*The mages recruitment*
He moved everything into his own magic bag because the one he had with him was much bigger than this guy's; it was like he had the space of 100 square meters to store his belongings. He had received this magic bag from the headmaster of the orphanage, and it contained only some clothes, 20 gold coins to apply for recruitment into the Sun Sect, and a book with a pentagram on it that he had received two days ago for his birthday.
The headmaster of the orphanage had told him that his parents had made him promise to give him this book when he turned eighteen and that he would then have to try to be recruited by a sect. He also mentioned that his parents seemed concerned for his safety, which was why he ended up in the orphanage. Those 20 gold coins were also part of what his parents had left for him.
From Kevin's memory, he could see that he was in a completely different world from the one he used to live in. Here, there were no guns or advanced technology he was accustomed to; everything was replaced by magic. This world was ruled by three different races: humans, shapeshifters—those capable of assuming the appearance of animals—and their sworn enemies, demons.
The humans and shapeshifters could become mages or fighters, and while shapeshifters were slightly stronger than humans, there were still humans who were very talented and could surpass shapeshifters. The demons were the strongest race, but they were fewer in number due to their low reproduction rate, so humans and shapeshifters could still keep them in check; at least, that was what he could gather from Kevin's memory.
Now, he had to choose his next step in this new world quickly; he could not stay longer in this alley and risk being discovered with a corpse at his feet. Joining the sect indeed seemed like his best option at the moment. Kevin's knowledge of this world was too limited, and by the time he became strong enough to protect himself, the sect seemed to be the perfect place to train and stay safe at the same time.
Even though he didn't like depending on others, he was going to have to make an exception because this world was far too different from his own. Until he understood how it worked, he would be safer in the sect.
Once his decision was made, and before leaving the alley, Kevin changed out of his blood-stained clothes and put on attire that would help him blend into the crowd more easily. He chose a sweater with a hood that fell over his eyes, effectively hiding half of his face.
After that, Kevin stepped out onto the main street, blending into the crowd like the shadow he used to be as he walked toward the main square. The recruitment for the Sun Sect had drawn a large number of people. After giving it some serious thought, Kevin decided to line up for the mage recruitment.
He could have queued to become a fighter, but that would have been a waste of time for him. His combat skills likely exceeded those of their instructors, and he might as well train on his own. On the other hand, becoming a mage would undoubtedly add value to his abilities. Moreover, there was the book that "his parents" had left him, which seemed to be linked to magic.
Kevin had already tried to open it but had failed miserably; it appeared to be sealed. He would have to take another look at it later; no lock had ever stood up to him, and he was eager to discover the contents of the book.
Listening to the conversations around him, he understood that he had to pass a test to enter the sect. Not everyone was admitted, and not everyone could become a mage. According to Kevin's memory, a mage had to possess a certain soul force and at least an affinity with one of the five elements: wind, water, earth, fire, or lightning.
He didn't know if he met these prerequisites, but at worst, he would enter as a fighter. Whether or not he was a mage wouldn't change his plans at all.
When his turn finally came, the young man in front of him asked him the same questions as the others: "Your name, your age, and does anyone in your family already have a mage?"
He replied politely, "My name is Kevin, I am eighteen years old, and I am an orphan, so I have no idea if there is a mage in my family."
The young man looked at him and said apologetically, "I'm sorry, I have to ask these questions; it's part of the recruitment protocol."
Kevin replied again politely, "There is no problem, and I'm sorry that I couldn't answer your last question."
The young man shook his head and smiled at him, handing him his registration form. "No, no, I'm the one who is sorry. You just have to go over there and find a free tent to take your test… Good luck, Kevin."
Kevin smiled at him and nodded before heading to the spot he had pointed out. One of the tents had just opened, and the young man who came out of it did not seem to have passed the test, given his crestfallen face.
Kevin waited a bit in front of the tent's entrance, wondering if he should just walk in or wait for someone to invite him inside. Luckily, he didn't have to wait long as a deep, masculine voice invited him in.
He walked in and saw an unmistakably handsome man who looked really bored. An aura of power exuded from this man, which must have intimidated many people. Kevin looked him straight in the eye and walked over to the table in front of him, then handed him his registration form and waited quietly.
The man remained impassive, but Kevin was used to this kind of person and noticed a glimmer of curiosity in his magnificent gray eyes. The man motioned for him to sit down and looked at his registration form. He said, "Kevin, do you know the two instruments in front of you?"
Kevin looked at the two instruments in front of him, and unfortunately, he didn't recognize either of them. One looked like a gauge, and the other resembled a crystal ball. He honestly said, "No, but I can guess what they are for."