Well this isn't what I was expecting.

"What we are going to do is a escort mission, a traveling merchant wants to travel inside the city without any damage to his wares, for that we are tasked to protect the cart from other people, stray explosion and other unknown variable. This is just a simple task that most trainee do alone to test their capabilities, but since this is your first I will also acompany you."

Alright, at least I get gist of this.

Since this city is full of maniacs that does whatever they likes, outsiders that wants to travel the city safely without getting hit by a stray bullet or explosion ask the church for help... The simple fact that it's neccesary and common enough that all trainee in the military does those kind of mission shouldn't be something to be proud of, but well I'm not here to tell them how to manage their city...

"That's all ? If it's just that it's mostly going to be us walking around, people may like to test their weapon and arts in the streets but no one is dumb enough to attack a cart, nor did I ever heard about some shop being damaged by strays..."

"It's more common than you think, I could give you a number, but that wouldn't represent the situation correctly considering we, the millitary, take care of most of those incident."

"? As in, you hides those ? Or more like you stoped most and don't talk about those ?"

"The latter, hiding them would be nearly impossible, we would need to buy out the silence of the merchants for that, and that's something againts the law."

? Oh yeah, the commandements. I'm guessing thats a sin or something.

"How is he transporting all of those goods in the city ?"

"If I remeber correctly, he is using a truck, since it's decently big we're taking the main roads."

"Alright."

...

We're here, and yeah I doubt it would be possible to move it in the smaller roads.

The merchant and Andoain are speaking with each other about something, probably the details of the mission, as for me, I'm directly on duty ! So I'm protecting it right now. Nothing to really do in reality, it's just standing in front of the truck and waiting for them to finish so we can move out.

"Dante, we are done talking, I'll explain the full details while we move, so follow me."

"Got it."

"Our goal is to allow him safe passage outside the walls, so we are to protect him until he leave the city. We shall take the main road out, because of this it's the most dangerous way, since it's where most people are."

After a small while, the trucks start moving.

"Well then, let's go."

After a couple of hour we reached the half way point.

? A couple of hour is a lot for a single city ? How did I manage to follow the truck on foot ?

It's simple really, this is the capital city of Laterano, there is a lot of people going on these roads, because of that the trafic is a nightmare...

Well it could be worse, in all honnesty the main reason why it took a couple of hours is, once again, this city is freaking huge.

We were in the center of the city, (That guy must be loaded to get a spot there) and we're going to the city walls, so of course it'll take a while.

Nothing intersting really happened, well, execept that bullet that almost hit the truck, but Andoain block it before I could really move.

He seems to be really good at this, unsurprisingly.

The guy was trying out his aim and failed miserably, he was appologizing to us for 20 minutes straight.

So yeah, apart from that, nothing really intesting yet.

But well, this is a isekai, so I'm waiting for the bad luck to come bite me in the ass.

...

Speaking of which...

It seems like that guy got some ennemy he didn't talk to us about.

How many ...? I'm pretty sure there's about 15 of them.

That I can see at least.

They've been following us since the half way point.

It's been what, 40 minutes since then ?

I couldn't see them all at first but they needed to follow us, so I caught glimpses of them.

Andoain saw them too, I'm sure of it, so I'm waiting for his signal to do something about it.

Probably waiting for them to do something to us so we can justify attacking them.

None of them are sankta, and suprisingly, they aren't liberi either.

They're Lupo.

What the hell are they doing here ?

I don't know, and neither does Andoain from his expression.

Seems like the merchant really didn't tell him anything about that.

"... Dante, if they try anything, you are legaly allowed to shoot back. Shoot to incapacitate firstly, if it's not possible, shoot to kill."

Well that escalated quickly.

"I'll have a talk to the merchant for now, keep an eye out, I'll be back in a minute or two."

? Wait, are you using me as bait to make them move ?

When the big boss is hiding they are going to come at me all at once, you know that right ?!

Well this is fine I guess.

I'll just use rubber bullets and aim at all of theirs heads.

Easier for me and non-lethal !

Kinda.

This gun still pack a punch, if I hit their eye they'll still die.

How do I know this ? The rubber bullet I shot back in the shooting range pierced through wood.

? You thought those we're real bullets ?

Why would they give trainee real bullets when we can use safer way ?

This was why they were mostly surprised ? Ehhh, maybe ?

Who knows ?

Let's just shoot them down, waiting for them to get the drop on me is boring.

? Oh ?

Pulling out my gun made them fidgety.

They still seem to think I didn't see them.

? Those are hand signs.

Getting ready to come at me eh ? Well then !

Come at me all at once !

*BANG* *BANG* *BANG*

Oh my, weren't ready for this were you ?

My shot hit their foreheads, the three that came at me immediatly.

Seems like they wanted to see what I could do.

Hope they weren't disapointed !

I aim to please after all !

The other seems to get ready, they probably find out by the groans of pain that those are non leathal bullets and want to overwhelm me with number so I can't stop them.

Not a bad strategy really, since they don't seem to have caster or ranged form of attack.

In a city full of gun user.

... Yeah those guys are not the sharpest tools in the shed.

*BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG*

Five shot, five heads.

Well, more like foreheads.

"Urgh, what the hell ?! Since when did that guy hire such competent marksman ?"

"You guys are trying to run towards someone with a gun, not the smartest plan..."

Let's reload real quick...

"Now guys !"

? Oh, that's what they were aiming at ? Since they think I can't do anything without my gun.

Well they're mostly right.

*THUNK*

"?"

Yeah, remeber ? I can use this aimbot without my gun.

I just have to flick a rubber bullet and just like that, head shot.

Since he droped on me from the building behind me, this is enough to make them mess up their landing.

As for the other 2...

*THUNK* *THUNK*

Both hit, nice.

There should be 3 more.

"W-what the hell, who is this guy ?! Hiting someone from a 100 meters with a rubber bullet by flicking it ?"

"You guys are lucky my superior is using me as bait to smoke you out, if he was there you guys wouldn't even have a chance to flee."

"You think a kid scares us ?"

Wow they are getting up.

Well I had the time to reload.

*BANG**BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG*

"Urgh, what the fu-"

*BANG*

Well, for the last one, the one I assume is their leader, he got his bullet somewhere he wouldn't want it to be.

"ARGH WHY HERE !"

You probably guessed where, so we'll move on.

"Could the last 3 of you guys give up ? It'll be faster for me, and less painful for you guys."

"..."

Oh.

Oh, this could be bad.

I couldn't see it at first but they do have a caster.

I shoul-

*Sizzle*

Damnit, didn't see that flame...

"Boss ! We're sorry..."

"Don't bother, you guys are getting a serious beating once we're back at base."

"Y-yes sir..."

? So this guy was their boss.

Well, this is going to be annoying...

When is Andoain going to come back !

The multiple shot I fired from my gun should have been enough to make him move.

The art this guy fired should have been even more obvious.

Well then, I guess it's a 1 on 1.

Now to put out the fire on my coat...

"I wouldn't have thought that shitty merchant to have such a young marksman within his ranks. You shouldn't have taken this job offer."

"? Job offer ? This has been given to the Pontifica Cohors you know ?"

"? What, you're not from that guys company ?"

"No, this is simply an escort mission, from his shop to the walls of the city."

"So he baited us with you guys huh."

"Seems like it."

"Kid, you should leave, I'll overlook what you just did to my men. Clearly they are not ready for missions if a child can defeat them. Don't try to get into our way and you'll be fine."

"Sadly that's not exactly possible right now. I, just like you, got a mission to do."

"That's a shame. Plucking such a talented child is going to wound my heart."

"Spare me the theatrics."

"? Intersting, I wonder what happened in your life for you to mature this quickly in a city like this. Most kid here remain as such until they get a nasty reality check, and leave those marbled walls."

"Who knows."

God damn it, can he be any slower ?

My staling isn't going to last forever Andoain, this is supposed to be a team mission damnit !

"Very well then, let us end this."

"Alright then."

The fight between Dante and the mysterious Lupo started with a staredown.

Both knowing the first move could give his opponent an advantage.

The lupo started to charge his arts in secret, knowing the longer he takes, the more likely reinforcement would be to arrive.

*BANG**BANG*

The lupo thought Dante wouldn't fire first and got a nasty surprise, while he swiftly evaded the first shot, the second hit him on his left arm, making it sore.

He noted that those bullets were still rubber, and that if push come to worse, he could lauch an all out attack and endure the pain those bullet would give.

Then, he threw his flames at the foot of Dante, trying to force him into the air to land a fireball on him.

Dante surprisingly rolled to the side instead.

Not discouraged by this dodge, he still fired a fireball toward him, trying to get him while he was in the proces of getting up from said roll.

*BANG*

A bullet graze his cheek, and dispelled the fireball.

A perfect shot from a position he shouldn't even be able to fire his gun from, using the recoil of said gun to reposition himself further back.

'This fight is going to be more difficult than I thought' The lupo imagined that this fight wouldn't last more than a minute. That Dante wouldn't be able to dodge the second hit with how panicked he was in the face of his arts right before.

Oh how wrong he was.

*BANG* *BANG* *BANG*

Three consecutive shot aimed at very specific spot, right shoulder, left hip and forehead.

All hit perfectly without the lupo being able to move.

After all, Dante shot him from just about a meter.

The lupo decided that since he couldn't bear to hold it any longer, he'll just fire the art he was charging since the begining of the fight.

*BOOOOOM*

A huge explosion taking in it both him and Dante, who wasn't that far from him.

Out of the smoke came a bruised Dante, and a pretty beat up lupo.

He protected himself the best that he could with art, as for Dante, he understood what the man was aiming for and used his coat and gun to lessen the damage.

The fight seemed over, but the lupo tried to fire more fireball at Dante, to try and finish him of.

Until a bright light which spanned the entire area made itself known.

Then,

*BANG*

A single shot to the head killing the lupo instantly.

"..."

"You're really late, you know that ?"

"... I know."

"Did you seriously not hear what the hell was happening outside since the shots ?"

"... I know."

"Stop saying 'I know' and answer me."

"The merchant was a lot less cooperative then I thought."

"How so ?"

"I found out he had flew from Siracusa and tried to redo his life here, but he owned a lot of money to one of the, at the time, small mafia. This same mafia became a lot larger with time, and it ended up with them launching a attack on him here. He caught wind of this so he ask for our help."

"While just saying that it was an average escort mission... Damn it."

"Sorry about that, this merchant was someone that lived here for a couple of decades now, nobody would have guessed that he would have ties to the mafia."

"Could you just help me get some healing ? And another coat to hide my horns..."

"Yeah, let me find that for you."

Damn it, I would have guess that the famous bad luck of the protaganist would befall me, but not only is that too soon, it was againt's a caster...

A lupo caster huh, never would have guessed it. Lupos aren't well known for their arts talent...

Usually they would need to be...

Oh shit.

"Andoain ! He's infected !"

"?"

Yeah it took him a second to get what I was trying to say.

"I'll call a disposal squad, thanks for reminding me, I normally would ask you to rest with your wounds but I need you to make the citizen vacate this areas so that nobody can get infected by the corpse. As for the remaing lupo, most of them were incapacitated by the blast of the explosion, they shouldn't wake up before reinforcement arrive."

"Yeah, alright..."

Well, this could have been a worse first mission I guess...