The morning air was crisp as I stood at the village gates, heart pounding. This wasn't like the last mission. This time, we weren't just carrying a scroll across Konoha. We were leaving the safety of the village.
Rin shifted nervously beside me, clutching her pouch tighter than usual. Obito stretched his arms with exaggerated confidence. "Finally! A real mission. None of that courier nonsense."
Kakashi stood with arms crossed, already looking bored. But even he couldn't completely hide the sharpness in his gaze as he scanned the open road.
Daichi-sensei arrived, hands tucked into his robes, expression unreadable. "Today," he said, "your team will undertake a C-rank escort mission. You will accompany a merchant caravan to the border village of Tanzaku. Two days out, two days back."
Obito's grin widened. "See? Told you this would be exciting!"
Daichi's tone turned grim. "Excitement will get you killed. Beyond the walls, there are no guarantees. Bandits, rogue ninja, even wild beasts can end lives before you realize it."
The system chimed in my vision.
[Quest Unlocked: C-Rank Escort – The Tanzaku Caravan]
Objective: Protect the merchant caravan and deliver them safely to Tanzaku.
Reward: EXP +500, System Upgrade Chance.
The Caravan
The merchants were three men in simple traveling garb, pulling carts loaded with barrels and cloth bundles. The leader, a stocky man with a bushy beard, eyed us skeptically.
"These are our escorts? Children?"
Rin bowed politely. "We'll do our best, sir."
Obito puffed his chest. "Don't underestimate us! We're shinobi!"
The man muttered something about "leaf brats" but waved us along.
Kakashi took point. I slipped into the middle of the formation, eyes scanning the tree line. It felt strange, being outside. The air was fresher, the paths uneven, and every rustle in the bushes made my hand twitch toward my kunai.
The system pinged softly.
[Environment Alert: Outside Village Safety Zone]
Random Encounters Possible. Rewards increased.
First Blood
Halfway through the first day, the ambush came.
Bandits burst from the trees with crude weapons, their eyes hungry. There were at least six of them—grown men, scarred and filthy, their killing intent nothing like academy students.
"Take the carts!" one roared.
Rin gasped. Obito stepped forward, hands already weaving seals. Kakashi drew his kunai with deadly calm.
I felt the system flare inside me.
[Combat Sub-Quest: Defend the Caravan]
Enemies: 6 Bandits
Objective: Protect civilians and cargo.
"Obito, fireball! Rin, guard the merchants! Kakashi—" I didn't even need to finish. He was already moving.
My clones flared into existence, rushing the nearest bandit. He cut through one with a crude blade, but the second distracted him long enough for me to strike with Quick Step, driving my kunai into his shoulder.
Obito roared, releasing a Fireball Jutsu that sent two men scrambling, clothes singed. Rin pushed the merchants behind the carts, forming a protective barrier with kunai in trembling hands.
Kakashi was a storm. His movements were sharp, efficient, every strike disabling rather than killing. Within moments, two more bandits were down.
But one slipped past, charging straight for the merchants.
"Not today!" I shouted, leaping in his path. He swung a club, the force rattling my arms as I blocked with kunai. The system screamed.
[Protective Instinct Activated: Defense +5%]
I held, just long enough for Obito's second fireball to smash into the man's chest, sending him sprawling.
The remaining bandits, seeing half their number down, fled into the trees with curses.
[Quest Update: Bandit Wave 1 Repelled]
EXP +150. Team Bond +2.
Campfire Tensions
That night, we camped by the road. The merchants muttered nervously, keeping their distance, while Rin tended to scratches on my arm.
"You took the hit well," she said softly. "But you need to be careful."
I smiled faintly. "Comes with the job."
Kakashi sat apart, sharpening his kunai. Obito stomped over to him, frustrated. "You think you're so much better, don't you? You barely let anyone else fight!"
Kakashi's gaze flicked up, icy. "If I hadn't, you'd be dead already."
Obito's face flushed. "Tch—!" He stormed away, kicking at the dirt.
The system chimed.
[Bond Divergence Detected: Kakashi – Obito Conflict]
Warning: Team synergy may suffer.
I frowned. If I didn't mediate soon, the rift would grow deeper.
Arrival at Tanzaku
The second day was quieter, though the tension between Kakashi and Obito simmered. Rin tried to keep the peace, but silence dominated most of the march.
Finally, the bustling lights of Tanzaku came into view. The merchants cheered, relief flooding their faces. They paid their respects quickly, shoving coin into Daichi-sensei's hands before scurrying off to safety.
[Quest Complete: C-Rank Escort – The Tanzaku Caravan]
Rewards: +500 EXP
System Upgrade Chance Unlocked.
Bond Points: Kakashi +2, Rin +2, Obito +1.
As we turned to leave, Daichi finally spoke. "You survived. That is step one. Step two is learning that survival means nothing if you cannot work as a team."
His gaze lingered on Kakashi and Obito, then shifted to me, sharp and measuring. "And you—you're too quick to carry weight that doesn't belong to you. Be wary, or it will crush you."
The words echoed in my chest as we started the long road back home.
And in the corner of my vision, the system glowed.
[System Upgrade Pending: Choose Path Next Chapter]
Author's Note
Hey everyone! 👋
This chapter was a huge turning point—the first time our MC and the team stepped outside the village walls for a real C-rank style mission. What was supposed to be a simple escort turned into a bloody test of survival.
Key highlights this chapter:
The team fought their first real enemies—bandits—not just classmates.
The MC's system perk Protective Instinct activated, showing its value in live combat.
Kakashi's precision, Obito's fiery determination, and Rin's quiet bravery all came out under pressure.
The merchants survived, but tension between Kakashi and Obito grew deeper.
The system teased something big: a pending upgrade path! 🔥
💬 Question for you all:
If you were the MC, which path would you hope for in the upcoming system upgrade—power-focused (combat), support-focused (team buffs), or balance-focused (a bit of both)?
Do you want the next chapter to dive straight into the system upgrade, or should we focus first on the growing rift between Kakashi and Obito?
Thanks again for reading and for all your support! Every comment, every thought—it fuels me to keep going. 🙏