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SHINOBI: The RPG - New Game

Discussion in 'Creative Writing' started by Fulcon, Jun 17, 2020.

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  1. Galacticplumber

    Galacticplumber Not too sore, are you?

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    I would go even further than understandable. He had no one to teach social graces, and thus has none.

    He has no attention, and thus does what all younglings are evolved to do in that situation.

    There is another believable way I see his early life varying by personality. He COULD'VE been a book hermit, on the grounds that books don't judge, belittle, or ignore him. He'd have been screwed up still, but in a different way.

    Human beings don't come out of that situation well, and the fact he was only as neurotic as he was is a testament to his optimistic outlook and mental fortitude.
     
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  2. Fulcon

    Fulcon Not working on it anymore. Sorry.

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    I have no argument, this is right. All this means are that Naruto's flaws make sense and I hope I'm doing them justice. :)
     
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  3. Galacticplumber

    Galacticplumber Not too sore, are you?

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    A version of them is doing well yes. I just wanted to make clear why the fandom is so gentle on him. They have a viewpoint similar to that, and it doesn't come across due a lack of nuance either in writing, or understanding.

    This is not to say it's never done poorly. Sometimes you get edgelord omni-competent badass loners who hate most everyone and swear a lot. This is over correction in several areas at once. This happens because people don't realize you can't just turn several dials to eleven completely different from human experience, and get someone that hooks attention in a positive manner.
     
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  4. Graeme404

    Graeme404 Not too sore, are you?

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    Also, Patreon has a chance of going out of business soon
     
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  5. Nekraa

    Nekraa Nekraa Moderator

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    This is not topical to this thread, knock it off.
     
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  6. Seij

    Seij Conveniently Generic Title

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    Yus! New chapter! Life being as stressful as it is, it's great to get a breather and see your favourite fanfiction updated. I especially liked the introspection about how it was possible that Daisuke took care of two ROOT nins and the power of his hyper-specialisation. I wondered it myself and so it's great to see self-awareness of that in Daisuke.

    I also liked Daisuke not being as gentle on Naruto. There are too many fics that put him on a pedestal. I'm glad you're not shy in talking about his flaws. Like Daisuke, he's not perfect and it's amazing to see that developing well, both Daisuke and Naruto.

    I'm glad you made the decision to demonetise, not because for demonetisation's sake, but for your own personal grievances of it. People talk a lot about the most efficient, most rewarding path, but never about the most consistent path. If not having the pressure of money on the line is a good thing for you, then pursue that. I fully support it.
     
    Last edited: Aug 2, 2020
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  7. Fulcon

    Fulcon Not working on it anymore. Sorry.

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    I'm so glad you're enjoying this chapter. It makes me happy that so many people are tuning into this rewrite. :D

    Introspection is good, especially when it takes care of a nagging thought in the back of a readers skull.

    Thank you! It bothers me that people try to canonize Naruto. I mean, he has extremely good reasons to be the way he is, but that doesn't mean his flaws don't matter; they do. They make him Naruto.

    If you want to benefit society and for that relationship to be mutually beneficial, you need terms that you're happy with. Thank you for your support you wonderful human being.

    Have a cookie.
     
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  8. TorextheDragon

    TorextheDragon Know what you're doing yet?

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    Ohhhh yesssssss. The OP protagonist juices are flowing. Another great chapter. Can't wait for more.
     
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  9. DIKR1229

    DIKR1229 NotHereNorThere

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    I love the concept of the originals and your passion to remake the first one. Kudos to you, very few make the attempt to be better or keep trying to.

    Indeed, Kudos™ to you.
    I had just noticed the great variety of writing tools over here in QQ.

    It took a long time but his passion for writing came back, stronger than ever, and with the power of Maito Guy on his side.
    DIKR1229 rolled 3 die of 6 faces, total: 10
    For: 4
    Rolled on: August-05-2020, 02:26pm
    3
    1
    6


    Holly hell, people can throw dices here! I did not even know it was possible until I saw that button. YES!
     
    Last edited: Aug 5, 2020
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  10. alanek

    alanek Know what you're doing yet?

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    Just found this;
    I can say you definitely did the nevermore section better than the first time around, and I'm interested to see how the major arcs change from before.



    Re deleting patreon/no money for fanfiction.
    Whenever you get around to starting said work, patreon does actually have a way to make it charge per update instead of per month, with people being able to set a limit on how much can be drawn per month.
    Granted, my only experience with this was for "this bites" and their 50k chapters, but it's an option available to you.

    No rush feeling of "they're paying me for nothing"; I don't know if that will help or not.

    Be warned of xianxia. There are a decent amount of good stories, even great ones. There are *many* bad ones. Every time you try one it is like clicking on a truly random fic on fanfiction.net.
     
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  11. aaaaaaaaahhhhhhh

    aaaaaaaaahhhhhhh Not too sore, are you?

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    I hope havent already said something like this but I’m really enjoying this story. I would feel bad saying that it’s better than the 1st version since I also really enjoyed that story and had a ton of fun reading it. The crippling social charism made for a very interesting disability and contributed to the plot in an novel way. No one in the real world is perfect it was nice to read how the MC was able to overcome his affliction. Now in this story, our protagonist won’t be able to hide behind his low charism and I imagine he might have to face some things a bit earlier :)

    Good luck! Sorry, it’s late for me, I hope what I wrote makes some sense!
     
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  12. Twistedmind

    Twistedmind Know what you're doing yet?

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    I Love this. I Hope that there is A new chapter soon.
     
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  13. Raphaim

    Raphaim Some Others Are Wise, Some Are Otherwise

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    That Muppet treasure island reference tho.
     
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  14. Fulcon

    Fulcon Not working on it anymore. Sorry.

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    Soonish. Next chapter is going to be a bit of a montage, at least that's what the plan is, simply to show how Daisuke grows before Organ Trail starts up.

    Quote it for me...because I remember making it, but don't remember exactly what I wrote. XD
     
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  15. Raphaim

    Raphaim Some Others Are Wise, Some Are Otherwise

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    This one
     
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  16. Fulcon

    Fulcon Not working on it anymore. Sorry.

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    Ah yeah.

    Have a plate of cookies. :D
     
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  17. Raphaim

    Raphaim Some Others Are Wise, Some Are Otherwise

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    AW SWEET COOKIES!!!!
     
    Fulcon likes this.
  18. Fulcon

    Fulcon Not working on it anymore. Sorry.

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    Progress report: ~1.4k words done.

    This is an interlude with lots of non-Daisuke ramblings. It's been a while, but I think the story could use a palette cleanser.

    People in this upcoming chapter have very positive feelings toward Daisuke, though I hope it doesn't come across like all their worlds revolve around him; so far only character has mentioned him directly. But I also don't want it to sound like I'm tooting my own horn since, as we've seen repeatedly, I'm not a perfect person (no one is, but doesn't mean I can't do better).

    Other than that, how about some Omake prompts?

    Prompt #1: Naruto learns of and performs the summoning Jutsu. Where does he end up and does actually get the contract?

    Prompt #2: Rin is watching everything happen from her seat in the pure world. What are her opinions of what's going on in Konoha right now?

    Prompt #3: Daisuke tries to novelize and expand on the story of Fallout for his Konoha audience. What changes does he make? How is it received?
     
  19. Extras: Informative: Naruto's Summon Animal - GalacticPlumber
    Galacticplumber

    Galacticplumber Not too sore, are you?

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    Less of an Omake than it is a semi-serious theoretical ramble, but summoning jutsu without a contract is a fascinating look at both how someone is characterized, as well as how the given author characterizes the animals in question.

    Naruto is primarily a good-natured prankster with severe loneliness, boundless energy, and with a touch of darker emotions like jealousy.

    A good pairing to that would be foxe- WAIT don't scroll past while rolling eyes on the typecast I'm going somewhere with foxes.

    If we bring foxes as depicted in Japanese mythology, where Naruto as an anime gets MOST of its references, we stumble on the trickster foxes known as kitsune.

    Like Naruto, mischief and pranks are their bread and butter. Like Naruto would very much benefit from kitsune are often depicted as fiercely loyal to those they form close bonds with, and breed in large numbers with fluffy tails, doting personalities, and emotional support. They also have a ruthless streak a mile wide, because foxes breed quickly enough to naturally outpace their common food sources. This leads them to view the kits of OTHER foxes as simultaneously a food source, and the removal of competition for their own kits.

    This is interesting from a character standpoint, because it gives Naruto everything he wants, but also encourages both the best, and worst parts of his personality at the same time.

    This is interesting from a mechanical standpoint, because it allows the presence of foxes in story who are actually good at things they're generally depicted as being good at as opposed to just big shows of power with no subtlety.

    Again foxes are all about pranks and deception, which is borne out by kitsune unilaterally being good at things that would be called genjutsu in ninja parlance. Illusions, mind effecting of various flavors, improving one's own senses, and direct sensory manipulation of others.... you know the whole nine yards. Yes illusions and sensory manipulation are different. You can make a clone jutsu that looks like you that everyone sees. That's an illusion. Putting an image of yourself overlaid on someone's senses, that is specific to them, is sensory manipulation.

    Getting back on point why is this good with Naruto specifically as opposed to just correcting a horrific wrong of fox portrayal? Their skill set natively fills the deepest hole in Naruto's skill set. It would also give him access to be terrifying effective at the only discipline Daisuke almost completely neglects which would only make it more attractive to him.

    As for if he'd get in? Kitsune are pragmatic, alarmingly intelligent, observant, and self-serving. He has the highest chakra reserves for his age of most any human alive, looks like the child doppelganger of his father the late hokage, has status as the container of Kyuubi as the worst kept secret of all time, and has active ambitions to become the ruler of one of the strongest human nations. What self-respecting, self-serving mastermind wouldn't want to get on his good side, help him reach his goal in any way possible, and proceed to have the ear of one of the most powerful people alive?

    Naturally they don't open with looking that cynical. Friendship, cuddles, free training, the benefits of partnership, and all that good shit. The loyalty I mentioned earlier would even be legitimate. Relationships that start for transactional reasons are still relationships, and kitsune can be relied upon to keep the spirit of deals with people they form relationships with.
     
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  20. Fulcon

    Fulcon Not working on it anymore. Sorry.

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    Thread marked... Nicely done! Have a cookie.
     
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  21. aaaaaaaaahhhhhhh

    aaaaaaaaahhhhhhh Not too sore, are you?

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    I like omake idea #2
     
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  22. Threadmarks: Chapter 10: Interlude - A Larger World
    Fulcon

    Fulcon Not working on it anymore. Sorry.

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    The Following is a fan based work of fiction: Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden are owned by Shueisha, Viz Entertainment and Masashi Kishimoto. Please support the official release.

    * * *
    Hiruzen entered his room feeling and looking more tired than he had ever been.

    His black bodysuit was torn, his old, wrinkling skin showing through the gash near his side. Hiruzen removed his helmet, letting it fall and roll across the floor.

    Today was, unequivocally, the worst day of his life.

    Starting when Danzo had the gall to stomp into his office. His old friend demanded to know the meaning of his assets being seized and why his arrest was ordered.

    But his old friends single eye narrowed and he went unnaturally still as Hiruzen had explained it. The jig was up. His deception had been exposed. Root was being dismantled to the core.

    The old man still remembered the exact moment things had turned violent. He was pressing herbs into his pipe. After a puff, he started talking. Hiruzen was angry, of course. Having been lied too and betrayed not once, not twice, but three times now.

    Orochimaru. The Uchiha.

    And now this.

    A mansion which siphoned many children to Root.

    A monster that should never have been able to find safe haven within Konoha’s walls.

    There was no end to the vitriol he felt.

    At the end of his explanation came this gem of a line.

    “So run. Run away and we’ll all pretend that you died making the sacrifice you didn’t have the spine for all those years ago.”

    That was when it had turned violent.

    Danzo’s rage had surpassed any rational thought, much like Hiruzen’s own. But, Danzo was a one trick pony, whose entire style was built around wind jutsu.

    One trick ponies were Hiruzen’s favorite opponents. Because their chosen method of fighting always had a weakness, usually one beyond the lack of versatility. Danzo’s was a crippling inability to fight melee, which meant that all Hiruzen had to do was call out his monkey in a barrel.

    But Danzo had gotten away.

    He had gotten away and Hiruzen, again, had failed.

    He stumbled forward to his bed, collapsing forward onto the soft matress with an aggravated sigh.

    Ever since Minato died, Hiruzen had done nothing but fail. He failed his village when Orochimaru was performing experiments on its citizens. He had failed when Danzo had systematically isolated the Uchiha before executing them for their eyes.

    And then he had failed here.

    Hiruzen had retired for a good reason; he was unfit for duty. It was as simple as that. He was not a young man anymore and he was keenly aware that his mind was failing. He feared it, dreaded it, did what he could to keep himself sane enough for the job, but senility was rearing it’s ugly, ugly head.

    The old man simply couldn’t perform anymore.

    But what could he do?

    The people who everyone agreed were qualified for the job didn’t want it. Others who understood the responsibility were politically contentious or, in the case of Nara Shikaku, too lazy. Those who were eager for the job, such as Hyuuga Hiashi did not care for the responsibility to the village as a whole and would grant his clan even more special privileges after Hiruzen had spent years trying to take those privileges away.

    He had hoped the nonsense with Kumogakure would finally break them of their Caged Bird Seal tradition, or at least bloody their nose by forcing them to brand their Clan Head. But Hizashi stepped in and stopped the clan from actually learning anything from the ordeal.

    Because of course he did.

    Hiruzen slowly rolled over in his bed, face up.

    Yet more evidence that his mind was failing and undoubtedly, the clans all knew it. That’s why they wanted to keep him in this position, to take advantage of it.

    Oh, why did Minato have to die? Hiruzen impotently raged, glowering at the ceiling. Why did that accursed fox get loose and take Konoha’s brightest hope for the future away? Why does such an evil thing get to still live while the greatest Shinobi that Konoha had ever known must rot in the bowels of Death itself?

    But still, he must press on.

    This latest failure was the last straw.

    Jiraiya, Tsunade, someone had to take the hat. Someone had to step in where he clearly could not.

    Kakashi? Probably, but only if his old wounds could heal. Chōza had the right temperament, but wasn’t popular enough with the clans outside the trio they formed with the Yamanaka and Nara. Maito Gai was too eccentric in a village full of eccentric war machines.

    Perhaps Naruto could do it?

    Hiruzen snorted. The young man, full of hot air and grand ambitions, had a lot of growing up to do before he was ready for such an awesome responsibility. But one day, he would be a splendid Shinobi.

    Shimoda?

    Hiruzen almost dismissed this as quickly as Naruto, but then he thought. The boy was wise beyond his years, that much he had gleaned from his observations. Incredibly skilled and talented from study alone. From his attempts to remain friends with Naruto, to how he helped his team pass the bell test, and his kind demeanor toward his bodyguard, he had true empathy.

    No, something beyond that.

    Daisuke had something that was rarely instilled in in Shinobi, even in Konoha.

    It was goodness.

    If that was his eccentricity, his coping mechanism when society had effectively quarantined him to the corner like a leper, then it was the best possible outcome. Deciding in the face of isolation that he would be the best person he could be was not easy, but it was more than laudable.

    But Hiruzen didn’t think he was ready for the hat. Good though he was, he was still too insular, too removed from the village. The village council and clans would never allow him to govern. Plus, the boy had stated that he had no desire for the hat which oddly made him even more suited for it.

    Perhaps he’d be the sixth or seventh Hokage, if it truly came down to him.

    But then, Naruto might be ready for his Father’s legacy, and that seemed oddly important to restore.

    It’s not like Minato could be returned from the dead.
    * * *
    “They actually survived.”

    Kakashi was standing at the memorial stone, as he often did.

    It was early in the morning, the sun had barely risen over the horizon, it’s ascent covered by the dense trees reaching for the sky.

    He looked down at the memorial, a smile had painted itself across his face and hid behind his mask. His single eye was squinted but that didn’t stop the sparkle from shining through it.

    “I can’t believe it,” Kakashi continued. “Obito...and Rin, if you’re listening, but they survived. All of them. The mansion, it changed when we walked into the attic. When I saw the dungeon, I thought for sure one of us was dead.”

    The breeze drifted along the grass, almost like the stone itself was humming in thought, listening intently as Kakashi spoke.

    “I was going to do everything I could to make sure that if one of us died, it would be me,” Kakashi continued. “Because I swore I’d keep them safe. Monsters were pouring from the walls. The house had been built by an enemy of Konoha. An enemy that appeared right when we got to the end. A bird-person.”

    The wind kicked up again, and died just as quickly. A nod, perhaps.

    “I feel strange just saying that out loud,” Kakashi muttered wryly. “But it’s true. A bird-person who had been looking for Daisuke-kun for years, apparently. Years! Wanted to kill him. He almost did, but he survived.”

    He let out a sigh and the wind blew past his back, like it was reassuring him.

    “I can’t lose anyone else,” Kakashi admitted quietly. “Not again. If you guys can help, from your spot in the pure world, please. Please help. I can’t lose anyone anymore.”
    * * *​

    “Is the lock down over?” Hisako asked, looking up from her spot on the bed.

    “Not yet, Honey,” standing in the bed frame was Hisako’s mother, Yamada Sata. Sata, just by looking at her, you could see that Hisako had taken a great deal after her mother in looks, the only exception being the eyes, Sata’s green contrasted Hisako’s black. “Local ANBU are still combing the city for Root.”

    “I still can’t believe something like that even existed,” Hisako said, shaking her head. “Why would Konoha even need something like Root? We have ANBU.”

    “Well,” Sata began, walking into the room and sitting down. “I believe it was said that Danzo could protect Konoha with greater ability if he had a division of Shinobi that answered only to him. The Hokage thought he could trust him.”

    “Yeah, that didn’t blow up in his face at all,” Hisako said with a frown. “No disrespect to the Hokage, but it needs to be said.”

    “Just don’t say that out in public,” Sata insisted with a worried look. “It could be misconstrued as inciting insurrection and that is the last thing we need right now.”

    “I won’t, Mom,” Hisako said. “So, I’m going to spend my A-rank money getting an apartment. As soon as the lock down is over, I’m moving out.”

    “My little girl is all grown up,” Sata said with a sad smile on her face. “I’m so proud of you. We can go apartment shopping together.”

    “And then I can start inviting my team over and we can talk, maybe play games…” Hisako started smiling. “Mom, can I ask you a question?”

    “Sure,” Sata replied brightly.

    “There’s this boy,” Hisako started. “A boy I really, really like. He’s been my friend for years and we’re on the same Genin team but I don’t think I really know him at all.”

    “How so?” Sata asked.

    “We spar all the time on Taijutsu, and he’s really good,” Hisako said, sitting up. “And he’s a really good listener, but I don’t know how to get him to open up and talk to me.”

    Sata hummed. “Well, you can’t ask a boy about his feelings. Instead, ask him about his interests.”

    “His interests,” Hisako repeated, blinking. “Why can’t I just ask him to open up and share his feelings? You know, that’s the important part.”

    “Oh honey,” Sata began, amused. “He’s a boy. If you try to get him to talk about his feelings before he’s ready, his mind will just go blank. Instead, ask him about his interests and then carry the conversation from there. When he’s ready to share, he’ll share.”

    “Okay then,” Hisako replied. “I guess I can work with that. I don’t really know what his interests are. He doesn’t really talk a lot.”

    “Then ask him,” Sata encouraged. “That’s the best way to find out how a man is feeling, if he wants to share. If he wants to share, then he’ll share. If he doesn’t, then there’s no point in pressing any more. Unless you want to make him angry.”

    “Can I ask him if he likes me?” Hisako asked.

    Sata laughed. “Only if you aren’t afraid of rejection.”

    “So he’s just going to reject me if I ask directly,” Hisako replied with a frown.

    “Not necessarily,” Sata shrugged. “He might not know if he likes you or not. Or if he is, he’s too nervous to just come out and say it. Or he might just like you back and reciprocate right there. So...be ready for anything is what I’m trying to say.”

    “Oh, okay,” Hisako replied. “What do I need to do to get him to like me right now?”

    “Be your best self,” Sata answered. “And if he doesn’t like you, then it was never meant to be. Also, don’t be something you’re not. If you do, he’ll never like you, only the person you pretended to be.”

    “But what if he doesn’t like me?” Hisako asked, laying back on her bed, and grabbing a pillow to groan into. “There’s no way he does. He hasn’t really tried to ask me out like some of the other boys in the Academy did. So maybe I’m just pining in the wind!”

    “Well, he might not have liked you then and that might change as he grows older,” Sata explained, shrugging. “Crushes like this can be so frustrating, huh?”

    “You have no idea,” Hisako said, spreading her arms wide, her pillow still clutched tightly in her hand. “Maybe if I ask him what he’s thinking? He sometimes just gets this faraway look on his face and he disappears into his own little world.”

    “Your father always tells me nothing when I ask,” Sata replied with a grin.

    “Why doesn’t he ever tell you?” Hisako asked, looking really concerned. “Is he just mad all the time?”

    “No,” Sata shook her head. “I used to think so. Before we were married, I’d get so terrified that I had done something to upset him because he’d refuse to open up. But I learned that it’s usually because he’s daydreaming and when I ask him that, he snaps out of it and can’t remember what he was thinking about.”

    “Oh,” Hisako blinked, laying back down. “Well, that’s a relief. But Daisuke-kun!”

    “You can’t force love,” Sata said with a shrug. “He might even like you, but want to focus on his career and not want a relationship right now. You can’t force it.”

    Hisako pressed the pillow to her face and groaned again. “But I have to have him!”

    “I’m sorry you're frustrated,” Sata replied kindly. “If you want my advice, talk about his interests and use that to find out what kind of person he is. But don’t ever press him. If he closes off, it’s okay. There’s other times. Trust me.”

    “Okay,” Hisako sighed. “Thanks, Mom.”

    “Besides,” Sata continued with a shrug. “For all you know, he might not be someone you want to be anything other than complete strangers with.”

    Hisako grunted in annoyance. “Thanks, Mom.”

    * * *
    The store doors opened and Nichiren walked inside the grocery store with a relieved sigh. “Never thought I’d be happy to see this place again.”

    “Glad that the lock down ended,” Nichiren’s father, Nakamura Seihachi muttered. “Nichiren, get to the back room, we need to make sure that rats didn’t get into anything.”

    “Especially not the beef,” Nakamura Amaya added, shuddering. “That would just be the capstone to this terrible week.”

    Of course, it was not hard to be pessimistic. An armed insurrection causing a lock down on Konoha made things really tense. Even as the family walked past some of their regular customers, the Ichiraku’s, the Yamanaka’s, they could feel the anxiety and paranoia in the air like a cloud of smog that blocked out the sun.

    “You’ll need to get it done fast,” Seihachi added. “You need to be at your training meet in a couple hours.”

    “Yeah, Dad!” Nichiren replied, heading over to the door behind the counter labeled ‘staff only’.

    The Nakamura store was small, but located in a key location that got a lot of traffic during the day near town square. They prided themselves on their constant supply of fresh meat and vegetables, which came from two large farms owned by Nichiren’s uncle outside the village walls. They were hoping to one day purchase the store next door, which was an antique store with no good items for sale so they could expand the store to twice the size.

    Nichiren opened the door and walked inside.

    He came to a hall. On the right was the restroom, to the left was his parents office and break room. Straight ahead as the store room, which had rows and rows of metal shelves and a large refrigerator to keep the perishables fresh.

    However, Nichiren could see that there was a lot of mess directly ahead.

    Shelves had been knocked over and product had spilled all over the floor. Nichiren’s blood ran cold as he rushed forward and beheld the most abhorrent sight a business man could possibly see; all of his product had been destroyed.

    Immediately, large animal heads poked up over the wreckage and Nichiren froze on the spot.

    Rats.

    Giant rats.

    Nichiren looked around and saw what had happened.

    The steel safe filled with soldier pills had been chewed into and the crumbs were all over the concrete.

    Aw come on! Nichiren thought, immediately drawing a kunai.

    The rats started to shriek and Nichiren realized there were a lot more of them than there were of him, and they were larger than most house cats. They charged him and Nichiren threw his kunai, sticking one rat in the head while the rest charged after him.

    Running back down the hall, Nichiren reached down to his waist for the present Kakashi gave him for completing his thirtieth consecutive day of training. A spool of Ninja wire.

    Nichiren had always been gifted with Ninja wire, even back in the academy. He just had a head for how the wire could wrap around every possible vantage point they could and conduct jutsu like lightning or fire. But they could easily be just as dangerous weapons on their own. Like when it turned into a whirling cyclone of steel floss.

    The rats chased after him, but quickly saw when the first couple wound up getting blended into a rat smoothie.

    With a smirk, his glasses shined in a glare of light and he began walking forward, lashing out with his wire, chopping, cutting and dismembering the decidedly outmatched rodents, who were making a retreat back to the steel safe they had originally come through and couldn’t fit in.

    Some realized that it was hopeless and turned to leap at him, causing Nichiren to be covered in bloody rat paste as their remains turned to mush.

    When at last, the deed was done, Nichiren wound the wire back up. He felt like he was standing just a bit taller after his accomplishment. He took a breath and let it out.

    The sound of chewing caused him to whirl around.

    The sound had come from a man. He was absurdly tall, almost two meters. Brown hair that was parted at the side, and a trimmed brown beard. Over his eyes he wore black, square glasses that were reflecting a nonexistent glare. He was wearing a white lab coat over a black, button up shirt and slacks, a crimson necktie shining in the light above them. In his hands was a bag of popcorn, and he was tossing bits of it into his mouth.

    “Not bad,” He with a slow nod. “This encounter wasn’t meant for you, but not bad. That wire’s disgusting.”

    “Who are you?” Nichiren asked in confusion.

    “A hostile foreign infiltrator,” The man replied nonchalantly. “You?”

    “A...what?” Nichiren became completely confused. Then his brain processed what he just heard, and got angry. “You’re a what?”

    “A guy who plants dangerous beasties in random places for entertainment,” He replied with a shrug. “Now answer my question. Who are you?”

    “Nakamura Nichiren,” Nichiren said, slowly backing toward the entrance.

    “Wait, is Nakamura your family name or your given name?” The intruder asked, scratching his head in irritation. “This weeaboo stuff always confuses me.”

    “Weea-what?” Nichiren asked, even more confused. “Nakamura’s my family name? I’m so confused.”

    “You and me both,” He replied. “Anyway, I’ll probably see you later when it’s time to end the world. Toodles!”

    Nichiren blinked and he disappeared.

    “Wh-what?” Nichiren blinked.

    Then he ran down the hall, shouting as loud as he could. “Mom, Rats got into the soldier pills! We’re going to have to replace the whole stock and I need to report something immediately!”

    “We’re going to have to what?” His Mom shouted at the top of her lungs as Nichiren bolted out of the store doors.

    As he ran to the Academy, to Headquarters, he slowly began to realize something.

    That man, whoever he wasn’t, was speaking in some kind of code. Not a cipher, or rhymes, but something with it’s own set of rules...as if it were a completely different language.

    And Nichiren understood him perfectly.

    * * *
    “Come back soon, Naruto,” Ayame said with a happy smile. “It’s always great having you!”

    “Thanks, Ayame!” Naruto replied, walking out of the ramen stand with a wave, having only eaten a single bowl of ramen there.

    Naruto felt oddly nervous, even at Ichiraku ramen, the closest thing he had to a home away from home.

    The Academy had let out for the day, the instructors acting like nothing had happened, but he noticed that a couple of them were missing, including Mizuki for some reason.

    He just had a bowl of ramen, he didn’t know why he should be nervous. Things had settled. The ANBU that took him to the emergency bunker, Rabbit, said things were calm now. But he still felt like there was some danger close by that he needed to make sure he avoided at all costs.

    “Well, if it isn’t Naruto!”

    Naruto looked up, to the table of some fancy restaurant and there sat the Man in Green. He hadn’t seen him since the orphanage days, one of the few nice people he had ever met.

    The Man in Green waved, and beckoned him over.

    “Hey!” Naruto said, waving and coming over. “Nice to see you!”

    “You’ve grown so much since I last saw you,” The man in green said, giving a partial bow in his chair, which Naruto returned. “Why don’t you have a seat, I’ll treat you to supper.”

    “Oh, I already ate,” Naruto replied, rubbing the back of his head with an embarrassed grin.

    “Are you sure you aren’t hungry?” The Man asked with a polite smile.

    It was then that Naruto’s stomach grumbled. In his hurry to leave the stand, he realized that yes, he was still hungry.

    “I recommend the teriyaki pork,” The man said.

    “Uh, thanks,” Naruto replied, sitting across from the man. “Hey, uh...I don’t remember your name.”

    “Call me Satoshi,” The man introduced himself. “I don’t believe I did introduce myself all those years ago. My apologies.”

    “It’s fine,” Naruto waved it off. “I’m surprised to see you again. What are you doing here?”

    “Well, I’m keeping an eye on someone,” Satoshi replied, his smile fading somewhat. “But it appears that person...behaved themselves. Reasonably so. Then again, it’s not like I can do much besides look disapprovingly if he does something. So, how have you been?”

    “I’ve been okay, moved out of the orphanage,” Naruto replied with a nod. “And I finally learned how to do the Bunshin Jutsu! So I’m happy!”

    “That’s wonderful, great job,” Satoshi replied with a grin. “And! And you moved out of the orphanage. I knew someone would be smart enough to adopt you. Well done!”

    Naruto’s grin faltered. “Uh, well, uh...not exactly.”

    Satoshi blinked. “I see. That...is unfortunate if the people in the village cannot see value when it is staring them in the face.”

    “Yeah, you’re telling me,” Naruto said. “So what if Daisuke graduated early, I’m just as good a ninja as him, and I’m not even out of the academy yet!”

    Satoshi got this strange ghost of a smirk on his face that disappeared when Naruto looked at him. “Is that so? Are you two still friends? I hope so.”

    “Yeah, we’re friends,” Naruto said, slowly nodding. “Just, you know, he’s got Ninja stuff to do and I got the Academy. I think we’ll spend a lot more time together when we’re both Ninja.”

    Satoshi slowly started to nod. “Oh I see. That makes sense. Still, is Shimoda-kun the only friend you have? Certainly no one else can be that...blind.”

    “Well, there’s Iruka-sensei,” Naruto replied, pondering.

    The waiter came and took their orders. Naruto looked at the menu and saw that, yes, they did offer ramen. “I’ll take an extra large Miso Chasu Ramen, please!”

    The waiter blinked, seeing Naruto’s cheek markings. “I’m sorry, but-”

    “And I’ll have the same,” Satoshi replied, his eyes lightly flashing for just a moment.

    “Very good, I’ll have it right out for you both,” The waiter replied, suddenly immediately cheerful. He took both menus and went right back into the restaurant with a spring in his step.

    Naruto looked pensive. “I thought he was going to throw me out.”

    “I’m glad he rethought that decision,” Satoshi replied with a smile. “Still...that is concerning. For people to try to shun you like this...I hope you have protection.”

    “Eh, the old man has ANBU watching over me,” Naruto answered with a nonchalant shrug.

    “Oh, that’s good. Do you speak with them often?” Satoshi asked.

    Naruto got quiet again. “...not really.”

    Satoshi looked down. “Well. I think I have a solution.”

    “You do?” Naruto asked, immediately perking up.

    “What if I told you there was a jutsu you could perform that would take you to a place where everyone would like you?” Satoshi asked hypothetically. “Where you could get a long with everyone?”

    “A jutsu like that,” Naruto asked, blinking and folding his arms in disbelief. “Really. What’s it called?”

    “The summoning jutsu,” Satoshi replied. “If you do it without a summoning contract, it teleports you to the realm of the summon animal that you match the best with.”

    “Oh really?” Naruto asked, still doubtful. “Summon animals? What’s the catch?”

    “It can be quite dangerous,” Satoshi replied. “Well, only if you’re weak on your own merits. The summon clans don’t take kindly to leeches...not even the leech clan.”

    “Well, I’m not weak,” Naruto said with a grin. “So this should be easy!”

    “I agree,” Satoshi replied, slowly nodding. “You teleport there, impress their leader and they give you a scroll that lets you call on them whenever you want. Never again, will you be around people that don’t like you.”

    Naruto slowly nodded, adopting a smile. “That...actually sounds really good. Do you have a summon clan?”

    “I do,” Satoshi replied.

    “What is it?” Naruto pressed.

    “Dolphins.” At Naruto’s confused expression, Satoshi elaborated. “They’re a creature that lives out in the ocean. Very playful, smile all the time. Love to help.”

    “Like you,” Naruto pointed out, pleased with his observation.

    “Exactly like me,” Satoshi replied, slowly nodding.

    “So, can you teach me the jutsu?” Naruto asked, an eager look on his face, leaning forward.

    Satoshi hummed. “No.”

    “No?” Naruto asked, sounding offended. “No? Why not?”

    “Because I feel like just telling you would just cheapen it for you,” Satoshi replied. “You’re a good ninja, after all. You don’t need me to teach you when you can find out for yourself.”

    “How do I find out?” Naruto asked, leaning in.

    “In the Academy Library,” Satoshi started. “On the fourth floor, on shelf directly across from the stairs is a scroll. This scroll is dark green, darker than my robes here. If you can get there, past the guards of each section of the library and pull the scroll out, you deserve that jutsu.”

    “I’ll do it,” Naruto said, sitting straight up. There was a fire in his eyes, a fire that demanded adventure and risk.

    It was determination.

    “It might be hard,” Satoshi cautioned, an amused smile crossing his face. “But I believe you can accomplish hard things.”

    “Yeah!” Naruto nodded rapidly, turning to bolt. “See you, Satoshi-san!”

    “Wait, wait, wait,” Satoshi stopped him. “Don’t you want your ramen?”

    “Oh.” Naruto froze with an embarrassed expression on his face. “Heh, right. Yeah, Ramen sounds pretty good.”

    “Ramen is always good.”
    * * *​


    Author’s Note: Well, here’s an interlude. First one in a while, chapter 10. Got to say, I’m happy with how it turned out, because I was able to spend some time away from the immediate happenings of the chapter and cut to the larger narrative. Keep in mind, everything you have read was in the story since I posted it years ago. This is draft 1 content that I’m executing significantly better.

    Well, actually Jashin is like previous draft content, but I like his character so much, I had to keep him.

    Anyway, your thoughts would be greatly appreciated. The wait between chapters has actually done me a world of good, thank you for your patience.

    Until the next time!

    ~Fulcon
     
    Last edited: Mar 1, 2021
  23. LEGENDARYNOT

    LEGENDARYNOT I trust you know where the happy button is?

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    Who is this guy seriously, is he the figurative admin or hacker?
     
  24. Wololo

    Wololo Getting sticky.

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    Oh no you're bringing back mister console commands
     
  25. steampvnc1880

    steampvnc1880 Your first time is always over so quickly, isn't it?

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    Heh. Dolphins are real nasty pieces of work. I'd never want to be alone around a dolphin. You'll never know when they'll suddenly decide to beat you to death for the fun of it.
     
  26. Fulcon

    Fulcon Not working on it anymore. Sorry.

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    Well...

    He's the Gamer directly responsible for Daisuke becoming a gamer SI. He has cheat codes. The Player 1 to Daisuke's Player 2. Do NOT speak of him outside of spoiler text, please.

    Bringing...back?

    He never left.

    Also, please see spoiler above.
     
  27. Krazyfan1

    Krazyfan1 Versed in the lewd.

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    Ah...
    Dolphins are actually horrible IRL...
    nice foreshadowing
     
  28. Fulcon

    Fulcon Not working on it anymore. Sorry.

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    Thank you! I thought it was pretty clever myself. :D
     
  29. Darkarma

    Darkarma Loli Ōtsutsuki

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    Stole the words right from my post.

    So there are two GMs for this game. And this one can just casually reprogram the menu of a restaurant and the waiter with a single look, or worse, can pause time to use console commands.

    Scary folk.

    He also left out the Dolphins tend to be murderous assholes. But I can't see that making Naruto more receptive to him.

    Fun chapter though all things considered
     
  30. Zerothewarhound

    Zerothewarhound I trust you know where the happy button is?

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    Well I am enjoying this and can't wait for more
     
    Fulcon likes this.
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