The instant the four-edged arrow struck the earth it detonated like a bomb, blasting the ground apart.
Clods of dirt flew in all directions, carving out a huge crater and sending the surrounding snow hurtling away under the shockwave.
The sight was so terrifying it made one's blood run cold.
The other Kumogakure were only a few steps behind Kōrinshi, but seeing their team-leader nearly killed on the spot drained every scrap of colour from their faces; their nerves were stretched to snapping point.
Weapons flashed into their hands as they scanned the area, dreading another hidden projectile.
"Get Kōrinshi and pull back—I'll check it out!"
A tall, powerfully built Kumogakure fixed his gaze on the dense forest, trying to pierce the thick foliage and spot the enemy within.
Without hesitation he strode forward and shot toward the trees.
The ground lay buried beneath a thick quilt of soft, pristine snow.
He stamped down deliberately, each footfall exploding in a spray of white.
With every kick the snowflakes ignited, bursting into clouds of white mist.
At the same time faint arcs of electricity crawled over his body.
The sparks crackled faintly across his skin,
and, propelled by the bursting snow and living lightning, he shot into the forest like a gale. After loosing two quick arrows from the tree, Owl rolled his shoulders.
He drew a steadying breath and locked his eyes on the movement below.
"How's the setup?" Owl asked in a low voice.
Hayato worked with total focus, stringing near-invisible threads across their position and every approach an enemy might use.
The wires were as fine as hair, almost undetectable yet tough as steel.
At the same time he fitted trip mechanisms to the surrounding trees—one touch would trigger an explosion.
He was crafting two types of traps: trip-wire exploding-tag mines and pressure-trigger exploding-tag mines.
After a flurry of swift, efficient work Hayato finished the layout.
He signalled Owl: everything was ready; they could erase their tracks at once.
Owl's Byakugan penetrated the leafy canopy, taking in the whole scene below.
Suddenly he saw a figure flicker inside the snow-mist—his foe had blown through the cloud and was charging straight at them... "Elite incoming—move!"
Owl barked at Hayato, then spun and ghosted through the trees.
Owl raced through the air, snapping off arrows, but couldn't hold a lock.
Though the man was three kilometres away, his speed was simply too great.
Each time Owl drew, the target vanished like lightning, leaving him no shot.
Worse, Owl realised that while he was moving he couldn't aim properly with this bow.
No matter how he shifted or angled, he couldn't find a stable firing point.
After several futile attempts he exhaled in frustration and gave up the idea of a kill.
He knew that pressing on would only put them in danger.
The enemy was fast as lightning; if he worked out their escape route neither Hayato nor Owl would get away. Fortunately they had laid traps.
Moments after they left their perch the towering Kumogakure appeared like a wraith.
Electric arcs danced over him; his hawk-sharp eyes swept every inch of ground.
In seconds he spotted the trip and pressure mines hidden in the grass.
Cat-light, he skirted the traps and stepped to the exact spot Owl had stood, examining it carefully.
Owl kept his Byakugan active, monitoring everything around.
When he saw the traps untouched he tensed and triggered the fallback plan.
"Hayato!" he hissed.
At the call Hayato leapt, legs coiling round the trunk like serpents.
Owl sprang after him, landing sure-footed on Hayato's broad back.
Firing from a tree demanded far better balance and angles than shooting from the ground.
This formation let them stabilise instantly and acquire a shot in the shortest time.
Owl drew a breath, left hand locking on the bow-grip as he pulled the string.
His pale eyes narrowed to slits, boring through the target.
The bow curved and the string hummed under tension.
He adjusted the arrow's path, ensuring a perfect line.
Every motion was fluid, without the slightest hesitation.
Ready, he released. The shaft hissed away like lightning.
This time he had not drawn to full stretch; the shot lacked power.
Still the arrow sped on, carving an arc through the air.
With a shrill whistle it bored straight toward its mark.
The Kumogakure sensed the threat, blades flashing up as they stared along the arrow's line.
But the shaft was never meant for them.
Owl's real target was the hidden exploding-tag trap nearby.
An instant before impact the pressure mine gave a sharp click.
In the silent forest the sound rang out like a death-knell.
Owl and Hayato had foreseen the danger.
They had seeded the area with exploding tags—not to kill, but to wipe out every trace of their retreat.
In a chain of thunderous roars the ground erupted, shockwaves ripping through the trees.
Boom—boom—crack, whoosh... Snow on every branch for kilometres was shaken loose in a blinding white cascade.
The air filled with swirling snow-mist that blotted out all sight.
Within the haze every track vanished: footprints, scent, broken twigs—all erased in an instant...