Kazuma had been walking for a full day since leaving Palestra village. The familiar mountain foothills gradually transformed into vast grasslands with a more defined path. According to the map given by the Village Chief, he should arrive at a major intersection by late afternoon, where merchant routes converged and caravans often gathered before continuing their journey.
"Hmm, I should have seen that intersection by now," Kazuma muttered while examining the map. The sun was leaning westward, indicating the advancing afternoon.
After walking for about another half hour, Kazuma finally spotted a three-way junction with several merchant tents and parked wagons. There were about five different merchant carts and dozens of people moving around them.
"Finally," he sighed with relief. This was his first opportunity to join a caravan headed for Orario. Traveling alone on open roads could be quite dangerous due to wild monsters that occasionally attacked travelers.
As Kazuma approached the camping area, he noticed a tense atmosphere. The merchants and their guards appeared vigilant, some even holding weapons at the ready. Something was happening.
"Excuse me," Kazuma greeted a man who looked like a guard. "What's going on?"
The man turned, examining Kazuma from top to bottom with skepticism. "Who are you, young man?"
"Kazuma Shinrai from Palestra village. I'm traveling to Orario."
"Palestra? That hunters' village at the foot of the mountains?" The man lowered his guard slightly. "Are you a hunter too?"
Kazuma nodded, showing the Crimson Fang gripped in his hand. "I can handle myself. Is there a problem here?"
The man sighed. "A caravan from the east just arrived with bad news. All along the route to Orario, there's a group of wild monsters attacking merchants. Not a usual occurrence—they're too numerous and organized."
"Organized monsters?" Kazuma frowned. From his memories of the DanMachi world, wild monsters outside the Dungeon typically acted on instinct, not in large organized groups.
"Yes, strange indeed. Some people suspect there's someone behind all this," the man explained. "Our caravan will depart for Orario tomorrow morning, but with a slightly different route. You can join if you want, but you'll have to help if there's an attack."
"Of course," Kazuma replied quickly. This was the perfect opportunity for him. "I'll help as much as I can."
The man nodded. "Good. I'm Dorvan, head of security for the Montrose caravan. You can set up your tent in that area," he pointed to an empty space near the campfire.
---
That night, Kazuma sat with the guards and several merchants around the campfire. They shared food and stories, mostly about the city of Orario and adventures in the Dungeon.
"So, young man, what makes you want to go to Orario?" asked an old merchant named Merton.
"I want to become an adventurer," Kazuma answered while eating the roasted venison that was shared with him. "Enter the Dungeon, join a Familia, and become strong."
Some guards laughed at his direct and confident answer.
"Which Familia are you aiming for?" asked a female guard named Talia.
Kazuma paused for a moment. He knew a lot about the major Familias in Orario from his previous life, but he also knew that Familias like Loki or Freya would be difficult for newcomers to enter. Besides, he had his own plans.
"I'm not sure, I'll see which Familia suits me," Kazuma answered diplomatically.
"You know," Dorvan spoke up, "it's not that easy to get a Familia. Many gods only want talented people or those with extraordinary potential."
"Oh, I'm sure there will be a god interested in me," Kazuma grinned confidently. "I'm not an ordinary fighter."
"Heh, cocky kid," commented one of the guards, but in a joking tone.
"Speaking of abilities," said Talia, "I noticed your spear. Are you a spear fighter?"
Kazuma nodded, raising Crimson Fang proudly. "I was undefeated in my village."
"The village and Orario are two different worlds, young man," said Merton seriously. "In Orario, you'll meet Level 2, 3, even Level 5 or 6 adventurers. And the monsters in the Dungeon are far more dangerous than ordinary wild monsters."
"I know," Kazuma replied, this time in a more serious tone. "But that doesn't change my resolve. I will become strong, no matter what."
Dorvan patted Kazuma's shoulder. "That's the attitude you need in Orario. But remember, strength isn't everything. You also need intelligence and the ability to work with others." He picked up a twig and began drawing in the dirt. "This is about Status and Skills."
Kazuma looked with interest as Dorvan drew symbols that he recognized as adventurer status attributes: Strength, Endurance, Dexterity, Agility, Magic, and so on.
"When you join a Familia, the deity will give you Falna—a god's blessing. This unlocks your adventurer status," Dorvan explained. "The more you fight and strive, the higher your status rises. And sometimes, you can get special Skills based on your experiences."
"And don't forget about Magic," added Talia. "Some people gain magical abilities from their Falna. That can be decisive in battles in the Dungeon."
"What about Leveling Up?" asked Kazuma, although he already knew the answer from the anime.
"Ah, that's the hard part," said Merton. "To level up, you need to do something spectacular. Most adventurers need years to rise from Level 1 to Level 2."
Kazuma nodded, remembering how Bell Cranel in the anime could level up in a short time thanks to his 'Liaris Freese' skill. But that was a special case, and Kazuma didn't expect to have the same luck.
"Ever heard of Aiz Wallenstein?" asked Talia. "The girl from Loki Familia, nicknamed the 'Sword Princess'. She's already Level 5, one of the strongest adventurers in Orario."
"Yes, I've heard of her," Kazuma replied. Of course he knew—Aiz was one of the main characters in the anime he watched before.
The conversation continued late into the night, with Kazuma absorbing all the information he could about Orario, the Dungeon, and the Familia system. Although he already knew many things from his previous life, hearing firsthand experiences from people who had been to Orario provided a new perspective.
---
Dawn had just broken when the Montrose caravan began preparing to depart. Kazuma helped pack the tents and prepare the wagons. As a temporary member of the security team, he was placed in one of the middle wagons.
"We'll take the northern route," Dorvan told all the guards. "It's slightly longer, but avoids areas reported to have frequent monster attacks."
The journey began smoothly. The caravan, consisting of eight wagons, moved in a tight formation, with guards walking on both sides. Kazuma used this time to chat with Talia, who turned out to be a former Level 2 adventurer from Hermes Familia.
"Why did you leave Orario?" asked Kazuma curiously.
Talia smiled thinly. "Losing fellow adventurers in the Dungeon made me lose my enthusiasm for continuing as an adventurer. But I still needed work, so I joined this caravan as a guard."
"Is the Dungeon really that bad?"
"The Dungeon is an unpredictable place, Kazuma," Talia answered seriously. "One mistake can mean death. The monsters there are different from those outside. They're more aggressive, smarter, and always appear from unexpected places."
Kazuma nodded in understanding. "What about the Guild? I heard they regulate all adventurer activities in the Dungeon."
"Yes, the Guild is the highest authority for Dungeon matters. They buy magic crystals that you get from monsters and give danger ratings for each floor. As a new adventurer, you'll start from floors 1 to 5, no more."
Their conversation was interrupted when one of the guards in front signaled to stop. The caravan immediately halted, and Dorvan quickly went to the front to assess the situation.
"What's happening?" asked Kazuma.
Talia raised her hand, asking Kazuma to be quiet and listen. They could hear Dorvan returning with a serious face.
"There are battle traces ahead," said Dorvan. "It seems another caravan was attacked. We need to be alert."
The guards immediately took defensive positions, surrounding the wagons with weapons drawn. Kazuma gripped Crimson Fang tightly, feeling adrenaline starting to flow through his body.
"Are we going to pass through that area?" asked one of the merchants anxiously.
Dorvan pondered for a moment. "If we turn back, we'll lose a day's journey. But if we move forward..."
His decision was cut off by a shout from the guard in front.
"MONSTERS!"
From the direction of a low hill in front of them, about twenty goblins and five trolls appeared, running toward the caravan. Warning sirens were sounded, and all guards immediately took positions to defend.
"Kazuma, Talia, guard the middle wagon!" ordered Dorvan as he drew his sword.
Talia released two daggers from her waist, while Kazuma took a fighting stance with his spear. This was his first serious battle in this new world.
"There are more of them than usual," said Talia while preparing herself. "Stay close to the wagon!"
The goblins attacked wildly, screaming and swinging their primitive weapons. Two goblins charged at Kazuma, who deftly parried the first attack with his spear.
"Quite agile," muttered Kazuma, before quickly rotating his spear and stabbing the first goblin right in the chest.
Unlike the monsters he fought in his village, this goblin immediately turned to black dust when it died, leaving a small blue crystal.
"So this is a magic crystal," thought Kazuma.
There was no time to marvel. The second goblin was already attacking with a small axe. Kazuma dodged to the side, then with a Kyokushin Karate move he had learned in his previous life, he took down the goblin with a sweeping kick before stabbing it with his spear.
Around him, the battle grew more intense. The guards managed to hold off the initial attack, but the increasing number of monsters began to overwhelm them.
"There are too many of them!" shouted one of the guards.
Talia fought nimbly using her two daggers, slashing goblin after goblin. However, a large troll began approaching them.
"Kazuma, watch out!" Talia shouted.
The troll swung its large club toward Kazuma. With a reflex movement, Kazuma dodged and the club hit the wagon, causing severe damage.
"You think you can defeat me?" Kazuma challenged with a confident smirk, although in his heart he knew that this monster was far stronger than any he had faced before.
The troll roared and attacked again. This time Kazuma didn't dodge, but jumped to the side and quickly stabbed the troll's leg with his spear. The monster winced in pain but didn't fall.
"Their skin is thick," shouted Talia who was fighting two goblins. "Target the eyes or throat!"
Kazuma nodded and took a new position. He remembered the spear technique he had learned—a technique designed to penetrate vital points. As the troll attacked again, Kazuma jumped, avoiding the swing of the club and with a smooth movement thrust his spear into the troll's throat.
Roaring Beast, he named the technique in his mind, as if it were a skill in a game.
The troll stopped, surprised, before falling and turning to dust, leaving a crystal larger than the goblins'.
"Quite impressive for a beginner," commented Talia with panting breath.
However, the situation was still critical. More monsters appeared from the hill, and some guards began to get injured.
"We can't continue like this," said Dorvan, who had just defeated his seventh goblin. "We have to break through and run!"
But before they could execute that plan, something unexpected happened. From the opposite direction, a trumpet sounded, and about fifteen horsemen appeared from around the bend in the road, attacking the monsters from behind.
"Help has arrived!" shouted one of the guards joyfully.
The horsemen wore uniforms with a symbol that Kazuma recognized—Ganesha Familia, one of the major Familias in Orario that often had the duty of clearing wild monsters outside the city.
With the help of Ganesha Familia, the battle soon turned. The monsters began to retreat and flee. In a short time, all monsters were defeated or driven away.
The leader of the Ganesha Familia squad, a tall man in heavy armor, approached the caravan.
"You're lucky we were patrolling this area," he said. "There have been reports of increased monster activity along this route."
"Thank you for your help," said Dorvan, bowing respectfully. "Without you, we might not have survived."
"That is the duty of Ganesha Familia," the man replied proudly. "In the name of Lord Ganesha, we protect the trade routes!"
After ensuring there were no more threats, the Ganesha Familia squad decided to escort the caravan to the main route leading to Orario. During the journey, Kazuma approached one of the Ganesha Familia members, a female adventurer who seemed to be Level 2 or 3.
"Excuse me," Kazuma greeted. "I want to know, is it normal for wild monsters to gather and attack in such large numbers?"
The woman shook her head. "No, this is not normal. That's why we're patrolling. There's something—or someone—making these monsters aggressive and organized."
"Someone? You mean, a monster tamer?"
"Maybe. But it could also be a deity or another powerful being with the ability to control monsters," the woman answered. "The Guild is investigating it."
This information made Kazuma think. In the original anime, there were several antagonists with the ability to control monsters, but they usually appeared in later arcs. Did this world have differences from what he knew, or perhaps a different timeline?
---
The journey continued relatively safely thanks to the Ganesha Familia escort. On the afternoon of the third day since leaving Palestra village, Kazuma could finally see the form of Orario city in the distance.
"There it is," said Talia, pointing toward the high-walled city with a tower rising in its center. "Orario, the labyrinth city. And that's Babel Tower, the entrance to the Dungeon."
Kazuma gazed in awe at Babel Tower, which soared high, piercing the clouds. This was the place he knew from his anime, the center of all the adventures he would experience.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" said Dorvan who stood beside him. "But don't be fooled by its beauty. Orario is a harsh and dangerous city, especially for newcomers like you."
"I'm ready to face any challenge," Kazuma replied with conviction etched on his face.
They parted at the city gate after Dorvan paid Kazuma a small amount of money for his service in helping guard the caravan.
"Good luck finding the right Familia," said Talia while patting Kazuma's shoulder. "And remember my advice: start from the bottom floors of the Dungeon, don't rush."
Kazuma nodded gratefully. "You've helped me a lot. See you again!"
With a supply bag on his back and Crimson Fang in his hand, Kazuma Shinrai stepped through the gates of Orario. His eyes sparkled with enthusiasm as he saw the bustling city, adventurers of various races passing by, and especially, Babel Tower rising majestically, challenging anyone to conquer the mysteries of the Dungeon beneath it.
"Finally," Kazuma whispered to himself. "The real adventure begins now."