The hum of the newly materialized workshop was a low, steady thrum of latent power. It was a clean sound, the sound of technology and progress, a stark contrast to the chaotic symphony of the city outside. Spartan-001 stood in the center of his new fabrication bay, the heavy bag of Valis sitting on a freshly formed plasteel workbench.
"Okay, the base is secure and we have our initial capital," Cortana's voice resonated, satisfaction lacing her tone. Her blue avatar flickered into existence, perched on the edge of the workbench. "The Guild is officially buzzing about the 'Metal Giant'. According to their internal chatter, your performance has already been flagged as an anomaly requiring special observation. Congratulations, you're famous."
"Fame is a liability," the Spartan countered, his tone flat. "It compromises operational security. We need to accelerate our intelligence gathering before they move from observation to intervention." He brought up his status screen.
[STATUS]
[NAME: Valerius Steele (Spartan-001)]
[RACE: Human (Spartan-II Augmented)]
[TITLE: The Reclaimer]
[SYSTEM POINTS: 19,300]
[SECTION: INVENTORY]
[ > Valis: 112,800 ]
[ > [Warehouse Deed] x1 ]
[ > [Basic Material Scanner] x1 ]
[SECTION: FABRICATION / SCHEMATICS]
[-- AVAILABLE TO UNLOCK --]
[ > [UNSC Marine BDU] - Unlock Cost: 7,000 SP ]
[ > [Advanced Material Pack] - Unlock Cost: 2,000 SP ]
[-- UNLOCKED SCHEMATICS --]
[ > [UNSC Combat Knife] - Fabrication Cost: 10 SP ]
[ > [Construction Template: Basic Workshop] - Fabrication Cost: N/A ]
"We have the funds and the contact for the information broker," the Spartan stated. "Unlock the Advanced Material Pack. We will need the resources for future fabrication."
[SECTION: FABRICATION / SCHEMATICS]
[ACTION: Unlock Schematic [Advanced Material Pack]]
[COST: -2,000 System Points]
[CONFIRM? [Y/N]]
He confirmed. His point total dropped to 17,300. The pack, described by the system as a collection of rare earth metals and polymers essential for advanced fabrication, was now available to create.
"Alright, we have the tools. Now for the intel," Cortana said, pulling up a map of the city, highlighting the Daedalus Street district. "Time to pay a visit to 'Rat-face Roy'. This should be a nice change of pace from crushing monster skulls."
"Every interaction is a potential conflict zone," the Spartan countered. "We proceed with caution."
He left the majority of the Valis in the workshop's secure storage and took a smaller bag with him. As he stepped out of the newly forged metal hatch and into the fading light of evening, the world of stone and magic felt even more primitive than before.
Meanwhile, in the grand hall of the Guild, the whispers had not ceased. They had grown, twisted, and multiplied until the name 'Spartan-001' was on the lips of every adventurer and clerk. In a private office, away from the gossip, Eina Tulle stood before her superior, the Guild Master Royman Mardeel.
"Four hundred thousand Valis," Royman repeated, his fingers steepled before his face. "From the first floor. Alone. In a single afternoon."
"That is the official tally, sir," Eina confirmed, her own voice still laced with disbelief. "I met with him. He is… direct. He requested classified data as if he were ordering a meal. He speaks of strategy and resource management, not glory or adventure."
"And he is unaffiliated," Royman mused, a deep frown creasing his brow. "No Familia. No god. That makes him a rogue element, a dangerous one. He possesses the power of a high-level adventurer, but operates without any of the established checks and balances. We need to know more. Eina, you are his official contact. Keep him close. Learn everything you can. His methods, his goals, his origins. This 'Spartan' could be a threat to the stability of the entire city."
The Daedalus Street was a labyrinth of winding alleys, a stark contrast to the grand avenues of the city center. Here, the buildings leaned against each other for support, and the smell of cheap booze and desperation hung heavy in the air. This was the city's underbelly, a place where information was a more valuable currency than gold.
The Spartan moved through the shadows, a ghost of steel and silence. His armor, which stood out so starkly in the daylight, seemed to blend into the oppressive darkness of the alleys.
"Charming place," Cortana remarked dryly. "Reminds me of the back alleys on Reach, just with more… medieval squalor."
Following Gror's directions, he found a nondescript door at the end of a dead-end alley. A small, carved rat was the only marking. He knocked once, a sharp, metallic rap.
A slot in the door slid open, and a pair of shifty, rodent-like eyes peered out. "Whaddaya want?" a nasally voice squeaked.
"I was told to ask for the 'special vintage'," the Spartan's filtered voice rumbled, the sound seeming to shake the very foundations of the door.
The eyes widened. The slot slammed shut. After a moment of frantic scuttling sounds, the door creaked open. Inside was a cramped, dimly lit room cluttered with scrolls, trinkets, and maps. A small, weaselly man with a long nose and twitching whiskers stood behind a counter, wringing his hands nervously. This was Roy.
"Gror sent you? Gods, what did that dwarf get himself into now?" Roy stammered, his eyes darting over every inch of the Spartan's imposing frame. "You're… you're him, aren't you? The metal giant from the Guild. The whole city is talking."
[NEW SIDE MISSION]
[MISSION: The Broker's Requisition]
[DESCRIPTION: Extract valuable, actionable intelligence from the information broker, Roy.]
[OBJECTIVE: Acquire data on 1) High-level Familia movements, 2) Black market material suppliers, 3) Individuals with unique, non-combat skills.]
[REWARD: +1,500 System Points, Title: [Information Acquired].]
The Spartan stepped inside, the door closing behind him. He placed a small but heavy pouch of Valis on the counter. "I require information. You will provide it."
Roy's eyes fixated on the pouch. Greed warred with fear, and greed won. "I know everything that happens in this city, Mr. Metal Man. For a price. What's on your mind?"
"First: movements of the Loki and Freya Familias over the past week. Patrol routes, Dungeon expedition schedules, notable activities in the city."
Roy's eyes widened. "That's… that's high-grade intel. Dangerous."
The Spartan simply tapped an armored finger on the pouch of coins.
"Right, right," Roy squeaked, already pulling out a coded ledger. "Loki's execs are planning a deep dive. Finn's been seen scouting the middle floors. Freya… Freya's been quiet. Too quiet. Her people are watching something. Or someone."
"Second: a list of all black-market suppliers dealing in rare metals and exotic monster parts. Names, locations, operational methods."
"Gods, you trying to start a war?" Roy whispered, sweating now. He took a gulp of some foul-smelling liquid before scribbling on a piece of parchment.
"Third," the Spartan said, his voice dropping, commanding the man's absolute attention. "I need a list of individuals. Not adventurers. People with unique skills, cast out or overlooked by the Familia system. Master craftsmen without a patron, disgraced alchemists, brilliant strategists working as stock boys. The ones who fell through the cracks. I want their names, their locations, and their stories."
Roy stopped writing. He looked up, his rat-like eyes filled with a new kind of understanding. This wasn't a simple request for information. This was a recruitment profile. This metal giant wasn't just here to make money. He was here to build something.
"That… that kind of list is my masterpiece," Roy said, a cunning glint in his eyes. "It'll cost you. A lot."
The Spartan placed a second, heavier pouch of Valis on the counter.
Roy's grin was all teeth. "Right then. Let's get to work."
An hour later, Spartan-001 left the alley with a series of coded scrolls. Back in the sterile silence of his workshop, he and Cortana began the analysis, the scrolls' contents scanned and digitized in seconds.
"The Loki and Freya Familias are the apex predators, just as Gror said," Cortana summarized, displaying their force dispositions on the HUD. "Avoiding them is top priority. The list of black market suppliers is… extensive. A good source for materials the Guild can't provide. But this third list… this is the real prize."
She highlighted a name. "Lyd. Human. Former adventurer, Level 1. Crippled in the Dungeon, betrayed by his party. Drowning in debt to the Dian Cecht Familia. Currently works as a dishwasher. According to Roy's notes, he possesses a near-perfect memory and an intuitive grasp of tactics, but was ostracized for his 'cowardly' approach."
"Cautious, not cowardly," the Spartan corrected, reading the psychological profile. "He prioritizes survival and efficiency over glory. He was a strategist in a grunt's body. They broke him."
"And you're going to rebuild him?" Cortana asked softly.
"The Forerunner's mission is to teach humanity to stand on its own," he replied, his gaze distant. "That begins with one. We start by forging a single, reliable tool." He brought up the mission log.
[SIDE MISSION COMPLETE]
[MISSION: The Broker's Requisition]
[All objectives met.]
[REWARD: +1,500 System Points, Title: [Information Acquired] has been granted.]
"We have intel. We have a target," the Spartan stated, looking at the final status update.
[STATUS]
[NAME: Valerius Steele (Spartan-001)]
[RACE: Human (Spartan-II Augmented)]
[TITLE: The Reclaimer, Information Acquired]
[SYSTEM POINTS: 18,800]
[SECTION: INVENTORY]
[ > Valis: 62,800 ]
[ > [Warehouse Deed] x1 ]
[ > [Basic Material Scanner] x1 ]
[SECTION: FABRICATION / SCHEMATICS]
[-- AVAILABLE TO UNLOCK --]
[ > [UNSC Marine BDU] - Unlock Cost: 7,000 SP ]
[-- UNLOCKED SCHEMATICS --]
[ > [UNSC Combat Knife] - Fabrication Cost: 10 SP ]
[ > [Advanced Material Pack] - Fabrication Cost: 50 SP ]
[ > [Construction Template: Basic Workshop] - Fabrication Cost: N/A ]
"Tomorrow," the Spartan said, his voice a low promise. "We make our first move."