I Got Reincarnated in Danmachi But Got No Cheats?!

Chapter 1 - Heading to the Center of the World

Orario.

City of dreams.

City of hope.

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, shining beautifully but not giving any 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's still monotonous: grass, rocks, and occasionally a wild lizard that stares at me with an expression that says "Seriously, you don't have a horse?"

My name?

Hmm. I guess... I'm not too sure which name I should use.

In the old world, I had a name, obviously.

But now I call myself Kaen more often.

Simple, easy to remember, and kinda cool. At least I think so.

Besides, who's gonna make a big deal about it?

Gods? Oh. Yeah. This is Danmachi.

Maybe they will.

It's been seven years since I woke up in this world.

Back then I was only ten years old, and I woke up in a small village near the southern border.

My memories came like rain that starts as a drizzle, then suddenly becomes 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 an anime character who failed an audition.

But after that, something inside me changed.

Maybe because living in this world means one thing: survive. And surviving, it turns out, means you gotta be strong.

I started training my body every day.

Morning, afternoon, night.

Swinging wooden swords until my palms bled, running around hills until I passed out, lifting big rocks like a neanderthal having a breakdown.

I even tried punching a cow once. The result? I apologized to that cow for two straight weeks while bringing it the best grass as an apology.

But all that shaped me.

My body's more than enough for an ordinary young man now.

My muscles aren't flashy, but they're tight. 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

My eyes are brown too, look ordinary, but I think there's a glint of "I know something you don't know" in there.

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.

When the city gates come into view from a distance, I stop for a moment.

Not because I'm tired, even though these legs are starting to protest in language that's not appropriate to say out loud.

But because that view... it's incredible.

Orario towers like a dream built with stone and magic.

Its city walls are high, solid, decorated with symbols I don't even know the meaning of.

But above it all. floating, challenging the sky, challenging 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 while dusting off my pants.

"Well, Kaen," I mutter to myself.

"If you die later, make sure your corpse's pose is cool. At least one hand pointing to the sky."

My steps get faster as I approach the gate.

A few guards stand with spears and facial expressions that universally mean "I'm-paid-to-stand-here-not-to-be-friendly."

But they let me in after some standard checks.

I went through all the checks with the sweetest smile I could make.

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

"People usually say that," I reply while keep smiling.

"Usually before I borrow something without permission."

He stares at me even more suspiciously. "Borrow what?"

"Your time, sir. Like right now."

He doesn't laugh, but I see the corner of his mouth move slightly.

Small progress.

Once inside, I'm greeted by the hustle and bustle of city life that's so different from the small village where I lived.

The smell of warm bread mixed with the aroma of sweat, metal, and... something that could be horse dung but I choose not to investigate further.

The sound of merchants shouting, kids running, adventurers in shiny armor passing by while laughing.

It all blends into one symphony that weirdly 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 in a way that tries not to look snobbish.

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 the cool air from within.

Some kind of magic air conditioning?

I dunno.

But I immediately want to hug the floor as a thank you.

Behind the front desk, stands a young woman with light brown hair tied 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 Danmachi world, she's a kind guild advisor, half-elf race, and... a little too worried for someone who's never entered the dungeon.

But she's also the most reliable person to not let you die stupidly.

I approach while taking a breath, calming myself and hoping I don't look like someone who just walked for days under the blazing sun.

"Good morning," I greet, trying to sound calm and not like a fanboy who just met his idol.

She nods politely with a warm professional smile.

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

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

She checks me out briefly from top to bottom, probably judging whether I'm serious or just a tourist in the wrong place.

I'm sure my facial expression looks like a cat pretending to be cool but actually scared half to death.

"Name?" she asks while starting to write with efficient movements.

"Kaen," I answer.

"Don't have a familia yet."

"Alright, Kaen." She smiles.

"Since you don't have a god backing you yet, you need to apply 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.

Like looking at a restaurant menu with too many choices.

"If I may ask," I say quietly,

"usually... do they accept just anyone? Or is there some kind of job interview involving a dance test?"

Eina looks at me with a slightly confused expression at my last question.

"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. And... no, there's usually no dance test."

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, and I can only hope it doesn't change in a worse direction.

"You can come back tomorrow and tell us which Familia you've visited," she continues.

"If you haven't been accepted, we can help find alternatives."

"Alright," I answer, then stand up.

"Thank you, Eina-san."

She looks at me for a moment with a slightly surprised expression.

"You know my name?"

Oops.

"Ah... I saw it from the name tag on your chest earlier," I quickly answer while pointing to the small name tag on her uniform.

She looks down briefly at her own name tag, then smiles slightly.

"Ah, right. Sometimes I forget I'm wearing this myself. It's like it's become part of the uniform."

I smile in relief. "Thank you so much, Eina-san."

"Be careful out there, Kaen. The adventurer world... isn't like fairy tales," she says with a slightly worried tone.

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

With light steps, which are 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.

In Orario. In the place where everything starts, and hopefully doesn't end too quickly.