"Oh, respected hero. Have you come seeking the path once walked by the Magic God, attempting to grasp higher levels of magic?"
As Lin Yi stepped into the Mage Guild, an old man clad in a golden silk robe with a hood approached and asked proactively.
The effect of the affinity with that NPC title became apparent at this moment.
Generally, this old man remained very aloof; he was the type who would give minimal responses, only answering if you asked.
It's due to the boost from the affinity, combined with meeting the requirements for class advancement, that he approached to engage in conversation.
Seeing this, many people might begin to perceive some significance.
Affinity is definitely one of the super rare attributes in the game.
Often, players accept tasks in two ways: one is to go to the Mercenary Guild and take tasks corresponding to their level.
The other way is to initiate dialogue with an NPC, hoping to trigger scenario tasks or even hidden tasks.
However, once you have enough affinity, when you pass by a certain NPC with tasks that match your conditions, they will initiate dialogue with you without you having to open your mouth.
Isn't that exciting?
Often, when you know an NPC has tasks, but you just can't trigger the task storyline no matter how you converse,
the probability of triggering a task significantly increases with affinity bonuses.
When affinity reaches a certain level, rare hidden tasks may even be actively offered to you without you saying anything.
This is why, in the late stage of the game, numerous top-tier players compete fiercely for various top-grade titles.
Seeing the old man's mystical demeanor, Lin Yi ignored him and walked past.
With the option of the hidden profession Spirit Summoner available, Lin Yi naturally wouldn't waste time choosing to change to an ordinary Elemental Mage.
At this moment, there are several elaborately dressed Mage career mentors each performing their duties within the hall of the Mage Guild.
Some provide career changes, some release tasks, and others upgrade skills, etc.
However, in one corner of the hall, there was an extremely solitary figure.
An old man in tattered clothes leaned against a huge floor-to-ceiling window, his gloomy expression tinged with a hint of sadness.
This person was exactly Lin Yi's target, the legendary figure from the Anti-Demon Stage of the Hundred Races: Beili Kaluna.
If Lin Yi hadn't learned this information through a hidden task, no one could have compared this unkempt old man to a legendary hero from the Anti-Demon Stage of the Hundred Races.
After all, those strong enough to survive that era are now formidable figures with great reputations.
Countless people have doubted this person's simplicity of identity, even speculating he might hold some important special task.
Yet, no matter who attempted, they could never make him spare even a glance.
Gradually, this special NPC in the Mage Guild faded from players' sight until an accidental opportunity, when Lin Yi completed a hidden task and learned.
The fact that he could stand in such a form in the Mage Guild hall was not without reason.
After all, these Magi were famed for their severe cleanliness obsession.
If any player entered here looking scruffy, the mildest consequence might be getting chased out of the Guild, or execution on the spot wasn't impossible.
Lin Yi approached the old man, his expression solemn, and spoke:
"Honorable Beili Kaluna, I wish to follow in your footsteps, inheriting Carl's eternal will, to resist the destroyers from the Nine Netherworld and protect the peaceful beliefs of the world."
Upon saying these, Lin Yi hesitated for a moment, sighed lightly,
and resolutely took out a Burning Fruit bought from the Goblin Alchemist from his backpack and swallowed it whole.
As the Burning Fruit entered his stomach, a wave of heat spread throughout his body,
"Uh, ah~"
At this moment, numerous forced damage appeared on Lin Yi's head:
"-1"
"-1"
"-1".....
Bean-sized sweat continuously dripped from Lin Yi's forehead, and the burning sting immensely stimulated Lin Yi's nerves.
Even though he had endured such torment before, suffering through it again was still agonizing for Lin Yi.
Lin Yi didn't consider lowering the pain sensation system, but it failed once.
After attempting a few times, Lin Yi had to face a reality.
That the process required the pain sensation system to be set at 100% to trigger subsequent storylines and gain the Spirit Summoner's inheritance.
With Lin Yi at level ten, having over 380 health points, calculating at a loss of one point per second, it would take over 6 minutes to drain all the health.
Thankfully, he switched his equipment earlier, sparing more suffering.
Thinking of this, a relieved smile emerged on Lin Yi's face.
After all, before his rebirth, Lin Yi was over level 70, with thousands of health!
It was nearly numb from pain by that point, almost getting kicked out of the game due to system anomaly detection.
Compared to that time, this was child's play.
Even the programmers probably couldn't have known this hidden profession was only discovered when Lin Yi was over level 70.
What surprised Lin Yi was when his health burned to half, the dejected old man finally spoke.
Maybe it was long since he last spoke, thus when he opened his mouth, the voice was piercingly hoarse,
"As the first God-chosen one to pass the trial, I believe you will complete the charge of the God of Kalsa."
"Carrying the will of the God of Kalsa, retrace the path of demon conquest, safeguarding the Rafam Continent from demonic invasion."
Speaking, the ragged old man suddenly waved a hand, and Lin Yi felt a lightness in his body, with his health instantly restored.
Simultaneously, the scene before Lin Yi's eyes changed.
In the blink of an eye, Lin Yi astonishingly found himself in a world of corpses and blood.
"This is..."
In the next moment, Lin Yi almost blurted out:
"The ancient battlefield where the Hundred Races Alliance resisted the demon army."
Under the gloomy skies, a sea of red stretched out.
Numerous human and demon bodies lay piled on this land, narrating the brutality of this battle like an Asura Purgatory.
At this moment, a thunderous roar came from afar.
At the position Lin Yi's gaze landed, there was a mass of ominously vast creatures from the Demon Race.
As Lin Yi was astonished by this sight, the earth trembled.
"Roar~"
A roar came from behind Lin Yi.
Turning to look behind, Lin Yi saw a gigantic figure breaking free from the ground.
As that figure completely emerged from the underground, it instantly flapped its massive wings, soaring into the sky.
At this moment, a term sprang to Lin Yi's mind to describe this immense creature before him,
that is to overshadow the sky and blot out the sun.
"Abyssal Demon Dragon!" Lin Yi exclaimed that terrifying name in one breath.
Lin Yi clearly remembered, back when the 'War of the Gods' expansion was updated, how a dozen top players, including Shengshi Drunkard, entering the divine domain were obliterated by an Abyssal Demon Dragon's breath.
People then said that, if given a choice, they'd rather face the Demon Realm's master than face the Abyssal Demon Dragon in the Fallen God Mountain Range again.
Because of the sensation players faced when confronting the Abyssal Demon Dragon, it was utterly despair-inducing.
Only now did Lin Yi realize that countless members of the Hundred Races Alliance stood behind him, including familiar races like humans, Elves, Beastmen, Enchanting Demons, Dwarfs, Goblins, etc.
And many unfamiliar, uniquely appearing races to Lin Yi were present as well.
As expected, what Lin Yi saw was indeed the scene of the Hundred Races Alliance battling the demon army.
Yet, the next scene that appeared moved Lin Yi deeply.
A woman resembling a human stood suspended in the void, and that daunting Abyssal Demon Dragon lowered its proud head before her.
What shocked Lin Yi more was the ear-piercing cheers from the Hundred Races Alliance:
"The glory of the God of Kalsa shall eventually illuminate the earth."
The woman then reached out to touch the Abyssal Demon Dragon's head, and with her other slender hand pointed towards the distant ferocious demon army,
"Kill!"
...............
ps: Special thanks to 'P s Nightless' and 'Mo Ren' for your consecutive days of recommending vote support, with heartfelt gratitude.