I actually find the discussion to be very interesting as I see what the author is trying to portray, rather than what I see in my head while going through the chapters. None of us here are real authors, so feedback is really important. If as a reader, I found something in one of the chapters to be out of place, I would just notify the author and see if it is really a mistake, or if I read it the wrong way and interpreted something incorrectly.

I don't think people here are trying just to get spoilers, but they are here to discuss the development of the story, the flow of the chapters, characterizations, and things like that.

 

I just stumbled onto this story the other day, and I've got to say it's pretty awesome. Konan and Pain are two characters that were handled poorly in the manga (IMO), but despite that are rarely portrayed at all in fanfiction. Outside of that, this is literally the only legible Akatsuki!Naruto fic that I've come across.

Hanzou is another character that I was interested in, yet was sorely disappointed with the story (or lack thereof) supporting him in canon. Someone who can take on all three Sannin simultaneously deserves at least a chapter to himself, right?

I'll concur that the Chunin arc is less enthralling than the Ame/Hanzou arc, but that's simply due to the fact that the Chunin Exams appear in every single story - for a reason, though. Orochimaru's introduction, backstory for the Sasuke retrieval arc, Gaara's redemption (or death), "search for the Fifth" deal... It's just a clusterfuck of plot introductions and developments. Trying to breach all that shit in a new and original way would probably burn out any writer. Instead, we get a fresh perspective - Pain's operative keeping eyes on dangerous or interesting foes - which is fine.

Besides, the Salamander contract? Awesome. I can't quite wrap my head around why exactly he's searching out Jiraiya for training, though.

Just curious, did you decide to abandon the fic? While what you've got is certainly great (especially since there's no beta), you can't just stop right before you kill Gaara and start the really fun stuff. Maybe you just ran out of song titles?

Anyway, it's great, just curious about your plans.

 

Naruto is seeking out Jiraya as per Pain's orders. At the start of most of the recent chapters, there is a little section in italics, I believe that are lines from Pain like 'make them believe you' and 'inform Orochimaru we'll get him', I think, I haven't read HoH in a long time, but thats what memory tells me.

It's been said by Pain in this story that the seal Minato used to contained the Kyuubi is too strong; Akatsuki cannot extract it from Naruto, which is one of the reasons they took him in and trained him, the Kyuubi cannot be extracted, so they decided to train him up and use him as an asset that way. Similar to why Naruto was sent to approach Yugito & Gaara, they need all the tailed beasts, but if they can't have the Kyuubi, then theres no real reason to capture and extract any of the others.

Considering the brand new revelations that came out this week, well, who knows how Howdy is going to continue this story. On A Demons Desire (Naruto version of DLP, pretty much) he commented that he was pleased with the developments allowing him to have some cool ideas in regards to his Rinnegan!Naruto story, Wild World, which I think is a really really good story, as good or better than Houses of the Holy.

 

While this story is not abandoned, I will say that on top of not having much time to write to begin with I'm a bit stuck on this story. Ever since Kishimoto showed us Yahiko's death (curse him!!!) I've felt that I need to go back and retcon my story to fit canon. I like the Danzou tie-in and I want to use it.

Wild World is going to be my focus until I get past the first arc, at least, so HotH is on... let's call it hiatus.

 

I'm disappointed, but its good to know you haven't abandoned it. Luckily, I like Wild World as well so I suppose its a win-win situation.

 

I can't remember but have you addressed Yahiko's death in Houses yet? I know you have mentioned that there was a third member with Konan and Nagato, their relation to Danzou also hasn't been brought up. Other than a few lines here or there professing their hatred of Danzou and to tell Naruto to be wary of him, I don't think there is too much to retcon.

Of course my info is a little rusty seeing as how I haven't read the story in a while, but if you add the Danzou hate into this, maybe have Naruto finger Danzou to Jiraiya, that would make this great.

 

I wrote a one-shot of Hanzou's life before the Yahiko Death revelation, that was supposed to be a companion to this story. Surprisingly, it's in many ways close to canon, but not quite there. You're correct in saying that there are only a few changes to be made in my story to link it with canon, but they are spread between many chapters and I just don't have the gumption to do it right now.

Also, new manga revelations make WW so much more appealing... so much.