If there was one thing Shane hated the most, it was this world being entrenched in Classist philosophy above all. The people of Pandorica became naturally evil... Not the purposeful kind, but a thoughtless one.

At least those of the Lower Realms learnt from their mistakes, they used the past to build a future... but what of this world? All he had seen were people naturally fitting into the 'Classes' they were born without forethought. Ironically deciding their lives.

Commoners looked down on themselves without thinking they were worth the time of the powerful aristocrats. Their weakness stemming from a sense of inferiority, rather than the difference in capital.

It's what allowed the noble man and women of the world to continue their charade of being 'Dark Nobility'. Their wickedness unchanging even with time... yet these foolish creatures dared to dream of being brought into the light and easily forgiven?

In the time Reigning Queen, Lara Pandorica, took the throne, she had established herself as the enemy of many nobles. In fact, you could say her brand of 'hope' was making them use the system properly.

Giving human rights to common wealth, who were naturally born to be servants. This, as well as changing the relationship between the two. Those of the lower rung of society wouldn't be forced into unpaid labour, but treated with a level of dignity.

It was a slow process...

Even if one were to be categorised into the 'Thief' Class upon awakening, they wouldn't be unfairly discriminated against anymore. It was a mindset that threatened to take away the inherent majesty of higher ranking 'Rare Classes'. It was a great threat.

Especially to those passed their Class down through lineage. They wouldn't be able to accept her changes easily. Nobility would rather crash and burn into nothingness than give up their inherent privileges.

Shane assisted King Ramos and Queen Lara in their attempts to create a 'new nation'. He was the stopgap that prevented threats from the outside from getting in. Even more than the usual.

The careful balance of chaos was distorting...

It wasn't like harming the imperial family to steal authority was a first in this nation. There wasn't a need for such measures in the past due them being strong by themselves. Much more than average.

The 'privilege' of their bloodline beyond normal.

However, a sudden surge of ascenders in recent times made it possible for nobles to amass strong armies in secret. All they had to do was pretend that their 'newly unregistered' mercenaries didn't exist.

Rulers had to adapt with the times.

There was no choice but to change in order to live.

Lara was the first to understand this concept.

Ramos had followed her example.

One that properly used the concepts brought to them from the lower realms, rather than only taking advantage of the inherent usefulness of sorcery and technology. A crucial part of the queen's plans.

Without this, all further machinations were useless.

If they couldn't even tame the Dark Nobility of the present, then they had no right to venture into larger territories. Going beyond the scope given to them by Gaia... This was an ambition they currently set on.

Not knowing their protector had other thoughts.

That image Ramos showed instigated a distraction.

After having a look, Shane hoped the woman from the image hadn't been taken advantage of. Her name was 'Judetta Darby'. After failing as a swordsman and adventurer, her talents in biology was uncovered in their place. She used to identify monster corpses.

Being part of the team that dismantled the useful bits after adventurers brought carcasses back.  Her life was swell from there, until... Those who were interested in the secret experiments she did independently found her. Taking advantage of her.

They destroyed her origin of magical energy to make her powerless, then forced her to continue her private research. They continued until it bore fruit over the years... It was thanks to this that the Dragon Cult was able to manufacture monsters and chimera.

But the most important part of her research was shown on his body. Mainly, the serpentine eyes he'd hidden. Shane took off his mask to reveal a pair of pupils that didn't belong to that of a human being.

They were... 'Dragon Eyes'.

With lizard-like pointy pupils followed by a dusk orange glow around them, it was a beautiful sight to behold. His eyes glowed in the pitch black environment. The street lamp unable to shine a light on his figure when he looked at a distant residence.

That alleyway hiding his silhouette.

When he moved into the light, those eyes became clearer under the brightness of the lamps. So did the scar on his right eye... A company branding with the words 'FH DUST' over his eyelids and face. 

The burns still haunting. He could still feel the pain of when he first got the marking. The hate and anger that had defined him. But now, he was trying to change. He was no longer a freedom fighter given the divine task of liberating 'Beastkin' by destiny.

Now, he was merely a royal guard and familiar.

Thinking that, he put the mask back on. 

Even if he'd decided to change himself, now wasn't the best of times for that 'change' to take place. He still needed his strength of a freedom fighter. The steeled resolve to go through with his actions independently, even if the world was against him.

He'd came to the Arcadia residence because of that. 

The place relatively far from the royal palace.

Even though the Arcadia Dukedom was somewhere else, it looked like many aristocrats didn't properly manage their territories. All they did was keep the security tight and from afar using their 'phones'.

Actually walking there to check wasn't popular.

In fact, why would they need to? 

As long as everyone did their jobs as the Class System had intended, no one would go hungry... in theory. A crazy way of doing things fit for another world. Shane sighed before fixing up his clothes and sleeves. He wanted to look a bit presentable.

It was he then approached those standing at the gate. Two men dressed in guardsman attire were undauntedly doing their jobs without being lazy at all. They looked well-trained even in this darkness.

"I'm here to meet someone." Shane knew how this would end, but he wasn't used to being 'stealthy' all the time. All he knew was getting the job done efficiently. The two guards looked suspiciously.

One of them was about to speak, but stopped when the man on other side stepped forward. There seemed to be a difference in their status. One that allowed one to completely control the situation.

"I'm a true 'Guardsman' under the service of the His Highness, Duke Bryan. You... I'm sure... You're also an 'Otherworlder', aren't you?" From the way this guard spoke, he seemed to be aware of ascenders.

"That's right." Shane did not deny it.

"Unless you're here to pledge allegiance... then begone from here!" The guard spoke in a dignified tone unbefitting the current age. Almost like he was a man that stayed in the past and didn't budge. 

"...Absurd." Shane scoffed in amusement.

"W-what?" The guard seemingly found it crazy that a mere Earthling would talk to him like this. He had a combat-related Class and had been training from a young age. His entire existence was to guard others.

What could an ascender say in front of this...?

"You're not using a modern accent in this day and age. I'm guessing you don't have any friends." Shane found it fun to poke at this man's ego. He had such pride, but there was no sociability behind those eyes.

"What does that have to do with-"

"What I'm saying is: Get out of my way. At least do it while I'm still asking nicely." Shane's mask lit up at that moment. Glowing dangerously. The luminance of his eyes making his beastly mask even scarier.

The other guard figured Shane and the man were about to get into a fight. A part of that bystander didn't want to stop it. This being his only entertainment... but intervened in the end:

"Please stop!" The coworker's words causing the two to briefly halt as he continued: "I'm a 'Gladiator' employed by the Arcadia Household. I'm not sure why you're here, but I believe we can do this pea-"

"Why do you guys always introduce yourselves like this?" Shane couldn't tell if introducing himself as a gladiator was supposed to be a threat, only because the man wasn't framing his words that way.

"Huh?" The unexpected question interrupting the guard didn't seem to make much sense to the man listening. For a moment, Shane almost had to mouth the words he wanted to say. Asking for a name.

The guard pointed at himself, saying: "My name...?"

"Yeah, why doesn't anyone introduce themselves by their names in this world? Are you not people?" It was a weird tangent, but Shane didn't know when he'd get to ask someone this particularly inquiry.

"...An 'Otherworlder' wouldn't understand."

"Right, then I'll stop trying. Anyway, I'm trying to look for someone. Just help me find them." Shane ordered more than asked. He wasn't in the mood for a useless back and forth. Getting right to the point.

"Wait! You bastard, who are you to jump in?" The lone 'Guardsman' didn't stay quiet. He pointed at the herbivore with the Gladiator Class and berated him angrily, then went around to insulting Shane too:

"You're not finding anyone, you filthy Classless creature! Get out of my sight!" The man glared. A blade manifested from his soul. The common-looking Spirit Essence of his Class had formed.

Though this display didn't move Shane at all.

It was like looking at insignificant trash.

Rather, Shane continued to talk with the Gladiator: 

"Does a 'Dud' called Judetta Darby work here?"

"...She's the master's assistant." A reluctant answer came from the 'Gladiator' just doing his job. His thoughtless way of answering only made the so-called 'true guardsman' slash them ferociously.

Just as the blade was being swung, the air was somehow disturbed between the two guards. The sword swung out hit the floor powerlessly. The weight behind the Spirit Essence had weakened.

And so did the bodies of the armoured men.

"He saved your life. You better be thankful." Was the last thing Shane said to the guards before putting away his blade. Not having the time for small-talk now that he had finally managed to find a clue.

The sound of a blade returning to its sheath resounded. Shane didn't know if they were stupid or crazy for not installing a camera system as part of their security. A part of him wanted to believe that it was because they were sure their guards could protect them. Confidence was fine and all, but he wasn't willing to walk right into some trap.

Were they really that confident?

Shane also knew that wasn't entirely the case.

The reason there were no cameras to see his intrusion into Arcadia territory was because there was no Class called 'CCTV Operator'.Even though there was a Gladiator here acting like a Guardsman, there was no creativity in how to use his abilities.

It was a stupid reason to keep crude security around without upgrading it to the next level. Maybe this was why the kingdom never changed. Regardless of all that, now that they were unconscious, it looked like he now needed to find a way inside.

Shane looked around with his serpentine eyes and saw layers of automatic magical barriers installed at the gate.mSome acted as alarms, and others to trap people. It looked like getting in wouldn't be easy...

Rather than trying to break it with force, Shane instead opted to go for a crafty solution. Guardsmen definitely went in and out of the place without being detected, but why was that so? Was it their synergy?

The answer he came up with was... armour.

Shane stripped the 'true' guardsman of what he wore before going in. It wasn't even really a 'disguise'. He still wore the same black clothes and animalistic mask. The only difference was the outer layer.

Parts of another's armour being added on top.

The moment he casually opened the gate and walked inside, Shane found himself getting lost. Though he blamed the residence for being far too big. He walked along the corridors until he came across another 'Guardsman' acting as the house's butler. 

Before the man could shout or summon his Spirit Essence, the 'hoof' of his foot struck his leg. The shoe Shane was wearing revealed an opening near the toes meant for the mutation of his body.

He grabbed the man by the face and asked:

"Where does your master do 'experiments'?" Even though he was a mere butler, the man seemingly had endless loyalty for the Duke. However, it wasn't the first time he'd dealt with this type of person. He dragged the butler by the jaw and moved him through a corridor. A maid saw him this time, so her existence became a threat for his hidden agenda.

"Sshhh... Unless you want me to crack his head like an egg." Shane showed no signs of remorse while threatening to kill someone. The maid immediately got ahold of herself. Her eyes held deep animosity...

"Don't talk. Lead me to where your master does his experiments. If you don't do that, he dies... then you." Shane continued. The silenced screams of the butler struggling in his hand frightened the lady into submission. She showed him the way without tricks.

At least, that's what he'd initially believed.

The moment he started to become nauseous from the strong smells that were assaulting his senses, a voice tried to shout towards the two shadows casted on the door. The lady knew who they were.

"Help...!" Before she could alert the entire residence to his presence, a blade cut her throat... and the butler's skull was crushed straight after. Two figures broke down the door and charged out to see the intruder. Their conversation cut short.

Duke Bryan looked as if he was seeing something unbelievable. How could someone dare intrude? His security should've been strong enough to deal with mere Assassins. Something seemed a bit off...

He quickly came to a conclusion. 

Shane's strange appearance that didn't fit the stereotypical mould made it clear of his origins. He was an 'Otherworlder'. Since that was the case, the duke theorised the samurai was likely one of those serial killers sent recently by an unknown house. 

A loud clashing sound resounded just as he was manifesting his Spirit Essence into existence. A strange woman's sword collided with Shane's blade handle. The two of them instinctively understood that the other had trained in martial arts for years.

Regardless, Shane wasn't here to fight them.

"They will get in the way if I let them off easy." Shane thought in the moment. This was what he concluded inwardly after deliberation. He back into his Iaido signature stance. Time wasn't his friend, he needed to deal with them in less than a minute to be sure.

Thus, his Iaido Style was revealed.

A strand of dark electrical energy sparked on his body while holding that sharp 'Mystic Tool' of his tight. Enough to strange a person. Unfortunately, he didn't have any advantages in such an environment.

Corridors were too narrow.

Shane had a two part Mystic Tool: 'High Fell' and 'Low Hell' were a pair of Red Steel chokutÅ and Dark Steel Rifle Sheath respectively. They were used in tandem with each other to boost quick draws.

The only problem here being that his weapon wasn't made to clash with Spirit Essences. Moreover, it looked like his opponents weren't pushovers like the people he'd met so far. They were all professionals.

His blood boiled and adrenaline shot high!

Shane was ready to know the truth behind the duke's motives. What exactly was he planning with her?

He wouldn't back off until he knew.