DanMachi: Cheat? What's a Cheat?

Chapter 1: Heading to the Center of the World

Orario.

The city of dreams. The city of hope. The city full of monsters, gods, and—don't forget—opportunities to die tragically in various dramatic poses.

And that's where I'm headed.

The sky above looks like it's made of liquid silver, shimmering beautifully but giving no shade from the heat that's been burning the back of my neck since morning.

The dirt road I'm walking on feels longer than usual, even though the scenery is... well, the same old stuff: grass, rocks, and occasionally some wild lizard staring at me like it's saying, "Why you walking, dude?"

My name? Hm. I guess... I'm still not totally sure which name I should use. In the old world, I had a name, obviously. But now I mostly call myself Kaen. Simple, easy to remember, and kinda cool—at least I think so. Besides, who's gonna have a problem with that? Gods?

...Oh. Right. This is Danmachi. Maybe they would.

It's been seven years since I woke up in this world. I was only ten back then, and I woke up in some small village near the southern border. My memories came like rain that starts as a drizzle, then suddenly turns into a storm. This world, the familias, the dungeon, Orario... it all just popped into my head. I knew this wasn't just some weird dream. This was reality. That world.

It took time, honestly. The first week was just spent crying, missing the internet, and punching trees while screaming "why me?" like some anime character who failed an audition.

But after that—something inside me changed. Maybe because living in this world means one thing: survival.

And survival, turns out, means you gotta be strong.

I started training my body every day. Morning, noon, night. Swinging wooden swords till my palms bled, running around hills till I passed out, lifting big rocks like some desperate neanderthal. I even tried punching a cow once. The result? I apologized to that cow for two whole weeks.

But all that shaped me.

My body's more than enough for an ordinary guy now. My muscles aren't flashy, but they're solid. My skin's a bit sun-burned, my brown hair's messy but still looks... cool? I mean, maybe. At least the village kids said so. My eyes are brown too, look pretty normal, but I think there's this "I know something you don't know" glint in them. Whether that's a plus or minus depends on who's judging.

And today... today I'm walking toward the center of the world: Orario.

---

As soon as the city gates came into view from a distance, I stopped for a moment. Not because I'm tired—even though these legs are having a debate with my tongue about the definition of "not tired." But because that sight...

...was incredible.

Orario rises like a dream built with stone and magic. The city walls are tall, solid, decorated with symbols I don't even know the meaning of. But above it all—floating, defying the sky, defying logic—is Babel.

That giant tower stands in the center of the city, so tall its peak touches the clouds. And I know, beneath it, lies the craziest place in this entire world: the Dungeon.

I take a deep breath.

"Well, Kaen," I mutter while dusting off my pants. "If you die later, make sure your corpse pose is cool. At least one hand pointing to the sky."

My steps get faster as I approach the gate. A few guards stand around with spears and I-don't-wanna-chat-with-poor-people expressions. But they let me in after I show them my permit from the village, official stamp, and—of course—the sweetest smile I can manage.

"Oh, nice boy face, huh?" says one of the guards with a suspicious tone.

"That's what people usually say," I reply while keep smiling. "But usually before I steal some widow's underwear."

He doesn't laugh.

Personal note: don't joke with gate guards.

---

Once inside, I'm greeted by the hustle and bustle of city life.

The smell of warm bread mixed with the aroma of sweat, metal, and... something that might be horse shit. The sound of merchants shouting, kids running around, adventurers in shining armor passing by while laughing—it all blends into one symphony that somehow feels alive.

I walk toward the building I'm aiming for: the Guild.

The place where adventurers start everything. The place where dreams are born and... well, also where dreams die. Depends on how you fill out the forms.

The guild building looks elegant. Gray stone, big windows, and a wooden plaque that says "GUILD" like it's reminding us all that "Yeah, you're in the right place, kid."

I go inside and I'm immediately greeted by cool air from within. Some kind of magic air conditioning? Who knows. But I immediately wanna hug the floor.

Behind the front desk stands a young woman with light brown hair tied up neatly. Her eyes are emerald green, shining softly but sharp—like a patient teacher who could explode if your homework's been empty for two weeks.

I know who she is. Eina Tulle.

In the world of Danmachi, she's a kind-hearted guild advisor, half-elf race, and... a little too worried for someone who's never been in the dungeon. But she's also the most reliable person around.

I approach while taking a breath, calming myself down.

"Good morning," I greet, trying to sound calm and not like a fanboy.

She nods politely. "Welcome to the Guild. Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Yeah. I want to register as an adventurer. I just arrived in Orario."

She looks me over from top to bottom for a moment. I'm sure my facial expression is like a cat pretending to be cool but actually tense as hell.

"Name?" she asks while starting to write.

"Kaen," I answer. "Don't have a familia yet."

"Alright, Kaen." She smiles. "Since you don't have a god overseeing you yet, you need to submit a request to one of the Familias. We have a list you can take and consider."

She takes a long sheet of paper from inside a drawer, then hands it to me. My eyes quickly scan the list: Loki Familia, Hephaestus, Hestia, Miach, Ganesha... and many more.

"If I may ask," I say quietly, "usually... do they accept just anyone?"

Eina looks at me seriously, but still gently. "Not all Familias are open to accepting new adventurers. Some are very selective. But... there are also those who actively seek new members. It all depends on each god's decision."

I nod, trying to hide the fact that I already know all this. But part of me feels weird—even though I know the direction of the story, I still don't know where I'll be accepted. This world could change.

She then says, "You can come back tomorrow and let us know which Familias you've visited. If you haven't been accepted yet, we can help find alternatives."

"Alright," I reply, then stand up. "Thank you, Eina-san."

She looks at me for a moment. "You know my name?"

Oops.

"Ah... I heard it from the gate guard earlier," I answer quickly.

She forgot that there's a name tag on Eina's chest.

She looks a bit suspicious but doesn't discuss it further. "Be careful out there, Kaen. The adventurer's world... isn't like fairy tales."

I smile while walking out. "Then I'll be the one writing the fairy tale."

With light steps—which is more from nervousness than being cool—I step out of the Guild. In my hand, the letter containing the Familia list feels like a ticket to the future... or a death pit.

But at least I'm here now.

In Orario. In the place where everything begins.