A Reasonable Oracle

Upon beholding Jake's countenance darken, his friends' hearts turned cold, sensing the ill tidings that loomed.

"Is something amiss?" Will inquired, his voice laced with anxiety. His future prosperity hinged on the response.

Jake paused, as if frozen in time, before reciting the content of the notification and heaving a frustrated sigh, "I fear my initial plan may be a flight of fancy."

Hade stroked his chin and murmured softly, "As expected."

Jake spun towards the ancient Fluid Grandmaster, raising a suspicious eyebrow, "You already had your doubts?"

His youthful-looking friend, over a century and a half in age, nodded serenely and said, "I held a glimmer of hope that the Oracle might be generous, allowing us to exploit a loophole, but this outcome aligns with the modus operandi of the Oracle System."