@faflec Has there been a ruling on whether Hazō's Aspect Bonus includes the SSA boost?
It does, as you have said on Discord:
discord.com

Discord - Group Chat That’s All Fun & Games

Discord is great for playing games and chilling with friends, or even building a worldwide community. Customize your own space to talk, play, and hang out.
Two things I note:
1. Thanks to SSA giving you a higher Aspect Bonus, y'all are putting up some big numbers on your research rolls
2. Shifting up an Aspect Bonus makes a big difference.
 
Chapter 390: Jiraiya's Last Seal

"Good morning, My Lord. The tea is in the seal to your left. The seal to your right has a light breakfast."

"Unngh. Thanks, Gaku." Hazō rubbed the sleep from his eyes and popped both seals open, then immediately covered a yawn.

"Sorry," he said. "It's not the company."

"Perfectly understandable, sir." Gaku was, of course, neatly turned out and annoyingly awake.

Hazō took a sip of the tea and rubbed his eyes again before setting it down and fixing his gaze sharply on his advisor. "Okay, that's it. I want to know how you're doing this. Your Clan Head commands you: Reveal your secrets!"

Gaku cocked his head in confusion. "My secrets, sir?"

"I'm here ten minutes early for a barely-dawn meeting and you're waiting, looking perfectly awake and neatly put together. I was sure that just this once I was going to be the one waiting for you. How do you always do this?! How are you always here first and looking perfectly awake and rested?!"

Gaku smiled slightly. "With respect, My Lord...I simply arrive before you, allowing for the fact that I know you would like to arrive before me. It is a secretary's job to be available when his lord needs him."

Hazō glared grumpily and took a sip of his tea without breaking eye contact. "I've had all I can take and I can't take anymore. As punishment for your sin of always being annoyingly cheerful and earlier than me, you are no longer my secretary. You are now the Gōketsu Chancellor. I've notified the Household Guard that you have this authority and they should do whatever you order them to unless specifically countermanded by me, Mari, or someone I've authorized at that level."

Gaku shifted uncomfortably. "My Lord...thank you, but I'm just a scribe. A civilian, and not even well-born. I'm not qualified to—"

Hazō flapped a hand dismissively at the older man. "Oh hush. You sound like a grumpy rooster when you do that nonsense. You have the job."

"But, sir—"

"Hush! Your Clan Head commands you to hush, Chancellor."

"...Yes, My Lord."

"Good. Now, what have you got for me?"

Gaku consulted his notes, probably more to buy a moment's composure than from need. "Lady Mari engaged with the Amori. She acquired five adoption tickets in exchange for the grape land that we purchased, plus a promise that we will clear three hectares of their choice at our expense sometime within the next year, precise details to be negotiated in good faith. We are getting their original two ticket for this year, plus another that they will purchase from their own resources, plus the two that they will receive at the new year."

"Great news. We're going to need those."

"Yes, My Lord. I have here the expanded version of the candidate list that Lord Noburi previously put together for you, as well as the top ten seniors at the Academy, as well as the names and backgrounds of the various ninja who live on the Gōketsu estate."

"Thank you."

"Here is the standard financial report for your signature, plus the list of disciplinary offenses for this week."

Hazō glanced over both documents, scrawled his signature where needed, and passed them back. "Thanks as always for staying on top of this stuff."

"Of course, My Lord. It is the job of a secretary."

"Chancellor."

The older man paused, looking flustered. "Yes, My Lord. Chancellor."

Hazō grinned, then gestured to Gaku's surprisingly empty lap. "I note a truly remarkable lack of additional paperwork."

"Indeed, My Lord. That was the only new business I had for you. We got through everything else yesterday."

"Great news. Okay, a few things for the records and agenda. Ready?"

Gaku dipped his brush and poised it over the paper. "Ready, sir."

Hazō leaned back, nibbling on a carrot and looking at the ceiling as he ran down the list in his mind. "Accept the Kurusu invitation to tea for next Thursday afternoon. Check if any of the minor clans have birthdays or weddings coming up; figure out some appropriate gifts and send them under my name. Announce another games night, this one open to the public. Arrange for the meeting hall to be expanded—I want something that can accommodate three to five hundred people mixing around. Have that builder...what was his name?"

"Gōketsu Fusao, My Lord?"

"Right, him. Have him draw it up, then hire some MEW ninja to build it."

"Seating, My Lord?"

"None built in. We'll bring chairs in if necessary. Put a small stage along one wall so that we can have performances, public addresses, or whatever. Basically, I want a multi-function space where we can get most of the clan together under a roof, house refugees if necessary, have large social gatherings, that kind of thing."

"Shall I order matching chairs to be made, My Lord?"

"Sounds good. Get some extras."

"Yes, My Lord."

"Note for the archives: I've been spending some time with the skyslider team. They've gotten the weight down about as low as it's probably going to go but they're still having no luck pleasing the sky spirits. They're working on changing the size of the wings, since the spirits seem to find larger wings pleasing." He grimaced in memory of the breast-related jokes he'd had to listen to when the workmen didn't realize he could hear them. "They're also trying to figure out some way to ask the spirits to move in a desired direction. The spirits get a little fuzzy on that one. Also, the design seems to have very strict requirements. The spirits are usually pleased by some curves and angles but not others, but they insist on straight lines throughout most of the body, but they're willing to accept either straight lines or angles for the wings. Way too may 'buts'." There had been more jokes about that one. "We're working on figuring out a coherent theory."

Gaku said nothing in response, merely nodding his acknowledgement of his lord's words as his brush swirled quickly.

"I spoke with Ebisu," Hazō continued. "He's finding it interesting and a little frustrating to train Canun. Apparently there's a real challenge to teach an elemental nature to someone who can't make handseals, can't take a flick of the switch, doesn't have a human bodyplan, and already has two elemental natures not known on our path. Canun is grumbling but feeling generally pleased. In another couple of weeks he'll be willing to sign a pact with me. Put together an appropriate ceremony."

More swirls were made.

"We need to source some chakra metal, so start asking around. I talked with Cannon and told her that I didn't think I'd be able to find her ancestor's teeth caps. She looked very sad, and then I asked her if she'd be willing to be my summon if I had a new set made, just for her."

Gaku looked up in interest. "Teeth-caps for a dog?"

"Yeah, I thought it was pretty crazy. Anyway, she was offended at first but then Cannai pointed out that her great-grandfather's teethcaps wouldn't have fit her anyway and would only be good as a sentimental thing. She was intrigued by the notion of having a set of her own. She didn't actually commit to becoming my summon if I can get them made but I'm going to get them made regardless. Cannai noted that they would have to be made from chakra metal because reasons." He waved a hand in vague incomprehension. "I don't know if that was simply a demand of quality or if there's a real reason but he was insistent. Anyway, I talked to one of the Inuzuka smiths and he thought the idea was fascinating. He had no idea how to do it, but he's got imprints of Cannon's teeth and is going to try to figure something out. We'll need to source the chakra metal somehow."

"I shall begin looking for sources, My Lord. And congratulations. That's wonderful news."

"I know, right? Also, I spoke to Canoe. She's not interested in being a summon at this time, although she's still willing to be my lift back to the Seventh Path. She's got a new litter of puppies that she's taking care of and isn't willing to be pulled away at random times. She said to check back in six months, so please make a note."

"Note taken, sir. A pity that she wasn't available."

"I know, right? Let's see, what else...oh, here's a monograph that Kagome-sensei wrote up about seal theory. Please get it added to the archive. There's a summary and keywords for cross-referencing." He passed over a short stack of papers.

"Very good, sir." Gaku took the pages and held them for a moment, staring at the paper as though it held the secret recipe for Granny Mayuka's plum pudding. "If it isn't above my place, sir, sealing has always seemed like one of the oddest of the ninja arts. It isn't dependent on speed or handseals or chakra reserves, yet from what I've gathered it's also far more dangerous." He flipped the front page over so that he could study the keywords list, then shook his head in confusion. "Would it be all right for me to ask what...chro...chronoma...chronomantic color dynamics are?"

"It's the segment of seal theory that relates to time and timing things. Kagome-sensei has these seals that we need to trigger very quickly. They don't right now, which means the thing we want to use them for doesn't work. He's trying to figure out how to speed them up, because when"—internally, he smiled in remembrance of his grumpy teacher's insistence on the word—"he figures it out it's probably going to become the most critical secret technique of the Gōketsu clan."

Gaku's eyes went wide and he sat up straighter in his chair. "Oh! I had no idea, sir. I'll be sure to have this properly indexed by lunchtime. And I'll be sure to put the actual document in the secure segment."

"Thank you, Gaku." It wasn't actually that important; the monograph was pure theory that only tangentially related to the currently-stalled creation of reactive armor. Still, probably best to be safe.

"Anything else, sir?"

"Nope, I think that's it. I have breakfast in half an hour with the family, then I'll be researching with Kagome-sensei until mid-afternoon. There's a seal that Jiraiya left for us, and I expect to be able to learn it by then. The family is going to gather for an unveiling ceremony, so we're all out of pocket from about three to four. After that, I've got a training session with Akane until dinner and I'll be around the estate afterwards if anyone needs me."

"Very good, sir."

o-o-o-o​

"So that's it, huh?" Mari asked, staring down at the unassuming design that lay atop the granite pedestal.

The family was gathered around the pedestal in solemn contemplation of their founder and his work. Jiraiya was present in the form of a marble bust that sat on the northeast-most part of the pedestal. (The pedestal, of course, was not perfectly rectangular, nor perfectly aligned with the cardinal directions, local ley lines, or any of the major astrological influences. It was there to hold things up, not to participate in, or interfere with, the process of research and infusion.)

"That's it," said the self-named Hazō Expendabilis, staring at the seal blank in front of him. It must have been something of an existential experience for the Shadow Clone to know that this seal was the literal purpose of his existence. More specifically, the activation of the seal.

"It looks complicated," Noburi said hesitantly. "Is it really safe for us to be here?"

Hazō Prime nodded. "It's fine. It's a lot less complicated than it looks." He reached out, pointing to one edge without touching the paper. "See these nested trefoil designs around the perimeter? They aren't actually connected to anything. They don't have a specific part to play in handling the chakra." His finger moved inwards. "This tiling effect? It's the equivalent of flipping something over, then flipping it over again so it's back the way it was. That knotwork in the middle? Its only function that we can identify is to use up some chakra before it goes into the actually important part of the seal, here." He pointed at the small nubbin slightly off-center. "It's probably using the chakra up specifically to generate some light. Might be an important part of the effect or it might just be to look cool; Jiraiya was dramatic like that."

Keiko frowned. "You have spoken frequently about the dangers of sealing and how important it is to have a functional and straightforward design in order to promote robustness. Why would someone as competent as Jiraiya indulge in such baroque folderol?"

Hazō Expendabilis glanced at his teacher; the older man grimaced but tossed his head in a 'go on' gesture.

"Those things that Prime was pointing out?" the Shadow Clone said. "They don't do anything that we can identify, but they're still necessary for the blank to work."

"Fifth-order cthonic interference," Kagome-sensei grumbled. "I'm sure of it. It's like he was trying to make it look ridiculous. Fifth-order. Who does that? Sure, first and second order are useful for fine manipulation, maybe sometimes third if you need really clean smoothing, but fifth? What's the point except to show off? Stinker."

"What does it do?" Akane asked.

Hazō Prime rubbed his chin. "We aren't exactly sure," he admitted after a moment. "As far as we know, it's the last seal he ever created. He named it the 'Epic Seal of Awesomeness With A Really Awesome Name That You Have To Say All Of Every Time Or It Won't Work And Also I'll Punch You In The Face, This Means You, Hazō'. The description says that it's a sound-based genjutsu that inspires fear in everyone within a few yards of the person activating it. There was a section of safety instructions that mostly talked about friendly fire risks, the fact that Banshee Slayers likely would not work as protection, and that there was a theoretical possibility the seal might inspire anger instead of fear in some individuals."

Mari's eyebrows shot up. "A sound-based genjutsu? That's...wild. It's pretty blunt-forced if all it can do is inspire one emotion with no contextual guidance, but to make a sound-based genjutsu at all is impressive and then to turn that into a seal..." She shook her head.

Hazō shrugged. "Yeah. Anyway, as complicated as it looks it's actually dead easy. I figured it out in about an hour, and a lot of that time was spent just running safety checks before we actually got to work."

Every non-Hazō and non-Kagome eyebrow went up. They were all surprised that Kagome had allowed research to begin with only, at most, 59 minutes of preparation.

Hazō, Sealing (boosted by Summoning Scroll Acolyte stunt): 36 + 4 (tag 'Kagome-approved research facility') -3 (dice): 37
Research TN for Jiraiya's Epic Seal of Awesomeness With A Really Awesome Name That You Have To Say All Of Every Time Or It Won't Work And Also I'll Punch You In The Face, This Means You, Hazō: 5

Success! Hazō has mastered the seal! Can he scribe it correctly?
Hazō, Calligraphy, 17 + 3 (dice): 20
Calligraphy TN for Jiraiya's Epic Seal of Awesomeness With A Really Awesome Name That You Have To Say All Of Every Time Or It Won't Work And Also I'll Punch You In The Face, This Means You, Hazō: 15

No problem!


"Will it be possible to modify it?" Mari asked. "It's a sound-based genjutsu that induces fear. Could you make one that induces...I don't know, sleep? Or add visual context in order to drive the subject's response to the fear?"

Hazō shook his head. "I don't think so. The design is extremely specific. It won't allow for any modification at all."

Haru glanced at the unhappily-mumbling Kagome and then sighed. "I can feel the ambush coming. Let's get this over with."

Hazō nodded. "Right. Expendabilis, give us a minute to get to MSD."

Hazō Expendabilis saluted crisply. "You got it, boss. Out of curiosity, how did you figure out what the minimum safe distance is for a sound-based genjutsu?"

Prime glared at his duplicate. "Don't be a smartass. Come on, everyone."

They retreated back to the far edge of the clearing, well out of hearing of anything other than a loud explosion, and put Banshee Slayers on just to be sure. Hazō Prime waved a Gōketsu red-and-green flag overhead to signal to his duplicate that it was safe to begin. Everyone ducked behind the berm and covered their ears.

Moments later Hazō stood up, glaring in disgust back towards where Expendabilis no longer was. "Jiraiya, you motherfucker."

"Crap! It got him!" Noburi shouted, flicking through handseals. "Water Element: Water Whip! Mari, try to—"

Hazō waved him away. "It's fine. I'm not affected. I got Expendabilis's memories of what happened, that's all."

Noburi eyed him carefully, but lowered the whip. "What happened?"

"I'll show you," Hazō said. He reached into his pouch and produced a blank for Jiraiya's Epic Seal of Awesomeness With A Really Awesome Name That You Have To Say All Of Every Time Or It Won't Work And Also I'll Punch You In The Face, This Means You, Hazō. "Here is the mighty Jiraiya's 'sound-based genjutsu seal' that will inspire fear and/or anger." A pulse of chakra infused the seal, another activated it.

"Boo," growled Jiraiya's disembodied voice, as the legendary prankster played his last trick from beyond the grave.





XP AWARD: 3

Brevity XP: 1


It is now about 5pm.

Vote time! What to do now?

Voting ends on Wednesday, November 18, 2020, at 12pm London time.
 
Last edited:
"I'm here ten minutes early for a barely-dawn meeting and you're waiting, looking perfectly awake and neatly put together. I was sure that just this once I was going to be the one waiting for you. How do you always do this?! How are you always here first and looking perfectly awake and rested?!"

"Sleep is for the weak, I've been up for three hours. I'm someone who only needs three hours of sleep to be fully functional, whereas you're someone who needs at least 6. WEEP BEFORE MY MIGHT!!!" -Gaku, internally

(also, it's about damn time we've finally promoted him. Glad we did that,)

Gaku consulted his notes, probably more to buy a moment's composure than from need. "Lady Mari engaged with the Amori. She acquired five adoption tickets in exchange for the grape land that we purchased, plus a promise that we will clear three hectares of their choice at our expense sometime within the next year, precise details to be negotiated in good faith. We are getting their original two ticket for this year, plus another that they will purchase from their own resources, plus the two that they will receive at the new year."

TIME TO ADOPT ALL THE PEOPLE!!!
*cackles in parental instincts*

Hazō leaned back, nibbling on a carrot and looking at the ceiling as he ran down the list in his mind. "Accept the Kurusu invitation to tea for next Thursday afternoon. Check if any of the minor clans have birthdays or weddings coming up; figure out some appropriate gifts and send them under my name. Announce another games night, this one open to the public. Arrange for the meeting hall to be expanded—I want something that can accommodate three to five hundred people mixing around. Have that builder...what was his name?"

"Gōketsu Fusao, My Lord?"

"Right, him. Have him draw it up, then hire some MEW ninja to build it."

"Seating, My Lord?"

"None built in. We'll bring chairs in if necessary. Put a small stage along one wall so that we can have performances, public addresses, or whatever. Basically, I want a multi-function space where we can get most of the clan together under a roof, house refugees if necessary, have large social gatherings, that kind of thing."

Sounds like we're about to host some Scadrial-esque balls... I'm down!

"Yeah, I thought it was pretty crazy. Anyway, she was offended at first but then Cannai pointed out that her great-grandfather's teethcaps wouldn't have fit her anyway and would only be good as a sentimental thing. She was intrigued by the notion of having a set of her own. She didn't actually commit to becoming my summon if I can get them made but I'm going to get them made regardless. Cannai noted that they would have to be made from chakra metal because reasons." He waved a hand in vague incomprehension. "I don't know if that was simply a demand of quality or if there's a real reason but he was insistent. Anyway, I talked to one of the Inuzuka smiths and he thought the idea was fascinating. He had no idea how to do it, but he's got imprints of Cannon's teeth and is going to try to figure something out. We'll need to source the chakra metal somehow."

Time to go scour the Swamp!

"I know, right? Also, I spoke to Canoe. She's not interested in being a summon at this time, although she's still willing to be my lift back to the Seventh Path. She's got a new litter of puppies that she's taking care of and isn't willing to be pulled away at random times. She said to check back in six months, so please make a note."

On the one hand: sadness
On the other hand: PUPPIES

"Fifth-order cthonic interference," Kagome-sensei grumbled. "I'm sure of it. It's like he was trying to make it look ridiculous. Fifth-order. Who does that? Sure, first and second order are useful for fine manipulation, maybe sometimes third if you need really clean smoothing, but fifth? What's the point except to show off? Stinker."

Totally sounds like Jiraiya, though.

"Boo," growled Jiraiya's disembodied voice, as the legendary prankster played his last trick from beyond the grave.

That motherfucker... also, we should totally copy the seal (which I propose we informally dub as the "Jiraiya's Booming Seal") and (once we level up our sealing skill) use it as a trap trigger.
 
Last edited:
Gaku consulted his notes, probably more to buy a moment's composure than from need. "Lady Mari engaged with the Amori. She acquired five adoption tickets in exchange for the grape land that we purchased, plus a promise that we will clear three hectares of their choice at our expense sometime within the next year, precise details to be negotiated in good faith. We are getting their original two ticket for this year, plus another that they will purchase from their own resources, plus the two that they will receive at the new year."

This went way better than I would have ever expected.

And we can still try to get the Shiho clan slot if we want to.

Yay, more minions.
 
@eaglejarl So I do have to ask: was this bit just Jman goofing on us or does his prank actually bypass Banshee Slayers?
Banshee Slayers don't cut sound to zero, meaning that you can still hear the Epic Seal of Awesomeness With A Really Awesome Name That You Have To Say All Of Every Time Or It Won't Work And Also I'll Punch You In The Face, This Means You, Hazō when it is invoked.
 
[x] Authority Doesn't Come from a Rank, It Comes From The People Who Give It To You
  • Spend three adoption slots to adopt Atomu, Reo, and (The next most distinguished member of the estate ninja in terms of services rendered to the Gōketsu estate and those living on it) from amongst the ninja working on the estate.
    • Apologize for taking so long, the adoption slots thing is a nightmare, and acquiring them is nontrivial.
    • Precautions
      • Doublecheck with Mari to make sure these specific individuals aren't doing anything ...morally problematic behind our backs? Also that the third choice would be fitting.
  • Have a big celebratory feast-party thing in their honor, as well as for all of the other ninja working on the estate.
    • These adoptions were selected based on the extraordinary and exemplary service of these individuals. We will be working to get more slots so that no one is left waiting too long.
    • You understand that the lack of a clan name is a bit of a stressful situation for some of them, but rest assured that you are working on it.
      • You are valued. You are important. Every one of you.
    • Expectation management: it might take a couple of years, but hopefully only a handful in a worst-case scenario.
    • Tangent: We'll have to have more weekly communal dinners like this, though. It's nice seeing everyone.
      • Go talk and mingle with everyone in smaller groups. Check in on how everyone's doing and what they're all up to.
  • Chat with Keiko and Shikamaru about some politics.
    • New law idea: increase adoption slots afforded to clans, but decrease the corresponding amounts of stipend money paid to the clan from the Tower for any ninja adopted henceforth , in a manner proportional to the amount of new slots.
      • Same money paid by the Tower, more ninja for the clan.
      • More clan ninja=more awesome clan training,techniques, and resources for them=more awesome ninja
      • Angle 1:Rah rah, strengthen Leaf, rah rah.
      • Angle 2: Helps clans rebuild from this past year of horrible events and bloody battles.
    • We can clear with Asuma first and go around and privately get some support from all the clan heads we can. Surely most everyone will be in favor of this? Sasuke, Hinata, the rest of ISC, the newer clans,etc. Its in pretty much all of their interests.
    • We can call it... the "Clan Restoration Act"!
 
Last edited:
[x] Authority Doesn't Come from a Rank, It Comes From The People Who Give It To You
Spend three adoption slots to adopt Atomu, Reo, and one other individual (Nakano?) from amongst the ninja working on the estate.
Not 100% that Nakano is living in our compound ATM; may I suggest adopting Mai instead?
 

"Second, their smith. We already burned him out and he's had time to get into a bit of a panic, so let's solve that for him." He handed over a letter for Gaku to review. "I want you to go out to him and negotiate this deal. Reo, Mai, and a trio of the kids will escort you." It might seem like a huge escort for a short and relatively safe trip, but in truth it was only adequate. Reo was missing his leg above the knee and Mai had horrific burns down her right side that made it hard for her to move well. Granted, he was a ninjutsu-spec and she had retrained herself as a ranged weapons expert. Hazō didn't particularly care which three genin the two senior ninja chose; the trip was short and the land around Leaf was mostly cleared of dangerous animals. It was wildly unlikely that the group would run into any challenges.

Gaku skimmed through the document. "Full replacement of his forge and tools, details to his spec. Living expenses covered for two years. One generous grant for initial materials, additional loans at low interest after that if necessary. A promise of a certain value of goods ordered annually, with cash payment for any amount in arrears. Offer is contingent on him living on the Gōketsu estate or unaffiliated land and the Gōketsu being his sole customer." He looked up. "Sir, this is essentially an offer of adoption into the clan, but it doesn't actually offer that."

Hazō shrugged. "If he isn't part of a clan yet then it has to be because he values his independence. If he wants to join, I have no objection. It's not required."

"I see. And why am I going?"

"You're negotiating the deal. That"—he pointed at the list—"is the maximum I feel like I can commit, although when you get there feel free to use your judgement if you think it would be smart to substitute part of the list for something I didn't think of."

"I see. And my escort?"

"Reo and Mai need to be reminded that they are still capable. They've been getting a bit down lately. The kids are there to get some field experience in a safe environment, and in the hope that they'll listen to their seniors and absorb some hard-earned experience."

"With respect, sir, the reason that Reo and Mai are 'feeling down' is because they see themselves as charity cases. They aren't part of the clan but they are allowed to live here on sufferance, knowing that you might send them away at any time if they displease you."

"You know I wouldn't do that."

"I do, sir. They don't. They're living on tenterhooks, as are all the other ninja. They all believe that you haven't adopted them because they aren't good enough. They're old, or crippled, or useless, and you're tolerating their presence out of pity."
 
[x] Authority Doesn't Come from a Rank, It Comes From The People Who Give It To You

Slightly painful to burn all three new slots immediately... but it is the right course of action. We had had to hold one in reserve for Yuno due to *insert classified strategic reasons here*. Now that we have three we should use them immediately to not risk alienating people by accident.
 
Back
Top