Pathway of the fool Bonus

Later that day in his room, as Subaru was alone looking at the two potions, as he sighed.

[Echidna spoke in his head. "So finally chosen which one you wanna take"].

Subaru took the Fool Potion as he spoke. "I am picking the Fool".

As the open the Vial and drinks it as the Potion went too his Stomich as it started it's process.

Ding!

[Pathway of the Fool Has Chosen

Sequence 9: seer ]

Ding!

[Main Quest Update

Main Quest: Pathway Ascension] Objective:

Gather knowledge on all discovered Pathways in this world. (0/8)

Find and defeat at least one other Pathway user to prove your qualification. (0/1)

Achieve 20% synchronization with at least one Pathway. (1%/20%)

Rewards: ???]

Ding!

[Digestion processes started 1%]

Subaru exhaled deeply as he felt a strange warmth spread through his body. The Fool Pathway… he had taken the first step.

[Echidna spoke with interest. "So, you've truly committed to it. I'm curious to see how this will change you, Subaru."]

[Minerva huffed. "Just don't do anything reckless, got it?"]

Subaru rubbed his temples. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I literally can't be reckless with this. Digestion takes time, and if I rush it, things could go horribly wrong."

[Pandora then spoke in his head. "So now what"]

Subaru then spoke. "Coming too the hanging Garden, it will probably work faster if I around other Pathway user's like you guys".

He then used [Invisible Providence] to punch his face, as he knocked him self out and woke up in the hanging garden.

Minerva looked as she spoke. "You could have just waited to fall a asleep".

Subaru groaned as he sat up, rubbing his face. "Yeah, yeah, but where's the fun in that?"

Minerva crossed her arms, glaring at him. "The fun is in not getting unnecessary brain damage, you idiot."

Echidna smirked. "Well, at least he's committed. Though I suppose he has to be, considering he's stuck with us."

Subaru sighed, standing up and stretching. The Hanging Garden was as surreal as ever—a place beyond logic, where reality bent to the presence of the Witches and other anomalies.

He looked around, noting the familiar faces of the Witches gathered. Sekhmet was lazily lounging in her usual spot, Typhon had an eager grin, Carmilla shyly avoided his gaze, and Pandora simply smirked in amusement.

Subaru then turned to Echidna. "Alright, I'm here. Now what?"

Echidna adjusted her glasses. "Simple. The more you expose yourself to other Pathway users, the more your own digestion will accelerate. However…"

Pandora finished for her, a smirk playing on her lips. "…That also means the risk of instability increases. Your mind, body, and soul must align with the Fool's concepts, or you could suffer backlash."

Subaru clicked his tongue. "So basically, if I screw up, I'll end up either crazy or dead."

Sekhmet yawned. "Well, at least you know the risks."

Minerva frowned. "And yet you still went through with it."

Subaru rolled his eyes. "No use regretting it now. Besides, I already knew playing with Beyonder potions was dangerous."

Echidna smirked again. "Then let's make the most of it. If you truly wish to accelerate your digestion, then immerse yourself further in our world."

Subaru raised an eyebrow. "Meaning?"

Echidna's eyes gleamed. "Let's start your first lesson in the true nature of Pathways. If you wish to understand the Fool, you must embrace madness and unpredictability."

Subaru's stomach churned slightly. Somehow, he had a feeling this was going to be a lot more complicated than he initially thought.

Subaru looked at them as she spoke. "So what will you do".

Sekhmet then spoke as she yawn. "We can seat around or".

Pandora then spoke looking at him. "Or Kiss you, either one will work".

Subaru choked on air. "Excuse me, what?!"

Minerva groaned, "Pandora, stop messing with him."

Pandora smirked, tilting her head playfully. "Oh, but I'm not. Intimacy can accelerate synchronization. A deep emotional connection with another Pathway user can help stabilize your digestion process~."

Subaru pinched the bridge of his nose. "Right, and I'm supposed to just accept that at face value?"

Echidna adjusted her glasses. "As much as I dislike Pandora's antics, she isn't entirely wrong. Physical, emotional, or mental proximity to other Beyonders—especially those further along their Pathways—can help stabilize your transformation. It's similar to how rituals work when invoking higher beings."

Sekhmet lazily raised a hand. "Or we could just sit here and talk. No need to go full sacrifice mode."

Subaru sighed in relief. "Thank you, Sekhmet. Finally, someone reasonable."

Typhon pouted. "Aww, but I wanted to see Big Brother get all flustered!"

Carmilla, blushing furiously, hid her face behind her hands. "I-I think w-we should s-stick to talking…"

Pandora chuckled. "Fine, fine, we'll keep things simple… for now."

Subaru sighed, already feeling exhausted. "Alright, let's just start with the basics. What should I expect from my digestion process?"

Echidna smirked. "Oh, Subaru… you have no idea what you've just signed up for."

Something about the way she said that sent a chill down his spine.

Subaru exhaled deeply as he felt a subtle shift within him. It wasn't painful, but it was… strange. Like a new awareness was slowly creeping into his mind.

Ding!

[Digestion Process: 2%]

Echidna chuckled. "See? Even just being here is helping. The presence of other Pathway users influences your progress."

Subaru rubbed his temples. "Yeah, but at this rate, it's gonna take forever. There's gotta be a way to speed this up safely."

Minerva crossed her arms. "You already know the answer. Training, meditation, gaining insights—those are the safest ways. But you can also take risks. Just don't do anything too reckless."

Subaru huffed. "Since when do I ever do anything reckless?"

Pandora giggled. "Do you want the list alphabetically or in order of most to least idiotic?"

Subaru rolled his eyes. "Alright, alright. No unnecessary risks. I get it. But I need to start practicing Seer abilities, right?"

Echidna nodded. "Yes. The Fool Pathway grants the ability to perceive hidden truths. Your instincts will sharpen, and you might start seeing things others can't. Pay attention to the subtle changes in your perception."

Sekhmet yawned. "Or you could take the easy route—find a stronger Fool Pathway user and borrow some insights from them."

Subaru frowned. "Only problem is, I don't know any other Fool Pathway users. Unless…"

His eyes flickered to Pandora.

Pandora smirked. "Oh? Thinking of asking me for help, Subaru? How bold~."

Subaru sighed. "I hate that you're the best option."

Minerva then grabbed his head and rest on her lap. "Why don't you just close you eyes and rest your head on my lap, we will wake you up once you hit 20%"

Satella sat next too him, as she hold his hand. "This is one of the many way"

As all the Witcher then srounded him, as Subaru closed his eyes, as he went too rest.

As Subaru drifted into sleep, he felt a strange warmth surrounding him. The presence of the Witches, their unique auras blending together, created a space of both comfort and power.

Ding!

[Digestion Process: 3%]

Even in sleep, his subconscious was processing the Fool Pathway. The whispers of fate, the unseen connections of the world—he could feel them brushing against his mind like fleeting shadows.

[Echidna's voice echoed softly in his thoughts. "You're already beginning to perceive more, aren't you? The Fool Pathway is all about insight… and deception. Be careful, Subaru."]

Subaru stirred slightly, feeling Satella's gentle grip on his hand. Minerva's lap was warm beneath him, her presence reassuring.

[Satella's voice was soothing. "You don't have to bear everything alone. Even if the world demands it, we are here."]

Ding!

[Digestion Process: 4%]

His mind swirled, drifting between visions of possible futures, echoes of past regrets, and the ever-present unknown of what lay ahead.

Subaru exhaled softly. "Yeah… I know."

And so, he rested, surrounded by the Witches of Sin, unknowingly stepping further down the path of the Fool.

Typhon looked at the sleeping Subaru as he spoke. "Actual now that I think about, where does Big brother go when he is both sleeping in the real world and Hanging Garden"

Echidna hummed thoughtfully at Typhon's question, placing a hand on her chin. "That is an interesting thought. If Subaru is here in the Hanging Garden while his body rests in the real world… where does his consciousness truly reside when he sleeps?"

Minerva frowned slightly, running her fingers through Subaru's hair. "He's already dealing with the side effects of the Fool Pathway digestion. If his mind is wandering somewhere else too, that could be dangerous."

[Satella gently squeezed Subaru's hand. "He is safe. Even if his mind drifts, it will return to us."]]

Daphne giggled, rocking slightly in her seat. "Maybe he goes to another world! Or maybe he's meeting with someone else in his dreams. What if someone tries to pull him away?"

Pandora smirked. "If that were to happen, I'd love to see who could actually take him from us."

Sekhmet yawned. "Tch… what a hassle. If his consciousness really is slipping somewhere else, it could be a new ability forming from his Pathway… or something entirely different."

Echidna narrowed her eyes. "Perhaps it's best if we monitor his dreams. If Subaru's Fool Pathway is awakening new powers, we need to be prepared."

Typhon pouted. "I still think it's weird. I wanna know where Big Brother actually goes!"

Pandora then spoke holding Subaru other hand. "I am pretty sure he goes to his dream if he sleeps in the hanging Garden, it like layer's, the Hanging Garden is bellow the real world and Hanging Garden is above his dream world, he actually hasn't dreamed ever sense he came to this world, sense every time he sleeps he comes here".

Echidna nodded thoughtfully, analyzing Pandora's words. "That does make sense… Subaru's consciousness follows a layered structure. If he falls asleep in the real world, he ends up here in the Hanging Garden. But if he sleeps while already in the Hanging Garden, then the next step would be his dream world."

Minerva frowned, still stroking Subaru's hair. "But if that's the case, why hasn't he ever dreamed since arriving here? Shouldn't he have entered that dream layer by now?"

Pandora smirked. "Because his subconscious is bound to us. Every time he sleeps, he instinctively comes to the Hanging Garden instead of his dreams. But now that he's progressing on the Fool Pathway, his connection to reality is shifting. Maybe… just maybe, he'll finally start dreaming again."

Satella tightened her grip on Subaru's hand. "If he dreams… then does that mean he will be out of our reach?"

Sekhmet sighed lazily. "Tch… if his mind falls into an unknown dream realm, it could be dangerous. Especially with his unstable Pathway digestion. Who knows what could happen?"

Typhon pouted. "Then let's go with him! If Big Brother is finally dreaming, I wanna see what it's like!"

Daphne giggled. "Wouldn't it be fun? What kind of dreams do you think he has?"

Echidna adjusted her glasses, a spark of curiosity in her eyes. "There's only one way to find out. If Subaru really is about to enter his dream world for the first time… we need to make sure he doesn't get lost in it."

Just then, a strange ripple spread around Subaru's body. A dim glow pulsed from his chest, and his breathing slowed.

Ding!

[Digestion Process: 5%]

The witches all stared as a new phenomenon unfolded before them—Subaru's body shimmered slightly, as if he were slipping away.

Pandora smirked. "Looks like the time has come. Let's see what kind of dreams our dear Subaru has been missing all this time."

Subaru sighed, rubbing his temples as he took in his surroundings. His old classroom… the same wooden desks, the same green chalkboard, the same faint scent of worn-out textbooks. He ran his fingers over the surface of his desk, feeling the grain of the wood beneath his fingertips. "A dream… huh? I really haven't had one in so long."

Looking up, he saw the familiar yet surreal sight—just beyond the ceiling, like a second layer of reality, was the Hanging Garden. The Witches were there, gathered around his sleeping body, watching over him, but they couldn't see where he was now. It was like looking at them through a one-way mirror.

"So this is what Pandora meant," he muttered to himself. "My subconscious was skipping over this layer… but now that I'm on the Fool Pathway, my mind is adjusting."

He turned to the window, expecting to see the familiar cityscape of his old world. Instead, the outside was… wrong. Buildings twisted and stretched in impossible ways. The sky flickered between day and night like a glitching screen. In the distance, dark figures moved in unnatural patterns.

Subaru frowned. "Okay… that's not normal."

A sudden wave of unease washed over him. Something about this dream felt off—not just a simple dream, but something deeper, something dangerous.

Then, from the front of the classroom, a voice called out.

"Natsuki Subaru."

He turned sharply. At the teacher's podium stood a figure he hadn't seen in a long time—one that shouldn't be here.

His heart nearly stopped. "No way…"

Standing there, smiling at him, was Flugel.

Flugel humbed as he spoke. "Yes and No, in away I am Flugel, just a copy he left at Sequence 9 of thr Fool Pathway when he went too Sequence 0".

Subaru looked as he spoke. "Wait Flugel is not dead".

Flugel looked at him as he spoke. "Depends on your definition of Death".

Subaru looked as he spoke. "I am not even gonna ask, so why are you here".

Flugel then poined at the outside. "It shall fix it self in 3.. 2.. 1"

Ding!

[Digestion Process 6%]

Subaru looked outside as things became normal. "What?".

Flugel looker as he spoke. "Sense got too 6% this is back too being a dream".

Subaru exhaled, watching as the warped buildings outside straightened, the flickering sky stabilized, and the unsettling figures in the distance vanished.

"So, that was because of my digestion process?" he asked, glancing at Flugel.

Flugel smirked. "Yes. Until your mind fully adapts to the Fool Pathway, your dreams will be unstable. The Fool sees beyond reality, after all. Your subconscious was trying to process too much at once."

Subaru scratched his head. "Great. So now my dreams might turn into horror shows if I'm not careful?"

Flugel chuckled. "More like puzzles. Your dreams will reflect the Fool's nature—contradictory, deceptive, enlightening, and nonsensical all at once. But that's not why I'm here."

Subaru crossed his arms. "Yeah, I figured. You showing up here isn't just for a casual chat, is it?"

Flugel pointed at him. "You're at Sequence 9 now, Subaru. That means you're officially walking the Fool's path. And as a result, you'll start seeing… things."

Subaru narrowed his eyes. "Seeing things? You mean like future visions?"

Flugel shook his head. "No, that's a Seer's ability from a different Pathway. What you'll start seeing are glimpses of the hidden world. People, entities, and truths that most can't perceive. Some will be helpful. Some will be dangerous. And some… should never be looked at directly."

Subaru felt a chill run down his spine. "Sounds like a whole new level of 'things that want to kill me'."

Flugel grinned. "Pretty much. But don't worry, you've already survived worse. Just remember this—never fully trust what you see. The Fool Pathway blurs the line between illusion and reality."

Subaru sighed. "Great, so my own eyes might lie to me. Just what I needed."

Flugel then reached into his coat and pulled out a single tarot card, flipping it between his fingers before tossing it to Subaru. Subaru caught it and looked down.

It was The Fool.

"This will help stabilize your perception," Flugel said. "Keep it with you. Consider it a gift from one Fool to another."

Subaru stared at the card, then looked back up—only to find that Flugel was gone.

The classroom around him started to fade.

Ding!

[Digestion Process 7%]

Subaru then looked at Flugel as he spoke. "So now what"

Flugel looked at him as he continue. "The witch's will wake you up onces you are at 20% enjoy the dream unthil them, Ps this dream is going too borderline too Fever Dream area".

Subaru then looked at him as he spoke. "Wait what".

As Flugel then desiper as Subaru blinked and saw back in the table

To be continued

Hope people like this Ch and give me power stones and enjoy