DanMachi: Cheat? What's a Cheat?

Chapter 37 – Chaos

While walking toward the dungeon, I started hearing weird sounds from the direction I was heading.

Sounds of screaming, yelling, and...

fighting?

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!" someone screamed.

"THAT'S MY GOBLIN I SAW IT FIRST!"

"WHERE'S THE PROOF?! I'VE BEEN READY SINCE EARLIER!"

"JUST SPLIT IT!"

"SPLIT YOUR HEAD!"

"COME ON IF YOU DARE!"

"YOU COME ON TOO!"

Those sounds got louder as I approached the dungeon entrance.

"Excuse me, excuse me," I said while slipping through the crowd gathered around the area.

The problem was, with a spear on my back, "slipping" became really difficult.

I had to walk sideways like a crab so I wouldn't hit people.

"Sorry, please move a little," I said to a man blocking my way.

"Huh? Wanna pass using a spear and all— OW!"

My spear tip accidentally bumped his head when I turned around.

"Sorry, sorry! I didn't mean to!" I said while bowing.

Fortunately, that guy was understanding so he didn't get mad at me.

Especially after knowing I apologized sincerely.

The sight I saw after successfully getting through the crowd made me stunned.

Shit, what the hell is this?

Battle royal gladiator?

In front of the dungeon entrance, dozens of beginner adventurers were involved in a mass brawl.

Hard to tell who was enemy and who was friend because they were all beating each other up without clear rules.

"YOU BASTARD! GIVE BACK MY MAGIC STONE!"

"THAT MAGIC STONE IS MINE! I KILLED THAT KOBOLD!"

"HEY! LET GO OF MY HAIR!"

"YOU LET GO OF MY LEG FIRST!"

"THAT GOBLIN IS MINE!"

"THE KOBOLD FROM EARLIER IS MINE TOO!"

"I ALREADY SAID SPLIT IT!"

"SPLIT YOUR FOREHEAD!"

I tapped the shoulder of an adventurer next to me who was watching with a happy expression.

Clearly he was enjoying watching this show.

"Excuse me, what's going on?" I asked.

Trying to suppress my shock.

"Ah, you're the one who complained to the guild yesterday?" that adventurer answered while glancing at my spear.

"This is because of the monster shortage on floor 1."

"Monster shortage?"

"Yeah, for the past few days floor 1 has often been empty. Today we came early and there were indeed some monsters, but the numbers were limited. So all the adventurers started fighting over them."

An adventurer who wasn't involved in the fight came over to explain the situation to me.

"For the past few days, floor 1 has often been empty of monsters. Beginner adventurers like us have been having trouble making money."

"Today we came a bit earlier, around 5 AM. Turns out there were some goblins and kobolds left."

"But because the numbers were few, everyone started fighting over them. So it became like this."

I nodded slowly.

I could understand they were short on money.

So when they found monsters they got pumped up like they were injected with chicken blood.

Until monsters couldn't match the number of adventurers.

"So they're fighting because they're fighting over monsters?" One of the men asked the guy who spoke earlier.

"Not just that," answered another adventurer who heard our conversation.

"Because it's been hard to get monsters all this time, as soon as there were a few, everyone became like starving people fighting over the last food."

"Their emotions were already too high," added the first one.

"Days of frustration exploded today."

I swallowed hard.

It'd be dangerous if they found out I was the one clearing the monsters. Wouldn't I become the target of these adventurers?

While thinking, suddenly...

"Hey, but why are you carrying a spear?" asked the second adventurer.

"Usually beginner adventurers use swords."

"I'm a spear user," I answered briefly.

"Be careful, spears are hard to use in narrow dungeons. Especially if—"

"ENOUGH!" a very loud voice shouted from the guild direction.

A group of uniformed adventurers with elephant emblems approached the fighting area.

Ganesha Familia.

"ALL OF YOU DISPERSE NOW!" their captain commanded with a booming voice.

"OR WE'LL ARREST YOU FOR DISTURBING THE PEACE!"

"And damaging Orario's image as a civilized adventurer city!" added another member.

The adventurers involved in the fight slowly stopped and started separating, though they still glared at each other cynically.

Some even made promises like they were gonna fight again somewhere else.

"You guys," grumbled one of the Ganesha Familia members.

"Embarrassing!"

"Alright, everyone disperse! Nothing to see here!" continued another Ganesha Familia member.

Because Ganesha Familia was here, the crowd of onlookers also started to scatter.

I took this opportunity to sneak into the dungeon without being seen.

Fortunately they didn't notice me.

However, people like me are common in Orario.

After passing the entrance and going down some stairs, I headed directly to floor 2.

Floor 1 still looked messy with traces of fighting in several places.

As soon as I arrived on floor 2, the familiar green figure immediately appeared from behind a wall.

Gob.

But the expression on his face... wasn't happy.

He was looking at me with a gaze that clearly showed dissatisfaction. His arms were crossed over his chest, his body posture showing "I'm not happy."

Usually he'd greet me enthusiastically, but now he was like a wife who's upset because her husband came home late.

"Sorry, Gob," I said while raising my hands.

"I overslept today."

He made a gesture showing "you usually come at dawn like a ghost, why are you now coming like a normal person?"

"I slept too well," I explained while making sleeping gestures.

He nodded sarcastically, then made a gesture showing "good excuse."

"Hey, don't be like that. I'm human, I need rest too."

Gob rolled his eyes, then made a gesture showing "humans are weak."

"Weak?!" I felt offended.

"I'm not weak!"

He made a gesture showing "prove it."

"Alright, I'll prove it!" I grabbed my spear.

Ready to stab anytime.

Gob looked at me with a sarcastic expression "I knew you were weak" then noticed the spear on my back.

He pointed at the spear and made a questioning gesture.

I was confused about attacking but still explained.

"Oh, this?" I patted the spear on my back.

"New weapon. First time using it."

Gob's eyes sparkled. He made a gesture showing "can I see?"

"Sure," I said while taking the spear off my back.

Gob examined the spear carefully, like an expert evaluating a work of art.

Then he made a gesture showing "good, but you're not used to using it yet."

Why are you making that expression?

Do you want my spear?

I prayed this goblin wouldn't be interested.

Maybe my expression became like a pumpkin head, making Gob laugh (or at least look like it) and make a gesture showing "what's wrong with your face?"

I felt really angry, but my face didn't show it.

This goblin really likes hitting me. Strong or not, his punches depend on his mood.

But then I remembered something important.

"Wait, Gob. I need to tell you something."

I started making the sign gestures we'd developed all this time.

I pointed upward, then made a high sun gesture, then pointed to myself.

"Starting today, I might come a bit late. Not at dawn anymore."

Gob tilted his head in confusion.

"So from now on you'll keep coming in the afternoon?" he asked through gestures.

I thought for a moment. Honestly, I felt healthy sleep patterns were more important than coming at dawn.

"Maybe," I said while making a gesture showing "sometimes."

Gob made a dissatisfied expression (or at least looked like it) and made a gesture showing "Huh! Fine then."

"Thank you, Gob," I said awkwardly.

He nodded, then made a gesture showing "let's find an empty place to practice. You need to learn to use that spear."

My face was a bit shocked.

Wait, why are you so eager to spar?

Seems like this goblin's mood was really bad.

Shit, because you're not happy you're gonna beat me up.

Wait until I become strong in the future, it won't be too late for me to get revenge.

We both started walking toward a deeper area, avoiding other adventurers who might still be emotional because of the earlier incident.

After walking far enough and passing several floors, we arrived at floor 5.

In a fairly spacious and empty area, we both stopped.

Gob turned to face me and made the very familiar gesture.

The gesture showing "time for warm-up sparring."

I drew my short sword from my waist and prepared in fighting position.

"Wait," I said while staring at the spear in that goblin's hands.

"I want to try using the spear first."

Gob nodded and made a gesture showing "fine, but don't blame me if you have trouble."

Catching the spear that was thrown, I gripped the spear with my right hand and the short sword in my left hand.

And prepared in fighting position.

This was my first time using a spear in combat.

Hope it won't be embarrassing.

Gob also prepared in his characteristic combat position.

On the empty floor 5, we stood facing each other.

As usual, before hunting monsters, we'd do sparring as a warm-up.

No, more precisely because this goblin's mood was so bad.

But this time with a new weapon I'd never used in combat.

And as usual, I prepared to get beaten up repeatedly by this "teacher."

But this time maybe I'd also be stabbing the air with my spear.

I hoped this spear would directly defeat this damn goblin with one thrust.