Koushin: Konoha’s Dragonborn[Completed]

Looking at them, everyone gasped. Ten Truth-Seeking Balls revolved around both Itachi and Madara, emanating a kind of power that was ineffable and staggering. The atmosphere was so dense it was almost visible, like a fog of impending doom. The tension was unbearable, a living entity of its own, causing even the seasoned warriors to gulp in unease.

Ino clutched Koushin's hand tightly, her knuckles white. Koushin looked down briefly, his eyes meeting Ino's. In that moment, his usually playful demeanor dimmed. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, his eyes never leaving the newly-transformed Uchihas.

Koushin wanted to prevent this, but he couldn't. As Itachi's gaze shifted from him to Naruto, and then locked onto Madara, the air seemed to crystallize. Madara caught the gaze, looked back at Itachi, and smirked.

"It wasn't working before, what makes you think it will work now?"

Itachi's face was an inscrutable mask. "Yin is the power of Genjutsu."

"Yin is the power of Genjutsu," Itachi's voice was as unyielding as steel, as he activated his Rinnesharingans. Before the words fully registered, he cast Kotoamatsukami.

Madara's eyes flickered, his pupils shrinking. A wave of realization washed over him, but it was too late. His will ebbed away like a dissipating fog, and a newfound loyalty surged, filling the void. Madara's stance faltered as he felt his will eroding, a sensation like sand slipping through fingers. Almost immediately, his eyes took on a quality of complete loyalty, and he shifted his position to stand behind Itachi. "Master," he said, as if the word had been forcefully torn from his very essence.

Naruto stood at a distance, his eyes narrowing as he observed the transformed figures of Madara and Itachi. A torrent of conflicting emotions raged within him, mirroring the chaotic energies that swirled around the duo. From his father, Minato, he had learned a painful truth: Madara and Itachi had extracted the Yin part of Kurama during the summoning process. This made the Ten Tails not just an unimaginable force, but one that was exponentially more potent than if it had been summoned with merely the chakra of the Kin and Gin brothers.

The weight of this realization hung heavy on Naruto's shoulders. The situation was dire, and the stakes were higher than ever before. As he wrestled with his thoughts, his eyes never left the menacing forms of his adversaries. Each step they took, each pulse of energy they emitted, served as a brutal reminder that the Ten Tails' power was magnified, intensified by the dark presence of Kurama's Yin chakra. And so, in that moment of gut-wrenching clarity, Naruto understood the monumental battle that lay ahead, one made all the more perilous by the augmented strength of the Ten Tails.

Itachi's chakra flared, the surge of energy causing the atmosphere to tremble as if in anticipation. From the core of that red-orange aura, the Perfect Susanoo emerged, a colossal warrior with ethereal wings that glowed like the dying embers of a celestial fire. Its samurai-like armor was a labyrinth of intricate patterns, encapsulating wisdom and enlightenment in its design.

Koushin felt a twist of apprehension but masked it expertly. Swiftly, his chakra enveloped him in the Thunderfire God Armor, its purple lightning and blue flames flickering in time with his pulse. As if on cue, Naruto's golden Kurama Chakra unfurled, melding with Koushin's own. Their energies intertwined, creating a vibrant tapestry of golden and blue-purple light that wrapped around their allies. The battlefield was now a canvas of clashing auras, each combatant primed for the showdown.

Itachi lifted the Sword of Totsuka, its blade a menace to reality itself, and in that split second, Koushin found his opening. With a wave of his hand, arcs of purple lightning leapt toward the Perfect Susanoo. But they never reached their target; the Yata Mirror flickered, neutralizing the chakra nature of the attack.

"Mirror, mirror," Koushin quipped, though the gravity of the moment left no room for humor.

Itachi's Susanoo responded by launching an arrow made of pure chakra. Koushin barely managed to divert it with his armor, feeling the immense force shake him to his core. At the same time, Naruto unleashed a barrage of Rasenshurikens, their spiraling forms hurtling toward the red-orange giant.

Instead of parrying, Itachi's Susanoo extended its wings, feathers detaching and transforming into the black flames of Amaterasu. They consumed the Rasenshurikens, leaving trails of destructive fire in their wake.

"This is getting heated," Koushin said, not breaking his intense focus as he extended his hand to release a storm of blue flames. The flames clashed with the Amaterasu, causing a cataclysmic explosion that rocked the entire battlefield.

Unfazed, Itachi moved his Susanoo's hand in an elegant motion, releasing a giant Yasaka Magatama. Its destructive force seemed like a living entity, growing in size as it neared Koushin and Naruto. Koushin swatted them away easily with his armor. Itachi was astonished.

Itachi's eyes narrowed as he focused, six Truth-Seeking Balls hovering menacingly around his Perfect Susanoo. The orbs crackled with volatile energy, ready to unleash destruction at a moment's notice.

"Sage Art users, only you can touch those balls. Others, evade them!" Koushin's voice cut through the air, crystal-clear amid the cacophony of chakra and power.

Naruto, enveloped in his Tengu Sage mode—white Susanoo and all—nodded sharply. Beside him, Sai, with a flick of his brush, sprang into Frog Sage Mode, and Hinata's Byakugan shifted to an icy hue as she assumed her Snow Fox Sage form.

With a mere thought, Itachi sent the Truth-Seeking Balls hurtling toward them. Naruto was the first to react, his Susanoo deflecting the orbs skillfully. Sai's brush danced in the air, inscribing intricate seals that absorbed another. Hinata moved with grace, her six fox tails diverting the remaining spheres away from their team.

Unfazed, Itachi lifted his hand. From the tip of the Sword of Totsuka, a radiant beam of light—the Enlightened Strike—shot forth. Koushin, poised in his Thunderfire God Armor, barely managed to divert the beam, leaving an eerie luminescence where it grazed.

Itachi lifted an eyebrow. "Impressive."

"No applause, please," Koushin retorted, maintaining his gaze on the colossal Susanoo. A flick of his wrist sent a wave of purple lightning arcing towards Itachi.

The Yata Mirror materialized in an instant, neutralizing Koushin's attack.

"A tough crowd," Koushin muttered under his breath, never losing focus.

With a swift motion, Naruto and Sai unleashed their respective jutsus. A barrage of ink-imbued Rasenshurikens and hyper-realistic dragons collided with the Susanoo. As the dragons wrapped around the towering figure, their ink seemed to sap its energy.

Hinata took advantage of the opening. Her fox-like fur bristled as she accelerated, using her boosted Gentle Fist to strike precise chakra points on the Susanoo's legs. For a fleeting second, Itachi's ethereal construct wavered.

Itachi smirked, "I see you've all improved."