Welcome to the Cleaners.
See ya later, Rudo.
So she can mess with me some more?
Rudo.
This is our receptionist, Semiu.
We have her take a look at anyone who joins.
Semiu's ability is—
It's a pleasure to meet you, promising newcomer.
Enjin told me about you.
Including where you came from.
But I'd like to have a look for myself...
at your potential.
Potential?
Those glasses are Semiu's vital instrument.
They boost her kinetic vision.
If she focuses, she can see what a person's really made of.
You can use vital instruments like that, too?
What's up? See something?
Ah, of course.
He's quite athletic already, so he won't need that kind of training.
He has a good relationship with his vital instrument as well.
His use of it is still unstable, though.
He'll need practice to be able to draw on his power on command.
Is that all?
Not all.
You've got scat on your neck.
For real?! No wonder that fly wouldn't leave him alone!
No more playing in poop, okay?
I wasn't playing in it!
Thanks a bunch, Semiu.
I'm gonna take him to meet the boss.
Sure.
There's about a hundred of us Cleaners in total,
counting combatants, sentinels, and supporters.
Our jobs take us all over the place, though,
so it's rare to have everyone here at once.
Wanna meet a few folks?
Meet them?
There shouldn't be too many here today,
so it won't take too lo—
There's a ton of them here.
Let's do that later!
Episode 4
"Cleaner HQ"
This is the boss's room.
I'm gonna ask how to get up—
Hold on a minute!
I bet you're thinking of opening with, "Tell me how to get to the Sphere!"
Info's a valuable commodity everywhere.
Like I told you earlier, it doesn't come free.
You need to be the one saying you'll work here in exchange.
Also, I volunteered info about my vital instrument earlier because I had to,
but I'd recommend against asking about the boss's.
None of us know what it is either, or what power it has.
But all of us Cleaners follow the boss.
That's a loyalty you earn not just from skill, but the ability to command trust as well.
Huh?
Oh, I forgot to mention.
The boss is off on business and won't be back for a while.
Wait, what?
Huh?!
Well, that explains that.
Fine. This again, huh?
Sorry, Rudo! Guess the boss isn't here!
I heard! What now?!
Any ETA on a return time?
You'd think a leader would show a little more discipline.
Could be a long wait, I guess.
In that case,
why not come watch me work?
You can't officially join the Cleaners until the boss is back anyway,
so why not tag along as a trainee?
Besides...
I wanna know more about you.
Okay?
I'll explain the client's request.
A town near the polluted zone is reporting small trash beasts approaching their barricade.
They want a cleaning just to be safe.
That's about it.
Polluted zone?
Enjin. You didn't tell him about that?
I just called it "the dump area" to make it easier for him.
Rudo, I'll explain what this half-wit failed to.
Half-wit?
The Ground is divided into "safe zones" that support human life,
and garbage-tainted "polluted zones" where trash beasts live.
The location you came down in was an especially dangerous polluted zone—
a No Man's Land.
There are six confirmed No Man's Lands at present.
Most people would die almost immediately in one.
They're swarming with trash beasts that even Givers struggle with.
It was a miracle that Enjin came across you.
What were you even doing in that No Man's Land, anyway?
What's wrong with a man stretching his legs?
Your legs?
Well, anyway, make sure you wear a gas mask as much as possible in polluted zones.
Breathing in anything toxic could make you dangerously ill.
In a No Man's Land, you could die without a mask in about fifteen minutes.
This should be an easy job, but I want you watching closely.
Okay?
Still... it really is a garbage heap, huh?
How many minutes was I in there, breathing the air?
Thinking back, this is how I pictured the Pit when I was up in the Sphere...
I never even thought there might be people living here.
Do the people up there not know about this?
Or do they know, and send people and trash down here anyway?
Still...
When I really stop and look around, this polluted zone looks...
Like a total treasure trove!
I wanna take it all back to fix up!
By the way, I've been wondering.
Who're they?
They're Cleaners, too.
"Supporters."
They don't have powers,
but they're an important part of the team, helping us do what we do.
Nice to meet you.
S-Sure.
Nice t—
This guy's so awesome!
His grip strength is godly!
He can smash through a trash beast's outer shell!
Isn't it great? Coolest guy ever!
Not sure if I can keep up with this energy...
Sure is nice to have a strong man around!
But even if it's an "easy" job, I need to make sure I watch and learn.
Gris here's always saving our hides!
I've got you. I train hard for this.
Riyo, trash beast sighted.
How come there's so many?!
Hey, you didn't say we'd be fighting a whole herd!
You said it'd be "easy"!
No problem.
These types are slow and not strong at all.
See? Can't even dent the barricade.
Perfect for you to watch and learn.
You're such a lucky guy, Rudo.
Wow...
True, they seem a lot milder than those first trash beasts I saw.
So some are stronger than others?
They look a lot like animals, too.
They're not mild at all!
Hey! Hey!
Those ones seem way more dangerous!
C'mon, it's just fine.
It's not fine at all!
They're not weak like those others!
We should call for reinforcements!
They're just a slightly tougher version of those small ones.
They're a bit stronger, but still perfect training for a newbie.
Now that we're seeing the big ones, I doubt the herd gets any larger.
It's plenty large as it is!
But if we round them up quick, we get to go home early.
I know. Let's get back and throw you a welcome party!
What's your favorite food?
I'm not officially in the Cleaners yet...
A "Welcome to the Ground" party, then?
H-How are you so laid-back?
Aren't you risking your life here?
Rudo.
To be part of the Cleaners...
Rather, to survive on the Ground,
it's important to keep your cool!
Th-That's true! Enjin always kept his cool too.
Is that what I've been missing?
Which means I need to keep cool too!
No worries. No worries.
Keep cool. Just keep cool.
Right?
This one's nuts!
I've never seen a trash beast so stylish...
Not great teaching material...
But...
A tough opponent sure does get my blood racing!
No worries.
Keep... cool.
Gachiakuta
Scissors?
Before I tidy up the big one,
I'd better do a little light dusting.
Cleaning time!
What just happened? What did she do?!
She swung the scissors with her foot?
Those scissors are Riyo's vital instrument—
the Ripper!
Most people use scissors with their hands,
but Riyo mainly wields them with her feet.
Ill-mannered though it is.
So everyone uses objects their own way?
By the way, Rudo.
Don't drop your guard just because you're observing.
Riyo!
Gotcha.
Send a few more of them my way, 'kay?
Yes, ma'am!
Without powers, they can't defeat the trash beasts,
but they can disable them and let the Giver strike the final blow.
So this is how the Cleaners fight.
I'm just lending a hand until I get what I'm after!
Let's see...
Looks pretty spic and span to me!
That just leaves...
This big mess!
Riyo's moved on to the big one?
We'll do what we can to take apart the small ones
and keep them out of the fight.
Yes, sir!
Hey! Get out of there!
Y-You kidding me?!
Rudo?
If I want to get that info, I need to join the Cleaners!
I won't just be a burden to everyone!
I'll be able to do this too!
I'll prove it...
What's with this shape?
Hang on a minute.
This... My power...
How do I use it again?
Instinctively rushing to help someone.
Nice work, Rudo.
Riyo! Rudo!
Sorry. We got careless.
Thank you both.
So, did you clean up the big one?
Cut it in two.
But that didn't do the trick.
I've cut it a few times with my instrument, but it just won't go down.
A trash beast impervious to vital instruments?
Pretty weird, right?
A trash beast's weak point is usually where it is on a living being,
so if you cut it in two with an instrument, it should be dead meat...
Ah, well.
It's still a trash beast, so I can probably just dice it up until it can't move.
Let's do it that way!
As it's a new type, we'll log and report it.
We'll warn the surrounding towns as well.
Have a good time!
What do I...
All right...
Let's thin out that mop top of yours first!
Do you know what style you'd like, sir?
What? The full crew cut?!
I don't have my clippers, so it might take a while!
And there you are!
Huh? You've got something shining here, sir...
Got something to hide?
It's gonna hit us too!
I said I was gonna kick the ass of the guy who killed Regto,
and all those assholes up in the Sphere...
But I can't use my power.
I keep being a burden.
What am I doing here?
Get a grip already!
I don't know what made you freeze up like that,
but if you've got a goal, run toward it while you have a chance to accomplish it!
Learn from us!
Yeah, keep screaming!
The screaming means...
I've found your weak point!
Did she... beat it?
Riyo! You okay?
How did you beat it?
It died when I stabbed through this.
I think this is what was powering it.
But...
A vital... instrument?
What does it mean?
A vital instrument... in a trash beast?
What's going on here?
Huh?
What the heck am I...
I think...
That Sphereite kid kicked my ass, and then...
Who're you?
A Sphereite, you say? Where is he now?