Fortnite is giving away a free pickaxe to everyone, here's how to claim it

Who doesn't love freebies in Fortnite, right? For as long as the game has existed, players have jumped at the opportunity to earn free in-game cosmetics by hook or by crook.

While most of these can be earned via Twitch Drops or competitions, Epic Games often dishes them out as rewards for completing specific challenges in-game. The latest freebie that players can earn is a pickaxe called Secret Sledge. Here's how it can be claimed.

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How to claim the "Secret Sledge" pickaxe in Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 2

According to Fortnite leaker iFireMonkey, players will be able to earn the pickaxe by completing the upcoming Covert Ops challenges. These are scheduled to start on April 22 and end on May 2.

In total, there will be four challenges, each of which will be split into two stages. Completing each challenge will reward players with 30,000 XP. Upon completing the final challenge, the "Secret Sledge" pickaxe will be given out as a bonus reward. Here's the list of challenges:

1) April 22 - April 26

• Stage 1: Establish a Device Uplink in Zero Build (Logjam Lumberyard, Sleepy Sound, Tilted Towers, Sanctuary, Greasy Grove, Condo Canyon).
• Stage 2: Eliminate Players in Zero Build (0/10).

2) April 26 - April 28

• Stage 1: Establish a Device Uplink in Zero Build (IO Outposts).
• Stage 2: Collect compromised Intel from IO Outposts in Zero Build (0/1).

3) April 28 - April 30

• Stage 1: Establish a Device Uplink in Zero Build (Tilted Towers, Daily Bugle, Rocky Reels, Condo Canyon, Coney Crossroads).
• Stage 2: Destroy Structures with a Tank in Zero Build (0/300).

4) April 30 - May 2

• Stage 1: Establish a Device Uplink in Zero Build (Tilted Towers, Rocky Reels, Command Cavern, The Fortress).
• Stage 2: Plant timed explosives at an IO Airship, Command Cavern or The Fortress in Zero Build (0/1).

Note: Each stage of the challenge will begin and end at 9 AM Eastern Time on their respective dates.

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Additional information about the Covert Ops challenges in Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 2

Based on iFireMonkey and the currently available information, players may be able to complete Week 2, Week 3, and Week 4 challenges early by completing Week 1. It would seem that the challenges work on a token-based system, which allows players to progress from one challenge to the next.

However, he also mentioned that the token system might simply be in place to allow players to qualify for the next Covert Ops challenge. This would mean that until the challenge is not unlocked on the predetermined date, players will not be able to attempt it.