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Omake: Gathering Intel
OMAKE: Gathering intel.

Niko was annoyed. For starters, she was in a great deal of pain. Bruises all over the place. A headache of such legendary pain that the minstrels would have written songs about it, if they weren't all busy writing songs about the other stuff that had happened last night. Stupid showboating Goketsu.

But she was a ninja, and a good one at that. She wasn't going to make the tournament, but provided the Jonin council didn't act like total morons, she was going to make Chuunin. Norimoto-sensei had said that was basically a done deal after she passed the fourth event cutoff. And ninja who were going to make Chuunin could deal with a little pain.

The pain was just another thing to deal with. What was really a problem were these two idiots who insisted on pestering her.

A Kurosawa boy with formerly neat hair and formerly nice clothes. It seems the fighting had messed both up, and he hadn't gotten them fixed yet. It was a shame, his combat uniform looked like it might have been really nice before it had gotten torn up.

And a Mori girl with a red ponytail. Her normal hair tie had gone missing in some scuffle, and she was making do with some random bits of twine.

They had a third member. I had seen her roaming the halls earlier, obsessively checking her barrel, and muttering something about "traitorous scum", and "gonna castrate him for stealing it".

Niko decided she liked her. But she wasn't here. Instead the stupid boy with the stupid hair was asking his stupid question again.

"Is there anything else you can remember?" Kurosawa S-something asked for the zillionth time. Stupid, if I had known I would have told you.

"You mean besides the explosions? And the noise? And the water shield? And the ridiculous fake out kick? And the dive bombing earth clone? And the-"

"Yes, yes, aside from everything you've mentioned before," said Mori. She was doing that stupid thing people do sometimes, where they try to hide annoyance behind a smile, but just put on their "I'm annoyed with you and think you are too stupid to notice smile."

Niko hated people treating her like she was stupid.

"Why are you talking to me anyway?! I only saw them in action for about a minute!"

Kurosawa and Mori shared a look. They were trying to be discrete, but there was only one reason people shared that sort of glance. They were debating how much honesty would get them the answer they wanted. Kurosawa was hard to read, but by Mori's expression, he was against telling me anything, and she wanted to only tell me a little.

Stupid, thought Niko. If they just told me everything, I could figure out what they wanted me to say and we could both limp our separate directions.

Kurosawa apparently broke first. "That is about 30 seconds longer than anyone else lasted."

"Wait, what? What about those lightning guys, they were supposed to be ringers!"

Mori spoke up. Her voice seemed a little odd, like she could barely be bothered to speak, even though she had sounded so interested before. "Based on the timing of their encounters, it usually took them 18 to 20 minutes to defeat a team after engaging them. But based on combat reports from various genin, over 95% of that time was spent moving into position and flushing out opponents who weren't caught in the opening volley, which typically lasted under 5 seconds. Actual bouts of combat lasted 15 to 30 seconds based on the description of moves involved, and the estimated amount of time to perform said moves."

"What about team Asuma? I heard they actually drove them off!"

Shin ran his hands through his hair, trying in vain to get it to lie flat again. "Team Asuma isn't talking, but their fight seemed to last about 15 seconds before Yamanaka nabbed barrel-boy."

Niko paused. "You," she said, thinking of the tentacled monster from last night, "do not get to call him barrel-boy. You didn't see him in action."

This is stupid, Niko thought. These people obviously have no idea how to win. They aren't saying so directly, but apparently they got taken out within 30 seconds too. And they even had the crazy ringer team!

Niko limped off, no longer able to deal with all these stupid people.

----

Shin looked at Anna. "While you're still," Team Downfall hand gesture number 16 'Humble acknowledgement of painful sacrifice', "Do you have anything to add on how many goo bombs Jiraiya can give them, after they blew through their stock of about twenty?"

Specific questions usually helped Anna get in and out without hurting herself. "About twenty" was a joke though, and they both knew it. If Shin had to deal with one more person who said that there were bombs "everywhere", he was going to forever remember how to pound his forehead through a wall.

"I have no idea how many bombs they will have for the second event," Anna said. She was coming out of it quickly, so no lasting damage. Shin was relieved. The only thing that seemed to help Anna with Frozen Skein overuse was chocolate and sappy poetry that she hadn't read before. They were fresh out of both, after they had spent a long planning session trying to ensure the defenses would hold.

But this was concerning. Last time, she had been somewhat confident in an answer of forty. And she seemed content to let him stew in the mysteriousness of her answer. She got like this sometimes, when she wanted to lend gravity to what she had learned while under. It was annoying. Shin waited, hoping to get her to volunteer the information. Team Downfall sigh number 1, 'Anna wins, again'.

"And why is that? What forbidden lore have you pulled from the heart of the universe, oh mistress of depressing secrets?"

"I don't know how many seals they will have next round, because they didn't run out this round. They only stopped using them because they thought it would be more impressive if they beat their opponents with their own fists."

"That... Shit." That was momentous enough to get recorded separately by the Iron Nerve. Team Downfall expletive number... 33? 34? No, 36, he pretended to be a drunken sailor that one time. Anyway, Team Downfall expletive number 36 'Overwhelmingly Superior Opponent."
 
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OMAKE: Gathering intel.

Niko was annoyed. For starters, she was in a great deal of pain. Bruises all over the place. A headache of such legendary pain that the minstrels would have written songs about it, if they weren't all busy writing songs about the other stuff that had happened last night. Stupid showboating Goketsu.

But she was a ninja, and a good one at that. She wasn't going to make the tournament, but provided the Jonin council didn't act like total morons, she was going to make Chuunin. Norimoto-sensei had said that was basically a done deal after she passed the fourth event cutoff. And ninja who were going to make Chuunin could deal with a little pain.

The pain was just another thing to deal with. What was really a problem were these two idiots who insisted on pestering her.

A Kurosawa boy with formerly neat neat hair and formerly clothes. It seems the fighting had messed both up, and he hadn't gotten them fixed yet. It was a shame, his combat uniform looked like it might have been really nice before it had gotten torn up.

And a Mori girl with a red ponytail. Her normal hair tie had gone missing in some scuffle, and she was making do with some random bits of twine.

They had a third member. I had seen her roaming the halls earlier, obsessively checking her barrel, and muttering something about "traitorous scum", and "gonna castrate him for stealing it".

Niko decided she liked her. But she wasn't here. Instead the stupid boy with the stupid hair was asking his stupid question again.

"Is there anything else you can remember?" Kurosawa S-something asked for the zillionth time. Stupid, if I had known I would have told you.

"You mean besides the explosions? And the noise? And the water shield? And the ridiculous fake out kick? And the dive bombing earth clone? And the-"

"Yes, yes, aside from everything you've mentioned before," said Mori. She was doing that stupid thing people do sometimes, where they try to hide annoyance behind a smile, but just put on their "I'm annoyed with you and think you are too stupid to notice smile."

Niko hated people treating her like she was stupid.

"Why are you talking to me anyway?! I only saw them in action for about a minute!"

Kurosawa and Mori shared a look. They were trying to be discrete, but there was only one reason people shared that sort of glance. They were debating how much honesty would get them the answer they wanted. Kurosawa was hard to read, but by Mori's expression, he was against telling me anything, and she wanted to only tell me a little.

Stupid, thought Niko. If they just told me everything, I could figure out what they wanted me to say and we could both limp our separate directions.

Kurosawa apparently broke first. "That is about 30 seconds longer than anyone else lasted."

"Wait, what? What about those lightning guys, they were supposed to be ringers!"

Mori spoke up. Her voice seemed a little odd, like she could barely be bothered to speak, even though she had sounded so interested before. "Based on the timing of their encounters, it usually took them 18 to 20 minutes to defeat a team after engaging them. But based on combat reports from various genin, over 95% of that time was spent moving into position and flushing out opponents who weren't caught in the opening volley, which typically lasted under 5 seconds. Actual bouts of combat lasted 15 to 30 seconds based on the description of moves involved, and the estimated amount of time to perform said moves."

"What about Aburame? I heard they actually drove them off!"

Shin ran his hands through his hair, trying in vain to get it to lie flat again. "Team Aburame isn't talking, but their fight seemed to last about 15 seconds before Yamanaka nabbed barrel-boy."

Niko paused. "You," she said, thinking of the tentacled monster from last night, "do not get to call him barrel-boy. You didn't see him in action."

This is stupid, Niko thought. These people obviously have no idea how to win. They aren't saying so directly, but apparently they got taken out within 30 seconds too. And they even had the crazy ringer team!

Niko limped off, no longer able to deal with all these stupid people.

----

Shin looked at Anna. "While you're still," Team Downfall hand gesture number 16 'Humble acknowledgement of painful sacrifice', "Do you have anything to add on how many goo bombs Jiraiya can give them, after they blew through their stock of about twenty?"

Specific questions usually helped Anna get in and out without hurting herself. "About twenty" was a joke though, and they both knew it. If Shin had to deal with one more person who said that there were bombs "everywhere", he was going to forever remember how to pound his forehead through a wall.

"I have no idea how many bombs they will have for the second event," Anna said. She was coming out of it quickly, so no lasting damage. Shin was relieved. The only thing that seemed to help Anna with Frozen Skein overuse was chocolate and sappy poetry that she hadn't read before. They were fresh out of both, after they had spent a long planning session trying to ensure the defenses would hold.

But this was concerning. Last time, she had been somewhat confident in an answer of forty. And she seemed content to let him stew in the mysteriousness of her answer. She got like this sometimes, when she wanted to lend gravity to what she had learned while under. It was annoying. Shin waited, hoping to get her to volunteer the information. Team Downfall sigh number 1, 'Anna wins, again'.

"And why is that? What forbidden lore have you pulled from the heart of the universe, oh mistress of depressing secrets?"

"I don't know how many seals they will have next round, because they didn't run out this round. They only stopped using them because they thought it would be more impressive if they beat their opponents with their own fists."

"That... Shit." That was momentous enough to get recorded separately by the Iron Nerve. Team Downfall expletive number... 33? 34? No, 36, he pretended to be a drunken sailor that one time. Anyway, Team Downfall expletive number 36 'Overwhelmingly Superior Opponent."

Might want to change Aburame to something else. All the leaf teams remaining are accounted for, and none of them were a Team Aburame.

The only Aburame remaining in the exams is on Team Kurenai.

Edit: oh wait, you're referring to Team Asuma
 
"What about Aburame? I heard they actually drove them off!"

Shin ran his hands through his hair, trying in vain to get it to lie flat again. "Team Aburame isn't talking, but their fight seemed to last about 15 seconds before Yamanaka nabbed barrel-boy."
Shino Aburame is the swarm user, on team with Hinata and Kiba. You're talking about Shikamaru's team, Team Asuma.
I had seen her roaming the halls earlier, obsessively checking her barrel, and muttering something about "traitorous scum", and "gonna castrate him for stealing it".
Stupid, if I had known I would have told you.
These are Niko's direct thoughts, should be in italics.
 
We now live in what I will conservatively label as "the best timeline" for this event.

#####################
Base scores entering R2

ISC+co: 320 pts
Us: 185 pts
Other Red: -495 pts
Kurenai+Downfall+CloudTop: -300 pts
Other Blue: -225 pts
#####################

Every team has at least 6 wounded members on every R2 team: there are only 9 unharmed people on both Red and Blue in R2, and unless I miss my guess, only ISC and us are full 3-person teams. So two with 6 wounded (3 unharmed - 6 total), and 6 with 7 wounded (2 unharmed - 12 total). Conservatively estimate every team with 6 wounded to collapse the probability fork of consequences from R1 lasting into R2. This only disadvantages us, so this, at worst, is conservative.

#####################################
Scenario: Super Red Team not invoked
We successfully defend our docs, but get no prisoners. Teammates protected: 50 pts
Worst Case Blue: 50+360 (defend docs and get all prisoners): 410 pts
Worst Case Red (get docs < 1 hr): 185 pts
-- We have 235 pts... R2 Red: -40 pts (275 adv)... R2 Blue: -85 pts (320 adv)… K+D+C: -115 pts (350 adv)
-- for ISC+co, can take -495 in R2:320-495 = -175
Perfectly performing teams can still overcome ISC+co if maximum penalties are inflicted (perfect R2 Red can gain 135, perfect R2 Blue can gain 90 pts)

######################################
ISC+Co defect and come to our base to help defend. At the end, they enter our cells, restrained.
There are two forks, depending on how ISC+co are divvied among red teams.

I believe 3x2x2x2 (that is, ISC+co evenly spread among 4 teams) is more likely than 3x3x3x0 (that is, one Red team is fully injured in R2)

Case: 3x2x2x2
Successful defense+9 prisoners: 50+90 = 140 pts
ISC+co: -30*3 = -90 pts
Worst Case Blue: 50+270 (defend docs and get all other prisoners): 320 pts
Worst Case Red (get docs < 1 hr, two teammates captured): 185 - 60: 125 pts
-- We have 140+185= 325 pts... R2 Red: -100 pts (425 adv)... R2 Blue: -175 pts (500 adv)
-- ISC+co can take -420 pts (they are not injured R2): 320-420: -100 pts
Worst case ISC maintains their lead and company reverts back to lowest quartile. Probably not an acceptable outcome, if presented as such to the ISC partners. We still come out at least 425 points ahead of even perfect scorers, so we are guaranteed to advance along with ISC.

Case: 3x3x3x0
Successful defense+9 prisoners: 50+90 = 140 pts
ISC+co: -30*3 = -90 pts
Worst Case Blue: 50+270 (defend docs and get all other prisoners): 320 pts
Worst Case Red (get docs < 1 hr): 185: 185 pts
-- We have 140+185= 325 pts... R2 Red: -40 pts (385 adv)... R2 Blue: -175 pts (500 adv)
-- ISC+co can take -420 pts (they are not injured R2): 320-420: -100 pts

Perfect R2 red teams can overcome both ISC and us.

######################
Scenario: ISC+co defect, then rampage enough to destroy cell walls and documents
Successful defense: 50 = 50 pts
ISC+co: 0
Worst Case Blue: 0 (no docs/prisoners): 0 pts
Worst Case Red (no docs): 0: 0 pts
-- We have 50+185= 235 pts... R2 Red: -225 pts (460 adv)... R2 Blue: -495 pts (730 adv)
-- ISC+co can take -150 pts (they are not injured/captured, but their teammates are): 320-150: 170 pts

This is a flat win-scenario for ISC+co, us and our R1 partners.

######################
Scenario Super Team Red invoked, ISC + co stay at our base uninjured/captured
Successful Defense, half of possible prisoners: 50 + 12*10 = 170 pts
Worst Case Blue: 50+24*10 = 290 pts
Worst Case Red: 185 pts
-- We have 185+170 = 355 pts... R2 Red: -40 pts (395 adv)... R2 Blue: -205 (560 adv)

-- ISC can take -330 ( all other teammates are injured/captured): 320-330: -10
ISC is safe, while their R1 partners suffer. Probably not acceptable. ISC+co need to rampage a little to prevent other perfect reds.

#######################
Scenario: Super Team Red invoked, ISC + co rampage a little
as previous rampage, but we have more prisoners.

#######################
All of these contain mutually exclusive worst case scenarios (there can only be one perfect Blue. There cannot be a simultaneous perfect Red and perfect Blue).

########################
The most likely scenario in which the SRT is invoked is that we take ~12 prisoners, in the initial rush, then go out hunting the reds that fled. The few teams that did not participate or that fled ineffectually try to take documents from other facilities, resulting in no gains for other R2 red teams and minimal gains from R2 Blue teams, resulting in our blanket victory

Successful Defense, half possible prisoners: 50+120 = 170 pts
Likely Blue: 50+60 (defend and take 6 prisoners): 110
Likely Red: -90 pts (but more likely much, much less)

-- We have 185+170 = 355 pts... R2 Red: -315 pts (580 adv)... R2 Blue: -385 (740 adv)
-- ISC likely takes -330 at the worst, maintains generally +300 over the others, minimally)

Edit: tried nesting spoilers. Failed.​
 
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So random thought, could Hazou have perfect memory? If this isn't already a thing considering he can remember all the Kurosawa movements/tones, and if not normal memory, muscle memory, he could right out something to remember, then perfectly recall it later on. Just a crazy thought.
 
So, what's the plan for our base, in absence of Goo Bomb supremacy?
Why wouldn't we use Goo Bombs? We've already showed off our ability to win without using them, so it's not really crucial anymore. On top of that, defending a location against ~ten times our numbers would be impressive regardless of how we do that.
 
Hmmm okay.

Besides that, how do you feel about using thin granite slabs instead of paint? The benefit is we can prep these right now in the ~20 hours we have access to before the Round ends and the end of the latest update triggers

My reservation with granite slabs are (as you mention):
Must 5SB each individually, which is infeasible with our stock.
Are unwieldy- the shapes will not conform exactly to the shape of the room, leaving gaps in coverage.

I'm not a big fan of painting the walls directly, despite the enabling data I've provided, because then it is super obvious what was done during post-op.

I prefer painted cloth, because then there is doubt whether we just have a super-solid wall ninjutsu, or a seal that works specifically with some odd cloth material. We collect any evidence during tear down.

I prefer metallic sheets over painted fabric, because the previous argument is more plausible.

I most prefer plastic sheets, as the foreign material will introduce the most doubt as to our method.
 
That likely doesn't count as a single object for 5SB though.

And why not? The leap from 5SB to skytowers is an unintuitive one.
The leap from 5SB to indestructible buildings is not intuitive either. I don't want to give that away if we don't have to, and given the amount of damage it took us to level the buildings I don't think it's necessary.
 
You can nest them by using [spoiler="title text"]spoiled text[/spoiler] instead of the "####" version.


In other news, earlier we were asked how many Wakahisa were in the event. The answer is three; Kiri and two others.
I tried with the spoiler tags first. Anybody who happened upon my post in the first 5 or so minutes of its life can testify to how much of a mess I made with those. Probably missed some closing tags, and SV kept adding random ones all throughout my message. Got rid of all of them and just went with #, rather than try to parse exactly where I went wrong.
 
The leap from 5SB to indestructible buildings is not intuitive either. I don't want to give that away if we don't have to, and given the amount of damage it took us to level the buildings I don't think it's necessary.
We could ask Jiraiya whether it's something he would consider valuable enough to keep secret, or us simply reinventing a wheel (like with PMYF).
 
Um. Isn't that exactly what 5SB is for?
it is my impression that 5SB isn't used on buildings because they have traditionally been applied to bare walls, which exceed the volume limit. Part of me expects that these walls were painted, and that the contiguous area was too large to function, or that we do not have enough information on the volume limit.
 
[x] Plan Component: (Retroactive) Steal the word halves of everyone we can.

[x] Plan Component: (Retroactive) Steal people's stuff.
  • Only standard ninja equipment like knives, kunai, shuriken, swords, ninja wire, etc...
  • Leave any seals aside that are not clearly storage seals or explosive seals.
    • Do not open or activate any seals we find.
  • If we have enough spare storage seals, use those to help collect reach person's lose stuff. Use Hazou's seals where possible. We'll let people keep the seals when we return their stuff.
  • Have Hazou write nice receipts for everyone, with a list of items taken, a reference number, and a polite note to the effect of:
Thank you for using the complementary Goketsu Weapons and Equipment Check-In service.

All your items are stored in perfect safety on the seventh path, where only the most trusted members of our customer service team can access them.

<List of items taken>

The next available pick up time for your items is <date and time of round 2>.

Please remember to bring this receipt with you to pickup, the reference number is the only way we can identify your packages. As storage space is limited, we reserve the right to auction off any items that are not picked up during the next service period.
  • Keep one copy of each receipt with us, and one in a convenient pocket or something on our victim. Our copy should have some notes on who it belonged to.
I figure we'll return everything after the second round, but hey, no reason not to deny them weapons and rile them up.

Plus, giving the stuff back when we could have just kept everything sets the right tone: a nice balance between powerful, cheeky, and benevolent.
 
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The leap from 5SB to indestructible buildings is not intuitive either. I don't want to give that away if we don't have to, and given the amount of damage it took us to level the buildings I don't think it's necessary.
The point isn't to make the building indestuctible. The point is to buy us a minute while they try to breach the building in location XYZ and it doesn't work.
 
Q: Short of Keiko's blurb to our team, how would anyone know that the goo bombs (or any other seals) weren't created by Hazo~?
 
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Q: Short of Keiko's blurb to our team, how would anyone know that the goo bombs weren't infused by Hazo~?

Here's how (in Nara mode):
  • Rare seal type, very strong
  • Implies high skill sealmaster
  • Hazou has known access to best sealmaster on the planet.
  • Hazou young, and notably not super genius, even compared to sibs.
    • Visible to outsiders: Hazou smart and very fast; not very smart
    • Sealing skill bounded by intelligence/knowledge not speed
  • More probable seals were Hokage stacking deck, rather than product of Hazou's skill.
With the corrolary:
  • Hazou young, has time to grow, resources.
  • Hazou likely match/surpass Jiraiya in 1-2 decades.
Edit: Yes, that is how I imagine Nara think when focused on something. I find thinking in fragments and images makes me a lot more effective, and much faster when I can get into the right flow state.

Edit 2: It's harder than it sounds, but learning to skip the part of your thinking process where you think in words can be very useful. I'm still working on making it more natural/less effortful myself.

Edit 3: Like body scan meditation where you scan pre-verbal thoughts instead of your body, is a metaphor that works for me. Try doing a guided body scan meditation but ignoring all the parts where they ask you to focus on your body parts and instead applying similar attention to your thoughts as you think about some problem you have to solve.

Edit 4: I think I should go to bed. Goodnight all.
 
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If we need more 5SB in the next event than we have available we can make them stretch by producing extra central seals. Just apply all 4 auxiliary seals to activate the barrier and then remove some of them for use activating the next one. IIRC even a weakened barrier should be sufficient for our purposes. If not, then placing some weakened barriers in nonvital external locations could trick the enemy into wasting effort on indestructible barriers.
 
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