DanMachi: Cheat? What's a Cheat?

Chapter 20 – Strategy and Instinct part 1

Six goblins.

Three in front, two on the sides, one more sneaking up from behind... I thought it was being clever, but clearly not clever enough to beat someone who's lived way too carefully for way too long.

My hands were already sweaty from the moment I stepped into their range.

Even though I fought goblins yesterday, I'm still nervous as hell.

How could I not be? This is six goblins - one moment of carelessness and I might already be in a completely different realm.

A narrow gap that's pretty deep and dark, the perfect place for a massacre... or a trap.

Depends on who's luckier today.

I squinted my eyes.

Making sure of each green creature's position while hoping they don't have some backup plan smarter than just "attack and hope the human dies."

Humid air and the smell of old blood filled my nostrils, pumping adrenaline through my blood vessels.

A familiar scent, like a mix between a damp basement and a butcher shop that forgot to clean up.

Absolutely charming.

First step: fast, precise, brutal. And hopefully not embarrassing.

I lunged forward.

No need for heroic shouts like some cheap novel protagonist.

No need for cool poses that'd end with me tripping over my own feet.

My sword sliced from bottom to top, cutting the front goblin's neck in one smooth motion I'd practiced so many times the dogs in my village were sick of watching it.

Blood splattered artistically.

If this were a movie, it'd definitely get an R rating, but I was already moving before its body started turning to ash.

The two goblins on the left reacted with the speed of a snail on a diet.

Diet snail?

What kind of words are those? Even novel writers don't write trivial stuff like that.

But luckily I'm faster than that snail.

Their movements were as predictable as a cheap action movie plot.

One swung a wooden club - looked like a tree branch they somehow brought into the Dungeon.

Maybe for decoration or they're actually into gardening.

But before his hit could land, I'd already spun to the side gracefully like a ballet dancer avoiding harsh criticism.

Using the falling goblin's body as a temporary shield was a brilliant idea that came spontaneously.

That club hit smacked his own buddy's head with a satisfying "thunk" sound.

Friendly fire in real life turns out to be just as ridiculous as in video games.

"Thanks for the teamwork," I mumbled politely to the corpse that was already turning to ash.

One more slash. Two dead. And I'm starting to feel like a real adventurer.

Even though I fought goblins yesterday.

But obviously yesterday was pretty rough.

After all, when someone fights for the first time, it's hard to stay calm.

Now with the experience I got yesterday, I can face these goblins a little more calmly.

Three left.

I took a short breath, quickly checking my body's condition.

My breathing's still stable, muscles aren't complaining too hard yet, and most importantly: I still have energy.

I gotta maintain this rhythm if I want to survive long-term without ending up as monster snacks.

My main strategy today's as simple as instant noodle recipes: kill fast, save stamina, go home alive and meet the goddess.

Vital targets: head and neck.

If they don't get a chance to attack, I don't have to go through the trouble of defending or acting like a wounded but still cool hero.

I turned and thrust my leg out - a flat kick to the stomach of the goblin trying to sneak up from behind with the stealth skills of an elephant in a raincoat.

He flew back elegantly, smashing into the stone wall and staggering like a drunk person.

When he was about to get up with admirable spirit, I smashed his skull with my sword hilt.

Efficient and not wasting energy on unnecessary movements.

Crack.

His bone broke with a convincing sound that warmed my heart.

A sound that said "good job, nothing's gonna bother you anymore."

Two left.

These two goblins are clearly stupid - I just beat up their friend.

But they just watched.

Do they have some personal grudge?

Looking at the two remaining goblins.

One of them backed away wisely, but didn't run like a sane person would.

Goblins aren't smart, but clever enough to know when to wait and when to attack together... like a clearance sale strategy, everything's gotta come out at once.

They rushed together with surprisingly good coordination.

One from the right with claws raised, another from the front with blazing eyes.

Two attack directions, one target that looks delicious.

I didn't move, pretending to freeze in fear. Or maybe I actually was a little frozen in fear, but that's an unimportant detail.

One second. Two seconds. My heart's beating like a drummer having a tantrum.

Now!

I ducked with a movement I'd trained thousands of times, dodging the first claw swipe that passed right over my head with just enough distance to make my hair sway romantically.

Then shifted left, letting the second attack politely miss my ear.

Those goblins were now too close to each other, like two people who wore the wrong costume to the same party.

Good.

Exactly what I hoped for.

Slash one with a clean horizontal movement.

Stab the other with the same momentum.

Efficiency is the key to success in the monster-killing business.

Done.

I stood up, sword dripping blood before those bodies crumbled to ash with pretty dramatic visual effects. Magic stones fell one by one like mini diamond rain.

I picked them up quickly and methodically, stuffing them into the cloth bag that was starting to feel heavy at my waist like a rich person's wallet.

My hands trembled slightly.

Not from fear - I already passed the "scared enough to piss myself" phase back in the village.

But because there's this weird feeling flowing through my blood vessels.

Joy.

I'm alive.

They're dead.

Simple math with satisfying results.

And for the first time since arriving in this world, I feel like I actually belong here.

Not some confused stranger anymore, but a predator starting to find his place in the food chain.