The Handsomer You Are, the Stronger You Become-Chapter 140: Friends (1)

The Catastrophic Forced Dungeon Break

The Forced Dungeon Break—an event etched into history as a catastrophic disaster. SS-grade dungeons forcibly erupted in major cities around the world: Seoul, New York, Tokyo. The death toll soared past 100,000.

People called it a calamity.

A phenomenon even more horrifying than the First Cataclysm.

To be fair, the early days of the First Cataclysm were no less brutal. Awakened hunters were scarce, and modern weaponry was useless against monsters. Humanity had been powerless, crushed under the claws of creatures beyond their understanding.

But the calamity was worse.

Though fewer dungeon breaks occurred, the monsters emerging were on a completely different level—S-grade and SS-grade beasts unleashed havoc, unlike anything humanity had previously faced.

Kang Hyunsoo, taking this into account, asked:

“How many confirmed SS-grade portal eruptions are there globally right now?”

“Sixty-three locations have been identified so far,” came the reply.

“And in our country?”

“There’s one in Seoul.”

“In Japan, they’re requesting assistance. What should we do?”

“Decline. We need every resource to defend Seoul right now. We can’t afford to spare anyone.”

The Hunter Bureau Meeting Room

The spacious meeting room of the Hunter Bureau was crowded, not only with agents but also with hunters from all ranks.

From leaders of major guilds to promising rookies from smaller guilds, the room was abuzz with tension.

Kang Hyunsoo set aside his personal feud with Choi and rushed to the Hunter Bureau.

Thankfully, there wasn’t much resistance. Unlike Kyle, Choi didn’t charge in recklessly, nor did she seem overly interested in the Sin Quests as Hayuri had hinted.

Meanwhile, a notification rang in Hyunsoo’s mind:

[You have completed Absolute Beauty Quest #19.]

Use the Seduction skill on a Sin Successor to extract progress information (1/1).

[Rewards:]

Charm +20New Beauty Skill: Pulling Aura (S)[Pulling Aura (S): Sends an aura infused with beauty to bind a targeted enemy and drag them toward the caster. The range depends on the amount of Charm and Aura invested. Consumes 10 mana per 10 meters.]

The antagonism filling the room wasn’t directed at each other; it stemmed from the looming danger of the forced dungeon breaks. Knowing this, ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) Hyunsoo saw no need for unnecessary conflict.

[To unlock Absolute Beauty Quest #20, specific qualifications are required.]

[Auxiliary Beauty Quest #25 has been unlocked.]

“It’s time to spread your beauty far and wide.”Achieve 1 million live viewers on a broadcast (0%).The new Beauty Quest wasn’t something Hyunsoo could tackle immediately. After receiving a call from Go Kyungseok, he rushed to the Hunter Bureau, finding it in chaos.

Phones rang incessantly.

Hyunsoo even spotted Choi Jiwoo amidst the turmoil, but she seemed far too busy for any interaction.

“It’s incredibly noisy in here,” commented Swallow sarcastically.

‘With SS-grade dungeon breaks looming, it’s unavoidable,’ Hyunsoo thought as he entered the meeting room.

He waited briefly before walking further inside, where Go Kyungseok greeted him warmly.

“Ah, Hunter Kang Hyunsoo, you’re here. Thank you for coming despite your busy schedule.”

Hyunsoo raised an eyebrow. “It’s no trouble, but... why the sudden formal tone, Director?”

Kyungseok, usually informal with him, now seemed excessively courteous.

With a hearty laugh, Kyungseok explained, “Ha ha! How could I treat the representative hunter of Korea with anything less than respect?”

“You can speak comfortably, you know.”

The shift in Kyungseok’s demeanor was unsettling but understandable.

“I cannot. You’re the commander of hundreds of hunters now; I must show proper respect, especially with so many eyes watching.”

“Commander? Me?”

“Yes. I asked you here to request your leadership as the general commander of this dungeon break defense operation.”

Swallow whistled in awe. “Wow, the director must really trust you, Master!”

Hyunsoo was just as surprised. In his previous life, he had played a significant role during this crisis, but he had never received this level of recognition.

This was a golden opportunity. By accepting, he could command the nation’s top guild leaders and cement his position as Korea’s foremost hunter.

But—

“I’m sorry, Director, but I’d prefer to be excluded from the defense operation.”

“...What?”

Kyungseok’s eyes widened in shock.

“Are you saying you won’t participate in the defense operation?”

“Yes. I need some time for preparation. Instead, I’d like to lead the assault team, not the defense.”

“An assault team? But... why would we need one during a dungeon break defense?”

Kyungseok frowned in confusion.

Hyunsoo quickly explained:

“This forced dungeon break won’t end just by killing the monsters pouring out. We need to assault and clear the open dungeon in the sky. Once the dungeon is conquered, all portals around the world will vanish simultaneously.”

“You’re saying we need to attack the dungeon itself?”

“Yes. The problem is that monsters will continue to spill out while the dungeon is being cleared. That’s why I need you to handle the defense while I lead the assault.”

Kyungseok’s instincts told him Hyunsoo knew something—something critical.

Without concrete proof, Hyunsoo could only ask for trust. “I can’t explain everything, but I’d appreciate it if you believed in me.”

Kyungseok hesitated, then nodded. “Understood. How should we form the assault team?”

“I’ll provide a list of names shortly,” Hyunsoo said.

Much had changed since this event in his previous life, including the hunters’ skill levels. Hyunsoo knew he had to account for every factor, including his own strength.

Turning to Kyungseok, he asked, “By the way, Director....”

“Yes?”

“Is it possible to enter the Ant Dungeon immediately?”

***

[Entered the S-Rank Dungeon.]

Updat𝓮d from frёewebnoѵēl.com.

[Objective: Defeat the boss monster and clear the dungeon (0/1).]

“Finally, I’m here.”

“So you’ve come after all, Master.”

Within the dense, overgrown jungle, Kang Hyunsoo and Swallow carefully surveyed their surroundings.

This was the Ant Dungeon—a place crawling with ant-like monsters. Despite its S-rank difficulty, the monsters here were favored by high-level hunters due to their relatively low health. As a result, the dungeon was immensely popular among elite guild executives.

Normally, securing a raid reservation required at least two months of advanced booking. However, Kang Hyunsoo gained immediate access thanks to the Hunter Bureau Director, Go Kyungseok, who invoked his authority to prioritize the request.

This urgency, combined with the trust placed in him, meant Hyunsoo had to deliver results.

“Let’s get started.”

“Yes, Master!”

As soon as he entered, Hyunsoo drew his Incarnation Sword and Thunder Blade.

“Let’s start over there!”

Following the direction Swallow indicated with its wing, Hyunsoo swung his sword with precision.

[Activated: Sky Splitter (S)]

Shhhhhh—CRAAACK!

[Lv 610. Ancient Ant defeated.]

[Lv 610. Ancient Ant defeated.]

[...]

[Lv 610. Ancient Ant defeated.]

[Level up!]

[Reward: All stats +1.]

“Hmm...? All gone in one strike.”

The monsters were obliterated in a single blow, leaving a cascade of notifications in their wake.

Hyunsoo had maximized the size and range of Sky Splitter, splitting the jungle apart. The resulting destruction turned an entire swath of the jungle into a barren wasteland.

This level of power was leagues beyond what he’d been capable of in his previous life, where it had taken multiple swings to achieve similar results.

“Well, of course. It’s the combination of a hidden piece and your Beauty talent,” Swallow chirped smugly.

With his current skill set enhanced by the Beauty talent and hidden pieces, Hyunsoo’s swordsmanship had reached unprecedented levels.

And this wasn’t limited to Sky Splitter.

“Keaaaak!!”

Hordes of ants, enraged by the devastation, poured out of hiding and charged toward Hyunsoo from every direction.

[Activated: Raging Strike (B), Black Spot Explosion (SS)]

SLASH! BOOM!

Every ant fell in an instant.

Even the B-rank skill Raging Strike shredded them effortlessly, while the SS-rank Black Spot Explosion obliterated the stronger ones without resistance.

There was no need to even consider using SSS-grade skills.

Thus, Hyunsoo rampaged through the jungle dungeon alone, cutting through everything in his path. By the time he reached the boss room:

[Completed Swordsmanship Quest #30.]

Objective: Defeat monsters of level 600 or higher (1,000/1,000).

[Rewards:]

Sword Mastery +30New Swordsmanship Skill: Recall (A)[Recall (A): Imbues a sword with mana to leave a marker, allowing the user to summon the sword back regardless of distance. Can mark up to 10 swords. If exceeded, the oldest marks are overwritten. Mana Cost: 100.]

Hyunsoo had achieved the main purpose of entering the Ant Dungeon—completing his 30th Swordsmanship Quest and acquiring the Recall skill.

But that wasn’t all.

[Achievement Unlocked: Cleared over 30 Swordsmanship Quests and surpassed Level 600.]

[Condition Met.]

[Swordsmanship Title Advancement Quest Unlocked.]

[Sword King Title Quest: The One Who Stands at the Pinnacle of Swords.]

“Oh my! Congratulations, Master!” Swallow cheered, clapping its wings enthusiastically.

This was why Hyunsoo had rushed into the dungeon ahead of the SS-rank dungeon break.

In his previous life, he had faced the crisis with the Sword Emperor title. Now, however, he only held the Sword Demon title.

While the difference between titles might seem minor, the gap between Sword King and Sword Emperor was monumental.

Given the scale of the SS-rank dungeon crisis, he needed to ascend to Sword King as quickly as possible. While becoming Sword Emperor before the event was unrealistic, Sword King would still grant him immense power.

And there was another reason.

“I’ll finally get to see him... the Sword King Old Man.”

How could he not be eager to meet the friend who had always understood him?

[You may now challenge the Sword King Advancement Quest. Would you like to proceed?]

[Yes / No]“Enter.”

Hyunsoo created the portal and stepped through without hesitation.