The Handsomer You Are, the Stronger You Become

Yeouido Park fell into silence once more.

It was unbelievable.
Impossible.
An unknown hunter, whose skills were unverified and reputation nonexistent, had single-handedly cleared not one but two consecutive S-rank dungeons.
To make matters worse—or more shocking—those dungeons were twin dungeons. The Grave Dungeon required defeating a boss underground, while the Thunder Dungeon involved taking down a boss in mid-air. Given that hunters typically specialized in one skill set, excelling in both environments was an exceedingly rare feat.

Yet, the man before them had accomplished it with ease.
Not only that, but he had done so faster than multi-party raids could manage.
The sheer audacity of it left the crowd speechless.

Some rubbed their eyes forcefully, as if refusing to believe what they saw.
But the silence didn't last long.
"Are you kidding me?! He actually cleared it!"
"That speed! Even top-tier hunters couldn't finish that quickly!"
"Pay up, you jerks! Didn't I tell you he'd clear the Thunder Dungeon too?!"

Excited murmurs turned into frenzied cheers.
From those betting against the odds to quiet onlookers rooting for him, the arrival of Kang Hyunsoo set off waves of raucous applause.
The roar of the crowd was deafening.

‘Such incredible star power! I must recruit him... no matter what!’
Gwak Dowon, trembling with adrenaline, clenched his fists.
The cheers weren't merely for a hunter who had cleared the twin dungeons.

They were for his record-breaking speed, his mysterious identity, and his striking looks.
The perfect storm of talent, charisma, and enigma had created an unprecedented sensation.
Though Gwak Dowon only knew his name and rank, he instinctively realized he had to bring Kang Hyunsoo into the Muyoung Guild.

But someone beat him to the punch.
"Simply incredible. It's an honor to meet you, Hunter Kang Hyunsoo. Would you consider joining Ilsum Guild? We’re committed to supporting your limitless potential and helping you unlock every opportunity."
The speaker was Shim Wonsik, Guild Master of Ilsum Guild, stepping forward to make his move.
‘What the...? When did he...?!’

Although Gwak Dowon wasn’t the first to propose, he couldn’t sit idly by.
He rushed to Kang Hyunsoo’s side.
"Hello, Hunter Kang Hyunsoo! I’m Gwak Dowon, Deputy Guild Master of Muyoung Guild. Did you really just clear the twin dungeons consecutively? Could I have a moment of your time? We’ll provide you with the best possible terms if you join us!"

Never before had he bowed his head so low to recruit a hunter—not since the day he awakened.
Even more astonishing, the rising star Shim Wonsik himself had joined the fray.
This was an unprecedented recruiting war.

Perhaps that was why Kang Hyunsoo seemed intrigued.
If he wasn’t interested, he would have ignored them entirely. But instead, he stood still, looking back and forth between the two men.
"Muyoung and Ilsum... both are major guilds," he remarked.

"Yes, that’s correct!" Gwak Dowon nodded eagerly. "But our Muyoung Guild is much larger. We can even provide new recruits with Legendary-grade items as support."
"Size isn’t everything," Shim Wonsik countered smoothly. "Quality matters. Ilsum Guild holds the fastest dungeon-clearing records for multiple raids. With your skills, Hunter Kang Hyunsoo, we’d be happy to support you with Mythic-grade items."
"……!"

Their gazes locked, the air between them heating with rivalry.
Though neither openly criticized the other, their attempts to one-up each other were palpable.
The competition was intense, and their offers were increasingly extravagant.

But Kang Hyunsoo’s attention shifted elsewhere.
"By the way... how do you two know my name?"
"……!!"

Both men froze.
Though they had introduced themselves, Kang Hyunsoo hadn’t revealed anything about himself yet.
Realizing their blunder, both Gwak Dowon and Shim Wonsik cursed inwardly.

They had recklessly used information gathered from dungeon guards without considering how it would look. To Kang Hyunsoo, it could only feel like he’d been investigated behind his back.
Which, to be fair, was accurate.
The two exchanged glances, momentarily setting aside their rivalry for damage control.

Gwak Dowon spoke first.
"Ah, well... I apologize. I noticed your Hunter License during the entry inspection earlier. I have excellent eyesight, you see."
"Same here," Shim Wonsik chimed in.

"…Hmm. It’s not a big deal, so I’ll let it slide."
"Th-thank you, Hunter Kang Hyunsoo!"
The excuse was laughably weak, but Kang Hyunsoo, perhaps out of charity, decided to overlook it.

He had only brought it up to warn them. His true concern lay elsewhere.
"So, the Muyoung Guild is offering Legendary-grade items, and the Ilsum Guild is offering Mythic-grade items?"
"Ah, actually—since you cleared the twin dungeons solo, we’ll match the Mythic-grade support!" Gwak Dowon hastily amended.

The Muyoung Guild couldn’t afford to lose.
But the Ilsum Guild sweetened the deal further.
"If you join us, we’ll prioritize your quests above all others."

"Quests...?"
For hunters needing to develop their talents, prioritizing quests was an unparalleled advantage.
It was a benefit even guild masters hesitated to offer, fearing backlash from other members.

But Shim Wonsik boldly extended the offer, sparking visible interest from Kang Hyunsoo.
“Hmm... prioritizing my quests, you say?”
His hand stroked his chin thoughtfully, signaling genuine intrigue.

Gwak Dowon panicked. If this continued, Ilsum Guild would win.
Desperate, he made a reckless decision.
"We’ll prioritize your quests too!"

And then, as if to outdo himself, he dropped to his knees.
"We’ll also offer 10 billion won as a signing bonus! Please, join the Muyoung Guild!"
Gwak Dowon’s full bow left the crowd gasping.

Even Shim Wonsik looked stunned.
Hunters whispered in disbelief, marveling at Gwak Dowon’s sheer audacity.
‘This... this is my victory!’

Confident in his heartfelt display, Gwak Dowon grinned inwardly.
But his triumph was short-lived.
“…Huh?”

Five seconds passed. Ten.
There was no response.
Lifting his head, Gwak Dowon found... nothing.

Kang Hyunsoo was gone.
‘D-did he join Ilsum Guild?!’
Gwak Dowon scrambled to his feet, only to find Shim Wonsik also bowing deeply.

"With a signing bonus of 15 billion won, please join the Ilsum Guild."
Both men stared at each other in utter confusion.
From the murmurs of the crowd, they finally spotted him.

Kang Hyunsoo’s figure retreated toward the park's exit.
“What the...? Did he just leave?”
"Who did he sign with?"

"Looks like… no one."
The crowd buzzed as Kang Hyunsoo raised a hand without turning around.
"I’m not interested in joining a guild. Have a nice day."

"……!!"
The previously chaotic Yeouido Park fell silent once more, swallowed by astonishment.
***

Have you ever heard the phrase, "You wake up one day and suddenly you're a star"?
For Kang Hyunsoo, that phrase became a reality.
After clearing the twin dungeons in Yeouido Park and taking a well-deserved nap, he woke up to find the internet ablaze with his name.

Every step Kang Hyunsoo had taken at Yeouido Park was now plastered across the internet.
From hunter forums to general social media platforms, videos and photos were everywhere, making him the #1 trending topic and even sparking news articles.
This wasn’t the first time Kang Hyunsoo had gone viral online.

Incidents like the Daechi Station Dungeon, the Jaewon University Rookie Hunter Selection Tournament, and the Paju Stadium Terrorist Attack had all brought attention to him before.
However, there was a reason no one connected those past events to the current hype.
The explanation was simple: his appearance kept changing.

From "painfully unattractive" to "unbearably handsome," Kang Hyunsoo’s transformation was so drastic that people couldn’t believe he was the same person.
In the past, his first impression often drew disgust, but now, not a single soul doubted he was a bona fide heartthrob.
Though his personal details hadn’t changed, those who knew him before struggled to reconcile his current looks with his past self.

Even during the Jaewon University Rookie Hunter Tournament, his identity was barely acknowledged.
As for the Paju Stadium Incident, while it garnered massive attention, the Hunter Bureau’s tight information control ensured that no one linked him to the rookie hunter Kang Hyunsoo.
Still, some people managed to put the pieces together.

Min Dongchan (Samcheon Guild):
"Hyunsoo, isn’t that you on the forums?"
Ha Jaesung (Samcheon Guild):
"It’s definitely you, right? Since when were you clearing S-rank dungeons?!"
Do Minjung (Asenne):
"Wow… You’re really famous, Hunter! I was so surprised to see you in the news!"

Messages poured in from friends, hunters, and even the idol Do Minjung, who had once been rescued by him.
But the recognition didn’t stop at messages.
After a long sleep, a freshly showered Kang Hyunsoo stepped out of his bathroom, drying his hair with a towel.

Ding-dong. Ding-dong.
“Huh? What are they doing here…?”
Glancing at the intercom screen, Hyunsoo saw unexpected faces waiting outside.

Still pulling on a T-shirt, he opened the door.
“Why are you all—?”
“Hyunsoo oppa! I saw the videos!!” exclaimed Yuhana, her face brimming with excitement.

“Hyung! I heard the news. You cleared the twin dungeons by yourself? That’s amazing!” said Han Sungbin, practically bouncing on his heels.
And then there was Jin Seoyun, who didn’t look nearly as thrilled.
“Hunter Kang Hyunsoo, is it true that you’re joining either Muyoung or Ilsum Guild?” she asked, her tone tinged with irritation as she glared at him.

Hyunsoo looked from one face to the next, unsure whether to laugh or sigh. His name and reputation had clearly grown out of control.
And this was only the beginning.