[Dock POV]

"Dock, I need your help, lend me a hand"

Said the old gramp in front of me.

Long white beard, a bit smaller then the average celidre and a face full of wrinkles.

Nonetheless his blue eyes seemed deep, a bottomless pit filled with years of experience.

He's a rather famous individual in Elkatra, everyone calls him Uncle, but his actual name is Luse Almar.

No one knows his actual age, well [System] excluded. But he must be at least over two hundred years old.

He actually is a [Merchant], I don't know the actual type of rank that he has, It must be at least one rank higher than mine.

For example I am an [Engineer] but the actual name of my rank is [Advanced nano-engineer].

In fact I've reached rank three not long ago.

Basically once your rank hit rank 3, your occupation and rank will merge, and form your definitive rank, and it will retain both the requirements and advantages.

To upgrade it you will need both merit points and [coin]s.

Advancing it will give you more perks and abilities, but you will gain a certain authority.

This increase in authority is particularly important, as you will have more rights compared to others and you'll have more access to the technology of the [System] too.

Every 'definitive' rank is actually part of one of the main branches offered by the System. Thus my rank is part of the logistic branch, and so it is for the [Merchant] of uncle Luse.

There are two other main branches other than this, they are the combat related one and the branch concerning the scholars.

"Uncle I'll consider it after hearing about what this favour of yours actually is"

I really care for this old gramp, as he is coming from the slums like me.

He is indeed from poor origins, but at the gymnasium he demonstrated to be able to wield nano-energy.

It wasn't a combat related type of compatibility, but he could amplify his senses, gaining a keen insight of things.

As such he was able to give an evaluation to various items and objects, even [tool]s.

That is the requirement to be given the [Merchant] Occupation.

One must say that most advanced objects and in particular [tool]s are very hard to evaluate through normal machines.

Even more the system charge its clients pretty hard, thus in peripheral planets like this one merchants are able to flourish.

Said so, I doubt that a rich merchant like himself can't ask to someone more capable than me for this task.

"Dock, you see its about one of my favourite nephews.

I had great expectations of him, but three years ago he was judged to be incompatible with

nano-energy.

As such I had to revoke him of my surname and sent him to the slums.

I really pitied him, since some of my other nephews bullied him, thus I sent him to the mines were he should have been more safe.

But two years ago his signal disappeared.

It was very strange since it would mean that his entire body should have been entirely wiped out.

I forgot about this accident as one of my other nieces got into trouble in the same period.

Now that I'm relatively free I would like to see more into this."

The gramp has a good dilemma right here, but still why me?

"But uncle, I'm sure you have more suited celidres to care for this 'accident'. I don't have any track ability or investigative [tool] you know?"

I responded him, quite sceptical, does he think I am his underling or something?

I have better things to do than playing as a detective.

"The thing is that nowadays I have very few people I can trust, that are of a neutral faction like yourself.

You always surround yourself with your machines, not caring of power at all.

Well 'Sigh', I think I'll have to gift this newly acquired tier three nano-cube to someone else.

As I see that you are pretty adamant about my little task"

This old fox, you're even trying to bribe me now.

But this is why I do not dislike uncle Luse.

He is one of the few rankers to actually take care of the plebs he chooses every year.

In fact, every year every ranker must take care of a certain number of plebians until they finish the gymnasium.

I haven't done it yet, as I only recently entered the rank three, becoming an official ranker.

But uncle Luse is quite famous to chose his plebs directly from the orphanages of the slums.

"Ah! You know me well damn it. Fine, I'll do what I can, but I want to be paid in advance."

I really couldn't turn him off, as this tier of

nano-cube could empower even a tram.

Just after I agreed to this assignment of his, out of thin air appeared a little metallic box, emanating a deep blue aura.

One must say that it was a fairly precious thing, as I was a little startled seeing him handing it over with such ease.

On this planet one can't obtain a cube more advanced than tier four.

Not only because it will cost an exorbitant amount of [coin]s to buy it from the [system].

But mostly because of the rank of this very planet, as it's classified F rank, the lowest.

This is because the [Union] projected the system thinking that only the strong should strengthen itself.

They had put a restriction on the technological level of the unimportant and marginal planets.

As such the most talented had to move onto the main planets of the [Union] to progress further.

This is a method to gain a tight grip over their territory too.

Anyway I want to get done with this pretty quickly, the slums aren't a place that welcoming.

I'll start by investigating the residence of his niece, hoping to find some clues.

If I can't find anything of relevance I'll have to use the [tool] that uncle lent me just before departing.

It can track a specific person in a range of two hundred kilometres.

You have to provide it with an object that had been in strict contact with your target.

Corporeal traces would work even better, such as blood for example.

As I was climbing the ladder leading to the apartment a really foul stench started to permeating my thoughts.

What the hell? This putrid fetor was even taking over the classic stench of the slums.

I had to pinch my nose or I bet I would pass out from smelling more of it.

The door was already broke, and there some ragged celidres discussing just near it.

"We have to do something, at least to sigil this stinky hole. I can't sleep like this, and I have no intention of cleaning this shit.

The sooner we close it, the better"

"I agree, I won't even touch this liquids. We can just buy a pristine panel and seal this place"

As I approached them, they stopped their murmurs and ran away.

"Quick, he clearly isn't a plebeian, I'm gonna get out of here"

What scaredy-cats they are, It's a pity, maybe they could have given me some more inforations.

Whatever, from their expressions and the unusual smell something must have happened.

As I thought the room was a real mess, from the strange fluids to the traces of blood.

Most of the blood had already coagulated, but in zones were the density was higher I still could see some liquid one.

Even more I noticed a clean cut on the corridor, probably made by a blade.

I'm not a detective, old celidre why did you assign this to me.

"Aahh whatever, I'll pick up a sample of the fluids and see were it goes"

As I crouched and took a random portion of the fluids, I heard some steps coming from the corridor.

Then a rater bulky celidre appeared in front of the door, rather confused of my appearance.

He didn't give off the aura of a plebian at all, strange what is he doing here?

Seeing me with his same puzzled expression, he greeted me.

"The name is Stodran, I am a quite popular smuggler here in the slums.

May I know what Mister is trying to find in this measly place?"