The Handsomer You Are, the Stronger You Become

Flames roared high into the air, nearly touching the storm clouds above.
The explosion spread, smoke billowing outward.

"Wow…! You sent that S-rank monster packing with a single blow!"
Swallow clapped its wings in admiration.
Even though the mole monster had been strong enough to damage the Trust Armor, it was obliterated by a single skill, despite not even being hit in a vital spot.

The sheer destructive power was beyond expectations.
Back at their lodging, Swallow and Kang Hyunsoo had considered the possibility that the ordinary monsters in the twin dungeons might not go down so easily. After all, when Hyunsoo had previously sought the hidden piece, his level had been over 100 points lower, and even with his skills maxed out, taking out such monsters had been a challenge.
But this time was different.

Hyunsoo, landing gracefully where the mole had stood moments before, glanced at the remains and explained, "It’s thanks to the Flame Sword. Back then, I only had the Demon Flame Sword, so even using Black Spot Explosion, the small fry wouldn’t go down."
"Ah, that makes sense. As expected of the Flame Sword—it’s bridging the gap of over 100 levels with such elegance. With this kind of firepower, clearing an S-rank dungeon solo seems entirely feasible," Swallow remarked, clearly impressed.
For once, the usually critical Swallow had nothing but praise for Hyunsoo’s performance.

But there was no time to celebrate.
The shockwave from Black Spot Explosion had disturbed the graveyard, and the tremors heralded what was to come.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE!

[Lv 510. Abyssal Gravekeeper Mole]
[Lv 510. Abyssal Gravekeeper Mole]
[…]
[Lv 510. Abyssal Gravekeeper Mole]
Low growls reverberated as more than a dozen mole monsters emerged from all corners of the graveyard, encircling Hyunsoo in a deadly trap.
Escape seemed impossible.

"Can you carry me while flying?" Hyunsoo asked, glancing at Swallow.
"...I’ll do it, but you owe me a fruit basket for the effort!" Swallow replied, flapping its wings vigorously.
Hyunsoo grabbed onto Swallow’s tiny feet, and despite the poor grip, Swallow managed to lift him into the air, narrowly evading the claws of the moles as they lunged.

Once clear of the encirclement, Hyunsoo let go and landed safely on the ground.
"Good, that’s all I needed," he said.
"Lead the way, fastest route!"
"On it, Master!" Swallow called back, darting ahead to guide him.

Hyunsoo broke into a sprint, leaving the moles behind and racing across the graveyard.
"GRRRRRR!!"
The dozen-odd mole monsters roared in pursuit, while others were drawn in by the commotion. But Hyunsoo, focused entirely on Swallow’s path, paid them no mind.

Ten minutes of running brought him to a peculiar spot.
"Here we are, Master!" Swallow shouted, hovering in place.
At the edge of the graveyard, near a stone wall marking its boundary, lay a flat, unmarked patch of land—an anomaly in the otherwise grave-filled terrain.

To the untrained eye, it seemed utterly ordinary.
But both Hyunsoo and Swallow knew better.
This was the location of the hidden piece.

Racing to where Swallow hovered, Hyunsoo skidded to a halt. Turning to face the pursuing moles, he yelled, "Come on, you dirt-digging bastards!"
RUMBLE!
The ground trembled violently as a swarm of enraged moles closed in on him, tearing up the earth with their claws.

"GRRRRAAAAA!!"
The monsters charged at him with relentless ferocity.
A less experienced hunter would have fled immediately to avoid being overwhelmed, but Hyunsoo stood his ground, watching the moles draw closer.

As the first wave of monsters lunged at him from underground—
【Activated】
[Launch (C)]
BOOOOM!

A concentrated energy blast erupted from the tip of Hyunsoo’s sword, propelling him backward and out of harm’s way. The moles’ claws swiped through empty air as their first attack missed.
But the onslaught wasn’t over.
Wave after wave of moles continued to attack, emerging from the ground with devastating strikes or swinging their long claws.

The relentless attacks left only one option: reduce their numbers.
But Hyunsoo wasn’t striking back.
Instead, he scanned the ground around him, his eyes darting as if searching for something.

Why isn’t it here? Hyunsoo thought, dodging another swipe. This should be the spot. According to my memories, it’s right here under the ground!
Then, amid the chaos, Swallow’s voice cut through.
"Master! Two meters to the northeast—something’s glinting in the dirt!"

Following Swallow’s direction, Hyunsoo dived toward the indicated spot, evading the moles’ claws by a hair’s breadth.
His hand plunged into the dirt and pulled out the metallic object that had been buried there.
"Finally," Hyunsoo muttered with a smirk.

[Consumable Item]
[Ancient Tomb Key]
[Rank: Mythic]
[Description: A key that unlocks the Ancient Tomb.]
The metallic object was none other than the key to accessing the hidden piece.
"Great! Now we just need to head to the Ancient Tomb, Master!" Swallow cheered.

"Yeah, but first…" Hyunsoo said, gripping his swords tightly, "Let’s take care of these pests."
THUD! THUD! BOOM!
While Hyunsoo was thrilled to have secured the key, the mole monsters hadn’t stopped their assault. They clawed and tore at the ground around him, relentless even after their purpose had been fulfilled.

Dodging another attack, Hyunsoo activated Launch again to escape their encirclement, his twin swords gleaming in his hands.
Watching the approaching swarm, he thought, How should I deal with this?
Taking them all out in one blow was tempting, but summoning a divine beast wouldn’t be effective against underground enemies. Meanwhile, Black Spot Explosion was too powerful and would likely draw in more moles from farther away.

With a boss fight looming, conserving high-damage skills with long cooldowns seemed prudent.
I’ll need something quiet, efficient, and quick… Hyunsoo mused as he prepared to act.
"The Perfect Skill for the Job"

A particular technique surfaced in Kang Hyunsoo’s mind—not exactly a skill, but a hidden art.
Crossing his twin swords, he began channeling energy from deep within.
At that moment—

WUUUUUUUUNG—!!
Raw power surged through his body, clouding his thoughts as his rationality began to fade.
Simultaneously, the system notifications appeared:

【Activated】
[Berserker’s Secret Art: Rampage (B)]
[Temporarily increases attack power, defense, attack speed, and movement speed by 300%. Costs 200 HP and 200 MP.]
"GRRRRAAAAAHHHH!!"
Hyunsoo’s dark irises turned a deep crimson.

The technique he activated was none other than:
[Warrior Trait: Berserker’s Secret Art (A)]
[Drastically enhances physical capabilities but reduces rational thinking and decreases intelligence by 90%.]
This was the hallmark of the Berserker’s talent—an all-out enhancement at the cost of his mental clarity.

With a primal roar, Hyunsoo drove his twin swords into the upheaving ground.
BOOOOM! BOOOOM!
Explosions tore through the soil, sending dirt flying into the air.

[Lv 510. Abyssal Gravekeeper Mole has been defeated.]
The leading mole, lunging at him, was obliterated in an instant.
【Activated】
[Berserker’s Secret Art: Explosive Blade (A)]
[Imbues a weapon with the energy and life force of a rampaging warrior, detonating anything the blade touches. Costs 300 HP and 300 MP.]

The ferocious blast delivered through the twin swords struck the mole directly, dealing damage on par with Black Spot Explosion.
However, as Hyunsoo brought down one mole, another took its chance.
SWEEEEEEEEEEK!

From behind, a mole burst through the ground, swinging its claws at Hyunsoo.
Too late to dodge, Hyunsoo had no choice but to brace himself—until...
WUUUUNG—! KAAAANG—!!

[A dazzling shield is activated by your Charismatic Ally.]
A radiant blue barrier materialized behind Hyunsoo, blocking the mole’s claws just in time.
Spinning on his heel, Hyunsoo retaliated with Explosive Blade, striking down the mole and eliminating it instantly.

"Master, you need to manage your Appearance Power! You can’t keep taking hits!" Swallow shouted urgently from above, its sharp eyes scanning the battlefield.
But Hyunsoo was far beyond rational thought.
Ordinarily, he would have taken a more calculated, defensive approach. Not now.

He turned toward the remaining moles, watching as they closed the distance.
And instead of formulating a plan or responding with words, he bellowed:
"GRRRRAAAAAAAHHHH!!"

Even Swallow flinched.
【Activated】
[Berserker’s Secret Art: Roar (C)]
[Disrupts magic within a 10-meter radius and instills fear in enemies with a warrior’s ferocious shout. Costs 100 HP and 100 MP.]
The guttural scream, infused with the raw energy of a Berserker, sent shockwaves through the air.

The nearby moles froze momentarily, unnerved by the savage cry.
***
"Hmm, seems like the start’s been delayed quite a bit today. Are skilled hunters this scarce nowadays?"

"It seems the timing’s off, Vice Guild Master. We only need two more people, but no one’s showing up."
At the entrance to the twin dungeon gates, Gwak Dowon and the hunters from the Muyoung Guild exchanged idle chatter while scanning the surroundings.
It had been three hours since they began recruiting for their party, but no suitable candidates had appeared.

The Ilsum Guild was facing the same issue.
"Still no luck finding those last two people. Should we call in some off-duty guild members, Guild Master?"
"...Let’s wait a little longer."

Like Muyoung, Ilsum Guild was also searching for hunters to enter the twin dungeons. But for some reason, no volunteers had come forward.
Both guilds could easily summon their own members if they wanted to.
But they didn’t.

It was a matter of pride.
Recruiting unaffiliated hunters first was part of an unspoken rivalry between the two guilds—a battle of egos to see who could dominate the mercenary pool.
And so, while pretending to appear nonchalant, both guilds continued their silent scouting war, subtly tense as they waited for mercenaries.

Then, something completely unexpected happened.
FWOOOOOSH—!!
A radiant beam of light suddenly burst from the Tomb Dungeon’s portal, signaling its clearance and an escape.

"Hmm…?"
The hunters from Muyoung and Ilsum Guilds turned to the portal, their faces puzzled.
There hadn’t been any parties attempting the twin dungeons today.

They were supposed to be the first ones entering. So how could someone have cleared it already?
It seemed impossible.
But they had forgotten about one particular individual.

Kang Hyunsoo.
Two hours earlier, Hyunsoo had entered the Tomb Dungeon solo. Most assumed he had perished within minutes.
Yet now, he was walking out of the portal, unharmed and casual.

"......?"
"......?!"
A stunned silence fell over the twin gate area.

The hunters from Muyoung and Ilsum stared at Hyunsoo’s figure as if they had seen a ghost.
And then—
"Wh-what the…?"

"This can’t be real…."
Their disbelief spilled out in hushed whispers, their eyes wide in shock as they watched Hyunsoo calmly emerge from the dungeon.