The Handsomer You Are, the Stronger You Become

"K-Kang Hyunsoo, Hunter…?"

Surely, she must be mistaken.

Jin Seoyun rubbed her eyes as she stared at the man standing right in front of her.

But it was real.

“You must be training with the scarecrow. If you’re trying to cut it, aim for the joints. It’ll make it much easier.”

After two weeks of showing up at the training facility every day, the man she had been waiting for, Kang Hyunsoo, had finally approached her and spoken.

The man she had longed to see had appeared.

And yet, Jin Seoyun still couldn’t believe her eyes.

“Are you really Kang Hyunsoo, Hunter?”

The man before her was indeed Kang Hyunsoo, but he looked so different from the last time they had met that she hadn’t recognized him at first glance.

Was it his hairstyle? His voice? His outfit?

His appearance seemed identical to what she remembered from two weeks ago, but now that she was seeing him up close, there was something unmistakably different about him.

Of course, the man himself appeared oblivious to the change.

Kang Hyunsoo tilted his head slightly and asked, “Huh? Is something wrong?”

“Oh… I’m sorry. For a moment, I thought you were someone else… It’s been a while, hasn’t it? How have you been?”

“Eh, well… just the usual, I suppose.”

Jin Seoyun hastily pulled herself together, greeting him politely. After waiting two weeks to meet him, she couldn’t afford to lose her composure now.

Still—

‘His face looks so much cleaner now… Is that possible?’

She couldn’t stop herself from glancing at him repeatedly.

When she first met Kang Hyunsoo, she had thought he was, quite frankly, unattractive. But now, she could hardly find any trace of that initial impression.

And it wasn’t just his face.

‘His build seems bigger too. I don’t think he used to have this much of a difference…’

He seemed taller. When they first met, she only needed to raise her eyes slightly to meet his gaze. Now, she had to tilt her head upward.

She sneaked a glance at his shoes to confirm her suspicion.

But Kang Hyunsoo was wearing the same black shoes he had worn during the D-rank Open Dungeon raid.

Caught up in her silent observations, Jin Seoyun didn’t realize she was staring until Kang Hyunsoo noticed her gaze. He looked down at himself and asked, “Is there something on me?”

“Oh, no. It’s just… You seem a bit different from the last time I saw you.”

“Oh… Do I?”

At her comment, Kang Hyunsoo glanced down at himself again.

Truthfully, a lot had changed.

Since the D-rank Open Dungeon raid, he had completed several Beauty Quests.

The fact that someone else had noticed these changes was reassuring.

While he was undergoing the quests to become stronger, the visible improvements in his appearance were undeniable, and receiving confirmation from someone else felt oddly satisfying.

“Ahaha, as expected, someone has finally noticed Master’s transformation.”

Swallow, who was hovering invisibly above them, let out a smug laugh, clearly pleased with Jin Seoyun’s observation.

However, Kang Hyunsoo felt a bit conflicted. It wasn’t as if his “atmosphere” had really changed.

The rewards from the Beauty Quests had made his face more average, increased his height, and trimmed his physique—all in just two weeks.

It was a transformation that defied logical explanation, making it hard to elaborate on exactly what had changed.

In the end, he settled on a different excuse.

“I’ve just been working out pretty hard lately. Swinging a sword requires strength, and there’s also the chance Babylon might come after me.”

“Oh… So you’ve heard about that from the Hunter Bureau.”

Fortunately, his explanation worked.

As soon as he mentioned Babylon, Jin Seoyun’s expression turned serious, and her demeanor shifted.

Kang Hyunsoo nodded. “Yeah, they’re quite dangerous. Isn’t that why you’re training as well?”

“Well… It’s true that I want to get stronger, but it’s not specifically because of them. The Hunter Bureau told me about Babylon, but the higher-ups seem to think this was a one-off raid.”

“A one-off raid?”

“Yes, they concluded that Babylon wasn’t targeting Hunters from the Samcheon Guild specifically. Most of our Hunters are too high-level, and we haven’t had any prior interactions with Babylon. It seems their goal was simply the rewards from the Open Dungeon, and they targeted us because our levels were relatively low. The odds of them coming after us again seem slim.”

“I see…”

Kang Hyunsoo stroked his chin thoughtfully.

Based on his previous life, it could be argued that Babylon had been targeting Han Sungbin specifically, given that he was the only one who had died.

However, explaining this to Jin Seoyun wasn’t feasible. There was also the possibility that the Samcheon Guild’s higher-ups were right. Babylon, classified as a top-level threat by the Hunter Bureau, targeting Hunters under level 300 did seem illogical.

Still—

“Since I’m on my own, I can’t afford to lower my guard. I need to grow even faster.”

Kang Hyunsoo wasn’t entirely convinced.

Unlike Jin Seoyun, he wasn’t affiliated with a large guild. And in his previous life, his life had been in danger thanks to that ominous purple aura. He had no choice but to remain vigilant.

Jin Seoyun nodded in agreement, albeit for a slightly different reason.

“Since you’re working solo, I can see why you’d be uneasy. In that case… Would you like to join our guild for a raid again?”

“Another raid?”

“Yes. We’ve secured a high-experience D-rank dungeon. For the next few runs, our deputy guild leader will also be joining my party, and we’re reinforcing the portal’s defenses.”

If what Jin Seoyun said was true, there was little need to worry about Babylon in their raids.

But—

“I think I’ll have to pass.”

Kang Hyunsoo shook his head.

His unexpected response left Jin Seoyun wide-eyed.

“What? Oh, if it’s the mercenary arrangement you don’t like, would you consider joining the Samcheon Guild instead? With your skills, I can recommend you immediately—”

“No, it’s not that. I’m planning to compete in a tournament.”

“A tournament…?”

Kang Hyunsoo showed her the announcement saved on his phone.

<Jaewon University President’s Rookie Hunter Raid Competition>
Event: D-rank Dungeon Raid
Date: October 1
Eligibility: Hunters below level 200

“I see… It’s a team competition. Could I join your team then?”

Jin Seoyun expressed her interest, noticing that teams could include up to five participants.

However, she had missed one crucial detail.

“With you on the team, we’d definitely have an advantage, but unfortunately, that won’t work. It’s a rookie competition, and only Hunters under level 200 are allowed.”

“W-what…?”

Jin Seoyun double-checked the announcement Kang Hyunsoo showed her. Sure enough, there was a level cap.

Still—

“Well then, I’ll at least come to watch the competition!”

“Huh? Watch?”

Despite being unable to participate, Jin Seoyun insisted on accompanying him to Jaewon University on the day of the tournament.

Why?

Kang Hyunsoo looked at her, puzzled.

From his memories of his previous life, she didn’t seem to harbor any particular fondness for him. Even in this life, they had only shared a single raid together.

While they had faced danger together, it wasn’t enough to call them close.

Sensing his confusion, Jin Seoyun quickly added:

“Oh, no, it’s just… Since you mentioned being worried about Babylon, I thought I could provide some support! The schedule only takes one day, and I don’t want you feeling uneasy during the competition.”

“Aren’t you busy? I heard your schedule is packed.”

“Luckily, I’m free that day. And since you’ve saved my life multiple times in the Open Dungeon, I want to do something to help.”

“Well… If you insist, I won’t stop you.”

Still skeptical, Kang Hyunsoo reluctantly nodded.

With her face slightly flushed, Jin Seoyun hurriedly said goodbye and left the training facility.

As she disappeared, Swallow, who had been watching from above, chuckled.

“Hahaha! It seems that lady is interested in you, Master. Her reaction is completely different from the last life.”

But that was absurd.@@novelbin@@

“The sharp, prideful Jin Seoyun? Interested in me?”

Memories of her sharp temper in his previous life flashed through Kang Hyunsoo’s mind.

“No way. Stop talking nonsense, you stupid bird. Just the thought of it is giving me a headache.”

Even if the masked Hunter incident had somehow piqued her interest, Kang Hyunsoo had no intention of deepening their relationship.

Ignoring Swallow’s teasing, he turned back toward the scarecrow and resumed his training.

***

“Phew… It’s finally starting.”

<3rd Promising Rookie Hunter Selection Tournament>

Standing in front of Jaewon University, I looked up at the banner hanging over the main gate. A wave of emotion washed over me.

It had been about a month since the tournament was announced.

During that time, I pushed myself harder than ever before. Unlike my previous life, where I had Choi Taehun and Seo Jieun to rely on, this time, I had to win on my own. That meant cutting back on sleep and focusing entirely on growth.

The results spoke for themselves.

[Target: Weight 70kg, Body Fat 15% (70/70), (15%/15%) Achieved Successfully]
[Auxiliary Beauty Quest #11 Completed.]
[Rewards:]

• Stamina +20
• Charm +15
• Trait: Physical Appearance upgraded from D-grade to C-grade.
  • Increased muscle mass.
  • Reduced body fat.
  • Base attack speed +5%.
  • Base movement speed +5%.
  • Base reaction speed +5%.

I had finally succeeded in my diet, shedding an incredible 15 kg in just a month.

By normal standards, such rapid weight loss was nearly impossible and dangerously unhealthy. But for me, it was manageable.

As an Awakened Hunter, I had surpassed ordinary human limits. Raiding consumed an extraordinary number of calories, often causing me to lose over 3 kg in a single session.

With disciplined appetite control, the diet ended up being a straightforward task.

Sure, there were drawbacks to rapid weight loss—like loose skin or an aged appearance—but I wasn’t concerned about those either. The rewards for completing Auxiliary Beauty Quest #11 more than compensated.

[Trait: Skin upgraded from E-grade to D-grade.]

• Skin becomes clearer and more elastic.
• Charm stat increases by an additional +1% due to skin improvement.

Surprisingly, my skin looked even better than before the diet. The sudden transformation left me better off than I had been in the first place.

With these changes, my progress now looked like this:

[Beauty Trait: The Handsomer You Are, the Stronger You Become (S)]
<Detailed Features>

• Facial Features (C)
• Physical Appearance (C)
• Skin (D)
• Fashion (F)
• Scent (E)
• ??? (Locked)
• Appearance Power: 30
• Effect of Appearance Power: All stats +60.

An Appearance Power of 30 provided stat boosts equivalent to 60 additional levels.

And during my dieting phase, I hadn’t neglected my raids either. As a result:

[Status Window]

• [Lv. 185. Kang Hyunsoo]
• [Title: Ordinary Swordsman]

I had carefully paced my leveling to avoid exceeding the tournament’s level cap of 200. This allowed me to showcase my full strength during the competition.

Of course, restricting my level-ups came at a price.

[Swordsmanship Quest #17]

• [Defeat 1,700 monsters with a sword (1,450/1,700).]

I hadn’t managed to complete Swordsmanship Quest #17, even after over a month.

And the new quest I received after completing Auxiliary Beauty Quest #11 also remained unfinished:

[Absolute Beauty Quest #5]

• [True beauty blooms through relationships.]
• [Clear a D-rank or higher dungeon with at least one teammate (0/1).]

Still, that didn’t matter.

Even with my current level of growth, I was confident I had enough strength to win the tournament.

More importantly, maintaining my weight loss had been the primary focus up until now. While the diet had started as a necessity for Auxiliary Beauty Quest #11, it turned out to have unexpected benefits.

“Hehe, as expected, Master. Losing weight has brought out your natural charm. You’re becoming more handsome by the day.”

Even Swallow, who usually masked his critiques as "facts," had begun offering compliments.

Hearing such praise from the same bird who had been mercilessly blunt was a testament to how far I’d come.

I glanced at Swallow, who hovered smugly above me, and frowned.

“You’ve been buttering me up a lot lately. What’s with the sudden change? Go back to roasting me, would you?”

“Roasting? Master, I simply state the facts. In the past, you were truly hideous. Now, however, beauty has begun to shine through. Your hard work is paying off. If you complete the next quest, your facial features might upgrade to B-grade. Then, I might even call you… dashing.”

The unexpected compliment sent a shiver down my spine. Still, Swallow wasn’t wrong.

Dieting really was an incredible force of transformation.

If I had to describe it… a kind of rebirth might be fitting. I’d heard people say that dieting was the best form of plastic surgery, but I never thought it would be so true.

Honestly, it felt strange to say this about myself, but recently, every time I looked in the mirror, I couldn’t help but think, I look pretty good.

While my face remained average, my muscular body, complete with visible abs, gave off a model-like vibe.

In my previous life, I had always been criticized for my looks. To think a day like this would come…

At first, it had been hard to believe. The sudden changes to my body had even made me feel a mix of fear and embarrassment. But after hearing Swallow’s repeated compliments, I was slowly getting used to it.

“‘Dashing,’ huh… That’s a bit much, but hearing it doesn’t feel bad. Alright, let’s go win that first-place prize.”

“Indeed, Master. But do you truly believe you can take first place? This time, unlike before, you’re going solo.”

“Of course. Back then… I did everything myself anyway.”

With that, I adjusted my outfit, smirked, and confidently stepped onto the Jaewon University campus.