- Location
- Yes.
@eaglejarl @Velorien @OliWhail When did we receive the message to wait on the Kurosawa Hana situation? What was Hazou's opinion on the "something" (was it the courier mission or the Goda mission)?
Marked for Death: A Rational Naruto Quest
- Thread starter eaglejarl
- Start date
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- Tags
- naruto rationalist romance armageddon is looking better and better damn you kishimoto explosions everywhere explosives solve everyone if in doubt surrender to the mercy of zabuza it seemed like a good idea at the time looks like a really bad case of being a jōnin my god. where does the lore end? precommitting is the winning plan screaming in kagome screw the rules i have explosives something bad might still happen sometimes you gotta sociopath stabby zabby subsection c of paragraph 9 should include we can weaponize this so hard
Cariyaga
Handsome Gentleperson
- Location
- United States
This entire mission has potential immediate payoff. Setting aside political reasons for a moment, that's the whole reason he sent us on this.
Put yourself in his shoes for a moment:
Your clansman is asking permission to (look into) rescue his mother while on a mission to find intel regarding your godson.
This godson, in addition to meaning inordinately more to you than the clansman, is also the effective equivalent of a nuclear weapon, that was kidnapped by a group of terrorists who also have another nuclear weapon in the form of Yagura. Do you allow your clansman to spend an unknown amount of time looking for information on his mother, or do you tell him to suck it up for the moment and continue the mission?
Keep the following in mind:
- Acquiring his mother would increase the clansman's loyalty
- His mother is a combat-focused jounin and has been for several years
- Your godson was seemingly tortured during kidnapping and who knows what the hell else is happening to him now.
- You are emotionally attached to your godson far beyond your clansman.
- Your godson has incredible potential: Within just 13 years he's able to defeat an S ranker of Mist.
- Location
- Yes.
Expanded on the conversation with the Lord Hokage. By a lot.
Edit: Also changed the plan to maintain identity OPSEC, ala @eaglejarl's post below.
Edit: Also changed the plan to maintain identity OPSEC, ala @eaglejarl's post below.
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- Location
- USA
- Pronouns
- He/Him
PSA: I updated the chapter to include the murder-child's message so it's available for easy reference.
Interesting factoid -- I had thought that Zabuza was an A-rank ninja, not S-rank. I went and checked it on the wiki and I was wrong; here's his mission-completed list:
The heck? How did he only do 4 D-ranks??
Interesting factoid -- I had thought that Zabuza was an A-rank ninja, not S-rank. I went and checked it on the wiki and I was wrong; here's his mission-completed list:
- [According to the databooks] Zabuza had completed 191 official missions in total: 4 D-rank, 67 C-rank, 79 B-rank, 29 A-rank, 12 S-rank.
The heck? How did he only do 4 D-ranks??
- Location
- Yes.
The guy killed his graduating class, why the fuck would he do D-ranks? D-ranks are menial labour.
Edit: Gaara did 0 D-ranks, so yeah.
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Cariyaga
Handsome Gentleperson
- Location
- United States
I am suddenly very glad that you were not up to date on that part of Naruto.
- Location
- Europe
- Location
- USA
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Nah, the people who knew canon (aka @Velorien and @OliWhail) assigned the stats for the various participants. My job was to write the scripts that did all the rolling. I hope that at some point you have a conversation with Jiraiya about exactly what happened. I would love to settle some of the speculation that's flying around the thread, as well as write up that fight scene.
Ooh! Maybe I could write it up for a Patreon 'unique content' thing, although at least one of my high-level patrons is a player here so that would constitute leaking information. Meh. Well, hopefully you'll have the conversation and the information will be in hand. (Note that I am not suggesting you have the conversation nor am I promising that there would be no fallout from having it.)
- Location
- Yes.
This seems like sensitive information. In the sense that it's very very top secret, and in the sense that Jiraiya would have to talk about how his sensei/Hokage/father figure died AND had to watch his godson get apparently tortured and kidnapped.
@ContextBot I saw your post, will add it into my current round of edits.
- Location
- Australia
He probably did them and then killed the Mist equivalent of Tora.
- Location
- Yes.
Ok, I've added a part talking to Noburi about quantifying chakra. Haven't done much work on setting up experiments yet, but the ideas are there.
In a related note, I also wanted to have a conversation with Keiko regarding the Pangolins. But I also recall that the last time we had a private conversation we put our foot in our mouth. Again. Does anyone have suggestions regarding how we ought to apologize to Keiko, and what we should do to make it up to her?
In a related note, I also wanted to have a conversation with Keiko regarding the Pangolins. But I also recall that the last time we had a private conversation we put our foot in our mouth. Again. Does anyone have suggestions regarding how we ought to apologize to Keiko, and what we should do to make it up to her?
I'm not sure it was the type of foot in mouth that requires apologies or making up, because that would require revisiting the subject. Just to be more sensitive in the future when discussing her childhood with the Mori and avoid making implied criticisms.
The lesson to take for discussing pangolins is probably to recall that Keiko's relationship with them should be treated with similar sensitivity. She is the one going to the summon realm to talk with them and negotiate with them, while Hazou only hears about it second-hand. So when you say you want to have a conversation "regarding the pangolins", what is it you actually want to talk about?
Cariyaga
Handsome Gentleperson
- Location
- United States
So, uh. Something just occurred to me. Given the location of Akane's Arikada-induced injuries and the way "basic" medical ninjutsu works... It's entirely possible she would not be able to have kids. 
On the plus side, I've always been a fan of adoption.
On the plus side, I've always been a fan of adoption.
- Location
- Yes.
Among other things...
- Did Keiko have the time to check with the Pangolins she summoned? Specifically:
- Is Panjundrum (the guy who got desummoned) alright?
- Is Panchipaama satisfied with the battle (given that she seemed "discontented")?
- What is Pankurashun's response to us killing a boatload of civilians (obviously don't use this phrasing)?
- How is the war footing of the Pangolin Empire? Specifically:
- How is subjugation of the Condor Resistance going?
- How is the war against the other enemy clans (Tapirs, Hyenas...)?
- Misc things:
- Have the Pangolins regained access to the Great Academy? Anything interesting from that?
- Given that the Condor/Capybara meeting was cancelled was there any blowback from the Pangolins, or does it not matter since the Condors are beaten?
- Has Keiko considered making another summoning contract, such as -details needed-?
So, uh. Something just occurred to me. Given the location of Akane's Arikada-induced injuries and the way "basic" medical ninjutsu works... It's entirely possible she would not be able to have kids.
On the plus side, I've always been a fan of adoption.
The priority for Noburi's research is immortality/resurrection. Once he has that down we have a much longer time limit to fix every other medical problem.
We'll get round to repairing damaged reproductive systems eventually.
Well... that and bio-engineered super-clones with artificial S-rank bloodline limits (only the best meat-avatars for Akane's kids).
Cariyaga
Handsome Gentleperson
- Location
- United States
You know, I do wonder how much of ninja talent is innate and how much is in how someone is raised. I'm sure we could get at least 2.5 XP a day out of any kid.
(I shudder violently at the thought of the hivemind raising a child, even with Hazou in between us and them)
(I shudder violently at the thought of the hivemind raising a child, even with Hazou in between us and them)
Cariyaga
Handsome Gentleperson
- Location
- United States
@faflec
Do not refer to Jiraiya as poppa in the plan -- that is something that Hazou has reacted violently against in the past.
Noburi took them out the enemy ninja in seconds (between 5 and 10, depending on QM interpretation of Vampiric Dew)
We should probably tell Jiraiya about our fuckup with Minami -- he needs the chance to prepare for her return.
I doubt we won't talk about it with Mari -- but I'm pretty sure it's a good idea to mention that we talk about what happened with Mari. Given Jiraiya's permission, anyway.
We should also consider seeing if we can get Panjandrum some food for thanks from the Akimichi.
Do not refer to Jiraiya as poppa in the plan -- that is something that Hazou has reacted violently against in the past.
Noburi took them out the enemy ninja in seconds (between 5 and 10, depending on QM interpretation of Vampiric Dew)
We should probably tell Jiraiya about our fuckup with Minami -- he needs the chance to prepare for her return.
I doubt we won't talk about it with Mari -- but I'm pretty sure it's a good idea to mention that we talk about what happened with Mari. Given Jiraiya's permission, anyway.
We should also consider seeing if we can get Panjandrum some food for thanks from the Akimichi.
- Location
- The Deep Blue Sea
See, I initially interpreted this as saying "we, the hivemind, if implanted into any random ninja child, could get them 2.5 XP/day" and BOY OH BOY was the thought of what you guys would try to get an infant to do in order to earn that XP a terrifying one
Cariyaga
Handsome Gentleperson
- Location
- United States
Oh my god.
e: Wait you guys [the QMs] weren't implanted into Itachi when he was a baby, right? That's not why he was a chuunin at 4 or what the fuck ever?
Bear with me here, because I'm not arguing against any of those questions exactly, but do you notice that it's a little schizophrenic with regards to the nature of Hazou's interest? Are the pangolins allies who he is inquiring about because he is concerned about them? Are they resources belonging to Keiko that he wants in on exploiting? A moral black hole he's worried about? A little of both? Does he just want to gossip? What's his interest with these questions? Establishing that will help establish the attitude he takes when the QMs write the discussion.
Overall, I think it would be good to show some acknowledgement that the pangolins are Keiko's thing, not some sort of group resource. Yes Hazou is her teammate and interested and curious, and it seems like their interests are aligned now and forever... I expect the Sannin felt the same way once upon a time. But it wouldn't hurt to include a clause to be sensitive to how comfortable she feels talking about pangolin stuff, and to back off if there's anything she doesn't seem to want to talk about. All ninja have their secrets and their aces in the hole, even from teammates.
Not sure where that last point about "another summoning contract" is coming from. Is there any reason to believe another contract is on offer?
That's like, half of all isekai stories. Way too many of them start with "reincarnated as a baby".
- Location
- Yes.
Hand-eye coordination is better than shuriken throwing, especially with the fingers. You do that you can start work on sealing, which is way better.
- Location
- Somewhere over the rainbow
While we still couldn't make proper sounds we'd probably spend our time trying to meditate/play toddler QWOP.
When we can talk, we'll try to make requests and sound them out slowly, make us start talking very fast by repeating one syllable at a time until we master making it.
When we can walk we'll try to run.
When we can grab stuff we'll grab stuff.
When we can sort of understand what the squiggly lines on the disgusting block of flippable things mean, we'll spend the next several updates deciphering the language.
We'll also be trying to start giving ourselves muscle mass, hand eye coordination, and multitasking by curling the small book while we concentrate on making our dominant hand behave how we want.
When we have free time being cuddled, we'll meditate to increase our spiritual chakra.
Nonexhaustive list for if we're put into a toddler's brain.
When we can talk, we'll try to make requests and sound them out slowly, make us start talking very fast by repeating one syllable at a time until we master making it.
When we can walk we'll try to run.
When we can grab stuff we'll grab stuff.
When we can sort of understand what the squiggly lines on the disgusting block of flippable things mean, we'll spend the next several updates deciphering the language.
We'll also be trying to start giving ourselves muscle mass, hand eye coordination, and multitasking by curling the small book while we concentrate on making our dominant hand behave how we want.
When we have free time being cuddled, we'll meditate to increase our spiritual chakra.
Nonexhaustive list for if we're put into a toddler's brain.