We reached the nearest city in twelve days.

Out of caution, the entire journey had been on foot.

“Just like I guessed, they speak another language. Fortunately, they are humans and the way they are dressed doesn’t differ too much from mine. How are we going to communicate?” asked Kyle.

We were waiting in a long line at the city gates. As Kyle whispered his question, I was reading everybody’s minds in order to compile a book of their language as well as learn more about this new place.

“Bran. It will soon be our turn. If you have something that could help, now would be a good time to act.” Kyle urged me.

Before Kyle could further complain, I implanted a new set of memories in his brain. He immediately knew the local language. I also compiled the information about the city and the land we had just arrived in.

With close to a hundred people to steal memories from, it was easy to compare and ascertain the veracity of each new information.

With the new set of memories, Kyle was now no stranger to the place.

The city was called Braco city and we were at the west gate.

It was a small city in the Eastlake province of Heavenlyn country.

“In these memories you just gave me, it clearly states that there is a fee to enter the city. Can our gold be used?” Kyle asked.

“No. We have to use the local currency. I stole some money from these people. Look into your left pocket.”I said.

Kyle looked in his left pocket and found what looked like bank notes. On each of the bank notes was a rune that released a golden light.

I explained: “Those notes are magically made. Only the conjurers know the spell to make them, which means that they can’t be copied by someone else. Counterfeits can’t exist. So if I tried to copy them using magic, chances are that you will be caught for forgery.”

“It’s to be expected. We’re in a world where one out of ten people is a magician. If all of them can conjure gold, it would be too easy to be rich in this world.” Kyle said.

When it was our turn to reach the guards at the gates, Kyle paid his entrance fee and then entered Braco city.

Relying on the few stolen bank notes, they found a room in a shabby inn.

Kyle stayed in his room ruminating over his new memories trying to find a possible way out of his current predicament.

I decided to reassure him with a few words: “I’ve studied the magus stone before and I can’t begin to even scratch the surface of its abilities. What I mean to say is that there may be a way out of this place if I have enough time to study it. There’s a possibility that there may be a reason for the magus stone bringing us into this new world.”

Kyle said: “This is your fault. If you didn’t have that stone we wouldn’t be stranded in this world. Even if your abilities can help me survive, we still do not know how to go home and we may never find a way back. How long am I supposed to wait? What if there isn’t a way to go back at all? I still have to find my parents…”

He was right. I had no idea how to make the magus stone bring us back nor did I have any idea of where to start looking.

This new world was inhabited by magicians. It was the only power system available and most humans were born with the ability to practice magic. Others that were not born with the gift compensated with their hard work but they had to have an affinity with magic to be able to practice.

Those who were not born with the gift nor had any affinity were destined to live their lives as mere mortals. That was close to eighty percent of the population.

I was looking for a safe way to keep Kyle occupied while I found us a way back home.

He practiced the Hallowed swordsman power system which was unknown in this world.

He needed money to stay alive. I couldn’t keep stealing bank notes for him nor could I create them without the special seal used by the magicians who created them.

He could try to be a mercenary or become a hunter. Both occupations could help him keep him busy himself for a while.

…But there was a problem.

How should he keep his identity as a hallowed swordsman secret?

Some in the magus society will certainly find another power system a thorn in their side while others will try to acquire it at any cost.

Either way he was in danger should he make his power known to the world.

“You should try to act like a mortal for now. Your other identity as a Hallowed swordsman shouldn’t be revealed at any cost.” I said.

“Why?” he asked.

I answered: “Because having another power system appear in this world will create a huge commotion in which you’ll find yourself in the very center of it. You can't even begin to understand the allure a new power system can have on the world. Many will try to kill you while others will try to learn your way of training through you.”

“What do we do now?” Kyle asked.

I said: “Go register your name in the hunter’s guild. From now on, you’ll be heading to the forest every morning to hunt beasts. You’ll earn money that way.”

The next morning, we went to the hunter’s guild.

We arrived in front of a four-story building before long.

The lobby looked empty at first glance. Maybe because it was still early in the morning.

“Sir. Are you here to apply for a membership?” A woman in a blue dress said behind the nearest counter.

Kyle who was still looking around realized that he was the one being called and promptly said: “Yes.”

It took a few minutes to complete the application.

A badge on which a wolf’s head was engraved on it was given to him. Under the Wolf’s head was his name and further below was a row of seven numbers.

The woman finally said: “There’s a mission board behind you. If you think you’re up to the task, you can try to complete a mission and corresponding rewards will be given to you. Thank you for registering with us. The badge gives you a discount if you ever want to purchase something from our partners. It can be the auction house, most of the restaurants in the city and the entertainment district. The badge allows you to hunt legally in the Crimson Forest and the first month of the membership is free. Remember to pay each month to keep the right to hunt on the empire’s territory.Also, without the badge, you can’t complete the missions as the rewards are given to our members only. Have a wonderful day, Sir.”

We left the counter and Kyle went to the mission board to take a look.

There were missions like harvesting the blood essence of a twin-headed dragon or turning in the fresh corpse of a dark-eyed leopard. It seemed that each part of a beast had a price to it.

The rewards went from a thousand Krells to a million Krells. Krell was the name of the currency in the empire.

He memorized a few missions with the highest rewards and then left for the Crimson Forest.