The next morning, Karma was at the village gates before sunrise.
His sword was secured at his waist, his mission pouch was properly packed, and Tobirama's special kunai rested safely inside it.
Karma looked toward the road leading away from Konoha.
'First mission outside the village.'
He smiled.
"You're excited."
Karma turned.
Hashirama stood behind him.
"Obviously."
Hashirama laughed.
"Good. But remember what I told you."
Karma nodded.
"I know."
"Say it."
Karma sighed.
"Stay alert. Protect the merchants. Don't go looking for trouble."
"And?"
"If something happens that I can't handle, use the kunai."
Hashirama nodded.
The kunai wasn't an ordinary weapon.
Tobirama had given it to Karma as a safety measure, allowing Hashirama to locate and reach him if something went seriously wrong.
Karma touched the pouch.
"I understand."
Hashirama smiled.
Then he formed a hand seal.
Wood rose from the ground.
A familiar figure emerged.
A Wood Clone.
Karma stared at it.
"So you're coming with me."
The Wood Clone smiled.
"Unfortunately for you."
"Can I request a different escort?"
"No."
"Shame."
Hashirama laughed.
"I'll see you tonight."
Karma waved.
"Don't miss me too much."
"I'll try."
The Wood Clone and Karma joined the caravan waiting outside the gates.
There were three wagons carrying food, tools and other supplies for a small settlement several hours away.
The caravan leader looked at Karma.
Then at the Wood Clone.
Then back at Karma.
"That's our escort?"
Karma smiled.
"Yes."
The man looked slightly uncertain.
The Wood Clone stepped forward.
"Don't worry. He'll do fine."
The caravan started moving.
For the first few hours, the journey was peaceful.
Karma stayed near the front wagon, watching the road and the surrounding forest.
He had never paid this much attention to the world outside Konoha.
The trees were thicker.
The roads were less maintained.
There were long stretches where they didn't see another person.
Karma understood why Hashirama had insisted on him being careful.
Inside Konoha, there were shinobi everywhere.
Outside, there weren't.
"You're scanning too much."
Karma glanced at the Wood Clone.
"I'm being observant."
"You've checked the same hill three times."
"It could be different now."
The Wood Clone laughed.
"You're definitely Hashirama's student."
Karma smiled.
Around midday, they stopped beside a small stream.
The merchants began preparing food.
Karma sat on a fallen tree and watched the water.
"This is actually peaceful."
The Wood Clone nodded.
"Not every mission has to be exciting."
Karma looked at him.
"That's exactly what someone would say before something exciting happens."
The Wood Clone chuckled.
"You're learning."
They resumed the journey.
A few hours later, the forest became denser.
Karma's expression changed.
He noticed something.
"Stop."
The caravan leader looked back.
The Wood Clone immediately turned toward Karma.
"What is it?"
Karma pointed toward the road.
"Tracks."
The Wood Clone crouched.
Karma continued.
"At least four people."
The Wood Clone examined the ground.
"Fresh?"
"Within the last hour."
The caravan leader became nervous.
"Bandits?"
"Possibly."
Karma looked into the forest.
"But they aren't walking along the road."
The Wood Clone nodded.
"They're moving parallel to us."
Karma's hand rested on his sword.
The Wood Clone looked at him.
"Stay close."
The caravan continued.
A few minutes later, an arrow flew from the trees.
The Wood Clone moved instantly.
A wooden arm blocked the arrow before it reached the nearest merchant.
"Everyone stay inside the wagons!"
Several figures emerged from the forest.
Five men.
Armed.
Their leader stepped onto the road.
"Leave the supplies and nobody gets hurt."
Karma stared at them.
'So much for a quiet D-rank.'
The Wood Clone stepped forward.
"Walk away."
The bandit laughed.
"There's only one shinobi."
Karma smiled slightly.
'He really has no idea who he's talking to.'
The bandits attacked.
The first rushed toward the Wood Clone.
The clone caught his weapon and threw him aside.
Two others moved toward the wagons.
Karma drew his sword.
One came directly at him.
Karma stepped aside.
The man's blade passed over his shoulder.
Karma struck his wrist.
The weapon fell.
He followed with a Lightning-enhanced step.
His body accelerated.
A wooden sword strike hit the man's chest.
The bandit flew backward.
Karma turned.
Another attacker was already behind him.
Karma ducked.
The blade passed over his head.
He spun and struck the man's arm.
Lightning crackled through the wooden training sword.
The man collapsed.
Karma looked down at him.
'Not bad.'
The remaining bandits began backing away.
Then their leader charged.
He was faster than the others.
Karma barely blocked the first strike.
The impact forced him backward.
Karma's eyes narrowed.
'He's actually strong.'
The man attacked again.
Karma blocked.
Again.
Karma stepped back.
The man's sword came down.
Karma shifted to the side.
His blade flashed.
He cut across the man's sleeve.
The bandit stumbled.
Karma moved in.
Lightning surged through his legs.
He accelerated.
His wooden sword stopped against the man's throat.
Silence.
Karma looked into the man's eyes.
The man froze.
Karma could kill him.
The realization came naturally.
There was no fear.
No hesitation.
His sword was already there.
One movement.
That's all it would take.
The man slowly reached for a hidden knife.
Karma's eyes sharpened.
His sword pressed closer.
"Don't."
The man's hand stopped.
Karma's grip tightened.
"Drop it."
The knife fell.
Karma kept his sword against the man's throat.
The Wood Clone approached.
"Karma."
Karma didn't move.
"He's beaten."
"He'll attack again."
"Then we'll restrain him."
Karma looked at the man.
He could still feel the pulse beneath his blade.
For a moment, he wondered what it would feel like.
To actually kill someone.
Then he lowered his sword.
The Wood Clone immediately restrained the bandit.
The remaining attackers were captured as well.
The merchants slowly emerged from the wagons.
The caravan leader stared at Karma.
"You…"
He seemed unable to find the right words.
Karma sheathed his sword.
"I'm fine."
The Wood Clone looked at him.
"You did well."
Karma looked down at his hand.
"I almost killed him."
"Yes."
"Would that have been wrong?"
The Wood Clone was quiet for a moment.
"Not necessarily."
Karma looked up.
"But you stopped me."
"I stopped you because he was beaten."
The Wood Clone crouched beside him.
"There's a difference between being willing to kill when necessary and killing because you can."
Karma listened.
"You'll understand that difference better with experience."
Karma nodded.
He didn't say anything else.
The caravan continued.
The rest of the journey was uneventful.
By sunset, they reached the settlement.
The supplies were unloaded.
The captured bandits were handed over to the local authorities.
The mission was complete.
Karma stood outside the settlement, looking at the road behind them.
His first mission outside Konoha hadn't been what he expected.
He had fought.
He had protected people.
He had nearly killed someone.
And for the first time, he understood that the world outside the village wasn't a training ground.
There were consequences.
Real ones.
The Wood Clone stood beside him.
"Ready to go home?"
Karma nodded.
"Yeah."
He touched Tobirama's kunai.
He hadn't needed it.
That was probably a good thing.
As they started the journey back, Karma looked toward the setting sun.
His hand rested naturally on his sword.
'Next time, I'll be better prepared.'
And somewhere in the back of his mind, another thought remained.
'When the time comes, I'll know what to do.'