Florida Man in Magus World: Unleashing Liberty and Freedom

- Guaranteed Admission: Felix would participate in the upcoming examinations without using firearms, but he was guaranteed admission to the Royal Magi Academy, regardless of his performance.

- Legal Compliance: Felix agreed to abide by the laws of the Dragoon Empire. Should he violate any laws, he would face punishment according to the Empire's standards.

- Limited Authority: Until Felix turned 18, he was under no obligation to comply with any authority's orders, including mandates from the Emperor, as long as he remained within the law.

- Self-Defense Rights: Felix was granted the right to use any means necessary to defend himself, his family, assets, and properties in cases of self-defense, threats, or harm.

- Land Grant: The Empire would bestow upon Felix one acre of land within the country. The land could be located anywhere that was unclaimed by an existing owner.

- Knight and Noble Titles: Felix would be officially granted a knight title. Upon graduation, he would receive a noble title, with the rank depending on his performance at school and the Emperor's judgment.

- Imperial Protection: The Empire was obligated to provide bodyguards to protect Felix until he either turned 18 or graduated from the Royal Magi Academy.

- Financial Support: Felix was entitled to scholarship opportunities and stipends provided by the Royal Magi Academy and the Royal Court. The amount of financial support would depend on his rank and class within the academy.

- Contract Period: This contract would remain in effect until Felix graduated from the Royal Magi Academy and renewed a contract with the current Emperor of the Dragoon Empire, or until the Empire no longer existed, or until Felix perished, or until Felix was expelled from the academy.

- Annulling: Both sides could annul the contract if both sides agreed to terminate the contract, or one side failed to adhere the promised obligations, or death of a party, or the dissolution of the Dragoon Empire.

- Penalties (Felix): If Felix breached any term of the contract, he would forfeit all perks provided by the empire, including titles, land, scholarships, and any financial support. He would also be subjected to trials according to the empire's laws.

- Penalties (Emperor): If Saucon breached any term of the contract or purposely withheld the promised supports, Felix would be entitled for compensation, such as triple the amount of land grant, a one-time payment equivalent to thrice the value of stipends he would receive until graduation.

In addition, Felix had to rights to freely leave or remain in the empire without paying taxes for the rest of his life.

…

Saucon read the draft but disagreed with the terms, feeling they didn't restrain Felix enough. However, Martin, known for his fairness, argued that Felix was still a minor and should not be oppressed by the regime or the local government. Instead, they should nurture Felix and build trust with him so that he would grow loyal to the monarch and the country.

This, Martin insisted, would ensure a bright future for the kingdom.

Trusting Martin's judgment, Saucon reluctantly agreed to the terms, allowing the magic contract to be established. With the agreement in place, Felix was finally released.

As Felix left the office, he found Garudeer and Zen waiting for him. Both headmasters glanced at his wrists and smiled brightly.

"It seems His Majesty has forgiven you," Garudeer said, visibly relieved.

"I'm glad the talk went well," Zen added, though she sighed deeply. "Still, you were too bold. Criticizing the emperor was one thing, but killing a member of the Seth House is quite another," she said, clearly worried about Felix's future at the academy. She couldn't help but think of a sophomore student, also a disciple of the Nature Tower's headmaster, who might now pose a threat to Felix.

Felix, however, was unfazed. "It's fine," he said with a smirk. "They're sending bodyguards to protect me. There's nothing to worry about." He chuckled, knowing that if he wanted, he could just take Jane and Valley and leave. At worst, he'd break the magic contract and become a wanted man, but that didn't seem to bother him.

Hearing that Saucon and the saints would send men to protect Felix, both Garudeer and Zen were reassured. However, Garudeer had one last concern.

"Felix," Garudeer said, giving him a stern look. "Tomorrow, there's an exhibition exam where you'll either spar with fellow examinees or senior students from the Royal Magi Academy."

Garudeer explained the rules. In the morning, there would be a tournament among the successful examinees who passed the written exam. Their exam ranks would determine their placements in the competition. The winner would secure the first-rank spot in the Heaven Class, gaining full benefits, scholarships, and cultivation resources.

The runner-up would take the second seat, while the semi-finalists would compete for the third rank. Only those who made it to the final 16 would be placed in the Heaven Class.

There were additional rules for the last four spots in the Heaven Class, but Garudeer didn't bother explaining them to Felix, confident that he would at least reach the finals with his abilities.

However, the real issue came after that.

Garudeer got to the point. "After the final rankings are determined, the senior and sophomore students of the academy will send a representative to spar with the champion. But you've just killed someone from the Seth House, right? Do you know who the current representative of the sophomore students is?"

Felix quickly guessed the situation. "Let me guess. That moron has an older brother or cousin in the school?"

Garudeer and Zen exchanged bitter smiles. "You're half correct," Garudeer replied. "That boy, Veetee Seth, was the only heir of the Seth House. But the Seth House has branch families, and their children serve as backup heirs in case the main one dies young. They go by the surname Fourch. The representative is Ratt Fourch, a fourth-circle thunder mage."

Hearing the name, Felix couldn't help but smile wryly. He recalled something odd his father used to do.

In Felix's memory, his father was a hardcore nerd, part of a niche community of Vtuber fans. He was active on online forums, especially on 4ch*n, where he frequented a sub-channel related to Vtubers. Coincidentally, the dead youth's name matched the name of the sub-channel - VT.

Was this fate?

Felix almost burst out laughing, wondering if someone was playing a prank on them—or on him.

But overthinking wouldn't help, so Felix shrugged off the warning and reassured them, "Don't worry too much. It's not like that rat will seek revenge on me for killing his rival. He should be grateful I've given him the opportunity to rise!"

Garudeer chuckled bitterly, while Zen shook her head, unsure if Felix would be alright the next day.

The group then escorted Felix back to the Storm Tower, where he rested for the day.

…

The written exam concluded with a minor hiccup, but the overall results remained largely unchanged. The final rankings were as follows:

1st Place, 200 Points - Felix Ariel

2nd Place, 199 Points - Rosaline Zenith

3rd Place, 197 Points - Valley Lundop

4th Place, 196 Points - Hammer Jox

These four students stood far above the rest, and it was widely anticipated that they would dominate the semi-finals in the exhibition tournament scheduled for the next day.

As the results spread, so did the buzz of excitement and speculation. Whispers and rumors circulated among the students, instructors, and even the families of the other examinees. The main topic of conversation centered around Felix, the top scorer who had recently made headlines by killing Veetee Seth.

Would he show up and secure the championship title, solidifying his place as the most formidable student in the academy?

But the real question on everyone's mind was: how would Ratt Fourch, the cousin of the slain Veetee Seth, react if Felix won the championship? Ratt was known as a skilled fourth-circle thunder mage. Many wondered if he would challenge Felix in a bid to avenge his fallen relative.

Would the two finally clash in the arena?

Would Ratt seek revenge, or would he bide his time?

The anticipation was palpable. Spectators from all over the empire, including the families of the other examinees, eagerly awaited the showdown, curious to see how this drama would unfold.

…

The next morning, a large crowd gathered at a Colosseum-like arena on the eastern edge of Big Zoot City. This grand sports stadium, constructed with modern steel frames and concrete, stood at a towering 170 feet in height. Its oval shape spanned an impressive 70 acres, making it a majestic landmark in the city.

Wealthy noblemen cheerfully queued at the entrance, each handing over a hefty bag of gold coins to the gold-armored knights stationed there. The collected gold was swiftly carried to the back room, where treasury officers ensured its safe transfer to the empire's vault.

After paying the entrance fee, the nobles received wooden plaques indicating their seat numbers and proceeded to their designated spots, eager for the event to begin.

Merchants also crowded around the stadium, eager to gain entry. They clutched gold coins in their hands, hoping to capitalize on this once-a-year opportunity to strike it rich by selling their goods inside.

Meanwhile, commoners could only watch from outside, unable to afford the steep entrance fee of 100 gold coins per person for a regular seat, which was situated at the farthest distance from the action. As for the VIP seats near the arena, those required a hundred first-rate mana stones per person, making them accessible only to the wealthiest spectators.

Despite the exorbitant costs, thousands of people, including the families of examinees, entered the stadium, eager to witness their children's performance in the arena and cheer them on. Among them was Jane, who, as the wife of a certain wealthy fool, had managed to scrape together enough pocket money to afford the cheapest ticket. In high spirits, she looked forward to seeing Valley's performance.

The day before, Jane had secretly given Valley a special weapon. She wondered if it would prove useful in the tournament.

Upon entering the stadium, Jane searched for her seat, only to discover that it was located right in front of a steel fence that barricaded the middle section of the stands. Her seat was situated at the center of the spectator area, directly opposite the entrance.

Two large monitors, one on the north side and the other on the south, displayed the tournament bracket for the 60 qualified examinees. To Jane's surprise, the top four contestants were given a bye in the first round, advancing directly to the top 32. However, the bracket placements seemed suspiciously rigged.

As the top scorer, Felix's name was listed first on the bracket. Rosaline, however, was placed in the last slot, ensuring that she wouldn't face Felix until the final round. Valley, on the other hand, was assigned the number '33', placing her in the same block as Rosaline and likely pitting her against the priestess in the semi-finals—if she made it that far.

Meanwhile, Hammer Jox, the dark horse of the competition, was assigned the number '32'. Like Valley, he would likely face Felix in the semi-finals.

Seeing how the tournament bracket was arranged, Jane couldn't help but shake her head. She wondered what the organizers were thinking by rigging the placements, as it diminished the excitement of a truly random draw.

"Oh, well," Jane sighed. At the very least, both Valley and Felix should easily reach the semi-finals. If luck was on their side, they would secure a top 20 position and a coveted spot in the Heaven Class.

*TAN* *TAN* *TAN*

As Jane settled onto her stair-like seat, a grand parade marched into the arena, accompanied by the blaring of trumpets. She clasped her hands together, silently praying for Valley and Felix.

"Good luck, both of you," she whispered.