I offered a scene about the barrier only to cover the retro-plot hole Kishi introduced. I don't pretend to have studied the material as deeply as you, Howdy, but I figured it could have served as the basis for a IFF system. Even if communications isn't instantaneous, it sure beats pushing flags on a map, which is what I had to settle for.

As for the jounin, ah well… nuts. You could very well be right. Their lack of maturity might just be a result of my inattention to them in this particular scene.

Not sure how I should feel about you of all people picking this up. And you even used the key words, Kiri and Danzou, ha.

Referring to this I’m guessing?

I don’t think that or at least not as strongly as Naruto. That particular incident wasn’t a dialogue, but I felt it should still be interpreted as elaboration of Naruto’s previous words. I’ve been trying to write more from my characters’ pov which is why I didn’t bother to mitigate it with something like, well “Konoha can’t be that bad because they produced people like the Sannin, Minato or Kakashi etc…” Of course you’re right to note that, but I think an injection like that wouldn't have helped.

Chime, this is the second review I got where someone mentioned martial arts. I don’t know what accounts for this linkage as I have no martial arts background, but it sounds like you might be trying to find blue while wearing red polarized lenses (ok w/e you get the idea).

I wrote the fight intending it to be roughly analogous to the first meeting between Mezar and Ender in Ender’s Game. I didn’t intend Naruto to be the “productive teacher” in this case so much as the unforgiving enemy who exposes and exploits their weaknesses. Riling them up was desired and probably necessary. But if you are worried about a repeat performance, rest easy. This is a one-time thing.

 

Why are we still arguing about this?

Naruto is too smart, wtf? The title of the Fic is called "GENIUS OF KONOHA," you come into the fic expecting to get just that. It's not like you are reading a fic called "Naruto the Sage" and get an emotionless killing machine thrown at you out of nowhere.

This point keeps being brought up and frankly it is pretty annoying. Though I still have no idea what the pairing for this fic will be, if there will be on at all.

 

Without reading the story, I already know how to comment on your post.

Most fanfics can't pull off smart. Most of the 'smart' characters just feel like they guess the plot and they are right. This appears to look smart but it doesn't really work that way.
Smart characters can be wrong. Smart characters can make mistakes. Smart characters are not instantly 100% better than everyone else.

That is why I hate Shikamaru so much in fanfiction. All it ends up being is him being right all the time and everyone is amazed at how awesome smart he is!!! I remember when bad fanfiction was like, Kakashi was tricked by Genin Shikamaru and he only escaped by being faster than Shikamaru. You can say you should expect that from a genus but I call that stupid author trying to make Shikamaru look smart without having the ability to make a really smart character. Seems to be the same with Naruto here.

 

Not really; this Naruto makes mistakes, and things go wrong. I don't think Mrriddler has made Naruto too smart in this story. If anything he's made him a victim of his own intelligence, getting far to involved in his plan during the invasion and becoming too sure of those plans. Coupled with hte counter balancing act that has been pulled with Orochimaru, ie. the proclaimed genius sannin actually being a genius; countering Narutos plans with his own misdirection and false info.

I believe people are falling into a trap. This is obviously an AU story, and instead like a large number of AU fics where the change is all in the protagonist, with all other characters standing stock still in their canon role, this story has altered some characters to be more of a challenge to Naruto. Just like what I previously said with Orochimaru being more devious than in canon.

Honestly, I like the characterisation that Mrriddler has going on; a character like Orochimaru was hailed as the great genius sannin. And in canon his plan looks pretty simplistic: Manipulate Suna, infiltrate chunin exam, be a phedophile, kill Hokage and make it home in time for dinner. This Orochimaru, to me seems like hes doing much more subterfuge, planting misleading information etc.

So yes, Naruto in this fic is smart, but his opponents are just as smart if not smarter, which I feel prevents Naruto from seeming like a demigod with omnipotence.

 

What you just said is exactly how you get along with dealing with these things.
Why was that guy even ranting in the first place then? Ninjas are supposed to be smart. Simple as that.

 

Who's arguing?

Where was it said that Naruto was too smart?

I don't understand what your point is.

 

On the last page, Chaoticblues said he felt Naruto was too smart for a 11/12 year old, and should be taken down a few pegs.

I personally feel that he's smart enough, because like my previous post said, others have been brought up to a level where he doesn't just walk all over his opposition. I guess evidence that Naruto doesn't really need to be brought down a few pegs is that in the end, he overestimated his plan, and figured everything would go perfectly. And that got Yamato/Tenzo killed. I don't quite remember much of those couple chapters since I haven't read them in awhile, but doesn't he have a little pity party where he puts some blame on himself (for Yamatos death), before Jiraya gives him a verbal smackdown?

 

Title said it all. One enters this fic expecting to see a very different Naruto. I still think the buildup at the beginning was bit fast, but it's nothing major.

My only pet peeve is gaps between updates, but I can't complain when each chapter is so long. Just find it a little hard to remember things after a while.