Chapter 10: The Price of Data

I ran. The ground compressed beneath my feet, spitting dust and loose earth behind me as I pushed myself to the absolute velocity required. The forced synthesis Fuyumi had administered was brutal in its efficacy. It was less a gentle recharge and more an aggressive override of my internal system’s physical warnings. Every muscle fiber thrummed with borrowed, tightly controlled energy. The pain in my ribs was a distant, unimportant pressure, submerged beneath the tidal wave of power now circulating through my tenketsu.

I followed the bearing Ibiki had given me: half a mile due north, meaning I needed to maintain this blistering pace for perhaps three minutes. The density of the woods blurred into streaks of green and brown, the terrain variations demanding constant micro-adjustments in my stride and posture. I had to focus on kinetic efficiency, translating the raw chakra flow into clean, forward momentum without waste.

I covered the distance in just under two minutes. I recognized the clearing ahead instantly—it was a natural geographic anomaly, an almost circular patch of flattened land created by intersecting game trails and a small, seasonal stream bed.

Genin Commander Ryo was positioned precisely at the center, exactly where Ibiki had suggested. He was everything Ibiki was not: calm, almost deceptively small, and meticulously organized. Two other Uchiha Genin, who looked slightly older than me, stood near a collapsible command desk, their gear neatly organized into tactical piles.

Ryo looked up as I burst into the clearing, skidding to a controlled, immediate halt. My forced run had consumed a fraction of the power Fuyumi donated, but the sudden transition from maximum acceleration to absolute stillness was taxing.

“Kenji,” Ryo stated, acknowledging my arrival without surprise. His voice was level, almost academic. “Your arrival time suggests optimal utilization of the mandated energy infusion. Report your current reserves estimate.”

I took one forced, deep breath, regulating the hyperactive chakra flow. “Eighty percent plus residual reserve. System integrity stable, but high baseline consumption rate is noted.”

Ryo gave a small, clinical nod. “Sufficient. Ibiki provided the context. You are our chosen tactical lure for this segment. The Senju have begun targeting our logistics units with high-speed, three-man hunter teams. They are mid-level, precise, and dangerously efficient at field acquisition and elimination. We need to draw them onto terrain that favors our team’s localized engagement profile.”

He pointed to a hastily drawn map on the command desk, charting the terrain. “The Senju will expect us to protect the next supply vector, which runs two miles east. Instead, we are setting a trap here, in the natural funnel created by the stream bed and the elevation ridge.”

“My role is tactical decoy,” I confirmed, focusing my attention on the map's topographical data.

“Precisely,” Ryo agreed. “The Senju trackers are highly motivated by high velocity and signature disruption. You will execute a high-speed, non-linear run along this patrol path.” He traced a sweeping arc on the map. “You must be fast enough to signal a significant target, but disruptive enough to prevent clean engagement. The objective is to bring them into the kill zone, which the rest of the team already occupies. We require at least three, perhaps four active hunters to follow you into the target zone.”

I analyzed the proposed path. It was open, favoring the Senju’s superior kinetic power, and lacked adequate cover for the necessary micro-recharge windows.

“I have a modification for the route, Commander,” I stated.

Ryo’s eyebrows rose slightly, a flicker of interest in his steady gaze. “Explain the modification, Kenji. Justify your vector change with metrics.”

I placed my finger on the map, pointing toward a jagged, less-defined route that veered into a section of dense, uneven terrain composed of rough shale and sudden, sharp elevation drops.

“The Senju hunters rely on aggressive, sustained momentum,” I explained, the analytical mode overriding any sense of deference. “If I utilize the uneven, constrained terrain of the ravine system here, I force them to expend higher energy for navigation and reduce their speed advantage. My body, newly charged, can manage the micro-adjustments for this terrain more efficiently than their larger mass and momentum-based style will allow.”

I continued the vector, guiding it toward three natural constrictions on the map—narrow gorges and tight bends in the overgrown riverbed. “By utilizing these natural bottlenecks, I maximize the Senju’s commitment to the chase while allowing me brief, critical moments to introduce randomized, low-power Kinetic Discharge bursts. These bursts serve two purposes: they signal disruption, which will increase their aggression, and they grant me sub-second windows for internal flow recalibration.”

Ryo studied the modified route for a focused moment, his finger tracing my suggested path. The two Genin flanking him remained silent, observing the rapid, unexpected tactical shift.

“The justification is sound,” Ryo conceded. “It prioritizes forced energy consumption from the enemy and increases the probability of maximum target commitment. We adopt the modified route. You need to initiate the lure now. The supply line distraction is already in effect.”

“I require two minutes for initial system optimization before deployment,” I stated. I needed to ensure the massive spike of energy Fuyumi had given me was harmonized with my internal flow mechanics before attempting the aggressive, non-linear run.

Ryo nodded curtly. “You have one minute, Kenji. Adjust.”

I immediately dropped into the familiar position, forcing my hands together. This was not the Compression Kata for offensive discharge; this was a mandatory internal flow alignment. I drew the excessive energy into the central core, stabilizing the system, ensuring the violent influx did not leak or destabilize the internal protective flow. The borrowed power felt hot, almost abrasive, but completely within my capacity to manipulate.

Sixty seconds later, I opened my eyes. “Deployment ready, Commander.”

Ryo pointed toward the edge of the clearing. “Go. Remember the objective: attract, disrupt, and contain. Do not engage in any prolonged conflict. Your failure is defined by a lack of extraction, not by a physical loss.”

I launched myself into the deep woods, heading directly toward the modified, rougher terrain. The sheer power in my legs felt almost overwhelming, propelling me forward with an ease I had never experienced. I focused entirely on non-linear motion, making every step an unpredictable vector shift.

I entered the treacherous shale ravine system, moving with controlled, agile leaps and pivots. The noise of my passage was minimal, a series of quick, silent kinetic displacements, forced by the precise application of chakra to my feet and joints.

I ran for five minutes, pushing the limits of my velocity along the demanding route. I was signaling my presence now, a blatant, unavoidable streak of Uchiha chakra signature moving at high speed through hostile territory.

The first response came quickly. It was a subtle spike in the thermal signatures behind me, followed by the faint auditory cue of heavy footfalls making contact with the rough earth. The Senju were not subtle; they were simply fast.

Three hostile elements acquired. Formation: Standard hunter triangle. Velocity: High, adapting to terrain disruption. Aggression Metric: Rising.

The three Senju were following the exact route I had predicted, prioritizing the shortest vector of pursuit over true stealth.

I reached the first natural bottleneck—a narrow, steep-sided gorge. I did not slow down. I increased my velocity, forcing a near-terminal commitment to the terrain.

As I entered the choke point, I executed the first disruptive burst. I did not compress the full volume. I simply forced the release of a low-grade volume of potential energy, angling it back and down toward the entrance of the gorge.

SNAP.

The soundless displacement hit the mouth of the gorge, not as a destructive blast, but as a sudden, localized pressure wash that disturbed the air and kicked up a fine mist of pulverized shale dust. It created immediate, localized interference and slowed the momentum of the rapidly incoming Senju.

I gained perhaps two seconds of distance.

I used the fractional reprieve to execute a hard, immediate turn onto a vertical face of the gorge, running sideways along the wall, maximizing the structural advantage of my smaller frame and enhanced grip. This non-linear movement was a deliberate insult to the Senju style, forcing them to re-evaluate their entire pursuit geometry.

I could hear the aggressive shift in their tempo now, the frustration of their momentum being countered by unpredictable flight.

The Senju had to decelerate, using their own chakra to manage the sudden stop and the required structural shift to navigate the vertical space. This cost them kinetic energy.

I maintained the vertical run for twenty feet, then launched myself across the ten-foot gap, landing silently on the opposite ridge. I was operating purely on the analytical data, manipulating the operational window the unstable terrain provided.

I resumed a full sprint along the ridge line, heading toward the second planned constriction, a tight bend in the stream bed. I could sense the Senju regrouping below, their energy signatures spiking with renewed, furious commitment. They would use maximal force now to close the distance.

I reached the stream bed. The bend was sharp, banked by thick, slippery mud and overgrown roots. I pushed a massive amount of chakra into my feet, using the adhesion to maintain velocity around the tight curve.

I executed the second disruptive burst immediately on the inside curve of the bend, aiming the low-grade kinetic flow across the stream itself.

The burst hit the water surface, vaporizing it instantly. The high-pressure steam and shockwave produced a sudden, disorienting cloud of localized thermal interference.

The Senju hit the thermal cloud seconds later. Their momentum drove them through it, but the disruption was sufficient. Their synchronization fractured. I could feel the lead warrior pulling ahead, pushing through the disarray, increasing his aggression.

Target acquired: Primary Hunter. Vector: Singular focus. Probability of commitment: High.

This was exactly the commitment I needed. The primary hunter was now fully engaged in the personal pursuit, overriding his tactical mandate to maintain the team structure.

I bolted out of the stream bed, accelerating toward the final phase—the large, enclosed natural clearing where Ryo’s team was waiting.

The lead Senju was gaining on me now. His sheer, explosive speed was overcoming my terrain advantage. I risked a glance over my shoulder. He was a massive man, utilizing a full-body chakra shroud to enhance his kinetic output. He was less than fifty feet behind me.

“Aggression Metric: Critical,” I muttered, pushing the last sliver of speed from my legs.

I reached the edge of the clearing, the boundary of the trap. I pushed myself into a final, maximum-effort sprint across the open ground. This was the moment of maximum risk.

I could see Ryo’s deployment now—a silent, tightly compressed arc of Genin and Chuunin positioned in the dense undergrowth on the far side, their flow signatures entirely masked. They were waiting for the funnel to close.

The primary Senju erupted from the woods behind me, seeing the clear target, committing fully to the kill. He was a perfect target, trapped by his own aggressive tunneling.

I could feel the hostile chakra blast forming behind him, the final, lethal strike intending to incapacitate me.

At that moment, the trap was sprung. Ryo’s team executed the coordinated, silent attack.

A sudden volley of specialized, chakra-infused nets erupted from the undergrowth, designed to bind and disrupt kinetic flow. They spread rapidly, targeting the primary Senju hunter, who now occupied the center of the kill zone.

The Senju warrior roared in surprise and defiance. He managed to partially deflect the leading edge of the nets with a desperate, chaotic burst of chakra, but the coordinated attack was too effective. He was tangled, his movement restricted, his momentum dissolved into confused rage.

Ryo’s team immediately surged forward, beginning the systematic process of securing the captive.

Objective achieved: Primary Target contained.

I stopped precisely at the far end of the clearing, turning, panting, absorbing two necessary gulps of air. I was functionally exhausted again, the aggressive expenditure of the borrowed energy having drained the initial force spike.

I immediately scanned the environment. The tactical moment was critical.

The two remaining Senju hunters were not as tunnel-visioned as their leader. They had stopped at the edge of the woods, seeing the immediate, systematic failure of the primary attack.

I could see their instantaneous, analytical adjustment. They did not attempt to rescue their comrade. They did not engage the waiting trap.

They made a cold, immediate, tactical choice: eliminate the decoy before retreating.

Their eyes locked onto my position. They recognized the source of the disruption and the structural weakness of the trap. They knew the containment was dependent on my continued stability.

Their combined chakra signatures swelled, the aggression redirected entirely toward my structural failure.

Warning: Target Redirection. Two hostile elements isolating the threat vector. Velocity: Extreme. Intention: Structural Collapse.

They moved with brutal synchronization, two massive forms erupting from the trees, heading directly toward my position. The distance was less than eighty feet.

Ryo, completely committed to securing the primary target, immediately recognized the catastrophic failure of the containment.

“Kenji! Evasion! Break contact immediately!” Ryo yelled, his voice carrying the desperation of a commander who saw his entire plan unraveling.

I had no reserves for sustained flight. I had no cover. Evasion was impossible at this closing speed.

I dropped into the familiar stance, forcing my hands together. This was the final, absolute commitment. I funneled every remaining erg of Fuyumi’s gift and my own trace reserves into the Compression Kata.

I had to achieve maximum density, maximum instability. The explosion had to be total.

I fought the violent, systemic refusal of the energy to compress. The air between my palms began to shimmer violently, heating the fascia on my hands to an agonizing degree. The systemic dissonance was overwhelming, pressing against my ribs, threatening to fracture the repaired bone.

The two Senju warriors were closing fast, too fast. They split their approach, aiming to strike me simultaneously from opposite sides, ensuring my complete physical disintegration.

I had to discharge. I could not wait for the critical threshold.

I projected the compressed energy with a final, desperate SNAP. I aimed the blast not at the approaching enemy, but at a point precisely ten feet in front of me, directly between the two closing vectors.

The resulting discharge was a single, concentrated mass of sheer kinetic force, designed to cause maximum, random environmental interference.

The energy hit the earth, not with a sound, but with the immediate, crushing pressure of a localized vacuum. It tore a jagged, two-foot-deep crater in the ground, kicking up an immediate, massive cloud of pulverized earth, stone, and torn roots.

The shockwave radiated outward instantly, a clean, circular wall of pressure.

The two Senju warriors hit the localized interference field simultaneously. Their forward momentum was shattered by the unexpected, invisible kinetic wall.

One warrior attempted to barrel through the blast field, relying on sheer mass. He succeeded, but the sudden, asymmetric force pushed his body violently off his central axis. He staggered through the cloud of debris, his attack vector compromised, his forward movement reduced to a staggering, uncontrolled lurch.

The second warrior was more agile. He used the brief moment of impact to push himself into a tight, upward rotation, attempting to vault over the cloud of interference, maintaining his speed.

I forced myself up, moving instantly into the breach. I targeted the staggering warrior, the one who had burst through the lower interference.

I moved with a purely reactive, autonomic speed, driven by the last, sputtering reserves of the forced synthesis. My movement was a precise, controlled low sweep, timed to intercept the moment his staggering foot made contact with the earth.

I hit his stabilizing ankle. The force was low, localized, but directed against the moment of maximum instability.

He went down with a heavy, surprised grunt, his heavy body rolling into the tangled roots at the edge of the crater. He was momentarily incapacitated by the force of the fall and the asymmetric transfer of energy.

I did not have time to consolidate the advantage. The second Senju warrior, the one who had vaulted the blast, landed behind me.

He was silent, feral, and entirely focused on ending my existence. He reached out with a massive, chakra-shrouded hand, aiming for my neck.

I used the last, non-compressible power in my internal reserves. I focused it all through the subtle, autonomic defensive field Fuyumi had demonstrated.

The Senju’s hand closed.

The resulting outward pressure from my chest, directed at the center of the Senju’s palm, was microscopic, barely a physical push. It was entirely energetic, a single, violent ripple of compressed air and internal flow.

The defensive ripple broke the integrity of his grip by mere millimeters, forcing his kinetic strike into a glancing blow. Instead of his fingers crushing my throat, his thumb caught me across the side of my head, slamming my skull against the remaining solid wall of the ravine.

My vision flared white, resolving instantly into a fractured, bleeding world of violent movement and desperate, absolute commitment. I tasted blood instantly. The world tilted violently.

The Senju warrior, enraged by the failure of his lethal blow, adjusted his stance for the final, finishing kick.

Analysis: System failure imminent. Physical resistance capability: Zero. Energetic output: Zero. Option: Containment is the priority.

I executed the final, non-physical gambit of the plan. I forced the last, absolutely critical amount of chakra flow into my eyes.

The Sharingan activated with a grinding, painful certainty, burning through the last drop of my reserves. The crimson power flared instantly, resolving the chaos into the brutal, hyper-clear resolution of the dojutsu.

I ignored the pain, focusing on the moment of the Senju’s final, aggressive push. I locked the Mangekyo Sharingan onto his central structure—not to engage in a visual battle, as I lacked the power, but to forcibly communicate a single, absolute, crushing image of structural collapse and final, systemic failure.

It was visual interference, a final, aggressive injection of analytical dread into the enemy’s combat psyche.

The Senju warrior hesitated, his finishing strike stalled against the sudden, overwhelming counter-image of his own death and the failure of his mission. It was a fractional, non-physical defeat.

I used the half-second of his analytical paralysis to push myself hard, using the rotational momentum of the glancing blow to send myself crashing directly into the dense, razor-sharp tangles of the undergrowth, sacrificing my physical form for the required cover.

The Senju warrior erupted from his momentary trance, roaring his primal rage and disappointment, launching himself toward the tangled thicket. He was stopped instantly by the crackle of localized chakra signatures.

Ryo’s extraction team, having secured the primary target, now occupied a defensive perimeter around the ravine.

The two remaining Senju hunters were trapped. They were not captured, but they were now entirely committed to an aggressive retreat, seeing the overwhelming numbers and the successful capture of their comrade. They could not engage the perimeter without catastrophic loss.

Ryo’s voice cut through the heavy air with tactical finality.

“Extraction executed. Retreat vector secured.”

The Senju warriors, seeing the failure of their final attempt and the high cost of engaging the renewed perimeter, pushed off silently, launching into a coordinated, vertical retreat over the ridge line. They were escaping, but they were defeated. The operational objective was met.

I lay in the undergrowth, gasping, my body a mass of raw, bleeding surface wounds, my internal system oscillating wildly between massive hyper-charge and absolute, systemic emptiness. I had maximized the bait role.

Ryo was standing a few feet away, addressing the situation. He looked down at me, his expression flat, but a subtle warmth entered his voice.

“Kenji, self-preservation function successful, though resource expenditure was absolute. You forced the engagement precisely, maximizing the analytical metric. Extraction Team is moving on the north vector. They require immediate data on the Senju retreat pattern.”

I pushed myself into a position on my hands and knees, fighting the overwhelming vertigo and the systemic pain. The Sharingan flickered once, then dissolved, my internal reserves utterly depleted.

“Velocity: Maximum, adapting to elevated terrain,” I forced out, using my last vestiges of energy to articulate the necessary data points. “Target A is favoring a rotation toward the northwest axis, indicating a secondary rendezvous point. Target B is utilizing randomized vertical displacements, attempting to mask an underlying pursuit of the team leader.”

Ryo transcribed the data instantly, then looked back at me. He extended his hand, not to help me, but to press a single, small, black, densely packed ration bar into my palm.

“Consume this. You bought us five crucial minutes. You did not fail the assignment.”

Ryo turned and began the systematic process of gathering his team for the final extraction, the Senju captive already being moved away on a specialized carrier.

I forced the bland, nutritional paste into my dry mouth, focusing on the internal repair. My mind, however, was already working on the next layer of analysis. The failure of the final strike was a systemic flaw in the Compression Kata at low charge. I needed a secondary defense mechanism that did not rely on the aggressive, high-density discharge.

I reached out and grasped a single, rough, fist-sized piece of shale, which had been torn loose by the kinetic blast. I ignored the screaming pain in my hands and focused on the tactile data. The rough granularity, the internal structure, the resistance to compression.

The Senju warriors had been physically superior. My survival had depended entirely on manipulating their aggressive kinetics and employing a final, localized, low-probability disruption.

I needed control, not just destruction. I needed to move beyond the Compression Kata entirely.

I shifted my gaze to the remaining fragment of the ravine wall, focusing on the sheer, immovable geometry. My objective was clear. I needed a mechanism to transfer kinetic force non-destructively, utilizing the environment as a passive defense. I needed to understand the mechanics of impact transfer.

The analytical pathway of my mind was already constructing the hypothesis. I stared at the scarred shale wall, ignoring the adrenaline crash and the pulsing pain.

The Senju, the Uchiha, the environment—it was all a system waiting to be deconstructed. I had successfully survived the first aggressive deployment. Now, the real work began. I just needed to survive the next five minutes of recovery before Ibiki, or perhaps Ryo, sent me out again.

I focused on the texture of the shale in my hand, consuming the nutrient bar, rebuilding the complex energetic equations of survival. The data stream was all that mattered. The pain was just feedback.