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Koushin, however, remained the epitome of casual nonchalance. He moved away from his throne and walked towards Paarthurnax, patting the dragon's leg in an affectionate manner. "Don't worry, my friend, they won't bite," he joked, his eyes twinkling with unrestrained amusement.
"Your humor remains as… unique as ever, Dovahkiin," Paarthurnax remarked, his voice holding a hint of mirth, a sharp contrast to the imposing figure he presented. He then turned his attention back to the Akatsuki trio. "I trust you three are not here for pleasantries."
Jiraiya took a step forward, his gaze unwavering. "Indeed, we're not. We're here for Konoha," he announced, the determination in his voice ringing loud and clear.
Koushin clapped his hands together, chuckling. "So, the traitor speaks. And he speaks the truth, for a change! The irony is, you're standing in my home, seeking to destroy the very place I'm sworn to protect." He glanced back at Paarthurnax, a wicked gleam in his eyes. "Now, isn't that an interesting predicament?"
Jiraiya's eyes flared with defiance. "Our path is the righteous one, Koushin," he stated, his voice hard. "You're just standing in the way."
Koushin shrugged, his smile undiminished. "Your righteousness is but a façade, Jiraiya. A veiled excuse for anarchy," he retorted, his tone lighthearted but his words biting.
Paarthurnax then spoke, his ancient voice reverberating in the air, "The path of violence you choose, Dovahkiin, will it lead to the peace you seek?"
Koushin snorted as he looked at the giant dragon. "I told you, Hur Hur, I'm not seeking peace. But it might be the inevitable byproduct of my actions." His tone carried the casual ease of a jest, but his eyes held an undeniable intensity.
From his imposing figure, Paarthurnax released a snort, a gust of flame accompanying it, turning the air in front of his snout into a temporary inferno. The stone floor beneath them seemed to quake under the dragon's displeasure. "And I told you not to call me that. It is unbecoming." His voice rumbled, echoing through the vast chamber.
Koushin simply grinned at the dragon's apparent irritation, his violet eyes sparkling with mischief. "C'mon now, Hur Hur, we're comrades in arms. A little nickname never hurt anyone." His words, while light, seemed to hold a layer of unspoken camaraderie.
Choosing to ignore Koushin's playful taunt, Paarthurnax turned his attention back to the Akatsuki trio standing defiantly before him. His amber eyes seemed to hold a certain understanding, a familiarity with the struggle they presented. The air around them shifted as if responding to the unseen current of energy between the opponents. "If you are ready, I shall begin," he announced, his voice resonating through the air. Then, with an undeniable authority, he invoked, "FAAS RU MAAR!"
Preta Path Pain lunged forward, his Rinnegan glowing as he sought to absorb the incoming wave of energy from Paarthurnax's shout. They'd dealt with chakra constructs before, but Shouts were an entirely different beast, as the Akatsuki would soon realize. They were a physical embodiment of a dragon's will, raw and untempered, something that even the Rinnegan's extraordinary powers could not absorb.
As the wave of energy from Dismay Shout hit them, the six Paths of Pain, effectively reanimated corpses controlled by Nagato from afar, remained relatively unaffected. However, the human members of Akatsuki were not so lucky. Konan and Jiraiya both faltered under the shout, terror seizing their hearts in a cold, paralyzing grip.
Konan, who had always been the pillar of calm, struggled to maintain her composure as the ground beneath her feet seemed to wobble. The power exuded by Paarthurnax was something she had never experienced before, not even in the presence of their leader, Pain.
Jiraiya, the gallant sage, could barely keep his eyes open as the dragon's shout sent a tremor of fear coursing through him. His sage mode was of no help as his chakra seemed irrelevant in the face of this ancient force.
Pain, on the other hand, stood unaffected. His Rinnegan eyes flickered with confusion as he looked over his trembling companions. The fact that these ancient powers were beyond his understanding was a clear indication of the complexity of the challenge they had invited.
Koushin watched the spectacle with an amused smirk on his face. He seemed unfazed by the powerful dragon's shout, even going as far as to chuckle lightly as he noted Jiraiya and Konan's reactions.
"I'll leave them in your capable claws, Hur Hur," he drawled, addressing Paarthurnax with an uncharacteristically affectionate nickname. "I've got another rogue to reel in."
Paarthurnax only snorted in response, a plume of smoke escaping his nostrils. His amber eyes never left the Akatsuki, even as Koushin sauntered out of the chamber.
Without Koushin's playful energy to balance the severity of the situation, the chamber took on a more ominous atmosphere. Paarthurnax turned his gaze back to the Akatsuki members, his eyes holding a stern warning.
"Well then, forgive me if I become a bit forceful," he rumbled, his voice echoing through the chamber. Without any further ado, he invoked, "GAAN LAH HAAS!"
The dragon's Shout was designed to Drain Vitality. A wave of energy flowed from the dragon, targeted specifically at Jiraiya who was in Sage Mode. The Sannin's chakra, which had been so potent a moment ago, began to dwindle at an alarming rate. His strength was sapping away, his movements slowing.
Even Konan was not spared. The paper angel, as she was often called, felt her chakra receding like a low tide, leaving her bereft of the power she was so used to. She could barely form her paper weapons, and the cloak that usually fluttered around her hung limply.
This time, even Pain was not spared. The puppet bodies, intricately controlled by Nagato through his Rinnegan, were at their core reanimated corpses fueled by chakra. When Paarthurnax released his Drain Vitality Shout, the green wave of energy surged through the room, latching onto the invisible strings of chakra and drawing them dry.
Pain's puppets stood motionless. The nimble Animal Path, the towering Asura Path, the spectral Naraka Path, the mysterious Human Path, and the ghastly Preta Path fell to the floor in an eerily synchronized thud, their chakra-sustained existence snuffed out.
Only Deva Path remained, a lone sentinel in the face of the dragon's overwhelming strength. His Rinnegan eyes held an eerie glow, the reflection of the draconic figure imposing itself in his gaze. This wasn't the fear invoked by the Dismay Shout; it was the raw, visceral dread that came from facing an opponent of such monumental power. An adversary that their leader, Pain, had underestimated.
Paarthurnax stood immovable, his amber eyes capturing the feeble light of the chamber. His massive form cast an intimidating shadow that filled the room, emphasizing the sudden loss of their comrades. The echo of his last Shout still resonated in the stony silence, its potency far exceeding any jutsu they had ever witnessed.
Koushin appeared in Hokage's room, his eyes instantly finding the familiar figures of Tsunade, Karin, Sakura, and Ino. His violet eyes twinkled, and the smirk on his lips amplified as he took in their varied expressions.
"Did you find him?" Koushin asked nonchalantly, his gaze landing on Ino who had sprung to her feet at his arrival. A delighted grin played on her lips as she offered him her chair.
"We did, but we were waiting for you," Ino answered with a playful sparkle in her eyes. She didn't miss a beat before positioning herself in Koushin's lap, draping her arms around his neck. Her actions drew a collective sigh from the women in the room.
Tsunade rubbed her temples, her usually stern features marred by exasperation. "It's like babysitting a group of teenagers," she muttered under her breath.
Karin shifted uncomfortably, her gaze lingering on the playful interaction between Koushin and Ino. She was used to seeing Naruto in Koushin's place, and the change stirred a peculiar longing in her. She kept it well concealed, her red eyes masked by a stoic facade that bore no trace of her inner tumult.
Meanwhile, Sakura watched the pair with a hint of envy. Her emerald eyes betrayed a depth of longing, a yearning for a connection that had thus far eluded her. The playful banter and shared intimacy between Koushin and Ino were a stark contrast to her own solitary existence.
"Ino," Tsunade began, her sharp gaze assessing the room, "what's the status on our rogue ninja?"
"We've located him," Ino answered without pulling away from Koushin. "But we were waiting for you, Koushin."
Tsunade's eyes narrowed slightly at Koushin, her gaze as penetrating as it was speculative. "What about Naruto?" she asked.
Koushin shook his head, his smirk unflinching. "Oh, his training is turning out to be quite the endurance test. It might still take a few days."
"Then let's not waste any more time here," Tsunade ordered, the firm tone of her voice making it evident that the matter was non-negotiable.
And so they set off, Koushin leading the way with Ino, Tsunade, Sakura, and Karin following close behind. They navigated through the familiar labyrinth of Konoha, eventually finding themselves at the outskirts of the village, where the forest began.
Koushin halted at the edge of the woods, his violet eyes scanning the dense canopy. With an almost unnoticeable nod, he led the group deeper into the woodland. The sounds of chirping birds and rustling leaves filled the silence as they navigated through the thick underbrush.
In the heart of the forest, amidst towering trees and thick foliage, a single tree stood out. Its bark bore an odd marking, an intricate symbol that was hard to miss. Koushin approached the tree, placing his hand on the marked bark. The tree's exterior seemed to ripple under his touch, and a hidden entrance became visible.
Inside the tree, they found Nagato, his body slumped and his face a mask of shock. His gaze was distant, unfocused, as if he was seeing something far beyond their realm. The news of Pain's defeat had shattered him, leaving him in a state of incredulous disbelief.
Koushin stepped into Nagato's line of sight, a broad smile on his face that contrasted sharply with the grim scene. "Hello, Nagato-san," he greeted, his voice echoing through the hollowed tree. "I must say, it's a pleasure to finally meet you in person."
Caught off guard, Nagato's eyes flickered with surprise. Before he could recover and make a move, Karin stepped forward. She extended her hands, the chakra within her surging to life as the Adamentine Sealing Chains materialized.
The crimson chains, vibrant against the muted browns of the forest, shot forward, wrapping around Nagato with an unyielding grip. His startled yelp echoed through the woodland as the chains constricted around him, effectively binding him.
Karin's eyes, usually so soft and kind, were hardened as she focused on maintaining the chains. The physical strain of controlling such a high-level jutsu was evident in her furrowed brows and clenched teeth, but she persevered, determined to hold Nagato captive.
Koushin watched as the scene unfolded, his smile never wavering. The surprise and then the panic in Nagato's eyes were almost comical, a stark contrast to the fearless leader of Akatsuki they had been told about. It was a scene he would enjoy recounting to Naruto once he finished his training.
Meanwhile, Tsunade, Sakura, and Ino were on high alert, their eyes darting between Koushin and Nagato. They knew better than to let their guard down, especially with the stakes being this high.
The forest, once filled with the serene sounds of nature, was now abuzz with the raw tension of the situation. The scales of power had tipped, leaving the Akatsuki in a precarious position and the village of Konoha with an unlikely advantage.
All thanks to a charismatic, witty man who knew how to seize an opportunity when he saw one.
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