Florida Man in Magus World: Unleashing Liberty and Freedom

Chapter 202 - Wealthy Florida Man Sends Stranger to a Space Exploration Mission Permanently Because He Woo'd His Wife

Not only did Felix and Diana appear on the mysterious space platform, but 998 other individuals also materialized one after another as if summoned from across countless worlds. Oddly, the newcomers fell into one of two extremes. They were either youthful prodigies, brimming with energy, or venerable elders exuding an air of profound wisdom. There was no middle ground.

What was immediately striking, however, was their appearance. Each individual looked as if they had stepped off the cover of a fashion magazine or emerged from movies. Their faces carried an almost ethereal beauty, rivaling idols and top-tier actors. Their outfits were equally unique, ranging from ornate robes encrusted with jewels to futuristic combat suits that radiated high-tech sophistication. Together, their looks and distinct styles made them seem like protagonists plucked directly from the pages of a manga, manhwa, or manhua.

Some of the gathered figures turned their attention toward Felix and Diana. Their gazes lingered momentarily on Diana, noting her distinct appearance as a lamia. Afterward, their eyes flicked over Felix, assessing him with a mixture of curiosity and caution before moving on to size up the rest of the competitors.

Diana, in turn, observed the crowd with a critical eye. Her senses honed in on their power levels, and her expression darkened. Most of the participants were either 9th-circle mages or 9-star aura knights. Only a handful were at the 8th level, and even they carried themselves with unshakable confidence.

A heavy sigh escaped Diana's lips. She clenched her fists, frustrated by the realization that she was the weakest among them, being at the 7th circle. Regret churned in her chest as she recalled all the opportunities she had missed to grow stronger. If only she had been more ruthless, hunted her rivals, and prioritized power over leisure...

Felix noticed the flicker of self-doubt in Diana's expression. He stepped closer, gently patting her head as if soothing an anxious child. "Relax. If things get too dicey, you can retreat into my subspace dimension. I'll handle the rest."

Diana couldn't help but let out a dry chuckle, "I'll try my best, darling."

At that moment, Jessica's portrait materialized in front of Diana. She also encouraged her.

<Don't underestimate yourself, Diana. You've completed all your main quests and transitioned into repeatable quests. Each time you complete one, your foundation becomes significantly stronger. In terms of raw power, you've already surpassed many who rushed to the 9th stage. You just need to play your cards right and capitalize on your raw physical strengths. Hell, you can't call yourself a mage. You're physically stronger than aura knights!>

Jessica's reassuring analysis rekindled a spark of confidence within Diana. She straightened her posture.

"Alright. If you say so, I won't give up."

Felix smirked, pleased to see her confidence returning. "That's the spirit. Let's show these so-called prodigies what we're capable of."

Around them, the other competitors continued evaluating one another. However, when it came to Diana, she was largely ignored, dismissed as an irrelevant presence among the higher-tier fighters. To them, her mana volume was too faint to warrant attention, and many subconsciously categorized her as an NPC.

But one figure broke the mold. A young man clad in ornamental full-plate armor swaggered toward her. His every step reeked of arrogance, accompanied by an overwhelming wave of floral perfume that made both Felix and Diana instinctively recoil.

"It's my first time seeing a lamia in the flesh!" the youth's voice was loud enough to turn heads. His eyes gleamed with barely concealed lust as he stared at Diana. "Hello, miss. What's your name? What's your system?"

Diana's face darkened with irritation as she noticed his eyes lingering far too long on her chest. Without missing a beat, she slid closer to Felix, wrapping her arms around his and pressing herself against him. "I have a boyfriend."

Felix, quick to follow her lead, chuckled and corrected her. "You mean, you have a husband."

Diana blinked, then laughed awkwardly. "Ah, my bad. Old habits. That line just slipped out."

The young knight's smug grin widened as he shifted his focus to Felix, sizing him up with a glance. He scoffed in disdain. "I see. A phoenix man, huh? Level 120, too? Hah. Bad choice, lady. I'm a level 999 dragon. If you're smart, you should ditch him and join me. He won't stand a chance in the scenario quests."

At the mention of the youth's level, both Felix and Diana narrowed their eyes.

Level 999? Diana thought skeptically, her instincts telling her something was off. Felix, too, silently analyzed the youth's claim.

'Level 999, yet his aura matches that of a standard 9-star aura knight? And how does he know my level is 120? Appraisal system, maybe? Or some other cheat perk?'

While Felix considered the youth's potential abilities, he remained unimpressed. No matter what flashy title or cheat system the knight possessed, Felix was confident in his own strength. His arsenal of secret weapons, finely honed skills, and years of careful preparation gave him an edge no simple number could match.

The knight, oblivious to their disdain, continued his shameless attempt to woo Diana. "My offer still stands, miss. Leave this guy and join my harem. My system is called Pleasure Boon. Every time I have sex with a woman, both she and I gain levels and grow stronger! Even though I'm capped at 999 for now, my level ceiling can increase indefinitely if I gather enough harem members and, well, have sex with them a thousand times at least. Come with me and have sex with me! Then, I can unlock your true potential—"

"ORAAAAA!"

Before the knight could finish his vile pitch, Felix's patience snapped. With a calm yet devastating motion, he delivered a perfectly aimed punch to the young man's face.

The knight was launched off the platform like a ragdoll. Without gravity to pull him back, his body tumbled endlessly into the void, shrinking into a speck before vanishing entirely.

The plaza fell silent before several nearby young maidens broke into spontaneous applause. Gratified by Felix's decisive action, they clapped enthusiastically. Others chuckled softly, enjoying the spectacle of the arrogant knight being so thoroughly humiliated.

Felix, ever the showman, turned around and offered a theatrical bow. "Thank you, thank you!" While many found the moment amusing, a different reaction rippled through the stronger system users present. The sheer force behind Felix's punch hadn't gone unnoticed, and they quietly committed his strength to memory, recalibrating their assessments of him.

The number of participants momentarily dropped to 999 after Felix's punch sent the knight spiraling into the void. However, before anyone could fully revel in the reduced competition, a beacon of white light pierced the platform. In a flash, the same knight reappeared, restoring the participant count back to 1,000.

The knight touched his bloody nose as he rummaged through his system inventory. Producing a healing potion, he gulped it down, and the wound vanished instantly. His glare locked onto Felix0

"I see. You're my enemy."

Felix rolled his eyes, cringing. "Save that corny line for a soap opera. It's embarrassing."

But the knight wasn't done. Ignoring Felix's jab, he unsheathed a radiant golden sword from his hip. The weapon exuded a potent aura of a 9-star aura knight. It was a sentient sword. Felix arched an eyebrow but didn't flinch. His posture remained relaxed, but his hands already reached for one of his secret weapons, which he had purchased from the system store and upgraded it. Before either could make a move, a large system notification screen materialized in the air before every participant, halting the brewing confrontation.

[Welcome, heroes from 27 different worlds, to the scenario quest lobby.]

[I, Miao Xiaomao of the Cathulhu House, am the administrator of this round. If you follow my instructions and guidance carefully, I can assure your safe ascension to the immortal realm. Ignore me, however, and your ascension will be... VERY eventful.]

The knight hesitated, lowering his sword slightly as everyone's attention shifted to the glowing screen. Felix, too, turned his focus to the announcement, though he remained acutely aware of his surroundings.

The screen pulsed as the message continued.

[I shall now tell you the rules.]

[There are a total of 100 scenario quests that you all must complete. Some will be solo missions, while others will require teamwork. At times, you may need to compete directly against each other to secure greater rewards. But heed my words. Killing your competitors is NOT necessary to progress.]

A collective sigh of relief rippled through the younger participants. Many relaxed their stances, reassured by the prospect of non-lethal competition. Conversely, the elder participants remained stoic, mulling over the implications of the administrator's words.

[The duration of each mission is entirely random. Some can be completed within minutes, while others may last several days. Be warned: the later quests can stretch on for years or even decades! But fear not! Although a century might seem to pass in your mission world, only a few seconds will elapse here in the lobby.]

Felix smirked knowingly, recognizing the concept. His experience with the Chrono Gym had accustomed him to the effects of time dilation. He glanced at Diana, who nodded back, equally unperturbed.

The screen paused, as if giving the participants time to absorb the information, before the final part of the introduction appeared.

[Your first scenario quest will begin shortly. Prepare yourselves, heroes. The immortal realm awaits... if you can survive.]

The light from the screen faded, and the plaza erupted into murmurs. Competitors whispered strategies, alliances began to form, and others evaluated their potential rivals with newfound intensity.