there?

Swordsmanship? What a joke. Arrogant noble children couldn't even hold a wooden sword properly, let alone a broomstick.

Aura? That would be a lame joke.

Tanaka scoffed at the idea of a human mastering both aura and mana. The thought was laughable. If it were possible, he, Martin, or even Xavior would have accomplished it long ago. The feat was beyond reach, even with the aid of a system. After all, a human's constitution had its limits, no matter how advanced or augmented.

Aside from ditching the academy job, Tanaka had two clear goals. First, he planned to meet the Queen of the Black Forest, Diana, and fulfill the promises he had made to her. As part of their agreement, Tanaka was required to donate his seeds to the Lamia tribe in exchange for a truce between the Dragoon Empire and the Black Forest.

Diana had already held up her end of the bargain by withdrawing her troops, so now it was his turn to complete the deal.

The second goal, however, was far more personal. Tanaka had an ulterior motive—he wanted to test their genetic compatibility. If their genes were a match, he intended to use his unique system ability, "Harem King," to brainwash Diana and add her to his ever-growing collection of women.

But his plans faced an unexpected obstacle. A stray dragon from the Solaris Commonwealth had crossed into Highland Province, flying westward. It was a complication he hadn't foreseen, nor wanted to deal with.

Tanaka crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing in frustration as he observed the dragon ahead. Vanquishing a dragon was not on his agenda today, and he wasn't in the mood for a battle. Time was precious, and any delay could interfere with his delicate plans for Diana.

Still, the sword saint couldn't completely ignore the creature. If the dragon chose to attack or interfere with his mission, it would force his hand. For now, though, Tanaka resolved to keep his distance, silently tracking both the dragon and his true target.

As Tanaka continued heading west, he noticed a small dot in the distance, separate from the dragon. Curious, he channeled aura to his eyes, enhancing his vision. What he saw piqued his interest.

A flying island?

Wait, why is the dragon heading straight toward it?

Is that its lair? Tanaka thought.

Mistaking the flying island for the dragon's lair, Tanaka weighed the pros and cons of engaging the beast.

The cons were obvious: it could be a waste of time, and the risk of death was real. Dragons in this world were no laughing matter. Even a sword saint like him could be obliterated by a single graze from their breath attack. In fact, even if every magus in every kingdom banded together to defeat one, at least half of them would perish in the attempt.

But the pros were tempting. If the island was truly the dragon's lair, it could be filled with untold riches. Dragons, regardless of their variant, all shared the same obsession—hoarding treasures. It was a behavior ingrained in their nature, a way to attract mates by flaunting their wealth. Even female dragons collected and displayed their treasures to prove their worth.

The potential for such a reward was too enticing to ignore.

"Argh, decisions, decisions. A lamia queen or slaying a dragon? I'm running out of time." Tanaka bit his lower lip and let out a deep sigh.

The temptation was strong, but he shook it off, deciding to stick with his original plan—visiting Diana.

After all, the snake queen was no ordinary foe. She was cunning and dangerous. If he showed up battered or weakened, she might betray him. She had done it to countless heroes who had underestimated her, turning them into mere breeding fodders for her tribe.

There used to be more transmigrators like him in Dragoon Empire, but Diana managed to kill them one way or another. Tanaka wasn't about to let that happen to him.

He was supposed to dominate others, not the other way around!

With that in mind, Tanaka made his decision. He would deal with Diana first and conquer the lamias after that. And once that was settled, he would turn his attention to the flying island.

One goal at a time.

.

.

Although it took Felix hours to return home, he wasn't fatigued by the journey. Instead, he was brimming with excitement.

He arrived at one of the colossal anchors anchoring the flying island to the ground. The anchor resembled a gigantic metal nail, and its surface glinted in the sunlight. Felix stood in awe, taking in its immense size.

Estimating by sight, the nail was taller and larger than the Empire State Building. Enormous chains, thicker than five tree trunks combined, connected the nail to the island above. Felix counted eleven other similar anchors surrounding the flying land, each supporting the island in its place.

As he looked up, Felix noticed the megalith dragon orbiting the flying island. Despite the dragon's curious presence, Felix focused on his immediate concern.

How to get back home on that floating land?

There were no visible stairs or ladders.

"Do I have to climb the chains?" Felix contemplated his next move. Then, he looked at the sun at the west horizon.

The sky was getting darker, and the sun already hid its presence beyond the horizon. Felix ran out of time for the day.

"Well, shit. I guess I have to camp under my own house."

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