Koushin: Konoha’s Dragonborn[Completed]

The leaders' meeting room was filled with a tense and expectant silence. The Kages, each accompanied by a trusted companion, had gathered around the large oak table. The flickering light from the lanterns painted the room in an eerie glow, their faces masked in shadows, revealing only the grim determination in their eyes.

"Why would they go after Yamato?" Tsunade asked, the characteristic toughness of her voice breaking slightly. Her fingers, weathered from years of combat and medical ninjutsu, were biting into her nails in a rare show of anxiety.

Koushin, standing behind her, crossed his arms and contemplated her question. He was not one for solemnity, but the gravity of the situation left no room for his usual wit. "White Zetsu are constructs of Nature Chakra, and the closest thing to that is Hashirama Senju's genes."

He paused, glanced at Tsunade, acknowledging her personal connection to Hashirama. "I won't mince my words, but I already told you that they've been cultivating a body from Hashirama's genes. Orochimaru probably aims to strengthen Zetsu through Yamato, who also possesses those genes."

There was a weighted silence following his words. The flickering lanterns casting long, shadowy specters on the walls as the room took in his statement.

"We need to stop them, but Yamato is at the other end of the continent," Tsunade confessed, her gaze sinking into the table. She rolled her words around her mouth, as if the admission was a bitter pill. "I assigned him with the duty of following several leads and, due to his Wood Release, he has great stealth... but it seems like I sent him to their lair instead."

Her fist clenched as her regret fell over her words. Koushin, sensing her unease, offered a comforting smile. His hand found her shoulder, easing her guilt with his touch. "No need to worry, Lady Tsunade. I will go there and greet the enemy."

A collective gasp ran around the room as every pair of eyes darted towards Koushin. Even in the somber surroundings, his words were doused in the audacity of wit. "It wouldn't be cool if anyone else had the first clash of the war," he continued. "I shall do the opening with a strong message and send them reeling back in terror."

Across the table, the Tsuchikage, Oonoki, shook his head, a smirk cracking his stony features. "Let me. I can fly, I can reach there faster," he proposed, a spark of competition in his eyes.

Koushin chuckled lightly. There was an air of friendly mockery about him as he crossed his arms, the flickering light of the lanterns dancing in his eyes. "In all the lands of this world, old man, there is no one faster than me."

His grin widened as an aura of purple lightning began to cover his body, crackling with the intensity of his claim. The room fell silent, save for the occasional sizzle of the energy that was now encapsulating him. "Behold, observe the power of Lightning Chakra Cloak V2, The Lightning Dragon Cloak," he announced, his voice laced with a thrill that only a battle-hungry shinobi could truly understand.

A murmur of incredulous awe rippled around the room. Tsunade's gaze remained fixed on the empty space where Koushin had been, her hand unconsciously clenching around the edge of the table. He was a whirlwind, always full of surprises, his confidence bordering on audacity. His departure had been nothing short of extraordinary - the man was a thunderbolt in human form. The afterimage of his aura lingered in her mind, a stunning display of raw power.

A few seats away, A grunted, a rare flicker of surprise crossing his usually stern features. Koushin’s audacious claim from earlier about surpassing the Raikage’s Lightning Chakra Mode had been proven true. The initial reaction was annoyance. He had accused Koushin of stealing their technique a few months back. But witnessing Koushin's speed, even A, as proud as he was, had to admit that it was an unfair accusation. This was more than an imitation; it was an evolution. He glanced at Mabui, his ever-stoic assistant. Her wide eyes mirrored his shock, but she quickly regained her composure, a gentle nod acknowledging A's unspoken question.

Across the table, Oonoki, the Tsuchikage, grumbled under his breath, annoyance etched across his face. "Showing off his flashy techniques, that kid." His companion, Kurotsuchi, had a teasing glint in her eyes. "He has style, I'll give him that."

Tsunade pulled herself from her thoughts, redirecting the focus to the urgent issue at hand. "Yamato might already be in danger, we need to be prepared," she warned, her eyes scanning the room, passing over Mei and Ao, Raasa and Temari, and Mifune with his guard.

A nodded, his furrowed brow revealing his concern. "We should start reinforcing our defenses, in case Orochimaru tries to divert our attention."

"Agreed," Tsunade said. "We should expect the unexpected from him."

As the leaders returned to their discussions, planning and strategizing, Koushin was already miles away, darting across the landscape like a streak of lightning. His form was so blurred that he could be mistaken for an illusion, a phantom in the sky. He was not merely running; it was as if he was bounding through the air, leaving afterimages and sonic booms in his wake. The rolling thunder was several moments late, a testament to his astounding speed.

He smiled to himself. The look on A’s face had been priceless. It was a rare pleasure to witness the Raikage at a loss for words. And the old Tsuchikage, Oonoki... he had practically bristled with annoyance. He reveled in the momentary shock his departure had caused. It wasn't about arrogance - he simply enjoyed bringing people down from their padestals.

As Koushin continued his lightning-fast journey towards the possible location of Yamato, his mind began to take stock of the abilities he was utilizing to make this seemingly impossible task a reality. His Chakra surged within him, a great river of energy bending to his will and command.

His first advantage was the Perfect Chakra Control Perk, further evolved by the Web Weaver Key. The Key enabled him to weave intricate webs of chakra within his body, like a network of invisible threads. It allowed him to control his chakra to an unprecedented degree, reducing the amount he needed to spend on a jutsu and permitting swift bursts of chakra to amplify his speed when required.

His second boon, the Tailless Tailed Beast Perk, provided him with an almost unlimited reservoir of Chakra. No longer was he confined by the restrictions of the human body; his reserves rivaled that of the Tailed Beasts. This was the key that allowed him to maintain his Lightning Dragon Cloak for such a prolonged period; any normal Jounin would have exhausted their reserves and collapsed within moments.

Lastly, his Elemental Chakra Perk gave him the extraordinary ability to transmute his chakra into its elemental form, even within his body. Without this Perk, his Lightning Chakra Cloak would never have reached its second stage.

All these abilities swirled within him, the harmony of their combined power making his speed nothing short of phenomenal.