Zanka Nijiku¹⁰

Terra

Terra is the "underworld," the place where criminals and those rejected by society are banished. It is a vast garbage dump, filled with toxic waste, monsters (trash beasts), and remnants of the civilization above. It is also called "the abyss."

It is a hostile and dangerous environment, where survival is difficult.
The inhabitants of Terra are known as "the discarded" or "the scum".
The protagonist, Rudo, is thrown onto Terra at the beginning of the story, unjustly accused of murder.
Despite being a garbage dump, Terra has its own rules, factions, and mysteries.

The Sphere

The Sphere is the "world above," the privileged society where "decent" people live. It is a floating city or an elevated space above Terra, physically separated from the landfill.

From La Esfera, people throw their garbage onto Terra, literally and metaphorically discarding what they don't need.
It is a hierarchical and corrupt society in many ways.
Those who live there see the people from Terra as inferior or simply as human garbage.
The Sphere represents the system that discards people it considers useless.

The Cleaners are an organized group of people who live in the Abyss and whose primary function is to hunt and eliminate Garbage Beasts, monsters born from the accumulation of filth and discarded objects. These beings represent a constant threat to the few human settlements that exist in the depths, so the Cleaners act as a force of defense and containment. Each member of the group uses a "blessed object," an item that once held emotional or historical value for someone and which, when wielded by a Cleaner, grants special abilities. Among their most well-known members are Rudo, Zanka, Riyo, and Shikage. They do this because many of them were unjustly cast into the Abyss and see in this work a way to give meaning to their fate, or simply because it is the only way to survive in a hostile environment. Their ultimate goal is to maintain order and protect the weak within the chaos.

The Raiders, on the other hand, are the antagonistic faction. They don't hunt Garbage Beasts; their target is the Cleaners themselves. They are a more savage, violent, and, by all accounts, considerably more powerful group than the Cleaners. They attack for territory, for power, or for sheer destruction. They don't seek to protect anything; they seek to dominate the Abyss and destroy any semblance of order the Cleaners attempt to maintain. Their motivations are more chaotic and selfish: some seek revenge, others absolute power, and still others simply revel in the chaos. They represent the constant threat that, even in a place as wretched as the Abyss, there is always someone willing to make things worse.

The Cleaners (掃除屋, Sōjiya in Japanese) are an elite organization dedicated to hunting and eliminating monsters known as "Trash Beasts." These creatures are born from abandoned objects that, due to resentment and accumulated negative energy, come to life and become dangerous.

Its name comes from its mission: to "cleanse" the world of these threats.

There are several groups.
Team Akuta

Enjin (leader)
Rudo Surebrec
Riyo Reaper
Zanka Nijiku
Eishia Stilza
Shikage
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Team Eager

Tamsy Caines
Delmon Gates

Team Front

Semiu Grier
I love Empool

Team Child
Bro Santa
Dear saint
Twine

Arkha Corvus, this is the head of the cleaners.

Riyo - This is a friend she made at headquarters. She has red hair and is fun, sometimes sarcastic and playful. She's a great support to Zanka and is there when needed. 16 years old.

Enjin – Despite being older, he is also Zanka's friend and a mentor figure, looking after him and teaching him right from wrong. He is the leader of Team Akuta. 28 years old. Honey-blond hair and eyes.

Amo - She's a very sweet girl, a friend of Zanka's, who supports him in any way she can. She tends to be quite innocent, giving Zanka clumsy advice, but she enjoys being able to support him. She has black hair on top with orange tips, as well as orange eyes. She's 15 years old. She speaks in the third person, referring to herself as "Amo" when she speaks. This is due to a past trauma.

Rudo - He's loud and mostly grumpy, but he sees Zanka as his older brother and tries to help him, even though he's rather clumsy with emotions and interpreting them. White hair with black tips. 15 years old.

Lovely Assistaff: A simple stick that, when activated, becomes significantly sharper, allowing Zanka to cut through things. [12] Her strength also increases, allowing Zanka to lift large amounts of earth from the ground. [13] Zanka's agile and fluid fighting style allows her to use her entire body at full strength to wield her Vital Instrument and deliver a fatal blow to enemies.
Vibration detection: Zanka can stick Lovely Assistaff to the floor, allowing it to use vibrations to detect people or objects in the area even when its vision is obstructed. [14]
Inverted Spikes: Zanka can invert Lovely Assistaff's spikes, allowing her to quickly pierce Junk Beasts with her Vital Instrument. [15]

It should be noted that she loves her Jinki with all her heart, perhaps even a little more.
It's the most precious thing he has and he never leaves his Jinki's side.

General Abilities: Zanka proves to be a formidable fighter, displaying great speed, strength, and agility in his fighting style. He is an expert in the use of Vital Instruments, especially his own. Enjin himself, a seasoned Giver, praises Zanka's skills and considers him the best at wielding Vital Instruments among the Cleansers. As a former apprentice of the Hell Guard at the Academy, Zanka was at the top of his class and received various types of training before leaving, including weapons handling and hand-to-hand combat. Zanka also received private training from his family, including his older sister, Kyouka Nijiku, who taught him how to dodge gunfire.

Enhanced Strength: Zanka demonstrated great brute strength, capable of killing Junk Beasts, shattering rocks, and breaking human bones with the impact of his blows. In his second fight against Jabber, Zanka lifted a large, heavy clump of earth from the ground with his Vital Instrument and hurled it at him, forcing him to use his awakened claws to protect himself from the impact.

Enhanced Speed: Zanka has demonstrated great agility in combat, wielding her Vital Instrument with incredible speed and precision, keeping pace with Jabber. Her reflexes are so sharp that she can easily dodge bullets thanks to her older sister's rigorous training, and she is able to react appropriately even to irregular attacks with unpredictable trajectories.

Great intellect: Zanka also demonstrated a sharp, tactical, and perceptive mind, quickly deducing the workings of the Vital Instruments and devising a plan to counterattack or use them to her advantage. In her battle against two Invaders, she quickly figured out how to counter their ingenious use of Vital Instruments. Against a much tougher opponent,

Outwardly, Zanka maintains an air of extreme calm and composure, a stark contrast to the emotional turmoil and chaos he often experiences within. While he strives to appear serene, his volatile inner state of anger, disgust, or excitement can erupt in sudden and exaggerated outbursts. Despite his efforts to suppress his emotions, he frequently gets caught up in the antics of his more eccentric classmates, momentarily abandoning his serious and pragmatic facade. His classmate, Tomme Mima, acknowledges Zanka's stabilizing influence, considering him one of the few capable of "bringing order" to his eccentric companions. Zanka's communication style is a blend of confidence and courtesy, tempered by a direct, sarcastic, and unapologetic frankness. Furthermore, he speaks with a pronounced Chūgoku accent, as do all the members of Kamuatari.
Having accepted his "average" or "mediocre" status, Zanka now strives to surpass geniuses through hard work. This relentless pursuit is, as Enjin aptly observes, a battle against his own weaknesses, which ultimately strengthens him mentally. Zanka's maturity is further evidenced by his refusal to blame others for his failures and his aversion to pity. His keen observation skills and critical thinking make him an invaluable member of the Cleaners. Even his boss, Arkha Corvus, relies on Zanka for his insightful analyses, such as his reflections on the growing mysteries surrounding Rudo and the Hellguard. This combination of maturity, intelligence, and ability earns him widespread respect among his peers.
He is someone who is usually indifferent or cold, makes sarcastic comments from time to time, and always likes to try to outdo himself; he wants to be the best because of his history of constant inferiority.
He constantly feels like he's not trying hard enough, and Enjin makes him take breaks from time to time.

Zanka is a tall, slender teenager with dark brown hair styled back in a mullet and blond streaks that complement his piercing navy blue eyes. His unique appearance is further defined by his eyebrows, shaved into a pattern resembling three distinct lines, and his pierced ears, from which long dangling tassel earrings hang.

His cleaner's uniform stands out for its deliberate, almost ceremonial design. It has a considerably looser cut than his colleagues', with wide, open sleeves and loose trousers that allow freedom of movement. The uniform's silhouette is enhanced by slightly raised shoulders, and he wears a long navy blue sash that extends across the front and back of his waist. Like many of his fellow cleaners, he carries a large multi-purpose bag held in place by a belt that crosses his chest.

What truly sets Zanka's uniform apart is its exceptional quality and refined details. His Cleaner badge is particularly extravagant compared to standard issue, reflecting his status. This elevated presentation is a direct result of his position as a "young master" or "lord" on Earth, a position that grants him a higher level of refinement and distinction among the Cleaners.