The Handsomer You Are, the Stronger You Become

I knew it was reckless.
I knew it was impossible.

The knowledge ingrained in my mind and the senses coursing through my body screamed at me to retreat.

But...

In my past life, the old man who oversaw the Sword Emperor Quest once told me:

"Do you know why the smartest, most arrogant men never reach the pinnacle?"

"Why?" I had asked.

"Because they're too good for their own good. Their sharp minds calculate the odds, and if the chances of failure outweigh success, they give up. They hide behind efficiency and rationality. But to be the best, you must meet the miracle of fortune hidden within failure. Even if the ending seems doomed to fail, you must challenge it boldly. Like a fool."

A miracle.

To reach the top, you must encounter the luck buried within failure. And for that, you must challenge it like a fool.

Of course, basing my actions on an old anecdote seemed utterly foolish given the current situation.

"Master, you must come back! You cannot cut through the Hellfire Fiend with your current strength!"

"It's too dangerous, Kang Hyunsoo Hunter!"

Swallow and Choi Jiwoo both tried to stop me.

They were right. Someone below level 200 could never hope to defeat the Hellfire Fiend. Even the enemy knew this.

"Are you seriously planning to cut the Hellfire Fiend? Such arrogance knows no bounds."

"Looks like he’s lost his mind before dying, Director."

Ji Wonhoon, casting the Hellfire Fiend spell, and Andy, holding his injured arm, both sneered at me.

But I didn’t retreat.

No matter the doubts or mockery that surrounded me, I refused to take a single step back.

Instead,

“Hoooo…”

I stood firm, letting my dual swords hang loosely by my sides, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath.

A deep, impenetrable darkness.

With my vision blocked, I dove into my subconscious, sinking deep into its depths.

I calmed my mind and pulled the mana circulating within me to the boundary between consciousness and unconsciousness.

There wasn’t much time—barely ten seconds.

Within that window, I had to settle this.

In that void, I began refining my mana, reworking the circuit for the newly acquired swordsmanship skill.

Using the knowledge from my past life, I aimed to upgrade the skill.

After all, I already knew the flow and operation of the mana circuits. If I could pave the path, I might be able to restore the swordsmanship techniques I used as the Sword Emperor.

Like when I had created the incomplete Black Sun Burst.

It was a nearly impossible task, one I had attempted countless times before and failed.

The success rate was less than 0.1%.

And indeed, it felt that way now.

Tap-tap. Twitch-twitch.

I struggled to create the mana circuit at the boundary of consciousness and unconsciousness, but it only quivered and refused to form.

Then—

“Kuhuhu, the time of your death has arrived…!”

Ruuumble! Fwoooosh!

It seemed Ji Wonhoon had completed the Hellfire Fiend spell. The air vibrated, and searing flames prickled my skin with their intense heat.

Once he unleashed the completed flames, this place would be reduced to ashes.

"Damn it, was this too stupid of a gamble…?"

The harsh reality didn’t improve, and regret began to creep into my thoughts.

But—

Tap-tap! Twitch-twitch!

I didn’t stop my foolish attempts.

I had come too far to turn back now, and a faint glimmer of hope began to appear.

The mana circuit, which had only trembled until now, started to move little by little.

Believing in myself, I continued with my eyes closed, pushing forward.

Then, that belief transformed into a miracle.

[The boundary mana discovers a hidden path and solidifies it.]
[Swordsmanship Skill: Stone Splitter (D) has been upgraded to Mountain Splitter (C)!]

It finally manifested.

The forced skill upgrade, which had always ended in failure before, succeeded at the brink of death.

[Swordsmanship Skill: Mountain Splitter (C)]
[Effect: Temporarily creates a long aura blade at the tip of the sword, capable of slicing through mountains. Range can be adjusted at the cost of mana: 15 mana per meter.]

Stone Splitter had evolved into Mountain Splitter. Its cutting thickness and attack range had increased.

With this boost in destructive power, the chances of cutting through the magic had risen significantly.

But I didn’t stop meditating.

The Hellfire Fiend wasn’t something a mere C-grade skill could defeat.

And now that my mana circuits were flowing, momentum was on my side.

Within the seemingly endless abyss of consciousness, I pushed my focus to its limit.

Then—

Rumble!

My mana circuits surged violently within me.

[The boundary mana, fueled by intense will, carves out a new path.]
[Swordsmanship Skill: Mountain Splitter (C) has been upgraded to River Splitter (B)!]

[Swordsmanship Skill: River Splitter (B)]
[Effect: Temporarily creates a long aura blade at the tip of the sword, capable of slicing through rivers. Range can be adjusted at the cost of mana: 20 mana per meter.]

Another upgrade.

The skill had ascended from C-grade to B-grade.

Now, the blade could cut not just mountains but rivers. Its thickness rivaled that of a giant’s sword.

But still—

"Not enough."

I couldn’t stop here.

The Hellfire Fiend had regenerative properties. To defeat it, I needed to cut through all its flames in one strike.

It wasn’t just about length; the blade’s thickness was crucial.

I needed another leap forward.

This time, it wasn’t about miracles or concentration.

It was about persistence.

Amid the faint glimmers of luck born from impossible odds, I had to keep moving forward.

Eventually—

[The boundary mana accumulates strength, reinforcing the carved path.]
[Swordsmanship Skill: River Splitter (B) has been upgraded to Sea Splitter (A)!]

Without realizing it, I had achieved an exponential breakthrough.

In an instant, the skill’s grade had climbed three levels.

But I couldn’t rest.

"Just a little more…!"

If I could push the skill just one more level higher, I could cut through the Hellfire Fiend perfectly.

The goal was within reach.

But time refused to wait for me.

"Behold, mortal fools, the flames of perdition!!"

Just as I was on the verge of success, Ji Wonhoon completed the Hellfire Fiend spell and launched it at me.

Even with my eyes closed, I could sense the blinding brilliance overtaking my vision.

I didn’t need to see to know that the infernal mass of fire in the shape of a demon was hurtling toward me.

To survive, to even struggle, I should have opened my eyes and acted immediately.

But I held my ground.

I endured, pushing forward with everything I had, until the very last moment.

And then—

"Now…!"

I snapped my eyes open and swung my dual swords.

Slaaash—!! Chaaak—!!

It wasn’t perfect.

It didn’t feel anywhere near complete.

The result was riddled with uncertainty and flaws.

It seemed wholly inadequate to cut through the approaching Hellfire Fiend.

But just as the two strikes I unleashed were about to collide with the infernal flames—

Something extraordinary happened.

Flash—!

The two strikes from my swords suddenly burst with light, merging into one cohesive force.

[The boundary mana achieves unity.]
[Swordsmanship Skill: Sea Splitter (A) has been upgraded to Sky Splitter (S)!]

The skill I had longed for was reborn.

[Activation]
[Sky Splitter (S)]

The effect was immediate.

Fwoooosh—! Schaaaang—! KABOOOOOM—!!

The massive strike expanded and thickened in an instant, slicing cleanly through the Hellfire Fiend.

Not only that, but it demolished the walls and ceiling behind it, obliterating everything in its path.

The aura blade was so immense that it didn’t just cut; it bulldozed through everything, leaving utter devastation in its wake.

"……?!"

"This… this is impossible…!"

Andy and Ji Wonhoon’s eyes widened in disbelief at the sheer destruction.

Ji Wonhoon couldn’t even finish his sentence—

Because the Sky Splitter, aimed at the Hellfire Fiend, had also sliced through his left arm as it passed.

"Aaaaargh!!"

"Director!!"

Ji Wonhoon’s scream echoed through the vast space.

'I did it!'

As I stared at the scene before me, I celebrated silently.

In a situation that seemed utterly hopeless, I had defied the odds, risking my life to pull off a series of miracles.

But I couldn’t bask in the joy of victory for long.

"Huff, huff… ugh… cough, cough… damn it…."

The aftermath of using Sky Splitter hit me hard.

Having expended more mana than my body could handle, I felt the recoil all at once.

I dropped to one knee, blood spilling from my mouth.

And in that vulnerable moment, Andy seized the opportunity.

"You dare harm the Director…!"

Seeing Ji Wonhoon writhing in agony, Andy charged at me, swinging his sword with both hands. Violet flames danced along his blade as he hurled a wave of aura toward me.

Dodging was impossible, and with my mana reserves depleted, I couldn’t activate Trust Armor.

It seemed inevitable that the incoming strike would tear my body apart.

But it didn’t reach me.

"I’ve got you, Kang Hyunsoo Hunter!"

"You think you can harm our Master?!"

Choi Jiwoo unleashed a skill to intercept Andy, and Swallow deployed a magnificent shield to protect me.

Claaang—! Clang—!

Andy’s skill clashed against Swallow’s shield, while Choi Jiwoo blocked his follow-up attack.

In mere moments, the battlefield shifted.@@novelbin@@

Ji Wonhoon knelt, writhing in pain from his injuries, and Andy was pushed back by Choi Jiwoo.

Meanwhile—

"What… what’s going on? Where am I…?"

"This isn’t the banquet hall!"

"Wait! Someone’s fighting over there!"

The Hunters who had been unconscious began regaining their senses one by one.

Judging by their expressions, they seemed to have shaken off Babylon’s influence rather than being fully brainwashed.

Their clear eyes, coherent speech, and puzzled looks confirmed this.

"Director, the Hunters are waking up because the drug hasn’t fully taken effect. We need to retreat!"

"Damn it! All of this… because of that wretched bastard!!"

As the Hunters started to recover, Andy and Ji Wonhoon clenched their teeth, preparing to flee.

Ji Wonhoon, enduring the pain, swung his staff with one hand.

Shaaang—!!

A violet portal materialized beside them.

A hastily constructed escape route.

"Stop right there!!"

Choi Jiwoo tried to pursue them, but it was too late.

The two slipped into the portal just as she unleashed her aura in their direction.

"Kang Hyunsoo… I’ll repay this debt someday!"

Before her attack could connect, the portal closed, and Ji Wonhoon and Andy disappeared.

Should I call it disappointing? Or a relief?

It was hard to say, but one thing was certain—

"Huff, huff…"

I just wanted to rest for now.

As the enemies vanished, the tension drained from my body, and an overwhelming wave of exhaustion crashed down on me.

Thud—!

"Master…!"

"Kang Hyunsoo Hunter!!"

With my vision fading to black, I collapsed to the ground.