Today's Meme: Yeah it's true though. Karma's a b*tch and I'm preeeety sure Asano learns that this chapter. Don't mess with Karma on his own territory. He's a lot stronger than the others when his bug can't eject him from his own floor. 

~Asano's POV~(Don't play song til I tell you)

Every single one fell to one of the Phantoms. I honestly forgot that they were human at this point. Araki was killed by Silver, the first floor master. Cause of death sliced down by a scythe. Seo was killed by Python third floor master. Cause of death poison. Koyama was killed by Nav, second floor master. Cause of death electrocution. And finally Ren, who had gotten the farthest. He faced Red Devil, Karma, the fourth floor master. Cause of death, got caught in one of the sadist's d*mn traps. They each told me what they could remember about each of the floors and the master of the floor. Silver was apparently from what I could tell Itona, The Silver Berserker. Seen to only wield a scythe. He's fast, and easily ticked off. If you come across him he gives you three seconds to run. Choosing to stay and fight is how the other's managed to get away. They tired him out then darted for the elevator. He's the first floor's master. Nav is Ritsu The Evolved Mage. Wields a lot of different and unique spells. Can only cast a few spells at a time, then needs to recharge. Time to recharge takes typically five seconds but it depends on the power of the spells she used. The other's bolted as fast as they could dodging her attacks to get to the elevator. She's the second floor master. Python hasn't been seen by any of the others. Prefers more subtle methods of killing his prey. Tends to keep his distance but is stealthy and his presence is ice cold. Seems to wield ice magic. Ren only got past him by being highly suspicious of everything on the floor and watching the shadows and corners like a hawk. He's the third floor master. And finally Karma, Red Devil. Ren told me that he never encountered the red head, but his floor has a fire theme. The floor is crawling with traps and he got caught in one of them which is what killed him. Fourth floor master. No one had managed to reach Shadow, and no one has seen Karma. But I did have a good chance of reaching the (H/C) haired female so long as I remember everything my party has told me about the four floor masters.

I entered the elevator with a deep breath. Here we go. I thought. As the elevator moved up I noticed a paper on the ground. I picked it up. Floor Master Silver, the hedgehog has spikes so be wary of approach. If you come off as a threat, you could wind up impaled. It read. I thought for a minute. If this is the clue to defeat Silver than what does 'be wary of approach' mean? I should just stick to the strategy the others told me, fight until he's tired then dart. I thought. I heard a ding from the elevator. Placing the paper in my inventory, keeping it's words in mind, I walked out onto Silver's floor. The floor itself looked like a ghost town had been built here. There was shops, buildings, back alleys, and a storage house. But there were no people. I walked around the floor for a little while. I decided to Look in the shops. In one shop I found a bunch of communications crystals, teleportation crystals, and healing crystals of all kinds. In another shop I saw lots of different weapons with lots of different effects and enchantments. Weapons, crystals, magic items, potions, and treasures...It seems this is where they store the things they get from dungeons. I thought walking out of the last shop. I put my thinking face on. "Does each floor have a specific purpose? Is the this floor where the Phantoms store everything?" I questioned aloud. I began my search for the elevator since it was hidden on the floor. I decided to check the back alleys to see if I could find anything. Nothing. But when I started to walk out of the alleyway I heard something being dragged on the floor. "Will you fight like your friends or run like the first one I wonder?" A monotone male voice said. I turned and saw Itona, The Silver Berserker. He swung his scythe up and it rested on his shoulders. "You have three seconds." He said holding up his hand with three fingers raised. It was in that moment I decided just what I needed to do. 

~Your POV~

I watched with interest on the big screen with Karma at my side. He decided to stay up here with me until Asano reached his floor. Well...If Asano reached his floor. Itona began to count down and Asano did something unexpected, he ran. He turned heel and fled. "And one." Itona said. He swung his scythe around and began chasing after Asano. Catching up with the orange haired male quickly. Itona jumped up and was about to swing his scythe down and slice Asano, but Asano turned around last second, got inside Itona's center line, and stabbed Itona with a knife he was hiding. Me and Karma just stood up quickly in shock as Itona coughed up silver blood. Itona's feet stood on the ground and his health went down a little. "It'll take a little more than that." Itona said grabbing the knife's blade. Asano smirked and jumped up round house kicking Itona in the face sending the silver haired male flying while also retracting the bloody knife. Itona was knocked out. Asano smirked. "The hedgehog has spikes so be wary of approach, if you come off as a threat you could get impaled right?" Asano questioned. He walked over and looked at the unconscious male. "So I made you think that I was prey, tricking the hedgehog into thinking he was a wolf." He said. "But tiny hedgehogs should beware the trickery of a fox." Asano finished looking at the knife in his hand. He checked Itona's health. "Just as I thought, your health doesn't go below 20 while your in this tower. So this is more of a testing ground or training area rather than an actual dungeon. But a dungeon it is none the less." He said mostly to himself. I smirked slightly. "He's good." I said. Karma smirked. "Ha! Hedgehog got busted." He laughed. "Let's call Asano, Kitsune. I think that fits." I said. "He did just calm himself a fox." Karma pointed out. "Are we being a little too serious about this?" I questioned. "It is a comedy after all." I added. Karma shrugged. "We need more serious action and drama." He said. "Fair enough." I said pressing a button so a simple three ding chime rang out across the building. I switched on the intercom. "The First Floor Master, Silver has been defeated by the Ice Paladin Asano. Well done right there Kitsune, and before you ask yes I can see you. I am the master of this tower after all." I said. "Honestly I'm impressed. I never expected you of all people to pull a Python." Karma added. "But no matter. Don't go getting cocky." I said. Karma nodded. "There's a reason Silver is only the first floor boss. But either way you deserve some credit, Kitsune." Karma said. "Attention all Phantoms, it appears our little Ice Paladin is a fox. I look forward to the results. Do your best everyone. Oh...and Kitsune." I said with a smirk. Karma smirked too. "We expect some great things. Don't disappoint." We said in unison. I flicked off the intercom. 

~Asano's POV~

I scoffed slightly at the cocky tone in their voices. Once the intercom shut off I heard a low chuckle. Itona sat up and I got in a fighting stance. "Relax you won. I'm defeated." He said. He used his scythe to balance himself out as he stood up. "Well then. Like they said I wasn't expecting you to pull a Python on me." He said. "Python? What does that mean?" I questioned. He chuckled. "Python is one of the floor bosses. He waits for you to let your guard down and then springs on you. That's what we mean." He explained. "I see." I said. "Ah, since you defeated me you get this." He said handing me a piece of paper. "One of the rules that Shadow forgot to mention is that you get the location of the elevator if you defeat the floor's boss." He explained. I looked at the paper. I had walked past the elevator five times. I sweat-dropped. "Still. Don't go getting cocky. I'm only the first boss. And I'll openly admit I'm not the smartest, nor the strongest out of the Phantoms. My talent is for fighting, not much else. And my emotions tend to run wild with me." He said. He took out a remote and clicked it, I heard something switch off. "Now listen. Defeating me like that earned you my respect. Not nearly as much as I respect Shadow however so don't go getting any ideas. So I'm going to tell you something about each floor boss." Itona said. I was taken aback. "Why? Isn't that treason?" I questioned. He shook his head. "Not at all. In fact Shadow would probably like me to tell you to make things more interesting." He said. "Now listen closely because I'm going to tell you this once and only once." He said holding his scythe under my chin. "Nav is the next floor's boss. She's deadly accurate and she knows a lot of spells. However she is bubbly and slightly air headed. If she thinks she's achieved victory she let's her guard down. Python is next. He's fast and he's quiet but avoids direct confrontation if possible. He watches from either above or below depending on his mood, but so long as you don't fall for his tricks he is technically the weakest when it comes to fighting strength. Red Devil is the one you need to worry about. His floor is full of traps that kill you slowly, but they always have one way to get it of them. He likes to make his prey suffer. He guards the elevator at the very back of the floor and in order to get past him you have to defeat him. Otherwise he won't let you pass. But he won't attack unless you draw your sword first or sees your about to go for a weapon or spell. Shadow is by far the true challenge of this tower. She controls everything from her throne of darkness on the very top floor. Her floor has traps but not many, but those that are there are instant death traps. Red Devil will make you suffer, and Shadow puts you out of your misery. She doesn't screw around. But even if you avoid all the traps you still have to fight her to clear her floor much like with Red Devil. Only Shadow is margins stronger than all of us combined. Especially if she's p*ssed as f*ck. Did you get all that?" He asked. I nodded keeping it in my memory. "Good. Now get moving Kitsune. Don't make Shadow wait." Itona said lowing his scythe. "Why do you call me Kitsune?" I questioned. He shrugged. "Shadow and Red Devil come up with some weird nicknames. Ask them." He responded. "Noted." I said making my way to the elevator.

~Time Skip (Play music)~

Thanks to Itona's advice I got past the next two floors with ease. Ritsu was easy. I used a duplication spell to make a clone of myself and send it across the floor to the elevator and she shot it down giving me time to sneak up and defeat her. Python's floor was harder. It was a pitch black maze with icy floors making it hard to get around. He tried to get the drop on me from above but I hadn't touched anything on the floor to become weakened. His floor had a lot of stuff on it that adventurers would want but I didn't touch any of it. That led me to defeating him easily. I now walked out onto Karma's floor. I walked forward dancing around any traps that I sensed and avoiding triggering some while solving a few puzzles. Karma's floor was a mind bending, exhausting, completely sadistic puzzle that left me really tired out by the time I got to the very back of the floor where the elevator was located. There was a small throne made of red smooth stone with the Red Headed Devil himself siting on it. He twirled one of his knives in his hand with a smirk. "Well you made it this far. Congrats. Typically people get caught in my traps before they even see me." He said. I growled a little at this psychotic b*stered's cockiness. "Oh? Mad about something? I'm not surprised you did have to go through a lot of traps. And you had to solve a crap ton of puzzles just to reach me. You must be p*ssed as hell." He said as a washing basin fell on his head. "Oh you must feel so high and mighty don't you?" I questioned with a tick mark on my forehead. "Eh? What do you mean? This is my floor, I'm allowed to feel as high and mighty as I want. Sure the washing basins keep falling on my head but here we play by my rules. No trap doors can eject me out of my own dungeon, nor does my luck plummet any farther. Here I can just be my usual cocky self without having to worry about Shadow calling me a Trap Door Falling Freak." He sweat-dropped at the nickname. "She comes up with the weirdest nicknames y'know. I don't know how she did that for me on this floor but it makes me, for lack of a better term, invincible. No one who has ever gotten this far has made it past me. Red Devil, Shadow's Second in Command, and the forth floor master." He said jumping out of his chair and walking up to me. He stood a few paces away with a cocky smirk on his face as he looked me in the eye. Yet no washing basin fell on his head. That's when I realized the cocky b*stered's demeanor had changed completely. I had learned from Ritsu and Python that whenever Karma fights he always fights with his chin titled upward, looking down his nose at his opponent. Yet here we are. Glaring at eachother eye to eye. His chin titled down to look me in the eye. And no washing basin had fallen on his head. I had known about his bug for a while now and realized that that wasn't him exaggerating or lying. He had been telling the cold hard truth with no arrogance in his voice. No one has ever made it past him and reached Shadow's floor. I quickly reached for my sword only to freeze as sharp pain cut my side. 

Karma was next to me in a lowered stance with his two knives drawn. Both of them and scarlet red blood on them. My eyes were the only thing able to move in that moment as my side bled out. Karma's cold serious expression turned back into a cocky smirk. "Huh. That was easier than I thought it would be." He said standing up straight. "Forgive me if I was expecting you to be a little quicker. But I guess the rumors are just that, rumors." He said with a sigh. "So anti-climatic. I'm honestly disappointed. And that's not a lie my friend." He said. He still stood at my side. He quickly sheathed his knives as I fell. My HP dropping quickly. He looked at me with that cold expression again. "If you can't defeat someone like me you have no hope of defeating Shadow." He said coldly. "But..." He trailed off that smirk coming back to his face. "Asano...Nice job getting this far...I'm honestly impressed. Even if you couldn't get pass me." Karma said. He walked back in front of me and gott down on one knee to get on my level. And smiled honestly. "I look forward to working with you Kitsune." He said. And with that he disappeared and I was back on the ground of the first floor. "Asano the Ice Paladin has been killed. Cut down by Floor Master Red Devil. Good job, I was thoroughly impressed with how far you got." Shadow said over the intercom. Pretty soon there was a flash of light and all of the Phantoms were standing side by side. Shadow smiled brightly. "Thanks for playing the Phantom Tower. Better luck next time. I hope you didn't forget our agreement Asano." She said. I slowly got up and dusted myself off. "Unlike my father I stay true to my word. I lost fair and square. No arguments to be had." I said opening my menu and sending Shadow a request to join her party. She titled her head with a smile. "Welcome to the Phantoms." She said clicking accept. My clothes changed to the same thing the others were wearing only the cape had an orange underside. Karma walked over and slung an arm around me. "Whoa! New party member!" He said with a bright smile. Shadow and the others sweat-dropped. "Aw, c'mon guys! There's reason to celebrate!" He said. "Excuse my partner. He looks for any excuse to party." Shadow said with a sigh. "Shads don't be a buzzkill!" Karma whined, pouting at her. She sighed again walking over and smacking his head and knocking him out. "Sorry about that. He's an idiot." She said grabbing him by the cape and dragging him off somewhere. The others sweat-dropped. "That happens often you might want to get used to it." Itona said. I nodded feeling slightly awkward. "You aren't really going through with this right?" Ren questioned. 

I turned back to look at my old team. "A deal's a deal. Oh here, you'll need this." I said handing them the oddly repaired key item that the weird Big Bad broke. "Wait you mean..." He trailed off taking it from my hand. "WE HAVE TO TELL THE POPE!" They all shouted backing away in fear. "Oh hey is that The Pope now?" Python questioned looking behind them with an innocent expression. They all screamed and ran away in fear. I sweat-dropped slightly. Shadow came back a few seconds later with a clear potion in her hand. "Where'd the Big Five go?" She questioned. "They ran off. Said something about needing to tell the Pope something." Python said with a shrug. Me, Itona, and Ritsu looked at him with the 'really?' look. "Nagisa the f*ck did you do?" Shadow asked handing me the potion. "Nothing." Python said. "So your name is Nagisa right?" I questioned deciding to change the subject. He nodded. "Yep. Welcome to the group Kitsune." He said. I sweat-dropped again. "Can someone explain why you keep calling me that!?" I shouted.  

https://youtu.be/iPkOj35u_ok