The Handsomer You Are, the Stronger You Become

Is this... some kind of bonus?

Kang Hyunsoo tilted his head, staring at the unexpected messages.

First, he confirmed the skill he had anticipated:

[Swordsmanship Skill: Acceleration (C) – Increases movement and attack speed by 50% for 3 minutes. Mana cost: 30.]

The acceleration skill was precisely what he had hoped to gain by drinking the Elixir of Ascension.

With its ability to boost speed, it was a crucial tool to turn the tide against the last masked hunter. Hyunsoo had strategically demanded the elixir from Jin Seoyun, knowing that surpassing 70 in swordsmanship proficiency would unlock this skill.

However, another unexpected skill appeared:

[Charisma Skill: Allure (D) – Emits charm through direct eye contact, temporarily beguiling the target. A beguiled target’s thoughts halt, and depending on their affinity toward the user, they may become obedient. Does not work on targets with higher Charisma than the user. Mana cost: 10.]

Allure? Seducing someone with charm? Is that even possible?

Hyunsoo furrowed his brow. The concept of increasing someone’s affinity through a skill seemed bizarre to him. He had no personal experience with seduction, so the skill’s potential felt abstract.

Before he could ponder further—

“Ugh, I can't see a thing! Is someone cloaked? Whatever it is, I’ll just destroy everything!”

The masked hunter near the portal, sensing Swallow’s presence, began unleashing devastating area-of-effect attacks.

Boom! Boom! BOOOOM—!!

Dark purple flames erupted from the ground, scorching the air and rendering invisibility useless.

“Argh! Have you recovered, Master? If so, I’ll retreat for now!”

Swallow dodged the searing flames, flapping its wings as it ascended toward the ceiling.

“You’ve done enough, Swallow. Leave this to me!”

With a confident nod, Hyunsoo gripped his twin swords and charged forward.

CLANG! CLANG! WHOOSH—!!

The purple flames roared upward, scorching everything in their path.

“Watch out! It’s dangerous!” Jin Seoyun shouted from behind, her voice laced with worry.

But Hyunsoo paid no mind.

[Activation]

[Acceleration (C)]

[Attack and movement speed increased by 50% for 3 minutes.]

The world blurred as his body accelerated, wind whipping past his face.

The sensation was familiar—this was far from his first time fighting at such speeds. In his past life, he had moved even faster.

“Haaah—!!”

Ducking and weaving through the rising flames, Hyunsoo closed the distance to the masked hunter with breathtaking speed.

“Whoa! That’s incredible, Master!”

Even Swallow marveled at the sudden burst of velocity.

“What the—?!”

The masked hunter’s confidence wavered.

Hyunsoo, who had been far away moments ago, was suddenly in front of him, his twin swords slicing through the air.

CLANG! SLASH—!!

“Argh!!”

The hunter staggered back, his body riddled with fresh cuts.

Hyunsoo’s attacks were relentless. Though just minutes ago he had been forced to retreat, now his twin swords danced faster than the masked hunter could counter.

“You... you ugly bastard! How are you this strong?!”

Despite his curses, the hunter’s moves grew sluggish under Hyunsoo’s assault.

He’s keeping his vital points guarded. This could drag out until Acceleration ends.

Hyunsoo analyzed the situation, realizing the need for a decisive blow.

That’s when it struck him.

What if I try that?

The newly acquired Allure skill flashed in his mind. It was a gamble, but one worth taking.

CLANG—!!

Locking swords with the hunter, Hyunsoo locked eyes with him.

[Activation]

[Allure (D)]

For a moment, the hunter froze. His pupils dilated as he stared into Hyunsoo’s face.

And then—

“What the...?”

The hunter’s gaze faltered. His mind raced as he processed the features of Hyunsoo’s face.

The scars, blemishes, and rugged lines that would typically evoke revulsion suddenly seemed... endearing.

Wait... is this... cute?

The hunter’s grip on his weapon loosened. His thoughts spiraled as confusion and instinct clashed.

“I can’t... I can’t hurt that face!”

Finally, his body rebelled. Overwhelmed by conflicting emotions, he collapsed to his knees.

“Blargh—!!”

The hunter vomited mid-battle, overcome by a strange mix of admiration and horror.

Even Hyunsoo was stunned.

“What the hell...?”

From above, Swallow swooped down, its voice filled with excitement.

“Oh, Master! The skill worked! Your face is so overwhelmingly unattractive that the allure effect caused the enemy’s instincts to clash with their perceptions. The result? Instant rejection and nausea!”

Though spoken cheerfully, the words cut deep.

Hyunsoo grimaced but kept his focus. The hunter, still doubled over, was an easy target.

“Goodbye.”

With a swift motion, Hyunsoo swung his twin swords.

SLASH—!!

The hunter’s head fell to the ground, and with it, the roaring flames ceased.

“You did it! You actually won!!”

Jin Seoyun’s voice broke the silence as she cheered from the sidelines.

Hyunsoo sheathed his swords and let out a deep breath.

[Hidden Charisma Quest 1 Completed.]

Despite the chaos, the system recognized his efforts.

As Jin Seoyun approached, smiling brightly, Hyunsoo couldn’t help but chuckle.

Guess it doesn’t matter how you win, as long as you do.

***

“What’s going on? Did something happen? Why are there so many hunters here?”

“Agents from the Hunter Association are here too! Something must’ve gone wrong with the open dungeon over there!”

“Emergency situation! Citizens, please move back immediately!”

Near the D-Rank Open Dungeon Portal in Daechi Station, a large crowd had gathered, buzzing with curiosity.

Civil servants, visibly tense, worked to control the scene.

And for good reason.

Surrounding the portal were dozens of hunters, including members of the Samcheon Guild and agents from the Hunter Association, all armed and ready for battle.

At the edge of the encirclement formed by the hunters, Secretary Jang Sung-geun wiped the sweat from his brow and bowed slightly to the woman standing next to him.

“Phew… Thank you for coming, Chief Choi Jiwoo. Your presence is a great relief.”

The woman, wearing a crisp white uniform of the Hunter Association and sporting ash-gray hair, nodded.

“It’s nothing. I just happened to be nearby on a mission and was able to get here quickly. But… you’re saying three unidentified individuals infiltrated the open dungeon?”

Choi Jiwoo, the Chief of the Subjugation Division, was renowned for her 400+ level, exceptional beauty, and unparalleled expertise. She was often called the face of the Hunter Association.

Her sharp gaze swept over the portal as she asked again about the situation.

Sung-geun quickly replied.

“Yes, after the boss monster was defeated, the hunters were ambushed. The attackers were cloaked, so no one noticed them following in. Their levels are estimated to be at least 200.”

“Cloaked attackers over level 200… The skill rank of their stealth must be quite high. Even if we maintain the encirclement, if their skill is advanced enough, we may not detect them even when they emerge. It would be best to have more hunters with tracking abilities on site….”

Jiwoo’s brow furrowed slightly as she considered the report.

Despite the small number of attackers, their high-level stealth posed a significant threat. Without sufficient countermeasures, even a hunter of Jiwoo’s caliber could struggle to detect them.

How do we prepare for this?

Lost in thought, Jiwoo stroked her chin, formulating a strategy to counter the enemy’s strengths.@@novelbin@@

But her musings were abruptly interrupted.

Thud! Thud!

“Where are they? Those bastards who dared attack my guild members…!”