The Handsomer You Are, the Stronger You Become

Boom!
In an instant, the unexpected unfolded.

A sudden impact struck from behind, prompting Han Sungbin to leap to his feet, swinging his greatsword backward.
However.
Whoosh!

The greatsword once again cleaved through empty air.
Tap-tap!
Han Sungbin’s quick counterattack missed its mark as Kang Hyunsoo had already leaped sideways, evading outside of the attack's range.

Moreover—
Clang!

The protective shield was shattered.
“You’ve done well,” Kang Hyunsoo remarked, letting his twin swords hang loosely, signaling the end of the bout.
Then—

“Wow…”
“Three seconds… It seemed like it took almost ten seconds before, but this time it ended even faster…”
Yuhana and Jin Seoyun, who had been observing the sparring match, stared in awe, their expressions dazed.

Kang Hyunsoo had just finished the duel in record time.
When Han Sungbin charged at him with his greatsword, Kang Hyunsoo simultaneously utilized Dash and Acceleration to move behind him.
A remarkably simple strategy—

But its effectiveness was outstanding.
In their previous matches, Kang Hyunsoo had always blocked Han Sungbin’s initial attacks, so no one anticipated he would choose to evade this time.
This wasn’t just physical agility; it was a calculated move that exploited patterns from prior sparring matches.
The difference in skill between Han Sungbin and Kang Hyunsoo was glaring.

“Ugh! Please, one more round, Hyungnim!” Han Sungbin requested another duel without hesitation.
While his pride was wounded, he was still brimming with energy and eager to learn from defeat.
‘Start with light strikes. Don’t go all out with the first attack!’

Han Sungbin decided to apply what he had just learned to pressure Kang Hyunsoo more effectively.
His unyielding determination to improve through loss—
“Fine, as many rounds as you like,” Kang Hyunsoo agreed readily.

In fact—
“If you want to win, you can even attack me two-on-one.”
It wasn’t just a one-on-one invitation—Kang Hyunsoo was open to a two-on-one match.

Han Sungbin burst into laughter.
“Haha! Two-on-one? You must be joking, Hyungnim.”
“Hmm? I’m not joking.”

“…You seriously think you can win against two of us?”
“Of course.”
A confident smirk lifted one corner of Kang Hyunsoo’s lips.

Han Sungbin, wearing an incredulous expression, glanced at Jin Seoyun.
It was a deliberate provocation.
The reason was simple.

—Oh-ho, you’re trying to speed up the quest completion.
As Swallow, who was hovering invisibly in the air, pointed out—
[Swordsmanship Quest 25]
[Win in battles and sparring against talented Awakened individuals (36/50)]

Fourteen wins remained.
Although there were still many opportunities left, the stamina of Han Sungbin, Jin Seoyun, and Yuhana was nearing its limit.
At this rate, the quest would likely only be completed when the swordsmanship tournament was imminent. However, considering the next quest and rewards, it was better to finish this one earlier.

Thus, Kang Hyunsoo had swiftly ended his duel with Han Sungbin and provoked them into participating more actively.
His strategy worked.
“Pfft! Aren’t you underestimating us too much, Hunter Kang Hyunsoo? For your information, we’re from the Samcheon Guild,” Jin Seoyun said, standing up with her saber in hand after kneeling on the ground to watch the match.

Han Sungbin also raised his greatsword, turning back to Kang Hyunsoo.
“I’ll accept your challenge, Hyungnim.”
“Alright, I’ll restore everyone’s stamina!”

Whirl!
A silvery aura emerged from Yuhana’s staff, enveloping Kang Hyunsoo, Han Sungbin, and Jin Seoyun before dissipating skyward.
Their bodies instantly felt lighter.

Having used her skill, Yuhana collapsed back to the ground, exhausted, while the three combatants began their sparring in earnest.
“Shall we start?”
As Han Sungbin and Jin Seoyun equipped their shield devices, Kang Hyunsoo initiated the match.

“Let’s go with the two-man attack strategy!”
“Yes, understood!”
Boom! Whoosh!

Han Sungbin and Jin Seoyun simultaneously charged at Kang Hyunsoo.
One attacked head-on, while the other flanked—a hallmark tactic of the Samcheon Guild.
Han Sungbin swung his greatsword from the front, and Jin Seoyun thrust her saber from the side.

‘I don’t need any big skills. Just focus on dodging!’
‘I’ll aim for the shield with my saber and break it!’
Both devised their plans quickly.

In training duels, using overly destructive skills was an unspoken rule, as physical prowess was the primary focus.
Given that the objective was to break the shield, powerful skills weren’t necessary either.
They intended to narrow the escape route and tighten the encirclement, continuing their attack pattern.

But something unexpected occurred.
Clang! Ka-boom!
The greatsword and saber were blocked mid-strike.

Contrary to their predictions, Kang Hyunsoo didn’t dodge. Instead, he used his twin swords to parry their attacks.
And that wasn’t all.
In the instant their four blades collided—

Clang! Crash!
“Ugh!”
Han Sungbin was struck in the side and sent flying.

Although Jin Seoyun’s saber clashed with Kang Hyunsoo’s Fireblade, creating a stalemate, Han Sungbin’s greatsword was deflected, leaving him vulnerable to a counterattack from the Thunderblade.

Han Sungbin’s shield was completely shattered.

‘How did he counterattack so flawlessly?!’
Jin Seoyun’s eyes widened in shock.
Counterattacks required perfect timing—failure often resulted in weakened defenses and left the user exposed. Yet Kang Hyunsoo had succeeded flawlessly while under a pincer attack.

Her shock was short-lived.
“Haaah…!”
Jin Seoyun swung her saber, pressing forward against Kang Hyunsoo.

Though Han Sungbin had been blown away in one exchange, the duel wasn’t over.
However, Kang Hyunsoo blocked all her strikes, forcing her to—
Whoosh!

—retreat.
Their numerical advantage had completely disappeared.
Jin Seoyun, caught between frustration and disbelief, glared at Kang Hyunsoo.

“I… I won’t hold back anymore, Hunter Kang Hyunsoo!”
“Go ahead. Bring it on.”
Jin Seoyun tried to sound threatening, but Kang Hyunsoo merely shrugged and replied nonchalantly.

Seeing his composure, she clenched her teeth.
“You…!”
Furious, Jin Seoyun charged again. Behind her—

Booooom!
The entire training ground shook from the ensuing impact.
***

“Everyone, are you familiar with the rules and procedures? Radios will be distributed, so if you have any questions, please contact the main office,” announced the general supervisor, wearing a headset.
“Yes, understood,” came the collective response.
The Seoul Olympic Main Stadium.

Under a clear blue sky, the Strongest Swordsmanship Tournament had officially begun.
The stadium was bustling with activity. It wasn’t just the hunters participating in the tournament or the citizens and journalists who came to watch—it was also teeming with staff managing the massive event.
With dozens of sparring arenas installed inside the stadium and over a thousand participants in the Seoul preliminaries alone, the organizers had their hands full.

And that wasn’t all.
The total number of participants for the Strongest Swordsmanship Tournament across all locations was approximately 10,000.
Besides Seoul, the tournament was simultaneously being held in Daejeon, Daegu, Gwangju, and Busan. Combining all venues, it was no exaggeration to say that tens of thousands of people were involved in this massive event.

As a result—
“Do you think Kyle will show up today?”
“According to what’s been posted on social media, it looks like he’s competing in the preliminaries here.”

“Who’s going to win, though? I placed my bets on Kyle, just so you know.”
The stands, with a capacity of tens of thousands, were packed to the brim.
“Here’s the list of participants and the arena numbers you’ll be overseeing.”

“Thank you.”
The tension was palpable on the faces of the referees.
Managing such a vast audience was challenging enough, but with dozens of matches taking place simultaneously across the sparring arenas, they couldn’t afford to let their guard down for even a second.

Once the referees were stationed near their assigned arenas—
“Let the Strongest Swordsmanship Tournament officially begin!”
“Wooooooaaaaahhhh!”

With that announcement, the tournament commenced.
The beginning was chaotic, and it was hard for anyone to focus.
Unlike conventional sports events where attention is concentrated on a single match, this tournament opted for transparency and engagement by showcasing thousands of preliminary matches simultaneously.

Consequently, dozens of sparring arenas were set up within the main stadium.
“Participant #126, Shin Soo-il, wins!”
“Participant #2, Choi Ha-ra, wins! Participants #145 and #146, please step into the arena.”

The matches progressed rapidly.
As soon as one duel ended, the staff repaired the damaged arena and ushered in the next participants without delay.
The repair process wasn’t overly complicated.

Though hunters used powerful skills, the arenas were equipped with protective barriers capable of absorbing impacts up to 5 meters above ground level.
After a match concluded, the staff retrieved the shield devices worn by the hunters and replaced the barrier generators around the arena’s perimeter.
There were, of course, exceptions.

BOOOOOM!
“Participant #244, Sakamoto, wins!”
“Damn, what was that explosion?!”

“That’s Sakamoto from Japan’s Phoenix Guild. I heard his flame swordsmanship is insane. Watching it on video didn’t do it justice—this is on a whole other level.”
An explosion in one of the arenas left a massive crater in the floor.
The damage was so extensive that the next match seemed uncertain.

However, the restoration process was surprisingly swift.
As the hunters descended from the arena, waiting staff promptly removed the shattered debris and replaced it with fresh stones.
What would normally take hours with heavy machinery was accomplished in mere minutes, thanks to specialized Awakened personnel and pre-prepared materials.

Given the global prominence of this tournament, the organizers had ensured every aspect was meticulously planned.
Despite the flawless execution, the audience’s attention began to wane.
“When is Kyle going to compete?”

“Are you sure he’s coming to this arena?”
“Why isn’t he here yet? Did I get it wrong…?”
Most of the spectators weren’t there to watch random matches; they had come to see renowned hunters in action.

The Seoul Main Stadium, in particular, was filled with fans eagerly waiting to see Kyle, the celebrated hunter representing the United States.
Then, just as the restless audience was beginning to lose focus—
“Wait…?”

“Hey, hey! Look over there! Look!!”
“Gasp! Isn’t that…!!”
The murmurs turned into an uproar as all eyes turned toward the entrance of the arena.

Yeouido Hunter.
The hunter who had stirred the public’s imagination and set social media ablaze was now stepping into the Strongest Swordsmanship Tournament.