Cosmos Quest (Naruto/Lupin III)

[Hymn of Ragnarok]

...Man, kind of a shame our understanding on Fuinjutsu is still basic.

Why?

Because hijacking or rewiring the Heaven and Earth scrolls, if they show up, to cheat the exam in some fashion. Like summon US to the person waiting at the finish line for us, winning the race in one fell swoop.

Or, if we wanted to be extremely mean, steal someone's scroll, rewire it so that instead of summoning something it's now a bomb, and when they get to the finish line and open both up, one explodes. With two working scrolls, the other is burned out.

You lose at the finish line. And are injured.

Ha ha.

Course, that is essentially distributing a live bomb amidst the competition and there's no telling for sure whose hands it'll end up in.

 

[FurikoMaru]

How much longer do you think I should wait? Jiven and a few other people still haven't checked in yet.

 

[Hymn of Ragnarok]

It's been a day now?

Honestly, in your position I'd write as soon as I felt inspired to write lest the inspiration slip away. You're pretty good about consistently getting updates out though. So I guess as long as you want.

At least this time you got over a page of discussion.

If you want everyone to have a chance at chiming in though, waiting is fine.

 

[FurikoMaru]

Well, this is a pretty important vote that's going to influence what is probably the best-planned and longest arc.

I'm a little bummed out I had to start it this early. There's still the Fortress cats to sort out and potentially the

Spoiler

arc, and both of those, while interesting, won't be as high-stakes as the Chuunin Exam arc, unless I can shift some stuff around or you make some big mistakes along the way...

 

[Hymn of Ragnarok]

To be fair, you didn't put whether to do the Takoazoa (butchered the spelling, I know) arc to a vote, just assumed people were bored with the stuff and wanting to get to canon. Which....well, not without reason. :/ The last arc did take a long time.

Well, we'll see how it goes.

 

[FurikoMaru]

To be fair, you didn't put whether to do the Takoazoa (butchered the spelling, I know) arc to a vote, just assumed people were bored with the stuff and wanting to get to canon. Which....well, not without reason. :/ The last arc did take a long time.

Well, we'll see how it goes.

Click to shrink...

Ehh, it was a combination of I myself wanting to make sure I got to canon before everyone including me and the quest died of boredom (seriously, bored players make for a bored GM) and looking back at the timeline going, "Shit, the exams start like a month after Team Seven got back from Wave, so in the quest there's no time to go to the Capital unless they don't take the exams until next time around. And also I still can't believe I made Sasuke a year older than everyone else in his class, even if that would help explain why he's so much better than everyone else. Man, I cannot plan worth shit."

 

[Hymn of Ragnarok]

Fair enough, I suppose. Could have fudged things some, but I guess it works well enough.

 

[Guile]

And also I still can't believe I made Sasuke a year older than everyone else in his class, even if that would help explain why he's so much better than everyone else. Man, I cannot plan worth shit."

Click to shrink...

I looked that up for that one aborted Chouji quest, actually.

Shino is the oldest, nearly a full year older than Hinata. Next oldest is Sakura, strangely. Then Choji, and Kiba and Sasuke in July, Ino and Shika-chan in September, Naruto, and finally Hinata in December.

 

[FurikoMaru]

I looked that up for that one aborted Chouji quest, actually.

Shino is the oldest, nearly a full year older than Hinata. Next oldest is Sakura, strangely. Then Choji, and Kiba and Sasuke in July, Ino and Shika-chan in September, Naruto, and finally Hinata in December.

Click to shrink...

And I'm glad you did. Your quest was what tipped me off that I should look into their birthdates if I wanted to write one of my own. I just figured from the pacing of the flashback episode that Itachi killed everyone in Sasuke's first year of the Academy, and by the time I realized my mistake I had already hit you guys with the wham line about Shisui.

 

[FurikoMaru]

[X] Linked your memory palaces, refined your Sasuke-construct, and created a mini Sasuke Army in your head. [6/9]

[X] Learned two C-rank elemental jutsu:
-> [X] One of each [1/9]

[X] Gotten your Shintenshin up and running. It's not perfected, but it's at least combat-viable against chuunin now. [3/9]

[X] Greatly increased your Speed, to the point that even Asuma can't keep up with you. [9/9]

[X] Improved your tessenjutsu by:
-> [X] learning how to elementally enhance your tessen
--> [X] with Wind. [2/9]

[X] Completely mastered your mask-making; not even your own father will be able to tell on sight that you aren't who you look like. [8/9]

[X] Studied poisons with your Mom. You're now carrying a small arsenal of unpleasant substances to add to exploding tags or coat weapons in. [1/9]

[X] Finally produced a fully-functional, if slightly crude, revolver for you and Kiba to share. (Warning: takes up two slots rather than one.) [1/9]

[X] Studied up on sealing; you can now disarm exploding tags faster than they can go off.
-> [X] You've also figured out something else interesting you can do with that Chakra Conduit Technique you invented back in the day... (Write in, subject to GM review) [0/9]

[X] Managed to convince Kurenai-san to teach you two new genjutsu. (These can be personal ones she's developed or just ones any Konoha-nin has been shown to use at some point in the anime or manga, excluding filler arcs.)[6/9]
-> Tree-Binding Death [3/6]
-> Double False Surroundings [4/6]
-> Bringer of Darkness [1/6]

[X] Incorporated your koto-playing into your genjutsu-casting. [0/9]

[X] Researched who is likely to show up at the exams, and what their rumoured strengths and weaknesses are. [8/9]

[X] Practised your summoning, and developed an informal intelligence network among the local members of the Tora clan. [8/9]

Click to shrink...

So Hymn, you making any formal changes to your vote?

 

[Hymn of Ragnarok]

Why would I-

*sighs*

Okay, asking again since this is what comes to mind. I asked you earlier if the Chakra Conduit Technique trick was free. You said it requires no additional time slot. I kept thinking it was odd that you kept at that phrasing. Is what you meant, "Study sealing for a time slot, get techs as a bonus?"

 

[FurikoMaru]

Sorry, I thought that was clearer than it apparently was; the trick requires that you spend a little time refining your knowledge of seal work. As a mini-bonus you gain immunity to exploding tags as long as they're within arm's reach and number less than two, because theoretically you're supposed to think of the idea while figuring out a way to disarm exploding tags on the fly.

 

[Hymn of Ragnarok]

Sorry, I thought that was clearer than it apparently was; the trick requires that you spend a little time refining your knowledge of seal work. As a mini-bonus you gain immunity to exploding tags as long as they're within arm's reach and number less than two, because theoretically you're supposed to think of the idea while figuring out a way to disarm exploding tags on the fly.

Click to shrink...

Ahhhh. Well.....balls. Not as good as I'd hoped.

So to get the bomb, stored chakra, ghetto Jyuuken tricks, and the disarming of exploding tags, we need to put up a timeslot for them and we'll think of the ideas when we think of them.

No, I don't think I'll bother. The ones I would be willing to let go are, with considerable regret, mask mastery and research. I think letting go of research would be unwise, and masks....well, might as well say goodbye to Stealth build and instead focus on speed blitzing with help. Stealth Build is taking a bit of a beating as it is, but at least we've got a fairly internally consistent build.

So unless being able to summon a small army of cats, and the cats have enough kickass skills to make it worthwhile, I don't think it'd be wise to try and change the way the votes are going.

 

[FurikoMaru]

Okay, then. I'm still glad we had the conversation. Now you have something you know you want to throw your weight behind when the prep for the finals starts. :3

Everyone, I'm leaving voting open for a while longer; tomorrow is my birthday, so I might leave it open as long as Tuesday.

 

[Hymn of Ragnarok]

Eh. Lots of stuff I want to throw my weight behind. But even then, the stored chakra is by far most useful out in the first parts of the exam where endurance is critical. The matches are also important, and summoning a herd of cats is a great trick, but....

Argh. So much good stuff. I ALMOST want to wheddle for extra time slots, but you go easy on us as it is, and for once it's actually a tough call to make. Getting an easy way out would be kind of disappointing.

So yeah, unless we want to switch Stealth for Blitzkrieg and a lot of people want to go for it, probably best to keep it as is.

Also, happy birthday!

 

[Selias]

Okay, then. I'm still glad we had the conversation. Now you have something you know you want to throw your weight behind when the prep for the finals starts. :3

Everyone, I'm leaving voting open for a while longer; tomorrow is my birthday, so I might leave it open as long as Tuesday.

Click to shrink...

Hey, Happy Birthday!

 

[FurikoMaru]

Hey, I didn't know I could get likes for my birthday! Sweet, I thought I wouldn't have any presents this year.

 

[hunter09]

Have a Happy Birthday

 

[FurikoMaru]

Meh, I think I'll close voting now, actually. I've made the changes to the stats sheet, but the actual update'll have to wait.

 

[uju32]

I am almost tempted to give you an extra timeslot, uju. For being a good sport and not calling me out on failing to use the standard terminology, and for artificially raising the difficulty level.
(Which honestly I kind of had to do, I mean, it's Lupin with legit magic; you'd roflstomp everyone short of the S-rankers.)

Click to shrink...

Hey, I don't expect perfection from my GMs, just effort; shit is hard enough as is.
Quests are a consensual hallucination anyway; if we weren't all in a conspiracy to make it work it would fall apart.

And happy birthday.

 

[The Nobody]

Hey, Furiko Maru! I ain't the best present, but you had a very good point about registering, so happy birthday!

What, the voting JUST closed? NOOO!

EDIT: But, my vote would be essentially the same, just with Shintenshin instead of Genjutsu.

 

[Hymn of Ragnarok]

Hahaha, 4.9 Speed? Good fucking grief.

 

[Vindictus]

I said that they might be a bit lacking against the canon enemies as it makes sense that Temari has the abillity to use windchakra for sensing. Garak might be able to use sand/earth and Kankuro has tactile sensations with his threads as it explicitly only hits vision. That nearly every other nin will be unable to stop that is something else. And among the Rockie 12 afaik only shikamaru shino and kiba should be able to at least partially evade it. Maybe Naruto and Sasuke.

Click to shrink...

Wait, why would Temari, Gaara etc be able to do Elementally-enhanced Chakra Sensing? I'm pretty sure that's part of the unique bloodline Furiko gave us, not something that every shmuck who happens to have an affinity can do.

I'm not completely certain about Kankuro. He might be able to use his Chakra strings like a spiderweb, if you're correct about him being able to feel something brushing against them and if he's clever enough to have thought of that ahead of time- But most puppeteers have a total of ten strings max [IIRC Kankuro only has two during Chunin exam, one per hand] and he's going to have a hell of a time working ten strings into a spiderweb while blind and never having done it before.

Kiba, as an Inuzuka, will probably be able to use his enhanced scent to bypass the jutsu. Big whoop, he's our teammate so we're not going to have to face him until the finals.

And finally, this is an A RANK TECHNIQUE, favored by the Hokage himself. I'd be astonished if we didn't get some serious recognition as a Genjutsu prodigy just for knowing the technique.

But you've got a point. The technique is 'Limited' in that it is, per canon, 'only' an AOE Blind that works on everyone.

Thus, after the chunin exams I'm going to push for us to improve it. To Full Sensory Deprivation.

Also- Hi Uju, I see you've found this site too.

 

[iamnuff]

Wait, why would Temari, Gaara etc be able to do Elementally-enhanced Chakra Sensing? I'm pretty sure that's part of the unique bloodline Furiko gave us, not something that every shmuck who happens to have an affinity can do.

I'm not completely certain about Kankuro. He might be able to use his Chakra strings like a spiderweb, if you're correct about him being able to feel something brushing against them and if he's clever enough to have thought of that ahead of time- But most puppeteers have a total of ten strings max [IIRC Kankuro only has two during Chunin exam, one per hand] and he's going to have a hell of a time working ten strings into a spiderweb while blind and never having done it before.

Kiba, as an Inuzuka, will probably be able to use his enhanced scent to bypass the jutsu. Big whoop, he's our teammate so we're not going to have to face him until the finals.

And finally, this is an A RANK TECHNIQUE, favored by the Hokage himself. I'd be astonished if we didn't get some serious recognition as a Genjutsu prodigy just for knowing the technique.

But you've got a point. The technique is 'Limited' in that it is, per canon, 'only' an AOE Blind that works on everyone.

Thus, after the chunin exams I'm going to push for us to improve it. To Full Sensory Deprivation.

Also- Hi Uju, I see you've found this site too.

Click to shrink...

none of the sand siblings showed any sensory abilities in canon.


after they hit chuunin and get a bit more in the way of general abilities to pad out their specialities? perhaps, but as things stand, they have one trick each.


most genin seem to be the same.

 

[Vindictus]

Um, I'm pretty sure Sensors are rare among Jonin- Word of GM is that unless you're naturally talented as a Sensor, you're pretty much wasting your time if you focus on that rather then something with higher returns. Hell, IIRC only one of the Akatsuki had a really useful Sensor-type technique- So on the high end that's 1/10 S Rank ninja as sensors. If you count all the Kage etc, then that ratio drops even lower.

This discounts bloodline gifts which include enhanced senses, because I'm not sure if enhanced senses really count for the purposes of a technique that explicitly attacks the senses [And given Furiko implied we could take out two teams containing Hyuugas, I think that the BoD genjutsu trumps Byakugan- Possibly it works by interrupting the ocular nerve, and thus effectively 'Cuts the eyes out' while active?

... Oh, hey. Does that mean that BoD would disable a certain someone's Sharingan? Because while Itachi is talented, and has lots of tools other then his eye-haxx, without said eye-haxx he'd be a much softer target.

 

[FurikoMaru]

This discounts bloodline gifts which include enhanced senses, because I'm not sure if enhanced senses really count for the purposes of a technique that explicitly attacks the senses [And given Furiko implied we could take out two teams containing Hyuugas, I think that the BoD genjutsu trumps Byakugan- Possibly it works by interrupting the ocular nerve, and thus effectively 'Cuts the eyes out' while active?

Click to shrink...

There's a reason it's A-ranked. It probably wouldn't be much long-term hindrance against Hiashi or any of the other elite Hyuuga jounin (the Byakugan is all about instinctively enhancing and tinkering with one's vision, after all - they have a lot of practice at White-Eye IT), but chuunin-candidates aren't jounin and a short-term hindrance against a Hyuuga is usually all the hindrance you need.

However, Neji being Neji, there exists the strong possibility that one encounter with the genjutsu would be enough for him to figure out a way around it. The only thing I'd need to roll for would be whether he figures it out in time to dispel the effect, or if he figures it out immediately after you lift it.

... Oh, hey. Does that mean that BoD would disable a certain someone's Sharingan? Because while Itachi is talented, and has lots of tools other then his eye-haxx, without said eye-haxx he'd be a much softer target.

Click to shrink...

) I like you Vin. You've got moxie.

Bringer of Darkness would fuck up a standard Sharingan up but good; whether it would do anything to a Mangekyou is entirely dependent on how good the Uchiha in question is with genjutsu without using eye-haxx. Lots of them were, though, so it's not as huge an advantage as it would be against opponents without dojutsu.

I don't even know what a Rinnegan would do to get around BoD. Damn that thing is lame. Way to close weak, Kishimoto.

... damn it. Now I wanna write an AU where the Sharingan is the Sage's Eye and the Uchiha all have the Rinnegan instead. XD

 

[uju32]

Meh, I think I'll close voting now, actually. I've made the changes to the stats sheet, but the actual update'll have to wait.

Click to shrink...

*checks stat block*
Speed 4.9?
Hand Seals 4.6?
Oh this is gonna be fun

I'm not completely certain about Kankuro. He might be able to use his Chakra strings like a spiderweb, if you're correct about him being able to feel something brushing against them and if he's clever enough to have thought of that ahead of time- But most puppeteers have a total of ten strings max [IIRC Kankuro only has two during Chunin exam, one per hand] and he's going to have a hell of a time working ten strings into a spiderweb while blind and never having done it before.

Click to shrink...

There's no canon evidence of Kankuro attaching strings to anything he couldn't see or touch, other than his prepared puppet.
So any suggestions of Kankuro doing that are greatly exaggerated.

Not to mention that chakra strings expend chakra.
He isn't going to be able to maintain random string in the environment for very long.

And finally, this is an A RANK TECHNIQUE, favored by the Hokage himself. I'd be astonished if we didn't get some serious recognition as a Genjutsu prodigy just for knowing the technique.

Click to shrink...

Worse than that.
This is the A-rank signature genjutsu of Tobirama Senju, the genjutsu that shut down Sarutobi's vision during his fight with Oro; he didn't even bother trying to Kai out of it, it was that powerful.
Which is why I'm still flabbergasted that people chose to vote for Tree Binding Death instead of Bringer of Darkness, for a B-rank instead of an A-rank.

But you've got a point. The technique is 'Limited' in that it is, per canon, 'only' an AOE Blind that works on everyone.

Click to shrink...

Everyone you want it to.
Edo!Tobirama used it on Sarutobi, but both he and Edo!Hashirama could see fine, as could Oro apparently.

Also- Hi Uju, I see you've found this site too.

Click to shrink...

Thanks.
Been lurking for a while and reading the updates.

 

[uju32]

There's a reason it's A-ranked. It probably wouldn't be much long-term hindrance against Hiashi or any of the other elite Hyuuga jounin (the Byakugan is all about instinctively enhancing and tinkering with one's vision, after all - they have a lot of practice at White-Eye IT), but chuunin-candidates aren't jounin and a short-term hindrance against a Hyuuga is usually all the hindrance you need.
However, Neji being Neji, there exists the strong possibility that one encounter with the genjutsu would be enough for him to figure out a way around it. The only thing I'd need to roll for would be whether he figures it out in time to dispel the effect, or if he figures it out immediately after you lift it.

Click to shrink...

*sigh*And we passed it up.

How well would Tree-Binding Death work on a Hyuuga?
Seeing that it's a multi-sensory effect genjutsu, instead of simply a visual one?

) I like you Vin. You've got moxie.
Bringer of Darkness would fuck up a standard Sharingan up but good; whether it would do anything to a Mangekyou is entirely dependent on how good the Uchiha in question is with genjutsu without using eye-haxx. Lots of them were, though, so it's not as huge an advantage as it would be against opponents without dojutsu.
I don't even know what a Rinnegan would do to get around BoD. Damn that thing is lame. Way to close weak, Kishimoto.
... damn it. Now I wanna write an AU where the Sharingan is the Sage's Eye and the Uchiha all have the Rinnegan instead. XD

Click to shrink...

Just pushing him to using Mangy Eye to see through it is a major feat; it ups his chakra expenditure, reduces his endurance and running time.
As well as forcing him to prematurely reveal a trump.
And it would work just fine on Kisame, assuming we can get that sword away from him.

Y'know, anyone else see the similarity between Tsukiyomi and Inoichi's memory palace?
Because now I'm glad we upgraded our memory palace.

 

[Guile]

Are we still voting for genjutsu?

Because I'd vote for Bringer of Darkness and that one illusion from Grass that summons like a million illusory monkeys, for sure.

 

[FurikoMaru]

[X] The Exam Arc's Million-Dollar Debut

Sasuke is still in a crappy mood about Kakashi's refusal to enter his team in the exams, but he still sees you and Ami off after breakfast and wishes you luck (Chouji's still trying to get Shikamaru out of bed).

"Don't worry," you assure him, "anyone who sees the inside of my dream complex will leave this exam with a crippling fear of Uchiha Sasuke."

"And if anyone asks why you aren't entered I'm going to smile superiorly at them and not say anything," Ami declares.

Something approaching a smile pulls itself into being on Sasuke's face. "Thanks, guys."

=

The first exam is being held in a dull-looking administrative building downtown. The crowd in the hallway is already thick by the time you get there, but it's only when you get to the third floor that you realize why.

"Yo, sempai," you call to Lee, whose teammates are scowling at two older genin guarding the door, "what's the hold up?"

Lee looks surprised. "Ah? Ino-chan? Ami-chan? You're entering as well?" He bows slightly to Kiba. "I don't believe we've been introduced. Osu! I am Rock Lee. Pleased to-"

"EYEBROWS!" Kiba blurts out. One or two people in the crowd turn and stare. Akamaru snuffles in discouragement.

"... pleased to meet you, Eyebrows-kun," Lee says, oblivious.

"It's good to see you again, Nori-sempai," Ami says, trying to contain her laughter.

"So what's all the hubbub?" you ask.

"We're not letting any weaklings get past us," one of the genin by the door says scornfully. "This exam is for people with real skills, not kids who wanna play at being ninja."

... okay, this is obviously not the third floor; the False Surroundings they've got up here is pretty competent, but you remember how many damn flights of stairs you climbed. And from their reserves you're guessing these guys are actually chuunin under a henge. What do?

[X] Tell everyone they're under a genjutsu.

[X] Tell only your friends that these guys are chuunin and casting a genjutsu, and climb the stairs to the third floor.

[X] Loudly announce that it's hopeless, tell only your friends that these guys are chuunin and casting a genjutsu, leave the building, and wall-walk up the outside to get to the third floor without tipping off the other candidates.

-----

Hahahahaha! You thought Kakashi would enter them in the exams without Sasuke's Sharingan activating and the Wave arc building up their bonds of friendship?