I know a thing or two about magic. For one, most people don't stomp to use magic, which is a shame since it's a cool way of using magic. Sure, it makes using magic through other limbs harder because you have to remake your magic circuits, but whatever. The other thing is that most of the top-tier magic users know how to hide their power and how to unleash said hidden power. Most people crumble under such pressure. It also is not good if you think your hipbone might be shattered. I should've learnt healing magic.

"Surrender or die." To think this whole pyramid thing was going well. Man, it's been a while since I've actually been beaten to a pulp… I should probably surrender, I have no idea how to avoid Maxine's statue magic trick… nah, I can't. Guess we'll have to duke it out. I wish I was fighting someone easier, but… "Your answer, maid. Give it now."

"Ava, go left. Light, go right. Secret Madeleine technique number seven, Pocket Dagger Surprise!" I put my left hand into my pocket only to throw a dagger at Maxine, who shot an earth bullet at it. Ava grabbed out a golden sword while Light crafted a laser sword, and they both dashed at Maxine… only to get blasted away by ice beams. Well… shit.

"I see what choice you have made." She aimed her staff towards me and shot out a ball of wind, to which I responded with a wave of fire… that just got assimilated into the wind ball, and now it's a ball of rapidly spinning fire. This is getting worse and worse by the minute. I feel like this whole pyramid thing went down the shithole as soon as I met the Devil… I should've taken his deal, huh?

I braced myself for impact with the incoming projectile, only for it to suddenly be blocked by a… playing card? I looked up at the cage of the princess, seeing her with a determined look while also holding some cards. I guess she'll protect me… but why? No time to ask. It's time to go on the offence. I stomped the ground, creating a crack in the ground that crawled towards Maxine, who started flying on her staff. That's unfair. 

I took out my amulet and took to the air as well, looking at Ava and Light to see if they could also go airborne. Ava somehow sprouted out demon wings, and Light is… she's just standing there, on the air. What? Whatever. Since those two can clearly manoeuvre better than me, I guess I'm on backline duty. 

The two of them approached Maxine with their weapons, who looked prepared for their attacks. Looks like I'll have to pelt her with daggers to confuse her or, if I can, knock her off her staff. I created a dozen daggers and threw them at Maxine. Tiny clocks appeared the daggers, their hands coming to a stop, making them stop midair. Did she just turn my daggers into statues? No worries, I've got more. 

I continued throwing daggers, keeping her distracted, allowing Ava and Light to flank her, with one attacking low and the other going high. Maxine was too late to react and got knocked off her staff. I quickly capitalised on this by ripping my amulet off, landing on the ground with a stomp and creating Eternal Ice at Maxine's hand and feet.

Haha! Got her trapped! Some clocks appeared above my ice, their hands fast-forwarding at blinding speed, yet the ice seemed unchanged. It's called Eternal Ice for a reason.

"It seems I'm beaten." Maxine stopped struggling and just went limp on the ground. I walked over to Maxine to look for the key.

"Hey, what's the key?" I'd really like to get to the next floor. Maybe there's a healer there… it hurts to walk.

"Reunited with my family after spending too much time in this hellhole of a world, only for it to be cut short by a maniacal bunny." Maxine looked at me with anger in her eyes. "Finish this quickly."

I finally found a picture inside Maxine's pocket, starting the floor transfer process. "I'll try to…"

Onto the next floor I went.

I seem to be in a hotel room… exactly like the one in Las Vegas! So does that mean I'll meet Mel? The other Mel? Myka's sister?

"One of them is right… although there's a surprise." I turned to the bed to find Myka sitting on a bed with a person lying down behind her. Myka was holding a tablet, reading through some text like the other times. "I wasn't even supposed to appear this early."

"You know, there's a lot of people in this pyramid who hate you, Myka."

"Do you hate me?"

"You and I both know I only hate you when we're playing Go Fish."

"You know, there's supposed to be so many ways this whole pyramid was supposed to go, and yet somehow you chose the one fucking route that isn't any of them."

"Teehee~"

"Don't fucking teehee me. You were supposed to either blitz through this thing while revealing the monster you were before, take one whole fucking chapter per floor, or develop or some shit. Yet, somehow, you're doing none of those!"

"I may be a combat prodigy, but I'm no combat god. Also, you stole my girlfriend."

"Haa… what I'm doing is something that literally everyone, and when I mean everyone, I mean absolutely fucking everyone, will like. Is this because Mendass is fucked up, because this narrative is fucked up, or because you're fucked up?"

"I dunno."

"God fucking damnit, I actually hate this…" Myka let out a sigh. "Whatever. Maybe the next four enemies will actually stall you out. I specifically put them at the end. Fuck you, Madeleine."

And with that, both Myka and I started disappearing, although I had a feeling it was only me going to the next floor.

Chapter namesake: Sorceress by Opeth