Chapter 145: Crossbow Bolt

In the high sky, a man and a bird were flying, completely unaware of what was happening below.

On the mountain beneath them, a group of people had been waiting for nearly half a month with a meticulous plan to ambush them.

Although the "Mountain Eagle" had received a warning from Toshiro, it hadn't taken it too seriously. Even now, it was leisurely soaring with its wings spread wide. While it was slowly gaining altitude, the increase was minimal.

As for its master, Toshiro, he was distracted, contemplating the dynamics of the camp and considering his future. 

Neither of them noticed that a two-meter-long crossbow bolt was overcoming the force of gravity, shooting towards them.

The bluish hue of the bolt was a clear indication that it was covered with the characteristic poison of Sunagakure.

Sreee!

With far superior eyesight compared to ordinary creatures, the "Mountain Eagle" finally spotted this lethal threat when the bolt was just a short distance below.

In a hurried warning cry, the eagle flapped its wings vigorously, trying to change its position in hopes of avoiding the sudden attack.

"Damn it!"

On the eagle's back, Toshiro also sensed something amiss at this moment. Feeling the eagle's panic, he hurriedly activated his Sharingan to assess the sudden situation.

But at this moment, even activating the Sharingan wouldn't help much! Unless it was the Mangekyo Sharingan with an ability similar to Obito's spatial techniques, it was impossible to resolve the current predicament.

With his acute dynamic vision, Toshiro watched the dangerous crossbow bolt inching closer to them, analyzing its trajectory. 

In less than two seconds, the bolt would strike the "Mountain Eagle." Without his summoned beast, he would be in peril at such a high altitude.

Whoosh!

Clang!

Two distinct sounds echoed through the sky!

Seeing the crossbow bolt narrowly miss them like a spear, both Toshiro and the "Mountain Eagle" simultaneously let out a breath of relief.

"Dodged it!" x2

Just moments earlier, in a critical instant, Toshiro didn't even have time to reach for the kunai at his back. Instead, he threw his small katana, scabbard included, at the approaching bolt.

Thanks to his exceptional dynamic vision and reflexes honed through relentless training, he struck the bolt accurately, altering its path and narrowly avoiding them.

"That was close!"

As he was about to reach out and wipe the cold sweat from his brow, he heard a violent explosion above him.

Boom!

The loud explosion came from above Toshiro. It was the crossbow bolt that had narrowly missed them, now a blazing fireball in mid-air.

Before Toshiro could process the shock rising in his chest, a barrage of dense metal needles shot towards him and the "Mountain Eagle."

The puppeteers of Sunagakure had anticipated the possibility of the bolt missing its target. After much deliberation, they decided to install puppet mechanisms on the bolt, allowing it to automatically detonate after a predetermined time.

In this tricky situation, Toshiro found himself at a crossroads. The explosion occurred less than twenty meters away. With his skills, he could fend off the needle storm, but the "Mountain Eagle" below him was in danger.

The eagle's large size and the fact that they were airborne made it difficult for him to maneuver or cast jutsu in time.

Even a few steel needles hitting the eagle's body would result in serious trouble. Though the physical damage might be limited due to the eagle's size, it was highly likely that the needles were coated with deadly poison, characteristic of Sunagakure.

In this high altitude, relying on a poisoned eagle would be catastrophic...

"Shacheng, well done!"

Through binoculars, seeing the large bird dodge the bolt, they were initially disappointed as the opportunity was hard-earned.

But upon witnessing the explosion as they expected, their spirits lifted. They knew their painstakingly prepared opportunity over half a month had paid off.

Given its size, it was impossible for the bird to avoid all the incoming attacks. Once the bolt exploded, the bird's fate was sealed.

The poison on the bolt was extracted from a rare mutant scorpion in the Death Desert. No matter the creature, even giant summons, once pricked by this toxin, it would be paralyzed instantly.

Had the scorpions not been so rare and unable to be farmed, Sunagakure wouldn't be at such a disadvantage in the war.

Though the blue tint on the bolt didn't signify a deadly poison as Toshiro thought, it was a special kind of sedative, more effective than any poison due to their altitude. 

Once paralyzed, gravity would accelerate their fall, turning even the strongest ninja into a pile of flesh upon impact.

At this moment, the team that had been waiting in ambush for so long revealed themselves with no further concern. Their previous concealment was to avoid detection by the massive summon beast. Now, everything was no longer of concern...