After weeks alone in the Wastelands, Grande had mastered the art of survival. His body, hardened by brutal training, was now stronger than any Rank D he had ever encountered, all without the need for Mana. The Hardwood Sword in his hand was an extension of himself, and the Custodian Snap Technique had become instinctual.
However, the forest could not provide information. To reclaim Fate Breaker, he needed logistical intelligence, maps, and money. He had to seek out the nearest sign of civilization: the North Border Black Market.
The market was an illegal haven nestled in the mountain crevices, a meeting point for the banished, refugees, and Dark Merchants who profited from the Power Limit.
Grande walked into the market in his ragged Custodian uniform, which now served as an effective disguise. He looked like a helpless, exiled Rank F Gigantes. His Hardwood Sword was wrapped in tattered cloth.
He immediately drew attention. Not from the guards, but from Vektor, a merchant with dark green skin and a Rank E known for being cunning and dangerous. Vektor leaned against a wall, his sharp eyes observing every movement.
"Hey, Custodian," Vektor hissed, his voice hoarse. "I've never seen a Rank F survive this far. Are you looking for work, or did you spend all your Junk Arena winnings?"
Grande suppressed his surprise. His reputation had reached here. "I'm not looking for work. I'm looking for High-Rank Logistical Information."
Vektor let out a dry chuckle. "A Rank F looking for High-Rank info? That's a one-way ticket to deeper Wastelands, friend. But I like your audacity. What do you want to know?"
"I want to know about the Main Rank S Weapon Depot in Stone City," Grande said, his voice level. "And who serves there."
Vektor's eyes widened. "Rank S Depot? That's impossible. That's where the highest Commanders live. I wouldn't touch that information, Grande. Your reputation as the Phantom Custodian isn't worth much here."
Grande knew he had to offer something unique.
He placed a leather pouch on the table. Inside were three large Echo Sucker Fangs he had hunted.
"Not money," Grande said. "This is Saturated Echo Residue. These Echo Suckers are so active in feeding on Mana residue that their fangs now contain concentrated residual energy. A Rank B Sorcerer would pay dearly for this as a Rune Formation Catalyst ingredient."
Vektor picked up the fangs. His expression turned serious. Most Low Ranks didn't know how to process Mana residue, let alone collect it in a concentrated form.
"You're different, Grande," Vektor said, his eyes glittering with greed. "Alright. I have the information you want, but it comes with a contract."
Vektor placed a thick rolled-up paper on the table.
"I'll give you a Rank A Logistics Map detailing that weapon depot," Vektor explained. "And I'll give you the guard shift schedule. In return, you have to perform a cleaning duty for me."
"Cleaning duty?" Grande asked, suspicious.
"Yes. In this Black Market, we have a problem with a Rank B Border Guard trying to ruin my business. His name is Commander Zarth. He has the ability to track Mana from a distance. I need you to cleanse Zarth's presence from the North Border area."
This was a risky contract. Directly attacking a Rank B outside Stone City was an act that could lead to a serious manhunt.
"I cannot kill him," Grande stated. "I only seek to retrieve Fate Breaker and shatter this System. I won't become a hired killer."
"Exactly," Vektor smiled slyly. "I don't want you to kill him. I want you to humiliate him and steal his Mana tracking device. I want you to make him look like a fool in the eyes of Stone City, just like you did in the Junk Arena. He needs to be left alive to suffer. This is a Disgrace Cleaning Contract."
Grande pondered for a moment. If he could defeat Zarth and steal his device, he would gain two things: crucial intelligence, and a tool that could assist him in infiltrating the Rank S Depot.
"Agreed," Grande said. "Give me the map, and Commander Zarth's shift schedule."
Vektor flashed a satisfied grin. He handed the map roll to Grande.
The map was the first shock. The Main Rank S Weapon Depot was not in the center of Stone City, but hidden beneath Commander Sirus's Quarters itself.
Sirus! Grande remembered the days he cleaned Sirus's room. The depot was directly beneath the floor he swept every day!
And Fate Breaker, his heirloom sword, lay inside that depot.
Grande tucked the map into his uniform. He now had a mission:
* Defeat Commander Zarth and steal his Mana tracking device.
* Use Vektor's Logistics Map to infiltrate the Weapon Depot under Sirus.
* Retrieve Fate Breaker and equip himself to end the Destiny System.
He left the Black Market with a mixture of danger and hope. Outside, among the Dead Mana Forest, he began testing his Hardwood Sword with rapid swings, preparing for a fight with a Rank B Commander.
Grande was no longer a fugitive Custodian, but a Secret Cleaning Agent operating in the shadows, using Role Skills to bring down the High Ranks.