The Handsomer You Are, the Stronger You Become

“Gasp!! H-he really won!?”

“He did it! Kang Hyunsoo actually did it!!”
“To think he defeated Kyle…!! This is an event worthy of being etched into Korea’s hunter history!!”
Hunter Bureau Main Office – Conference Room.

The room erupted in cheers as the screen displayed Kang Hyunsoo, the newly crowned champion of the Greatest Swordsmanship Tournament. The final match had captured the attention of not only the Hunter Bureau executives but also the entire nation. The trending searches on portal sites were filled with Kang Hyunsoo’s name and the tournament.
The executives, gathered to monitor the match for situational awareness and response, included none other than the Director of the Hunter Bureau, Go Kyungseok.
“Wow… In the end, he really won. Hunter Kang Hyunsoo!!”

Go Kyungseok clenched his fist in excitement.
At the start of the tournament, he hadn’t paid much attention to the reports about Hyunsoo. While Kang Hyunsoo was undeniably skilled, he was relatively new on the scene and hadn’t yet demonstrated the level of prowess necessary to claim victory in such a prestigious tournament.
In a previous private evaluation match, Kang Hyunsoo had been graded as a mid-to-high-tier hunter due to his exceptional skills and his victories against Babylon operatives. Still, no one considered him among the best in the world.

But now…
“Who would have thought he’d defeat all those renowned hunters…!”
From the preliminaries to the Round of 16 and then the quarterfinals, Kang Hyunsoo cut through the competition with relentless precision. He even defeated the deputy guild leader of the Muyoung Guild before advancing to the finals.

And now…
“The winner of the Greatest Swordsmanship Tournament is Korea’s Kang Hyunsoo!”
Kang Hyunsoo had reached the summit, overturning everyone’s expectations. His graceful swordsmanship, likened to flower petals dancing in the wind, brought him victory over the formidable Kyle Dusk.

For Go Kyungseok, watching Hyunsoo’s triumph rekindled a passion for hunting he hadn’t felt in years. As he gazed at Hyunsoo on the screen, he murmured, “Chief Choi Jiwoo, you were right. Hunter Kang Hyunsoo really did win.”
“Yes! He gave it his all, and he truly is strong,” replied Chief Choi Jiwoo with a proud smile.
Over the two-week duration of the tournament, Jiwoo had trained closely with Kang Hyunsoo and reported on his rapid growth. She even speculated that he might win, defeating Kyle in the finals. At the time, Go Kyungseok dismissed her comments as biased due to personal familiarity.

But Jiwoo had been spot on.
The momentous victory over Kyle Dusk, a celebrated hunter from the U.S., was proof of Hyunsoo’s meteoric rise. Of course, winning the tournament didn’t necessarily mean Hyunsoo was outright stronger than Kyle in all aspects. The match adhered to specific rules, even if there were no restrictions on skills.
However, the victory didn’t come without complications.
“Excuse me, Director?”
The HR Manager, Park Seongjun, raised his hand cautiously.
“Yes, Deputy Cha, what is it?” Go Kyungseok prompted.
“How should we handle information control regarding Hunter Kang Hyunsoo?”

At this, all eyes turned to the Director.
Before the tournament, the Hunter Bureau had been actively scrubbing Hyunsoo’s online presence to protect him from Babylon. But as the saying goes, a needle cannot be hidden in a haystack forever. Hyunsoo’s continued achievements, especially the infamous Paju Incident, had made information control impossible.
Jiwoo stepped in to clarify.
“It seems there’s been a misunderstanding. We don’t need to do that anymore. Babylon has been annihilated, and Hunter Kang Hyunsoo himself said it was unnecessary.”
“Hunter Kang Hyunsoo said that?”
“Yes, he decided while participating in the tournament. With it being broadcast globally, it’s impossible to control the information now.”

That was a relief, but there were still lingering concerns.
“What about his rank information?” asked Seongjun. “Until now, we’ve kept all inquiries confidential. If word gets out that he’s mid-to-high-tier, the impact could be significant.”
Go Kyungseok smiled slightly and replied, “Let’s conduct a new evaluation and make it public. I’ll personally notify Hunter Kang Hyunsoo. I’m curious to see how much he’s grown.”
In less than a year, Hyunsoo had achieved unprecedented progress. Everyone was eager to learn the specifics, especially regarding the mysterious skill he had displayed at the tournament's end—a skill that seemed to transform his appearance.

Even Go Kyungseok couldn’t help but recall their sparring match. Back then, Hyunsoo had appeared unexpectedly strong and strikingly handsome. Now, it was evident that the transformation wasn’t a coincidence but a skill Hyunsoo could wield at will.
“HR Manager, once the re-evaluation date is set, please inform us,” said one executive. “I’d like to attend as an observer.”
“Me too! I’ll clear my schedule for that day!”
“Count me in as well!”
Suddenly, it felt like tickets to a high-profile event were being distributed, with fierce competition among the executives.

Chief Jiwoo scratched her cheek awkwardly. “The ripple effect caused by Hunter Kang Hyunsoo is enormous. It’s not just the public but even our executives who are this excited.”
“Indeed, thanks to him…”
Bzzzz! Bzzzz!

Go Kyungseok’s primary and secondary phones vibrated simultaneously. The caller ID on both read:
“President Hwang Daewon of South Korea.”
Looking at his screen, Go Kyungseok chuckled and said,
“It seems we’re going to be even busier moving forward.”

***
“Now, we will begin the award ceremony for the Greatest Swordsmanship Tournament!”
“Woooooo!!”

The Sangam World Cup Stadium erupted in thunderous cheers.
As the announcer’s voice echoed across the arena, Kang Hyunsoo emerged from the corridor and stepped onto the stage.
“Kang Hyunsoo! Kang Hyunsoo!!”

“He’s amazing!!”
“Eeeek! He’s so handsome!!”
The audience's response dwarfed the previous cheers, their admiration resounding louder than ever.

The stadium was packed to capacity. Typically, audiences would begin to leave after a match concluded, but now, it seemed like even more people had shown up than during the actual finals. The crowd was so massive it was impossible to estimate the number.
"Wow, Master, so many people are here to celebrate! How does it feel?"
Even Swallow, hidden but clearly excited, spoke to Hyunsoo through their telepathic connection.

‘Hmm, it doesn’t quite feel real yet,’ Hyunsoo thought.
As he walked toward the podium set up in the middle of the stadium, he couldn’t fully revel in the joy of victory.
The congratulations had poured in relentlessly right after the finals.

“Aaaahhh!! Congratulations, Hyunsoo!”
“You really beat Kyle?! How did you even pull that off?!”
“Oppa, you were so, so, SO cool!!”
“You’re the best, Hyung! Congratulations on the win!!”
“We can’t let this day pass by! I’m booking the fanciest restaurant for you, Hunter Kang Hyunsoo!”
Min Dongchan, Ha Jaesung, Yoo Hana, Han Sungbin, Jin Seoyun, and others had bombarded him with flowers and party invitations in the waiting room.
Hyunsoo’s victory had defied all expectations, even his own.

Kyle, after all, wasn’t just any opponent. He was someone Hyunsoo had never beaten in his previous life and was later revealed to hold the power of the Sin of Envy.
However, during the battle, Hyunsoo discovered weaknesses in Kyle’s swordsmanship and exploited them with precision. Before Kyle could adapt, Hyunsoo shattered his defense using Beauty Swordsmanship, ultimately securing victory.
Though the win had been hard-fought, it wasn’t a definitive declaration of superiority over Kyle. The tournament rules and circumstances had played a part.

Still, a win was a win. And now, the only thing left was…
“Congratulations on your victory, Hunter Kang Hyunsoo. Please step up to the podium.”
…to claim the reward.

At the announcer’s request, Hyunsoo approached the podium. The microphone was adjusted to his height as the crowd fell silent.
“Congratulations once again, Hunter Kang Hyunsoo. You’ve won the Greatest Swordsmanship Tournament. Could you share a few words about how you feel?”
“Uh… First of all, thank you for the congratulations.”

Hyunsoo greeted the audience, unsure of what to say.
“Eeeek! Even his voice is amazing!!”
“Is his voice as handsome as his face?! What’s going on?!”
The audience’s reaction was overwhelmingly positive.

Though Hyunsoo had merely greeted them, murmurs of admiration buzzed throughout the crowd.
It was surreal.
In his previous life, no one had ever paid such close attention to his words.

When his level was low, people would frown or dismiss him entirely. Even after he grew stronger, the interviews were lackluster at best, with people more eager to leave than to listen.
But now, thousands of people were listening intently, hanging on his every word.
This shift in reception was difficult to process, but Hyunsoo wasn’t inclined to bask in the attention.

He spoke briefly, “I’ve won, but it doesn’t feel real yet. It’s a bit overwhelming.”
The announcer pressed on, “I’m sure many watching feel the same way. Your victory overturned all expectations. Is there a special secret behind your win against Kyle?”
“Secret?” Hyunsoo repeated.

“Yes! Was it a skill, an item, or something else special?”
The announcer’s curiosity mirrored that of the audience.
While Hyunsoo understood their interest, he had no obligation to answer.

“I’ll leave that to your imagination.”
“Aha… Haha, I see. Thank you for your answer. Now, we’ll proceed with the award presentation! Hosting the ceremony is Warren, the Chairman of the International Hunter Association.”
With the interview concluded, Hyunsoo ascended the podium.

A white-haired elder approached, accompanied by an aide.
“Congratulations, Hunter Kang Hyunsoo. It was a magnificent performance. I hope we’ll have the chance to speak further later.”
Warren draped a medal around Hyunsoo’s neck and handed him a transparent box containing a single book.

Hyunsoo didn’t need to ask what it was.
The moment he received it, an information window appeared above the box:
[Consumable Item]
[The Lost Mythical Swordsmanship Manual]
[Grade: Mythical]
[Usage Requirements: Level 300+]
[Description: A manual said to contain the secret techniques of a knight who allegedly slew a god. Once used, the swordsmanship will be engraved within the user, and the manual will vanish.]

This was the swordsmanship manual Kyle had claimed in his past life.
For the first time that day, Hyunsoo allowed a faint smile to cross his lips.