The Handsomer You Are, the Stronger You Become

A rooftop overlooking the city skyline.

Steam rising...

A man sat in a wooden bathtub, indulging in a half-body bath. His body submerged in the steaming water, his face adorned with a sheet mask.

Reclining as if at a luxury resort, he leaned back, resting his arms on the edges of the tub.

But calling it a scene of relaxation would be misleading.

The ominous atmosphere was amplified by the presence of more than ten hunters in suits standing guard near the rooftop entrance and around the tub, their vigilance unwavering.

The quiet tension was soon broken.

“Director, we’ve just received a report. The 14th reconnaissance team has been wiped out.”

A masked hunter approached, kneeling on one knee to deliver the news.

The atmosphere grew even heavier in the silence that followed.

The man in the bathtub finally broke the quiet, his deep voice cutting through the tension.

“The 14th reconnaissance team... that’s the one composed of mid-level hunters in the 200s, isn’t it?”

“Yes, sir. They reported discovering a potential target recently and were pursuing them, but it seems they failed and were all killed.”

“Who was the target?”

“They were hunters from the Samcheon Guild. The exact target wasn’t specified due to competition with other reconnaissance teams.”

“Samcheon Guild, huh... Tsk. It sounds like those mid-level amateurs got overconfident in their potential and ended up annihilated.”

Though the specifics weren’t provided, it was clear enough what had likely happened.

The man, addressed as “Director,” clicked his tongue dismissively, deeming further details unworthy of attention.

At that moment, the masked hunter added something in a low voice.

“But the location of their deaths is rather unusual. It was a D-rank open dungeon... Even if the opponents were Samcheon Guild hunters, they were only low-level hunters in the 100s. For our reconnaissance team, which included hunters with potential, to lose there—it doesn’t make sense. Based on raw power, even ten low-level Samcheon Guild hunters shouldn’t have been able to defeat one of our low-level hunters.”

“Hmm... That is certainly out of the ordinary.”

The Director seemed intrigued by the report.

Leaning against the tub, he gazed up at the sky for a moment before slowly rising to his feet.

Then, speaking with an air of command, he continued.

“You said the 14th reconnaissance team was targeting Samcheon Guild hunters?”

“Yes, Director.”

Swish—

The man removed the sheet mask from his face, revealing radiant skin and strikingly handsome features.

“Look into that incident more thoroughly.”

***

“Ah, so refreshing.”

Steam swirled around me as I exited the bathroom, towel-drying my damp hair.

At that moment, a satisfying sense of renewal swept over me.

Ding!

[24 hours have passed since completing your daily quest.]
[A new daily quest has been assigned.]
[Time remaining: 30 minutes.]

[Daily Beauty Quest]

• Wash hair (1/1)
• Brush teeth (1/1)
• Take a shower (1/1)
  Failure to complete even one task will result in a penalty.

[Daily Beauty Quest completed.]
[Reward: All stats +3, Charm +1]

I had barely cleared the daily quest with less than an hour remaining.

At that moment:

Flap, flap, flap—

“Oh-ho! You succeeded, Master.”

Swallow, who had been perched on the drying rack, flapped his wings in mock applause.

I chuckled while still toweling my hair.

“Don’t overdo it. All I did was wash my hair, brush my teeth, and take a shower.”

“That’s not true. You’ve been fighting for a long time, haven’t you? Considering your exhaustion, it wouldn’t have been strange for you to collapse immediately. The fact that you managed to bathe properly is deserving of applause.”

Though I downplayed it, he had a point.

As Swallow noted, my condition was far from optimal.

Between the Giant Venomous dungeon, the D-rank open dungeon, and the battle against the masked hunters, I’d spent the entire day fighting at full capacity.

And that wasn’t all.

• "The one who defeated the masked hunters was… Hunter Kang Hyunsoo over there."
• "…?"
• "What?! That can’t be…!"

After leaving the dungeon, Jin Seoyun’s bombshell revelation caused quite the commotion.

Her sudden disclosure of the truth about the fight had shifted all attention onto me.

At first, no one believed her.

My low level was one issue, but the Samcheon Guild hunters had directly faced the masked intruders and knew how strong they were.

Yet Jin Seoyun paid no mind to the skepticism and went on to detail what had happened inside the dungeon.

Eventually:

• “It seems Hyunsoo really was the one who dealt with them.”
• “Did you really defeat the intruders? You must possess incredible power! By the way, which guild are you affiliated with?”
• “A sub-100-level hunter resolving such an incident… We’ll need a detailed report on this.”

From Min Dongchan and Ha Jaesung to the Samcheon Guild’s deputy guild master, Jin Gijun, and even the Hunter Bureau’s Choi Jiwoo—all of them started to believe her.

‘It’s nice to be recognized, but it’s also a hassle.’

I didn’t mind being acknowledged for what I did.

Strategically, it was advantageous. Forming connections with high-ranking hunters like Jin Gijun and Choi Jiwoo could open up future opportunities for me.

However, too much attention wasn’t ideal.

If I wasn’t careful, people might discover the overpowered hidden pieces and unique talent I possessed, which were far too good for my level.

Thankfully:

• “I’ll handle this to ensure Hunter Kang Hyunsoo isn’t inconvenienced. Please, head home for now.”

Jin Seoyun stepped in to mediate.

As the crowd of hunters and even journalists approached, she had her secretary escort me back home.

Frankly, most hunters would’ve passed out by now.

But despite my exhaustion, I forced myself to take a shower.

I couldn’t rest with the grime on my body, and there was also the penalty for failing to complete the daily quest.

Though I had done it for myself, the unexpected praise left me feeling oddly embarrassed.

“Well, I’m not trying to boast. I’m just getting the rewards for my efforts.”

I finished drying myself, put on some pants, and approached the full-length mirror.

‘Hmm, I definitely look a lot better than before.’

I couldn’t help but admire the reflection in the mirror.

Though subtle, my face had grown more handsome, and my body had shed some fat, giving me a sharper, more masculine look.

The reason for these changes was simple.

During the final fight with the masked intruder in the open dungeon:

[Complete a stylish takedown to score 80+ Cool Points (99/80)]
[Hidden Style Quest 1 completed.]
[Reward:]

• [Beauty Talent: Handsomer = Stronger, subtrait grade increased by one level.]
• [Subtrait: Physical Appearance upgraded from E-grade to D-grade.]
• [With the grade upgrade, muscle mass has slightly increased, and body fat has decreased.]
• [Base Attack Speed +3%]
• [Base Movement Speed +3%]
• [Base Reaction Speed +3%]

The upgrade to my physical appearance trait was a significant reward.

While the stats might seem minor, increases in basic attributes affected all my skills and stats, making even small boosts incredibly valuable.

And most importantly:

‘I’ve finally lost some weight…!’

The slight improvement in my physique brought a smile to my face.

Noticing my mood, Swallow chirped in with a cheerful voice.

“Hoho, it seems you’re pleased with the rewards from your Beauty Talent, Master.”

“Well, it’s not bad. But what’s with that style quest? Why did it suddenly appear?”

The Hidden Quest had popped up unexpectedly during the fight with the masked hunters.

At the time, I didn’t understand why it had activated. There was no information, and Swallow was too busy fighting a masked hunter with a dagger to explain.

Now that I asked, the answer was somewhat amusing.

“That’s because your swordsmanship is beautiful, Master.”

“My swordsmanship? Beautiful?”

“Yes. You mastered swordsmanship in your previous life and carry that skill even now. Despite your current low stats, your movements are considered the most elegant at your level. That’s why the Hidden Style Quest triggered. Beauty isn’t limited to appearances, after all.”

“Beauty isn’t limited to appearances, huh…”

I quietly repeated Swallow’s words.

To him, it was just a simple explanation, but I felt a surprising wave of emotion.

In my past life, I had honed my swordsmanship to perfection, only to be mocked by Seo Jieun and Choi Taehun, who dismissed even my techniques as “ugly.”

Their gaslighting had left me doubting myself.

But now, Swallow and the Beauty Talent were recognizing my swordsmanship as something elegant and admirable.

It was a stark contrast to my previous life, and it felt… good.

While I hadn’t yet uncovered the secret of the purple aura, the progress I was making brought a sense of satisfaction.

[Beauty Talent: Handsomer = Stronger (S)]
<Subtraits>

• [Facial Appearance (E)]
• [Physical Appearance (D)]
• [Skin (E)]
• [Fashion (F)]
• [Scent (E)]
• [??? (Locked)]

[Appearance Power: 16]
[Effect: All stats +32]

Completing the Hidden Style Quest had upgraded my Physical Appearance to D-grade.

I also received a new Swordsmanship Quest:

[Swordsmanship Quest 17]

• Defeat 1,700 monsters with a sword (0/1,700).

It wasn’t perfect, though.

[Charm: -22]
[Charm too low to receive Absolute Beauty Quest 4.]
[Assigned Support Quest to raise Charm.]
[Support Beauty Quest 10]

• Reach Appearance Power of 20 (16/20).

With my Charm still in the negatives, I couldn’t access the Absolute Beauty Quest yet.@@novelbin@@

Wiping a faint tear from the corner of my eye, I walked toward my closet.

“Alright, no resting. Let’s keep developing this talent.”

“Not resting? Are you sure you’re okay, Master?”

“I’m fine. Don’t worry about it.”

As they say, praise makes even whales dance.

Though tired, the positive results energized me.

I pulled a shirt from the closet, put it on, and even sprayed some cologne.

[Outfit changed.]
[The fashion is decent.]
[Appearance Power +1.]
[Complimentary scent applied.]
[Appearance Power +1.]

[Appearance Power: 18]

My Appearance Power quickly climbed to 18.

But then, I hit a wall.

‘What should I do next…?’

I had dressed up, applied cologne, and even put on sunscreen, but my Appearance Power remained stuck at 18.

Having previously lost Appearance Power from overdoing it, I hesitated to try anything risky.

At that moment, Swallow flew off the drying rack and hovered above my head, inspecting my overall look.

“Hmm… Scent, fashion, cleanliness—all good. But your hair is a mess, Master.”

“A mess? My hair?”

“Yes. You’ve been covering your burn-induced hair loss with long hair. While the hair loss has improved, your hair is still unkempt and untidy, which detracts from your appearance. So, yes, it’s a mess.”

“...Thanks for the brutally honest analysis, you brat!”

I reached out to grab Swallow in a gesture of mock gratitude.

But, as expected, he was already darting toward the ceiling, well out of reach.

‘Ugh, I swear… He can’t go five minutes without crossing the line.’

I tried to hold back my frustration, but Swallow’s audacious critique was something I might never get used to.

From the ceiling, Swallow cheerfully offered advice.

“Why not visit a salon for a haircut, Master?”

“…Will it actually raise my Appearance Power? My experience says haircuts make me look worse.”

“You’ll need to go to a skilled stylist. As you said, a bad haircut could lower your Appearance Power. And based on your past life, the failure rate is 99%.”

“...Yeah, thanks for the vote of confidence.”

As irritating as his words were, I couldn’t argue.

In my previous life, I’d rarely had a good experience with haircuts. Most of the time, they left me looking worse, which is why I’d eventually given up on them altogether.

Even now, after regressing, I had no idea how to properly style my hair.

‘Maybe I should just find another way…’

I sighed, running a hand through my messy hair as I stared into the mirror.

Just as I was about to give up, salvation arrived.

Ding-dong! Ding-dong!

The intercom buzzed, and a familiar face appeared on the screen.

“Ah, hello, Hunter Kang Hyunsoo! I’m here to deliver your share of the items and rewards!”

It was none other than the famously handsome hunter, Han Sungbin.