Florida Man in Magus World: Unleashing Liberty and Freedom

Among them, the basilisks were a notable exception. They retained not only their enhanced abilities but also their collective hivemind. The warden group continued their surveillance of Diana, ensuring her imprisonment. Meanwhile, the remaining forces focused their attention on Felix\'s hidden oil derrick.

At first, the assault team persisted in their relentless attacks on the derrick\'s barrier, sacrificing themselves to weaken its defenses. Lightning bolts from the array struck them down one after another.

But when the eclipse expired, the assault halted. The basilisks no longer threw themselves at the deadly lightning. Instead, they encircled the invisible structure, forming a blockade around the dome. Taking advantage of the cleared land around the oil derrick, they built a new village around the dome.

This would be their new operation base.

Meanwhile, lamias who had resisted the curse began to regroup beneath Felix\'s floating island. The shadow it cast during the day provided a cool respite from the oppressive sun. Despite the scorched, barren land below, the lamias found the area suitable for establishing new settlements.

Though the land lacked trees and water, their mastery of water magic allowed them to survive in even the harshest conditions.

What had begun with just five lamias soon grew into a gathering of a hundred survivors, drawn to the site by the lingering scents of battle and opportunity. As they made their way to the area, they scavenged remnants of Felix\'s battle with the Megalith Dragon.

Broken rifles, spent grenades, and debris from the conflict littered the landscape, and though many items were damaged beyond use, a few intact supply crates remained hidden in obscure spots—buried under rubble or lodged in deep pits.

Despite their formidable physical strength, the lamias struggled to open the intact crates. Though their bodies were naturally stronger than those of ordinary humans, the containers were designed to be secure, impervious to brute force alone.

After several fruitless attempts, the lamias repurposed the crates for a new purpose. They built a crude altar atop the supply crates, using them as a foundation for their worship of their demon god.

The gathering of lamias also brought about a change in leadership. During the chaos of the eclipse, they had encountered a powerful and charismatic figure, someone they now chose to serve as their new queen.

With their tribe reformed and a new leader in place, the lamias began their next chapter, rebuilding their strength under the shadow of Felix\'s island and the watchful eye of their newly elected queen.

However, that queen brought along friends from other races as well - the friends from the same slave market.

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Felix stood on the rooftop, pursing his lips in frustration. His gaze fixed on the sky.

The cursed moon, still lingering in the heavens, cast an eerie purple glow that gradually faded as the sunlight began to overpower it. Yet, despite its dimming light, the moon\'s unsettling presence remained. It served as a constant reminder of the chaos that had unfolded, keeping Felix in a foul mood.

He glanced at the floating system CCTV screens nearby, which displayed the current situation around his prized oil derrick. The footage showed the basilisks, still loitering around despite the attack having ceased. Though the assault was over, the fact that they hadn\'t left made Felix uneasy.

"Meh. Whatever his stupid name is, a god is still a god. What kind of mess did I just get into?" Felix muttered under his breath, clearly annoyed.

Jessica\'s calm voice echoed in his mind, offering a practical solution.

<It won\'t be that troublesome if you pull the anchors and leave this continent for good.>

Felix shook his head. "What about the oil derrick? That\'s my precious mana source!"

The oil derrick was Felix\'s key asset, continuously supplying him with mana oil, which filled the tanks without any extra effort on his part. It was essentially free mana, ready to be extracted whenever Felix needed it.

Right now, the tanks were completely full. If he wanted, Felix could go on a spending spree in the system store, using the mana as currency. He could even recover all his resources by tributing the oil mana to his ancestors.

But there was a catch. The mana deposit underground wasn\'t infinite. There was no telling when it might run dry, and Felix was keenly aware of this. He preferred to keep the reserve intact, saving it for emergencies rather than burning through it carelessly.

Still, the threat of a god—whoever they were—loomed large in his mind. Leaving the continent would mean abandoning the oil derrick, a sacrifice he wasn\'t quite ready to make. As he stood there, mulling over his options, the cursed moon continued to fade into the daylight, but the creeping sense of dread remained with him.

<It will be fine for the time being. Unless a system user finds it, nothing can harm it,> Jessica\'s soothing voice echoed in Felix\'s mind, trying to calm his growing anxiety.

Felix wasn\'t convinced. "But aren\'t those snake-men the demon god\'s familiars? Doesn\'t he have a system too? He must have discovered my buildings by now!"

Jessica hesitated before responding <It will take years before the demon god regains his former strength. I believe he\'s already reincarnated into this world, but at this point, he\'s probably just a jelly or an infant. You can rest assured... for now.>

Felix scoffed, "How about you tell me where that idiot is, and I put a lead in his head?"

There was a moment of silence before Jessica replied, her words firm but laced with warning.

<Even if he\'s just an embryo right now, he could still kill you with a single thought. Please don\'t antagonize him while you\'re still a weak mortal. At least attain immortality before you even consider confronting him.>

Felix sighed, rubbing his temples in exasperation. "Man... this is complicated."

He wasn\'t used to being on the back foot, and the idea of a lurking god, who had already reincarnated and was slowly regaining power, unnerved him.

Felix prided himself on his reckless, take-charge attitude, but even he knew better than to take on a god prematurely. Yet, the longer he waited, the more power the demon god would regain. Time was both his ally and his enemy.

The reality of Felix\'s situation settled in. Patience was now his best option, though it clashed with his impulsive nature. Still, one thing was clear: Felix wasn\'t going to wait forever.

Felix\'s frustration grew, "I guess I have to grind hard. But damn. 666,666 years of lifespan for a god-slaying weapon, or the quests."

Felix had two unappealing options. He could take a shortcut by purchasing the god-slaying weapon from the system store, but it would cost him an astronomical 666,666 years of lifespan, and that was just for the weakest weapon.

His other option was to train, complete quests, and upgrade his skills through the system—a much slower path but far more feasible for a longterm strategy.

Either way, it was going to be a grind, and Felix hated that. He wanted nothing more than to laze around in his house, enjoy his slow-paced lifestyle, and avoid hard work altogether.

Jessica read his thoughts and reminded him. <Completing quests takes less time and effort, Felix. You don\'t have enough lifespan factories to burn.>

"I know," Felix sighed, resigning himself to his fate as he opened the quest menu he\'d been neglecting for far too long.

…

Main Quest #9 - Practical Experience

Your mana reserves are now abundant, and your physical strength rivals that of a regular 3-star aura knight. However, superficial strength means nothing when facing a fellow transmigrator with superior skill and experience. To bridge this gap, you are presented with two options.

Mission Objectives: Complete one to fulfill the quest

1. Defeat any transmigrator and extract a fate crystal from their body.

2. Complete the following objectives:

- Obtain the item *Subspace Permit (10,000 mi²)* from the Florida Man Store.

- Increase flame aura and flame mana mastery to "Beginner."

- Learn at least two aura techniques or magic spells from the Florida Man Store.

- Defeat any 4-star aura knight or fourth-circle mage.

Rewards:

- Class-D Super Democracy Pass

- Class-D Mystery Box x10

…

Felix stared at the quest options, weighing his choices.

The first option caught his eye. it seemed straightforward, perhaps the quickest route. All he had to do was hunt down a transmigrator and extract their fate crystal. Simple, right?

Jessica, however, could sense his thoughts and offered her advice.

<There\'s an old saying on Earth: Standards beat tactics. Absolute strength beats all strategies. Over-relying on tactics and shortcuts will hinder your growth and true potential.>

Felix let out a heavy sigh, slowly nodding as he absorbed her words. "Fine. I\'ll refine my mana mastery. But this is going to be annoying and tedious."

<All those who succeed are hard workers.>

Felix rolled his eyes. "But not all hard workers become successful."

<They simply didn\'t work hard and smart enough.> Jessica countered.

"…"

Felix had no response to that, though he still wasn\'t convinced. Nonetheless, he couldn\'t argue with Jessica\'s logic. Grinding through quests and leveling up his skills was the safer and more sustainable path, even if it meant delaying his ultimate goal of slaying an annoying god.

Returning to the battery room, Felix sighed as he prepared for the grind ahead. His first task was to find a flame mana manipulation technique in the system store, something to start refining his mana mastery.

Scrolling through the available manuals, he found several training methods. However, the one most suited for phoenixes—*Phoenix Breathing, Volume 2*—came with a hefty price tag.

"The second volume costs 10,000 years of lifespan? Damn… That\'s as much as the Dim Philosophy Stone." Felix frowned.

For a moment, Felix hesitated. Spending 10,000 years of his precious lifespan just for a manual felt excessive. But then, a thought struck him.

Work smarter, not harder

A sly grin spread across his face as a plan began to form.

Reaching for his stash, Felix grabbed a phoenix ash cigar. He could feel the latent power within it, waiting to be unleashed. As the idea took root, he glanced at Jessica for confirmation.

"Say, Jessica. If I smoke this cigar in here, will the phoenix explosion destroy the house?"

<The essence stone room is the most durable part of this house. It can withstand nuclear explosions. You can go bonkers if you want to, but make sure to replace the essence stone later. Its energy will deplete.>

"Got it," Felix replied with a satisfied smirk.

With Jessica\'s assurance, he cut the tip of the cigar and placed it in his mouth. The smooth, rich scent of phoenix ash filled the air as he gently lit the cigar. Felix took a deep puff, savoring the sophisticated aroma.

The essence of the phoenix ash cigar coursed through his veins, its latent energy mingling with his flame mana. As Felix exhaled, a plume of glowing smoke filled the room, swirling with a fiery aura. His mana stirred, reacting to the cigar\'s powerful essence, making the training feel effortless.

The grind had officially begun.