Arin sat hidden within the canopy of the only oak tree that stood inside the pine forest. The massive tree occupied nearly ninety square meters in the center of the clearing, its broad branches spreading far wider than any of the surrounding pines. Long ago, a forest fire had swept through this area and destroyed everything except this single oak. Their ancestors had taken it as a sign, nurturing it afterward until it became one of the most recognizable landmarks in the family's woodland.
Under normal circumstances, Arin would have appreciated the sight. The oak held almost the same significance to him as the old yew tree from which he had crafted his first true bow after unlocking his profession. Both trees carried memories that stretched back through important moments of his life. Unfortunately, today was not a day for nostalgia. Today, the oak had become his fortress.
Or perhaps his prison.
Hidden among the leaves, Arin carefully observed the clearing below. He could not actually see most of his family members, but he knew they were there. The pulse of the forest carried their presence to him like faint ripples moving through still water. Ever since his physique awakened, that feeling had become difficult to ignore.
The realization left a bitter taste in his mouth.
His father had guided him here.
Only now, after finally reaching the oak, did Arin realize the truth. Ever since that first arrow had flown past him earlier in the hunt, he had been subtly herded in this direction. The routes that appeared open had led here. The directions that felt safest had all pushed him toward the clearing.
In hindsight, it was obvious.
Somewhere during the chase, he had even managed to hit two of his pursuers with his quick return shots. He did not know that yet, of course, but it hardly mattered now. What mattered was that he had arrived exactly where his father wanted him. Looking up into the branches of the ancient oak, Arin felt a strange certainty settle over him.
This would be his last stand.
Five minutes passed in silence.
No arrows flew.
No voices sounded.
No one crossed into the clearing.
The stalemate had become almost unbearable. Arin knew the only reason nobody moved was because they did not know which direction he was facing. A wrong guess would expose them to an immediate shot, and being eliminated through carelessness would earn them a harsh lecture from the grandparents afterward.
Everything was being recorded.
Nobody could even defend themselves.
Every mistake would be preserved forever.
Occasionally, a family member would briefly reveal themselves. A shoulder appeared behind a tree. A leg flashed into view. Sometimes an entire figure exposed itself for half a second before vanishing again. They were all trying to bait him into shooting.
Arin refused every time.
If he was going to end up looking like a porcupine, then he intended to take someone down with him first. Revealing his position prematurely would accomplish nothing. Patience was still his greatest weapon. Unfortunately, patience was also their weapon.
"How do you suggest we remove Arin from that tree?" Teun finally asked.
Several adults looked toward the clearing.
Rik glanced at the oak before shrugging.
"Simple."
His answer immediately drew attention.
"We shoot two arrows into every location where we think he might be hiding and see what happens."
Several people looked horrified.
Others immediately began nodding.
A heated discussion broke out regarding sportsmanship, fairness, and whether such a tactic violated the spirit of the game. Rik listened patiently before placing a hand against his chest and offering an exaggerated bow.
"Gentlemen, if you wish to receive a dressing down from the Patriarch, be my guest. Personally, I think you're doing us all a tremendous favor."
The discussion ended surprisingly quickly.
A few moments later, Arin watched in disbelief as arrows suddenly filled the sky. One wave passed over the oak. Then another followed immediately afterward. Nearly a hundred arrows swept through different portions of the canopy, striking branches, leaves, and empty air.
Three arrows passed directly through his original hiding spot.
"Bastards."
Arin's eye twitched.
Apparently sportsmanship had died somewhere during the discussion.
Still, the barrage had revealed something important. While the others focused on filling the tree with arrows, their attention had shifted upward. For the first time since reaching the clearing, an opportunity had appeared.
A dangerous opportunity.
But an opportunity nonetheless.
Slowly, Arin began sliding down the opposite side of the trunk. Every movement was carefully controlled to prevent unnecessary shaking of the branches. Inch by inch, he descended until his feet touched the ground. Even then, he remained motionless for nearly a full minute.
Only after confirming nobody had noticed did he continue.
Lowering himself onto the forest floor, Arin pressed his body flat against the roots of the oak. Knee-high grass and exposed roots partially concealed him from view. The position was uncomfortable, but comfort had stopped mattering a long time ago.
His plan was absurd.
That was precisely why it might work.
Arin intended to crawl.
Not quickly.
Not carefully.
Painfully slowly.
The clearing stretched roughly thirty meters across. Crossing it normally would take less than a minute. Arin intended to spend hours doing the same thing. He would move so slowly that the human brain stopped recognizing him as something alive.
He would become terrain.
A root.
A patch of grass.
A detail too insignificant to notice.
"He is good."
Rik lowered his bow slightly while observing the oak.
"There is no way he wasn't hit."
Leaves continued drifting from the branches where dozens of arrows had struck moments earlier. Yet no cries of pain followed. No movement betrayed his position. The absence of evidence was becoming suspicious.
Beside him, Teun smiled.
The expression immediately caught Rik's attention.
"Have you spotted him?" Rik asked.
"Can you actually see him?"
Teun nodded slowly.
"Yes."
Without another word, he raised his bow.
The string drew back smoothly.
"I didn't expect him to use that technique," Teun admitted. "It's far too slow."
Then he released.
The arrow crossed the clearing in an instant.
"The White Father used something similar once," Teun continued calmly. "Took him four days to crawl through a jungle and reach his target. He moved barely a thousand yards during that entire time."
The arrow struck.
A dull impact echoed across the clearing.
Arin immediately became visible.
Moments earlier, he had been nothing more than another detail in the landscape. A root. A shadow. A patch of grass. The instant the arrow hit his head, however, every trained eye locked onto him simultaneously.
The illusion shattered.
"Aah!"
Arin rolled onto his back while clutching his head.
Several adults immediately burst into laughter.
"Wait, he actually used that technique?" Rik asked.
The idea suddenly made perfect sense.
Arin had very few options available. The clearing was surrounded. Remaining in the tree guaranteed discovery eventually. Crawling through the open ground had probably been the safest escape route available to him.
At that moment, another figure stepped forward.
One of the true elders.
A member of the Elder Council.
The requirements for joining were strict. One needed to be over seventy years old and have grandchildren of their own before even being considered. As a result, very few family members qualified.
The old man studied the scene before nodding approvingly.
"No," he said in response to Rik's question. "That was probably his only viable option."
The elder folded his hands behind his back.
"If this were a real battlefield, I would have preferred a riskier approach. Jumping between trees and breaking through the encirclement would have carried a higher chance of immediate success. Unfortunately, the enemy would simply continue reinforcing the perimeter until every escape route disappeared."
His gaze settled on Arin.
"In this situation, crawling was the correct choice."
Then he looked toward Teun.
"Nicely done, by the way."
With that, the elderly man began walking back toward the archery range. He intended to report the results to Karl and observe the remainder of the match from a more comfortable position. Before leaving completely, however, he glanced over his shoulder with a smile that contained far too much amusement.
"Oh, and now that Arin's degree of danger is over..."
Everyone paused.
The elder's smile widened.
"...I would hide again if I were you."
For a moment, silence filled the clearing.
Then chaos erupted.
Arrows flew in every direction. Family members dove behind trees. Others sprinted for cover while shouting accusations and threats. Within seconds, the orderly hunt transformed into complete disorder.
Meanwhile, the elder continued walking away.
Behind him, the sounds of battle echoed through the forest.
Ahead of him, Arin was still rubbing the growing bump on his head while trying to decide whether being discovered or listening to the inevitable family teasing would hurt more.