The Fool

While Max was engrossed in examining his status window, Harry's curiosity got the better of him. Despite already knowing about his essences, he felt a sudden urge to revisit his own status. He opened his status window, the familiar display appearing before his eyes.

Harry's gaze quickly settled on the essence named "Fool," standing out among the rest. The strange F-rank essence he had received during his awakening was still an enigma to him. With a mix of curiosity and anticipation, Harry pressed on it, eager to see if anything had changed or if there was more to discover.

The status window shifted, revealing the details of the Fool's essence.

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Essence Name: Fool 

Type: Paradoxical

Rank: F 

Description:

"In the grand theater of existence, the Fool dances on the edge of the unknown, unbound by logic or reason. A soul touched by chaos, you are both the harbinger of fortune and the bearer of calamity. Your path is one of unpredictability, where the lines between folly and wisdom blur into a single, winding road. The Fool's journey is fraught with peril and opportunity, where every misstep could lead to disaster—or unexpected triumph."

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Essence Abilities:

1. Wild Card (Passive):

 - "The Fool's actions are often unpredictable, with outcomes that defy logic. This ability occasionally causes spells, moves, attacks, or abilities to have random, unexpected effects—both beneficial and harmful. The odds favor the bold, but caution is advised."

2. Fortune's Favor (Active): 

 - "The Fool may invoke the favor of fate, temporarily boosting luck and success in all endeavors. The duration and potency of this effect vary each time, as does the potential backlash."

 Cooldown: 1 day 

 Side Effect: Random misfortune may follow shortly after.

3. Jester's Gambit (Active): 

 - "Unleashes a chaotic burst of energy that alters the battlefield, causing unpredictable changes to both allies and enemies. The effects can range from beneficial boons to debilitating curses, with no way to control the outcome."

 Cooldown: 6 hours 

 Side Effect: The user is equally affected by the changes.

4. Chaos Step (Active): 

 - "Allows the Fool to teleport short distances with a chance to either evade an attack entirely or appear in an even more precarious situation. The distance and accuracy are always uncertain."

 Cooldown: 1 hour 

 Side Effect: Brief disorientation and dizziness upon arrival.

5. Fool's Wisdom (Passive): 

 - "The Fool possesses an innate sense of when to take risks and when to retreat. While this ability is unreliable, it often guides the Fool toward paths of unexpected fortune—or harrowing danger."

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Harry let out a low whistle as he absorbed the information, his mind already racing with possibilities. He didn't know about the other essences or their abilities, but Fool's essence was certainly mysterious, its abilities were odd. He understood what could they do, which made him wonder whether this was just an F rank essence after all.

'I think I will find out more as the time passes. Let's hear Max first. He's gone silent for a while now.'

'Let's see my real essence now, where was it again? At the bottom?'

Harry's grin faded slightly as he reached the end of the list of abilities, feeling a strange sense of unease.

'Huh, where did it go?'

'Is it on the status window?'

But just as he was about to close the window, a small, cryptic message appeared at the bottom of the display:

"To be the Fool is to wear the mask of jest, hiding your truth in the folds of laughter. But beware, for a fool is no fool, yet remains a fool still. When the laughter fades, will you be the fool who hides or the fool revealed? A fool, and yet no fool, a paradox of your own making."

Harry blinked, the message sending a shiver down his spine. The words seemed to hold a deeper meaning, one that danced just out of reach of his understanding. Intrigued, he tapped on the message, hoping for some clarity.

As soon as his finger touched the cryptic text, the status window shifted, and a new message flashed before his eyes, filling his vision with a bold, ominous proclamation:

"One last step remains to prove your worth to your true essence. You must embrace the role—become the Fool, not just in name, but in soul. Only then will the final veil be lifted, revealing the truth that lies beneath the mask. The Fool's journey is not yet complete; to unlock your true power, you must walk the path of folly to its end."

Harry's heart raced as he read the words, the weight of the message settling heavily on him. It was as if his essence was challenging him, pushing him toward something greater—something hidden beneath the surface of his current understanding.

'So, I have to become a fool in order to get access to my true essence, is that it?' He asked himself. 'Well, that sounds easy. I am already the class clown, so it won't be hard to become the fool...'

Right?

Closing all the windows, he looked at Max who was staring at him.

"Oh, did you finish already? Need any help?" Harry asked with a smile wondering what OP abilities his hidden MC friend might have awakened.

"Um... I think I will try to understand them by myself for now." Max replied after a bit of hesitation.

Harry was surprised by Max's answer, but he smiled nonetheless. "Great, you are learning pretty fast." He shot a thumbs up to Max.

"Anyway, just ask me anything if you don't understand." 

"Ok, thanks." Max nodded and after a bit of pause, he asked. "Actually, I wanted to ask something, how can I use these abilities? Should I say their name to say it like you said yesterday about skills?"

"Hmm... That, I also don't have a concrete idea." Harry replied pondering his chin. "Actually, this essence system, or whatever it is, is similar to the Class or Job system that appears in many games and stories."

"Usually, in those games or stories, you have to focus on the ability you want to use and mentally or verbally command it to activate. It's like… willing it to happen. But sometimes, you might need a trigger word or phrase, like saying the ability's name out loud like you just asked."

Max listened intently, absorbing every word.

"So, I just have to focus on it?" Max asked, a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

"Yeah, pretty much," Harry nodded. "But be careful when you try it out for the first time. Start with something small, maybe an ability with a non offense effect or one that doesn't have a huge impact. You don't want to accidentally blow something up, especially if we're in a tight spot."

Max gave a small smile, appreciating Harry's advice. "Got it. I'll take it slow."

Harry grinned and patted Max on the shoulder. "That's the spirit! And remember, if anything weird happens, just roll with it. The whole essence system seems to be unpredictable, so expect the unexpected."

Max couldn't help but laugh a little at that. "You make it sound like chaos is just part of the package."

"With your and my essence, it probably is," Harry chuckled. "But hey, that's what makes it fun, right?"

Max nodded, feeling a bit more confident after their conversation. He glanced back at his status window, still feeling a sense of awe and mystery about the powers he had just begun to explore.

Harry, on the other hand, was still thinking about the cryptic message he had received. The idea of having to "become the Fool" gnawed at him, leaving him with more questions than answers. What did it truly mean to embrace the role of the Fool? Was it just a metaphor, or did it have a deeper, more literal implication?

As these thoughts swirled in his mind, he realized that his journey with this essence would be anything but straightforward. But if there was one thing Harry was good at, it was making the best out of any situation—no matter how chaotic.

"If we are not sure, we can always ask from those who know about it. Let's go and tour the fortress, I have been holding back my curiosity since yesterday." Harry smiled turning back to Max. "Eh, Max?"

However, Max was nowhere in his vision.