The Handsomer You Are, the Stronger You Become-Chapter 132: Acceleration (2)

‘Sigh... can’t even rest on the weekend. Just cleaning up other people’s messes...’

On the highway to Wonju, Gwak Dowon, Vice Guild Leader of the Muyoung Guild, let out a quiet sigh inside a large van.

Since his loss in the semifinals of the Supreme Swordsmanship Tournament, he hadn’t had time to recover from the shock before being thrust back into guild duties.

It was the Guild Leader’s orders.

If it were up to him, he’d retreat to some quiet place for some much-needed rest, but his title as Vice Guild Leader of a major guild wouldn’t allow it.

Meetings, managing the guild, and overseeing raids—there was no time to breathe.

Considering his achievement in reaching the tournament’s semifinals, a break would have been reasonable. Instead, the Guild Leader, claiming his injuries were minor, threw him back into work as soon as the tournament ended.

On the surface, there was applause and praise for his accomplishment, but the lack of a tangible reward suggested disappointment.

As Vice Guild Leader, Gwak Dowon could’ve focused solely on administration, but the Guild Leader had him back in the field. And now, it had reached its peak with the SS-rank dungeon incident in Wonju.

The unprecedented situation involved an S-rank dungeon suddenly evolving into an SS-rank dungeon, with the dungeon break timer drastically shortened. The Hunter Bureau had urgently called for assistance from major guilds.

In response, each guild dispatched personnel capable of handling SS-rank dungeons.

“Vice Guild Leader Gwak, you’ll personally lead a team to the scene.”

The Guild Leader’s direct order left no room for refusal. While there were other team leaders with SS-rank dungeon experience, they were all tied up with packed schedules. Given the gravity of the situation, Gwak was sent in their stead.

‘If it’s so important, why not go yourself...’

Even in the van, his frustration simmered. But he couldn’t outwardly express it, not with five senior hunters accompanying him on this perilous mission.

“An S-rank dungeon turning into an SS-rank one... What do you think caused it?”

“No idea. We’ve reached out to hunters abroad, but they’ve never heard of this happening before. The rank increase and shortened dungeon break time are both unprecedented.”

“Think there might be any survivors?”

“That’s something we’ll only know once we get there.”

Tension hung in the air inside the van. With the danger of their destination looming over them, Gwak knew it wouldn’t help to worsen the atmosphere by voicing his complaints.

“Vice Guild Leader, we’ve arrived.”

As soon as they reached the site, Gwak Dowon’s mood brightened slightly.

“Welcome, Muyoung Guild. Thank you for responding to our request for support.”

“Oh! Chief Choi Jiwoo, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Gwak Dowon, Vice Guild Leader of Muyoung Guild.”

“Likewise. Please, follow me.”

As Gwak stepped out of the van, he was greeted by none other than Choi «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» Jiwoo, the star of the Hunter Bureau.

They had crossed paths multiple times during the Supreme Swordsmanship Tournament, and seeing her again brought a smile to his face.

In person, she was even more stunning than she appeared on screen.

Despite his initial excitement, Gwak quickly composed himself as Choi Jiwoo led them to the main site. Soon, they reached a bustling area where dozens of agents were hard at work.

The weighty atmosphere was unmistakable, and in the distance, two portals loomed ominously.

Choi Jiwoo directed the hunters to a large tent, where the head of the Hunter Bureau, Go Kyungseok, awaited.

“Welcome, and thank you for coming.”

Go Kyungseok, a man more powerful than even the president, stood before them. His reputation as one of the most influential figures in the country preceded him.

And he wasn’t alone.

“Well, looks like everyone’s here.”

“Haha! It’s been a while since we’ve seen so many major guilds in one place!”

Among the gathered were Shim Wonsik, Guild Leader of Ilsum Guild, and Jin Gijun, Vice Guild Leader of Samcheon Guild.

Even Gwak Dowon couldn’t hide his surprise at the lineup.

“There are more big names here than I expected.”

“Right? I thought there’d be fewer strong hunters since it’s an unpaid emergency request, but I was wrong.”

The tent was filled with renowned hunters. Many were well-known figures whose reputations needed no introduction.

“I’m sure everyone recognizes each other, so let’s skip introductions. Time is of the essence, so I’ll make this quick.”

Go Kyungseok began writing on a whiteboard as he summarized the situation.

Incident Summary:

Arang Guild conducted an S-rank dungeon raid.Guild members waiting outside reported that an exit portal appeared, but no one came out.The dungeon rank suddenly increased to SS, and the break timer was shortened.The change in entry status from 0/10 to 10/10 suggests no survivors.Most of it was information they already knew, but some points were speculative.

Shim Wonsik raised a hand to ask, “So, the goal of this mission is...?”

“To clear the dungeon and extend the dungeon break timer back to 30 days.”

Investigating why the dungeon rank increased would be ideal, but given the circumstances, that seemed unlikely. For now, the focus was on forming a raid team.

“We’ll start with a single raid team. We can’t afford to send in too many people at once. If the raid fails, we’ll need to reassess our strategy.”

Go Kyungseok’s caution was warranted. Over a hundred hunters had volunteered, but sending them all into the dungeon was too risky.

The initial team would consist of the strongest hunters present. If they failed, the dungeon break would provide vital information for a second attempt. It was a method long established since the early days of the Great Cataclysm.

“How will the raid team be composed?”

“We’ll select from those present here. I’ll call the names now, skipping titles.”

One by one, Go Kyungseok listed the names.

“Shim Wonsik of Ilsum, Gwak Dowon of Muyoung, Nam Seyoung of Cheolhyeol...”

As the names were called, the hunters in the tent exchanged glances.

“...Jin Gijun of Samcheon. That concludes the raid team. If anyone has objections, speak now.”

“Phew...”

“Ah...”

A mixture of relief, disappointment, and other emotions rippled through the gathered hunters.

The reason?

‘Tsk! Should I laugh or cry?’

‘Ugh... I didn’t even make the top ten? I thought I had established myself...’

‘Thank goodness I wasn’t picked. Even if it’s an SS-rank dungeon, the difficulty can vary wildly depending on whether there’s a strategy. There’s no point risking my life in an unknown dungeon.’

Opinions on the situation varied among the hunters.

Some were bitter about not being among the ten chosen, seeing it as a blow to their pride. Others were relieved to avoid being part of the team, knowing how dangerous an SS-rank dungeon with no information could be.

Even hunters who had cleared SS-rank dungeons before knew the vast difference between a well-documented raid and venturing blind into the unknown. In the worst-case scenario, their lives could be on the line.

For those selected, the unease was no less palpable.

When the list was finalized, Nam Seyoung of the Cheolhyeol Guild raised a hand to address Go Kyungseok.

“Chief, isn’t the dungeon capacity ten people? You’ve only named nine.”

“Currently, it’s nine, but the tenth member has already been selected separately,” Go Kyungseok replied.

The mention of a pre-selected participant piqued the hunters’ curiosity.

Who could it be? The hunters present were already some of the strongest in the country, and few could match them. The possibilities seemed slim.

Just then, the entrance to the tent opened, and a figure stepped inside.

“Apologies for being late.”

All eyes turned to the newcomer.

“Gasp!”

“Kang Hyunsoo...!”

The man who walked in was none other than the talk of the nation, a figure currently at the center of a widespread phenomenon.

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His appearance alone made the hunters draw their breaths.

His face was so stunningly handsome it felt almost surreal. As Kang Hyunsoo entered, a faint, refreshing scent seemed to waft through the air, enhancing his already magnetic presence.

The tent instantly erupted with murmurs. Words like "handsome" and "amazing" floated around, while several female hunters couldn’t hide the sparkle in their eyes or the smiles tugging at their lips.

However, not everyone welcomed him. Among those frowning at Kang Hyunsoo’s arrival was Gwak Dowon, who had been chosen for the raid team.

“Chief, is Kang Hyunsoo the pre-selected member you mentioned?”

“That’s correct.”

“Then I must request that his inclusion in the raid team be reconsidered.”

“And why is that?”

“As far as I know, Kang Hyunsoo was, until recently, a mid-tier hunter. While I’ve heard he cleared an S-rank dungeon, he has no record of successfully tackling an SS-rank dungeon. Sending an inexperienced hunter into an unexplored dungeon is far too dangerous.

"Sure, he beat me in the swordsmanship tournament, but a raid is vastly different from a duel.”

“Hmm...”

The other hunters nodded in agreement. Gwak Dowon’s argument wasn’t without merit. Since the swordsmanship tournament, several facts about Kang Hyunsoo had come to light, including his lack of experience with SS-rank dungeons.

This particular dungeon was especially concerning—an SS-rank anomaly with no prior information available. Taking along someone untested in such conditions was a genuine risk.

The concern wasn’t unwarranted.

“What do you think, Kang Hyunsoo?” Go Kyungseok asked.

When the emergency news broke earlier, Hyunsoo had called Choi Jiwoo to ask for a spot on the raid team. He remembered the events of his previous life: if this team entered as it was, the raid would fail, and the dungeon break would wreak havoc.

For Hyunsoo, stopping the catastrophe was non-negotiable.

But convincing them wasn’t going to be easy. In this life, he had no record of clearing an SS-rank dungeon, and his reasons for joining—completing a quest and preventing disaster—couldn’t be fully explained or easily understood.

Faced with skepticism, Hyunsoo decided to gamble.

“I understand the concerns,” he began. “But I assure you, having me on the team will make the raid significantly easier.”

“And how can you guarantee that?” Gwak Dowon pressed.

Taking a deep breath, Hyunsoo revealed one of his secrets.

“Because the swordsmanship manual I received as a reward from the tournament...”

He paused for effect, scanning the room.

“...contained an SSS-rank skill.”