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Marked for Death: A Rational Naruto Quest

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Noumero said:
The Akatsuki know we're at large doing research, and they have extensive spy networks. It's fairly likely they have agents in whatever jurisdiction we set off the Storm Rune. Upon reading the report about the massive sealing failure, they'd strongly consider the possibility we're involved. It's fairly likely they'll come to investigate, in the hopes of finding a trail we left. It's possible (though not likely) that they'd discover the rift scar we came there for (for example, if its location is known to the local ninja village), in which case they'd be all-but-certain it was us. It's possible they'd discover the runic husk, and drag it over to Sasori. Sasori knows about the Great Seal, and he'd seemed interested in it (recall that he isn't as debilitated by the Yodomi's curse as the actual Yodomi). He'll at least strongly suspect that the husk isn't the result of a sealing failure, but us successfully reverse-engineering 3D sealing.

Would he be able to reverse-engineer runecrafting from the runic husk? No, of course not. But:
  • This still leaks information. A few more screw-ups like this, and he'd have the pieces needed to start figuring it out.
  • This would put the Akatsuki on high alert. They'd know we have outside-context tools at our disposal.
  • This might draw the Akatsuki's interest to Orochimaru, strongly suspecting that he was either the one to invent 3D sealing to begin with (and Hazou somehow bought it from him or something), or that it was developed by Leaf-nin in general, et cetera.
    • This might either directly give the Akatsuki runecrafting (if they loot-pinata Oro hard enough), or at least make Oro extremely pissed off at us.
Is this sequence of actions particularly likely? No. But I think it's likely enough we should spend marginal resources on destroying the husk, if possible.
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Sure but the cat's out of the bag on that one already insofar as "Big noticeable thing happened in this area".

Time has already elapsed IC (our final infusion of the Storm Rune was about two weeks before the current date) so anything that's happened there is set in stone. If we can burn an FP to take care of it, then that's fine, I just don't judge that likely to happen. I think that if this happened "an hour ago" that going back and blowing the rune evidence up manually would make sense, but its been quite a while so anything that's happened with this incident has already happened modulo the QMs saying they find us using a declaration of some kind to be reasonable.


Honestly, I'm most worried about the Color Cabal and/or the Watchers and/or whatever organization messing about getting ahold of this incident and upping the priority/probability that we are A Problem. If there is a non-Akatsuki affiliated group that was involved with the Akane kidnapping (we heavily suspect) and the Asuma murder (it is incredibly coincidental, dont you think?) then "Giant fucking region devestated by giga storm" sounds awfully close to what happened when we first tested the EM Nuke. If Leaf is compromised still (as we suspect) then this drastically increases the odds of a large target being painted on our backs whenever we return (and even if we don't, honestly).

And not like the same old "This is a rich, Summoning Scroll having, fuinjutsu-using Clan Head with interesting and impactful research ideas" kind of target, where the cost-benefit calcs come down heavily on "Well it's not worth kicking over the whole anthill or burning resources just to neuralize this one guy" side of things. It would be the "This guy has literal, actual nukes, and can deploy them by himself" kind of target, which comes much closer to the "Either he wakes up in a chair in a cell we control with his thumbs cut off, or he doesn't wake up, and we'll expend whatever resources to make that happen." side of things.
 
Left-Hand Mutant said:
[X] Action Plan: Baked Potatoes
Word count: 309ish (will trim to 299)
Duration: Until either Remote Explosiver or Rift-Kicker is complete (Until then / 1.4 Solar)
  • Declare: before abandoning the Storm Rune, Hazou asked Kei to pick the best way to destroy the leftover crystal, then did that. Hazou's ideas were:
    • Hide a LFE beneath the Storm rune
    • Leave a Remote Explosive on an SCSA'd skytower so someone(Kei?) can stay behind and destroy it
    • Kagome leaves a summon behind to destroy it.
  • Sanity-check with Kei, Snowflake, and Mari:
    • We're considering an alternative plan. Instead of returning to Leaf, we strike O'Uzu and yoink the rift ourselves, then stay missing while we perfect necromancy.
      • Sufficiently-scaled Remote Explosivers, plus something to solve the rune-transportation problem, should suffice.
      • Even if there's an Akatsuki pair at O'Uzu. (Unless it's Konan.) Just saturation-bomb everything, before they can properly react.
    • Pros:
      • Doesn't risk the rift falling under Orochimaru's total control. (Consider: what if Tsunade/Naruto die when facing Akatsuki?)
      • It's somewhat easier. We'd need to kill only 0-2 Akatsuki, and it doesn't paint a target on Leaf while we explore the rift.
      • We might be able to disguise it as a sealing failure (if Sasori's unwise enough to infuse at O'Uzu)
    • Cons: We'd have no Leaf S-ranker support.
    • Is this at all viable?
  • Can Noburi get Gamabunta to relay a message from Orochimaru?
    • If so, have Noburi Skywalk a (ciphered)letter to Orochimaru to the edge of snake.
  • Mari can you take a short trip to contact Syoma?
    • Take a bag of gold/gems and find out what's been happening in the EN
    • End the update if she's late getting back
  • Research
    • No-prep research Air Leadener and Banshee Lover until Air Leadener is complete
    • DoB track 1: Ninja Radar -> Explosiver -> Remote Explosiver
      • If Explosiver is Hard, try a TN120 version. If that is Hard, end the update
    • DoB track 2: Rift-unanchoring -> Rift-kicking
    • Non-DoB track: finish Banshee Lover -> KISS -> Coloured Strobe

As always, I'm open to suggestions, and wordsmithing is appreciated.
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Updated my plan to include Stompy's excellent idea of contacting Syoma for news about the EN.
also made the Gamabutna/Noburi section clearer, as @faflec advised.
 
RandomOTP said:
Hang out with Tenten when our screwed up sleep cycle allows. Admit that we don't know her very well, but that we'd like to. She's always done right by Kei, and we even though we know "our relationship to Kei means a lot to her," (NB: quote from Tenten, find link?), we'd like to get to know Tenten, herself, if that's okay? Discuss wilderness experiences, the wonderful nature sights (beaches, starlit nights on the bay, the sunrise in Wind), and any unique chakra beasts we've seen along the way. Try to find common ground/interests, but don't force anything.
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Tenten is extremely nonverbal, so this seems like a bad fit, sadly.
Hazou on the other hand, is extremely talky. it's why I have a hard time coming up with a good scene for them.

Maybe the two of them working together to design modified kunai specilized to work with KISS?
 
Left-Hand Mutant said:
Sure thing, done.

edit:
hmm, I need to cut wordcount by like 12 words somewhere.
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Boom, 296 words. I massively cut down on two of the Declares (cut out Kei specifically being left behind/Kagome leaving a summon behind), and also reduced the description of saturation-bombing Akatsuki members. Also some minor wording on the Declare (I'd get rid of "with Kei", personally, to maximize group discussion).
Duration: Until Remote Explosiver or Rift-Kicker is complete (Until then / 1.4 Solar)
  • Declare: Before abandoning the Storm Rune, Hazou optimized the best way to destroy the leftover crystal with Kei. Hazou's ideas:
    • Hide a LFE beneath the Storm rune
    • Detonate it with a Remote Explosive on an SCSA'd skytower
    • Leave a summon behind to destroy it.
  • Sanity-check with Kei, Snowflake, and Mari:
    • We're considering another plan: Instead of returning to Leaf, we strike O'Uzu and yoink the rift ourselves, then stay missing while we perfect necromancy.
      • Sufficiently-scaled Remote Explosivers, plus something to solve the rune-transportation problem, should suffice.
      • Saturation-bombing everything before they can properly react should kill even Akatsuki (unless it's Konan).
    • Pros:
      • Doesn't risk the rift falling under Orochimaru's total control. (Consider: what if Tsunade/Naruto die when facing Akatsuki?)
      • It's somewhat easier. We'd need to kill only 0-2 Akatsuki, and it doesn't paint a target on Leaf while we explore the rift.
      • We might be able to disguise it as a sealing failure (if Sasori's unwise enough to infuse at O'Uzu)
    • Cons: We'd have no Leaf S-ranker support.
    • Is this at all viable?
    • Sanity-check the below:
  • Can Noburi get Gamabunta to relay a message from Orochimaru?
    • If so, have Noburi Skywalk a (ciphered)letter to Orochimaru to the edge of snake.
  • Mari can you take a short trip to contact Syoma?
    • Take a bag of gold/gems and find out what's been happening in the EN
    • End the update if she's late getting back
  • Research
    • No-prep research Air Leadener and Banshee Lover until Air Leadener is complete
    • DoB track 1: Ninja Radar -> Explosiver -> Remote Explosiver
      • If Explosiver is Hard, try a TN120 version. If that is Hard, end the update
    • DoB track 2: Rift-unanchoring -> Rift-kicking
    • Non-DoB track: finish Banshee Lover -> KISS -> Coloured Strobe
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Left-Hand Mutant said:
Tenten is extremely nonverbal, so this seems like a bad fit, sadly.
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In that case, you should try and fit in one of the Snowflake segments instead :V


But, jokes aside, Tenten has said that she's gotten a lot better about that with Kei. My hope is that Tenten smiles comfortably/with-friendly-amusement while Hazou adhd-rambles about something that the two have a common interest in.

In canon, Tenten used a modified storage seal as part of her combat, so maybe Tenten would have a minor interest in learning sealing? Or maybe she'd appreciate Hazou's passion for it, the way you can listen to a friend give a TedTalk about their passions and still find it interesting.

The suggested topics include nature, chakra beasts, and various wilderness struggles. Tenten'a backstory and Hazou's missing nin experience means that they both have common ground there, and my hope is that Tenten will be able to relate to these topics. Kei is a romantic, after all, so my hope is that Tenten has a degree of artistic appreciation... but even if not, it still covers a wide scope of topics.
 
I am curious. Supposing Mari and co. nix the "steal the rift" strategy, does this meaningfully change our research plan, especially in regards to our rift research?
 
faflec said:
I am curious. Supposing Mari and co. nix the "steal the rift" strategy, does this meaningfully change our research plan, especially in regards to our rift research?
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Not really? We're going to want good rift moving runes and firepower/Akatsuki counters anyway.
 
faflec said:
@Left-Hand Mutant @Sir Stompy Any chance the both of you can adjust your plan so that you sanity-check/optimize the "poke Gamabunta" and "contact Syoma" sections? Just an "also check the below" to the end of the Kei/Mari/Snowflake conversation would do.
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Sure thing, still at work but will adjust when I get home
faflec said:
I am curious. Supposing Mari and co. nix the "steal the rift" strategy, does this meaningfully change our research plan, especially in regards to our rift research?
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Probably not? Naruto still asked us to develop Rift Runes. So we're developing them
 
faflec said:
I am curious. Supposing Mari and co. nix the "steal the rift" strategy, does this meaningfully change our research plan, especially in regards to our rift research?
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Remote Explosiver and Rift-Movers are top priorities either way.

After that, Yoink would like better detection and either improved range or stealth, While Return to Leaf wants Mirror Dragon and Konan countermeasures.(And a giant air purifier)
 
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If we're looking at air purifiers (for protecting Leaf while under Force Domes, presumably?), we need to recognize that our current purifiers don't actually generate oxygen; they just remove toxic gases. Advanced air purifiers need to be oxygen generators if we are to let Leaf camp out over long periods of time, though admittedly I don't know how long the oxygen would run out...
 
RandomOTP said:
In that case, you should try and fit in one of the Snowflake segments instead :V


But, jokes aside, Tenten has said that she's gotten a lot better about that with Kei. My hope is that Tenten smiles comfortably/with-friendly-amusement while Hazou adhd-rambles about something that the two have a common interest in.

In canon, Tenten used a modified storage seal as part of her combat, so maybe Tenten would have a minor interest in learning sealing? Or maybe she'd appreciate Hazou's passion for it, the way you can listen to a friend give a TedTalk about their passions and still find it interesting.

The suggested topics include nature, chakra beasts, and various wilderness struggles. Tenten'a backstory and Hazou's missing nin experience means that they both have common ground there, and my hope is that Tenten will be able to relate to these topics. Kei is a romantic, after all, so my hope is that Tenten has a degree of artistic appreciation... but even if not, it still covers a wide scope of topics.
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Left-Hand Mutant said:
Tenten & Hazou hang out and collaborate to design KISS-compatible kunai
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This is the best I could do with the wordcount available, LMK if you can improve it.

I think the scene is a good fit: it's a shared project that synergizes Hazous ES/Sealcraft and engineering passion with and Tentens hard-earned expertise and neurodivergent obsession to let them build something together they both value, and couldn't do alone.
 
@faflec added top-level sanity check and edited WC down below 300
Sir Stompy said:
[X] Action Plan: Mari's Big Day
Word count: 294
Duration: Until either Remote Explosiver or Rift-Kicker is complete (Until then / 1.4 Solar)
  • Sanity-check all with Kei, Snowflake, and Mari
  • Declare Hazou set a LFE beneath the Storm Rune to destroy it after it burned out
  • Meet with Kei/Snow/Mari
    • We're considering a strike O'Uzu to take the Rift for ourselves, then stay missing while we resurrect our people.
      • Sufficient numbers of Remote Explosivers, plus Rift-Movers and intel-gathering runes should suffice to take the Rift
      • Even an Akatsuki pair will likely go down to massed Explosiver fire (except Konan)
    • Pros:
      • Doesn't risk Orochimaru stealing the Rift for himself.
      • It's somewhat easier. We'd need to kill only 0-2 Akatsuki, and it doesn't endanger Leaf while we explore the afterlife
      • We might be able to disguise it as a sealing failure, or even covertly replace the afterlife rift with a different rift.
    • Cons:
      • We'd have no Leaf S-ranker support.
      • We'd have to do the afterlife exploration unsupported.
    • Is this at all viable?
    • Toad and Snake are relatively close, can Noburi get Gamabunta to agree to to pass a message to Orochimaru?
      • We'd have to circumvent the oaths gracefully.
  • Mari can you go to the intel dealer in Marsh that Naruto told us about? You have carte blanche to spend our gems/gold. Get us information.
    • If Akatsuki has made public threats, Hazou doesn't need to know.
    • End the update if she's late returning.
  • Research
    • No-prep research Air Leadener and Banshee Lover until Air Leadener is complete
    • DoB track 1: Ninja Radar -> Explosiver -> Remote Explosiver
      • If Explosiver is Hard, try a TN120 version. If that is Hard, end the update
      • If Remote Explosiver is hard, consider researching Remote Explosives with intermediate TNs for veterancy.
      • Continue if 'pilot is confident he can do it per the SOP
    • DoB track 2: Rift-unanchoring -> Rift-kicking
    • Non-DoB track: finish Banshee Lover -> KISS -> Coloured Strobe
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Paperclipped said:

Miscellaneous

Kagome's Necromancy Plan

Kagome is relatively confident that the eighth seal in the jinchūriki seal chain will be sufficiently stable for phase one in his necromancy plan. As a recap, his plan is:
  1. Modify MS8 to latch onto the rift, push chakra into it to open it up infinitesimally, then send a sensor through it to get readings on status of the rift and on the other side. (in theory, this seal would open the rift if used from both sides)
  2. Depending on those readings and how chakra flows through the rift, design a "channel" that could take a massive chakra flow from the Fox's opened tenketsu and channel it into the rift to forcibly inflate it. (depending on Kagome's prediction on cavitation)

He plans to perform phase one as a short chain of three seals:
  1. Modify the MS8 construct to latch onto a rift – potentially separating the construct from the seal that it would otherwise be anchored to.
  2. Modify the resultant seal to push chakra through a rift, using MS8's environmental chakra gathering.
  3. Modify the resultant seal to periodically send sensory constructs through (chakrascope or MS8-based), providing readouts on the seal kept outside of the rift.
    1. Tentatively, this will collect readings on chakra flow relevant to determine whether the Fox-tenketsu plan will work, and if so what will be necessary to achieve it.
    2. If you want it to collect other relevant readings (e.g. to asses whether the rift can be moved), you'll need to select those reading before starting this seal.

He expects that this will take two months of work at least, but he wants Hazō, as the now-senior sealmaster, to take the lead in deciding how to go about this. Hazō could try to break the seals down more, or combine multiple steps into one.
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eaglejarl said:
Hazō shook his head. "It's quite reasonable to think that the rift destination would shift in the process of closing and reopening. It's very unlikely that it would lose lock on the target dimension, but the specific location in that dimension might vary wildly from one opening to the next." He shrugged. "Maybe. That's one thing that Kagome-sensei and I haven't worked out yet.
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Paperclipped said:
Rift Seal 0:

So named due to the fact that it will be the root of all future necromantic rift sealing, as a basic seal that does nothing but create a chakra construct attached to the O'uzu rift. Hazō does a prep day and predictably finds that the TN is "jōnin". He'll use full prep, but cannot invoke as he wants to save an FP for rerolls. Luckily, Kagome can invoke to provide a bonus.

Hazō (Sealing): 50 + 24 (SSA) + 16 (full prep) + ? (Kagome) - 3 = 87 + ?
Hazō (Calligraphy): 42 + 16 (full prep) + 3 (Dampener) - 3 = 58

This is probably the most challenging seal that Hazō has ever worked on (at least, until he merges with Prime and remembers working on RRB later tonight). However, that doesn't say much. He could probably make faster progress on this seal without prep, if it weren't for the fact that the Calligraphy components are actually fairly tough.

Hazō thinks he's about a quarter of the way done.
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The last rift paper seal progress before Itachi's ban.
 
eaglejarl said:
The Toad Sages have not retroactively allowed infusions on the Seventh Path.
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I'm curious what Hazou's recollection of that conversation is like, post-grue. I imagine it went something like this:

"Can seal infusions be safely performed on the Seventh Path?"
"That's simply not possible."
"Why isn't it possible?"
"It's just not."
"Why not, you stupid bastard?"
 
There's a factor we may not have considered....

HIDAN: He's in Sky, I can feel it!
ITACHI : Are you sure? You've been leading us in zigzags across the EN for four months, babbling about Jashin the whole time.
HIDAN: Awww, just trust your instincts and Jashin will guide you!
ITACHI: You don't actually know how to track, do you?
HIDAN: ...
ITACHI: ...
HIDAN: Wait! He's in Lightning, I can feel it!
ITACHI: I'm going home.
 
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So this is a long thread so I suspect it has probably been brought up before:

Hazou didn't have enough Chakra to summon Cannai, but can he counteract that by refilling Shadow Clones with Chakra and dispelling Shadow Clones during the summoning to provide him with the needed chakra?
 
Shard said:
So this is a long thread so I suspect it has probably been brought up before:

Hazou didn't have enough Chakra to summon Cannai, but can he counteract that by refilling Shadow Clones with Chakra and dispelling Shadow Clones during the summoning to provide him with the needed chakra?
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Probably not. Mechanically, you pay all of that chakra at once.
 
I'm not saying that it is absolutely guaranteed to fail, but right now Noburi isn't exactly on good terms with the toads, and has been dropping repeated comments about getting back in on their good terms. I'm not sure that asking Gababunta for anything is an easy sell, and even "we're actively trying to kill the people who killed Jiraiya", while probably effective, isn't a slam dunk.
 
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