Ch-17 Kakuzu's Escape

Observing Karan's proficiency in space ninjutsu, Kakuzu made the decision to not hold back and launched an attack using the lightning mask.
"Lightning Release: False Darkness"

With a smug expression on his face, Karan spoke, "Allow me to show you something intriguing."

As the lightning was about to strike Karan, a membrane materialized in front of him, causing the lightning to vanish within it. In the midst of Kakuzu's confusion, he was suddenly struck by a sharp pain and instinctively turned his attention to the lightning mask. It became apparent that the same thunder ninjutsu that had vanished before Karan had redirected it towards his own thunder mask, piercing it.

Even a fool could deduce from this spectacle that Karan had expertly transferred the attack to his own mask.

Upon witnessing Karan's incredible display of skill, Kakuzu came to the realisation that he was no match for his opponent. If he were to engage in a battle until the bitter end, he would most likely perish. As a result, he made the wise decision to flee the area, as remaining would only result in certain death at the hands of Uchiha Karan.

Although it appeared simple for Karan to redirect the assault towards Kakuzu's thunder heart, it actually imposed significant strain on his Mangekyo Sharingan. As a result, it was not an easy task. So he decided to end this quickly.

Appearing before Kakuzu, Karan unleashed his "Chidori Blade: Flash" and came perilously close to severing Kakuzu's body. In response, Kakuzu employed "Earth Style: Iron Skin" to fortify his body, preventing it from being cleaved in half. Nonetheless, a visible gash spanning from Kakuzu's left shoulder to his abdomen, crackling with lightning, remained. Unrelenting in his assault, Karan persisted with another "Chidori Blade: Flash," but this time, it sliced through a wooden substitute rather than Kakuzu's body, as he had managed to escape using the substitution technique.

Upon separating his Fire and Wind masks from his body, Kakuzu proceeded to employ them independently. With his Fire mask, he launched a diminutive fireball that expanded into a massive fire-storm once it made contact with the ground, wreaking havoc throughout the area. Given that the flames move along the terrain and spread out extensively, evading this technique is a challenging feat. Its effectiveness is heightened even more when combined with the Wind mask's "Wind Release: Pressure Damage."

"Fire Style: Searing Migraine"

Observing the formidable and extensive ninjutsu, Karan realized that he couldn't transfer it, especially since he had already utilized his space ability multiple times. Consequently, he opted to defend instead.

"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique"

Kakuzu's "Fire Style: Searing Migraine" clashed with a colossal waterfall, resulting in the dispersal of a substantial amount of water vapor. Despite the setback, Uchiha Karan persisted in his pursuit of Kakuzu. However, upon scanning the area, Karan only found the detached Fire and Wind masks, which he proceeded to eliminate. Upon confirming Kakuzu's escape, Karan concluded that the commotion would attract other ninjas to the site, prompting him to vacate the area.

Shortly after Karan's departure, a group of ninjas arrived at the site and were astounded by the devastation, as everything within a radius of 500 meters lay in ruins. They deduced that such destruction could only be inflicted by a Kage level powerhouse. After collecting the necessary information, the group quickly retreated, realizing that it would be unwise to provoke any Kage level ninja.
....
Karan Uchiha rested after the intense battle that had drained nearly half of his chakra reserves. Reflecting on the fight, he analyzed his approach, seeking insights to improve his tactics and conserve more chakra for future battles. He pondered alternative strategies that could have allowed him to finish the fight more efficiently and with less chakra consumption.

"Kakuzu chose to sacrifice his two hearts to flee," Karan remarked, shaking his head with a smile. As he gazed up at the sky, he added, "But if we cross paths again, he won't be able to escape so easily."

Following a brief rest to restore himself to his peak condition, Karan resumed his journey towards the Grass Village.
.....
Deep in the territory of the River country, within the confines of the Akatsuki hideout, Kakuzu emerged in a dreadful state, wounded and battered. Just then, a woman clad in paper-like attire and donning blue hair arrived on the scene. She is Konan angel of Akatsuki. Upon witnessing Kakuzu's dire state, she inquired, "What occurred? Weren't you able to recruit Karan? Who inflicted such severe injuries upon you? And where is Daichi, who accompanied you?"

In response to Konan's barrage of questions, Kakuzu remained silent for a moment, allowing himself time to gather his thoughts. After a brief pause, he made his way to a nearby chair, where he sat down with a heavy sigh.

Once he had composed himself, Kakuzu began to recount the events that had led him to the Akatsuki hideout in such a battered state. "Daichi and I were sent on a mission to recruit Uchiha Karan on orders from our leader," he began. "But Karan refused to join us, so we were forced to take matters into our own hands."

Kakuzu's expression darkened as he continued. "As you know, our organization has a strict policy when it comes to missing nins who refuse to join us - we eliminate them and sell their bodies on the black market. And so, Daichi and I set out to do just that."

He shook his head grimly. "But we were not prepared for the sheer power of Karan's Mangekyo Sharingan. With just a few swift movements, he was able to take down Daichi - a skilled fighter in his own right. I knew I had to act fast if I wanted to survive."

Kakuzu paused, his eyes filled with a mixture of fear and anger. "I sacrificed two of my hearts to escape Karan's deadly attacks. If I hadn't, I would be dead now. The man is a true monster - his Kenjutsu skills are unmatched, and his ability to transfer his attacks wherever he wants makes him almost impossible to defend against."

He fell silent, the memory of his close brush with death still fresh in his mind. Konan watched him carefully, her expression unreadable.