Koushin: Konoha’s Dragonborn[Completed]

The Raikage studied Kisame for a moment, his expression unreadable. The shark-like man glared back defiantly, despite his weakened state.

"We'll take him into custody," A finally said, his gaze shifting to Yugito. "Ensure that he doesn't cause any more trouble."

Yamato gave a nod, releasing his jutsu and allowing B and a few of the Raikage's accompanying shinobi to take control of Kisame. Despite the harsh treatment, Kisame remained defiant, his sharp gaze promising retribution.

Koushin chuckled, the sound breaking the tense silence that had fallen after A's declaration. The Raikage turned to him, a frown marring his stern features. "What's so amusing?"

Koushin shook his head, his eyes twinkling with mirth as he looked at A. "Oh, nothing much," he began, his tone casual. "I just thought it was interesting that you plan on keeping a high-ranked Akatsuki member in custody."

A grunted, his frown deepening. "You have a problem with that?"

"No, not a problem. Just..." Koushin paused, his eyes drifting over to Kisame, who was being hauled to his feet by B and a couple of the Raikage's accompanying shinobi. The defeated man was glaring at his captors with thinly veiled contempt.

"Just what?" A prompted, his patience clearly waning.

Koushin turned back to the Raikage, a smirk playing on his lips. "Just good luck with that. Some Akatsuki members are known to teleport anywhere. Keeping him caged might be a bit more difficult than you think."

A's gaze snapped back to Kisame, who smirked despite his predicament. There was a moment of tense silence before the Raikage growled. "We'll deal with that when we get to it."

The response drew another chuckle from Koushin. "I'm sure you will," he said, his voice laced with amusement. He turned to Yamato, his grin fading slightly as he addressed the other man. "Let's go, Yamato-san."

Yamato hesitated for a moment, his gaze drifting over to Yugito. The woman looked worn out but managed a nod, signaling her understanding. "Be careful," she murmured, offering a small, weary smile.

"Don't worry," Koushin replied, a more serious note to his voice. He shared a meaningful glance with Yamato before they both turned and walked away, leaving A, B, and the C-aptured Kisame behind.

As they retreated, A watched them with a thoughtful expression. Kisame, who was now secured in the custody of the Kumo shinobi, sneered at their departing figures. "Running away so soon?" he taunted, his voice a rasp.

Koushin stopped in his tracks, turning back to regard Kisame. There was a pause, then a wry smile crossed Koushin's face. "Just leaving you in capable hands, Sharky," he quipped, not missing a beat. "I have faith in Kumo's hospitality."

Ignoring Kisame's frustrated grunt, Koushin turned back around, signaling for Yamato to continue on their way. The two of them left the battlefield, their figures slowly disappearing from sight.

Meanwhile, A turned his gaze to Kisame, his expression hard. "You better pray that your comrades come to rescue you," he said, his voice a threatening growl. "For your sake."

Kisame merely laughed, the sound raspy and cruel. "Oh, I'm not worried," he replied, his grin unfaltering.

–

The solid wooden doors of the Hokage’s office opened to reveal Yamato and Koushin, their bodies battered and dirt-streaked from their recent battle. Tsunade looked up from her paperwork, her eyes widening in surprise and concern.

“Yamato, Koushin, you're back sooner than expected,” Tsunade remarked, rising from her chair and stepping forward. “What happened?”

Yamato began, his voice steady and serious, “We came across two members of the Akatsuki, Lady Hokage. Kisame Hoshigaki and Hidan.”

Tsunade's gaze hardened at the mention of the infamous organization, “Go on.”

“We were fortunate to find Yugito Nii, the Two-Tails Jinchuriki, already engaged in combat with them,” Yamato continued. “Kisame wielded a large sword named Samehada that could absorb chakra. Hidan was... different, and dangerous in a unique way. His immortality made him a tough adversary."

Koushin chimed in with a slight smirk, “Though I must admit, immortality loses some of its charm when one is dismembered and buried under a pile of rubble.” He had managed to keep his tone light, but the gravity of their encounter was clear.

“Hidan’s down for good?” Tsunade asked, leaning on her desk, her professional mask barely concealing her relief.

Koushin nodded, “Unless he can tunnel out of rock without arms or legs.”

Tsunade nodded solemnly, then her gaze shifted to Yamato. “And Kisame?”

“We managed to subdue him, Lady Hokage. Yugito and I combined our forces. But, just as we were about to apprehend him, the Raikage, A, and his brother, B, arrived.”

Tsunade's eyebrows furrowed as she digested the information. “So, the Raikage arrived and then...?”

Yamato glanced towards Koushin, who had taken a step back to lean against the wall. Even as he stood there, his eyes were steady on Tsunade. With a casual shrug, he said, “We handed Kisame over to them.”

“What?!” Tsunade straightened up, her disbelief was clear. "Why would you hand over a captive Akatsuki member?"

"Well, Lady Tsunade," Koushin began, his tone measured, matching the serious atmosphere of the room. "Allow me to elaborate. I have had the... privilege of facing off against Hidan, and his immortality wasn't just a rumor. You should have seen it, really. I buried him under tons of rubble after dismembering him, and I have no doubt he's still down there, cursing away." He paused, watching Tsunade's eyes narrow in anticipation of the point he was leading to.

"Simply put, capturing an Akatsuki isn't like detaining an ordinary criminal," he continued. "They're highly skilled, dangerous, and loyal to their cause. They have both the capability and the will to break free, causing havoc in the process."

Yamato nodded in agreement, "Koushin is right, Lady Hokage. It was an uphill battle against Kisame, a shinobi with immense strength and a unique blade that posed a significant threat. We managed to subdue him, but maintaining that would've been nearly impossible, especially considering our injuries and depleted chakra reserves."

"And," Koushin added, "Imagine if we had been successful in bringing him back, only for him to break free in the heart of Konoha. It would have been a disaster."

Tsunade sat back, her mind whirling. "I understand the risks, but..."

Koushin leaned forward, his casual demeanor vanishing as he locked eyes with Tsunade. "Lady Tsunade, we are talking about Kisame Hoshigaki, not just some low-ranking Akatsuki. Even amongst them, he's one of the most powerful. Even if we had the means to keep him detained, it wouldn't have been for long. And if word got out that we had him in our custody, we'd be painting a huge target on Konoha."

"By handing him over to the Raikage," Yamato picked up where Koushin left off, "We've shifted the burden of his capture, and hence, the threat of an Akatsuki attack, onto the Hidden Cloud."

"The Raikage was more than willing to take him," Koushin added. "Claimed we owed him, in fact."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow, "Owed him? For what?"

"Well," Koushin said with a wry smile. "Apparently, my mastering of the Lightning Chakra Cloak was a theft of their secret technique, according to him. I assured him it was just a display of my knack for lightning manipulation, but you know how touchy he can be."

Tsunade sighed, the reality of their precarious situation setting in. "So, the Raikage has Kisame, and the Hidden Cloud will face the wrath of the Akatsuki if they attempt a rescue. Meanwhile, we have Hidan effectively out of the picture."

Yamato and Koushin exchanged a look before Yamato finally broke the silence. "That's the long and short of it, Lady Hokage."

Koushin leaned back against the wall, the ghost of his earlier smirk returning. "And hey, if the Akatsuki does manage to rescue Kisame, well, that'll be the Cloud's mess to clean up. We'll have bought ourselves some time."

Tsunade absorbed the report from her two shinobi, her fingers tapping on the polished surface of her desk in thought. The information was disturbing, but the outcome had its benefits.

"Yamato, Koushin," she began, "it appears you handled an incredibly difficult situation well. The Akatsuki are no small matter and the fact you've managed to neutralize Hidan and transfer the danger of Kisame to the Hidden Cloud... well, that's more than a win in my book."

She met Yamato's steady gaze and then Koushin's, who held a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, despite the severity of the situation. "I'm proud of your performance. Thank you for your hard work and quick thinking."

Koushin sighed audibly, a dramatic slouch in his posture as he rolled his eyes, "Finally, some appreciation! I was afraid I'd have to head back out there without so much as a pat on the back."

Tsunade couldn't suppress her chuckle, "Well, if you want me to send you back out, I can certainly arrange that."

"No, no, no," Koushin quickly countered, a grin playing on his lips. "I was merely jesting, Lady Tsunade. Besides, I’ve got urgent business to take care of."

“Oh?” Tsunade quirked an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. “And what might that be?”

With a dramatic sigh, Koushin straightened up, brushing a hand down the front of his dirt-smudged uniform. His eyes took on a faraway look as he said, "Well, Lady Tsunade, it involves a certain blonde kunoichi with a talent for flowers, a knack for fiery temperament and lovely eyes..."

Tsunade snorted, a knowing smile crossing her features. "Ino, I assume."

Koushin's grin widened. "The one and only. I've missed her terribly, you know. These missions have kept us apart far too long. The horrors of duty!"

"And I'm sure Ino's been equally torn apart by your absence," Tsunade replied with a playful roll of her eyes.

"Undoubtedly," Koushin agreed, all too eagerly. "Which is why, if you’ll excuse me, I'm going to need at least two days, uninterrupted, to properly console my dear pumpkin. Snuggling, whispering sweet nothings, catching up on all the important village gossip she so loves to share... you understand, I'm sure."

Yamato gave a short, barking laugh, hiding it quickly behind his hand. "Koushin, didn't know you were as romantic as you are a warrior."

Koushin shot a look at Yamato, his smirk growing. "Of course, Yamato. Love is another battlefield, after all."

Tsunade laughed heartily at this, shaking her head. "Alright, Koushin, you have your leave. Two days of snuggling with Ino, as you so eloquently put it. But after that, I need you both back here and ready for duty."

Koushin bowed dramatically, "As you command, Lady Hokage. I shall brave the perils of love and return to you a man fulfilled."