"Brother," Thalia whispered, her voice a low, excited tremor. "They're all saying... we're Epic Professionals!"
Vincent and Thalia had just emerged from the Hell Instance, and the roar of shocked discussion washed over them like a wave. Thalia was so excited her entire body seemed to be wiggling with pent-up energy, but she managed to suppress her voice to a conspiratorial whisper, not daring to speak the words aloud.
Vincent simply nodded, his eyes narrowed as he watched the group of Centaur Clan members hurrying away in the distance. He had watched their faces as they left, their arrogance replaced by a chilling blend of shock and fear. The sight was a final, undeniable confirmation. Hiding his identity and using a codename had been the only correct choice.
His ancestors had taught him that 'those not of our kind are sure to be of a different mind.' It was true even among different human ethnicities, so how much more so for completely alien races with entirely different biology and history? He had decided to conceal his Boss Professional not just to guard against potential human enemies, but to protect himself from the Myriad Races. His worries, it seemed, were far from unfounded. Upon learning that an Epic Professional had appeared among humans, the Centaurs became instantly restless, their peaceful coexistence a thin veneer over a simmering rivalry. If they ever knew the true, terrifying nature of his Boss Professional... they might risk a full-blown clan war just to eliminate him.
Fortunately, he had used a codename.
Vincent's gaze swept over the crowd. Many people looked in his and Thalia's direction, but their eyes simply passed over them without a second thought. Their unassuming clothes and Thalia's wide-eyed, innocent excitement, which was identical to that of many other girls around them, made them perfectly camouflaged. They were simply two more members of the crowd, excited by the news of an Epic Professional's arrival.
"Let's enter the Instance first," Vincent whispered, his tone low and purposeful.
Thalia's flushed face was a mix of silent anticipation and agitation, and she nodded repeatedly. She didn't dare to speak, or even ask questions; who knew if any of the other Professionals had extraordinary hearing? She was just as eager to get back inside the instance to vent her excitement with her brother.
As they turned to look at the panel, preparing to challenge the Abyss Instance, Vincent felt a flicker of anticipation. He had broken three speedrun records and caused a massive stir. When he finally settled his Enterprise, how much Enterprise Reputation would he get?
But the thought immediately brought another to mind. What was the point of Enterprise Reputation alone if he couldn't find employees with Epic potential to sign?
The thought made Vincent freeze. His gaze, which had been on the panel, suddenly shifted to the crowd around them. That's right. With so many Professionals here, there might just be people with Epic potential who only awakened as ordinary professionals. He had to look.
With a single thought, he activated his skill. 'Investigate Target'. He started with the person closest to him, then the next, his gaze sweeping across the crowd.
[Target potential is not Epic, not recommended for recruitment.]
[Target potential is not Epic, not recommended for recruitment.]
[Target potential is not Epic, not recommended for recruitment.]
The prompts were a monotonous, relentless stream of disappointment. Vincent's teeth ached with a growing frustration. This Epic potential... it was impossibly rare. He had been so optimistic, but after checking at least a hundred Professionals, he hadn't found a single one. He saw a few with Excellent-grade potential, but they had only awakened ordinary Professionals, and his criteria for recruitment were currently set on Epic-grade. It seemed like a fruitless quest.
Not far from Vincent and Thalia, a small team was in the middle of an intense discussion. The group was comprised of four youths: a pretty, energetic Mage girl, three melee Professionals, and their de facto leader, a dignified-looking Priest named Lyra, who was perhaps seventeen or eighteen years old. She had a calm, gentle temperament that made her seem like a reliable older sister to her companions.
"Sister Lyra," the Mage girl said, her face still flushed with excitement, "You really think this Boss and Hill... are Epic Professionals?"
Lyra frowned, her expression serious. "The difficulty of the Hell Instance is undeniable. For two people to break the speedrun record by such a large margin... besides an Epic Professional, I can't think of any other possibility."
"But I've never heard of any school having an Epic Professional," the Mage girl insisted, her expression a mix of awe and puzzlement.
The Priest shook her head. "It's not that we haven't heard of them, it's that... we wouldn't know." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Once an Epic Professional awakens, they are basically hidden by the school and then secretly sent to the southern cities."
The Mage girl's eyes widened. "Why?"
"We are too close to the Centaur Clan's world here, with many of their cities around. It's not safe enough," Lyra explained. "Only by going south, where most of the cities are human, can their safety be guaranteed." She sighed softly, a look of solemn understanding on her face. "Epic Professionals each have the potential to become a racial cornerstone. Humanity's foundation is already weak; each one that appears is an absolute treasure."
The Mage girl was bewildered. "But... how do you know this, Sister Lyra?"
Lyra froze for a moment, then, after a brief silence, she shook her head. "I also heard it from someone, but it's very likely to be true. Otherwise, in Iron Fang City, which has existed for over a decade, would not a single Epic Professional have awakened?" The Mage girl subconsciously nodded, realizing the logic in Lyra's words.
"Then... how did they end up here? And showing themselves like this?" the Mage girl asked, her confusion growing.
Lyra's eyes showed the same puzzlement. Logically, a human Epic Professional shouldn't act so impulsively, exposing themselves over a small dispute. To speedrun the Hell Instance and break the record by such a large margin... it was a complete act of self-incrimination. Even though they used codenames, who knew what methods the alien races had to identify a Professional's grade?
"It was really... not wise," Lyra finally said, her voice filled with incomprehension.
The Mage girl paused, then suddenly said, "If that's the case... then it's best not to find them." She realized that if Boss and Hill were found, they could be in great danger. She sighed with a touch of disappointment. "It's a pity, though. I still wanted to see if those two Epic Professionals who speedran the Hell Instance were two handsome guys." Her companions chuckled, her whimsical regret a brief moment of levity in a serious discussion.
"Brother, what are you doing?" Thalia asked, her voice hushed but impatient. She had been waiting for a long time, watching as Vincent looked through the crowd, his expression growing more disappointed by the minute.
"Scouting for employees," Vincent replied softly, his eyes never leaving the crowd.
Others wouldn't understand, but Thalia's eyes instantly lit up. "Did you find anyone?"
Vincent let out a soft sigh, about to shake his head in resignation. He had almost given up. But as his gaze swept across the crowd for a final time, it happened to land on a small team standing together, centered around a dignified-looking Priest. He subconsciously cast his Investigate Target skill, his thoughts already on the next task. He was about to speak, to tell Thalia that the search was a bust, but a line of crimson text suddenly appeared on his panel, instantly stopping his words.
[Potential: Epic (Frost Hell Goddess)]
[Can be signed.]
[After the contract is signed, this employee can obtain the 'Epic Professional — Ice Queen'.]
[Enterprise Reputation required for 'Epic-grade' contract: 50]
Vincent's gaze instantly solidified, fixed on the young, older-sister-like Priest who was now discussing something with her team. His heart pounded in his chest, a mixture of shock and elation coursing through him.
The second awesome... potential employee, found.