The Handsomer You Are, the Stronger You Become-Chapter 142: Friends (3)

“How... how do you know that?”

Kang Hyunsoo froze in place at the Sword King’s words.

It was an impossibility.

Everything from his previous life had been reset when he regressed seven years into the past. At least, that had always been the case until now.

Hyunsoo’s return from the brink of death had allowed him to rewrite his fate—turning the tables on Seo Jieun and Choi Taehun, rescuing Han Sungbin, monopolizing hidden pieces, and more.

No one in this life, except for Swallow, knew he had regressed.

‘What’s going on? Did the Sword King’s time not reset? How is this possible, Swallow?’

This was the first anomaly since his regression. Hyunsoo tried to summon Swallow to get some answers, but—

[This is a restricted area for summons.]

[You cannot summon the Beauty Assistant.]

[An unknown force is blocking the connection.]

Even summoning Swallow was impossible.

This reminded him of the time he had used the Swordsmanship Manual obtained as a reward from the Grand Martial Arts Tournament.

‘Looks like I’ll have to handle this alone.’

Though he furrowed his brow slightly, Hyunsoo quickly composed himself. He’d dealt with this type of situation before.

After assessing the circumstances, Hyunsoo turned to the Sword King.

“Do you remember me, Sword King?”

“How could I not? You were the first one to step into this domain.”

“You remember meeting me?”

“You insolent brat! Do you take me for some senile fool? Hardly anyone ever makes it here; how could I forget?”

The Sword King roared in irritation, assuming Hyunsoo’s repeated questioning was mocking him.

“No, that’s not what I meant....”

“Your face has changed, but your energy is unmistakable. No amount of outward transformation can fool my eyes!”

It seemed that the Sword King, who had always emphasized ki, could sense Hyunsoo’s essence beyond physical appearance.

Even though Hyunsoo had gone from “hideous” to “strikingly handsome” thanks to the Beauty talent, it apparently made no difference to the Sword King.

The elder stroked his white beard, circling Hyunsoo with a curious expression.

“Still... it’s truly remarkable. Your face is unrecognizable, and your body and spirit seem more stable. It’s as if some harmonious energy has completely reshaped you. And above all... your life force feels far more vibrant. Almost like you’ve grown younger.”

His observations were spot on.

Though the terms Beauty talent and regression weren’t explicitly mentioned, the Sword King had essentially ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) deduced that Hyunsoo had turned back time and transformed his appearance.

“Have you undergone some sort of rebirth?”

Hyunsoo knew he couldn’t hide the truth from those piercing eyes.

After a brief moment of deliberation, he came to a decision.

‘It’s not like revealing this will harm me. If anything, it might help.’

The other Sin Successors already knew about the Sin of Lust, and the Hunter Bureau had begun noticing his Beauty talent as well. The real secret was his regression, which no one—aside from Swallow—was aware of.

And this time, he was speaking to a friend.

The Sword King wasn’t just a quest-giver; he was someone Hyunsoo genuinely trusted and valued.

“First, let’s have a drink, Elder. I’ll explain everything from the beginning.”

“Oh-ho, have you brought more of that liquor from your world?”

“Yes, I’ve stocked up on quite the selection.”

[Activated: Rapid Outfit Change (S)]

Hyunsoo’s attire instantly transformed.

He now looked like a seasoned hiker, clad in a windbreaker, trekking pants, and sturdy boots. A backpack completed the ensemble.

He set the backpack down and began unpacking its contents:

A picnic mat, sandwiches, jerky, chips, and other snacks. Then came the drinks: makgeolli, soju, beer, whiskey—enough to rival a well-stocked bar.

Hyunsoo had prepared all of this before entering the Ant Dungeon, anticipating the possibility of encountering the Sword King’s quest.

It took him over ten minutes to set everything up, the sheer quantity of items leaving even the Sword King visibly impressed.

“...You’ve brought quite a feast.”

“Wait... how do you know that?”

Kang Hyunsoo froze, staring at the Sword King.

This didn’t make sense.

Through regression, everything from his previous life had been reset—at least, that’s how it had always been. His memories and knowledge of the future had allowed him to rewrite his fate, correcting mistakes and seizing opportunities he missed the first time.

From avenging Seo Jieun and Choi Taehun’s betrayal to rescuing Han Sungbin and monopolizing hidden pieces, Hyunsoo had meticulously rewritten the story of his life.

In all that time, no one but Swallow, his Beauty Assistant, had ever shown any awareness of his regression.

‘What’s going on? Did the Sword King’s timeline not reset? Swallow, do you know anything about this?’

He tried summoning Swallow for answers, but—

[Summoning is restricted in this area.]

[The Beauty Assistant cannot be summoned.]

[An unknown force is blocking communication.]

It was no use. Just like when he had used the Swordsmanship Manual reward, external assistance was completely cut off.

‘I’ll have to figure this out on my own.’

Though he felt a flicker of frustration, Hyunsoo quickly composed himself. This wasn’t the first time he’d faced such a situation.

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Once he assessed the circumstances, he turned back to the Sword King.

“Sword King, do you really remember me?”

“You were the first to step into this domain. How could I forget?”

“You remember meeting me?”

“Of course! You think I’m senile, don’t you? Hmph! Barely anyone has ever made it here. How could I forget the likes of you?”

The Sword King bellowed, his tone sharp and indignant.

“No, that’s not what I meant....”

“Your face might have changed, but your ki hasn’t. No matter how much you change your appearance, you can’t fool these eyes of mine!”

The Sword King, a master of sensing ki, had no trouble recognizing Hyunsoo despite his drastically improved looks.

Though he was impressed by the transformation, he remained unfazed. Stroking his beard, he circled Hyunsoo, observing him carefully.

“Still, it’s remarkable. Your face has changed beyond recognition, your body and mind seem more stable, and there’s an air of harmony surrounding you. Above all, your life force feels stronger—almost as if you’ve reversed time and grown younger.”

His assessment was eerily accurate.

Though the Sword King didn’t explicitly mention the Beauty talent or regression, he had deduced the essence of what had happened.

“Have you undergone some sort of rebirth?”

Faced with the elder’s piercing insight, Hyunsoo debated his response.

‘Should I tell him everything? There’s no harm in it, really. If anything, it might even help.’

After all, many people already knew about the Sin of Lust. Even the Hunter Bureau had begun to notice his Beauty talent. The true secret—the fact that he had regressed—was known to no one but Swallow.

But this was the Sword King—a friend, not just a mentor.

“First, let’s have a drink, Elder. I’ll explain everything.”

“Oh-ho, you brought more of that liquor from your world?”

“Yes, I’ve stocked up generously.”

The Story Unfolds

As Hyunsoo laid out a mat and unpacked an array of snacks and drinks, the Sword King sat down beside him.

Hyunsoo began his tale:

From his rise as the Sword Emperor to the betrayal by Seo Jieun and Choi Taehun, his subsequent regression, the acquisition of the Beauty talent, and the revelation that the talent was linked to the Sin of Lust.

He recounted every detail, from the moment he returned to the past to his ongoing quest for vengeance and power.

The story took hours, long enough for them to empty every bottle and plate Hyunsoo had prepared.

“Seo Jieun and Choi Taehun were cheating on you? Tsk, tsk. Didn’t I tell you before? Those two seemed suspicious. You denied it, but I knew it would end like this.”

“Regression? So you returned to the past with your memories intact? Fascinating...”

“Beauty talent? Haha! That’s the perfect ability for someone as ugly as you!”

“What?! You killed them as soon as you returned? You fool! You should’ve let them live and made them suffer by watching your success!”

The Sword King’s interruptions ranged from indignant scolding to unsolicited advice, lengthening the conversation considerably.

Still, he listened earnestly, taking Hyunsoo’s unbelievable story at face value.

“Regression, huh.... While it’s not the same as what happened to me, I see parallels.”

In his previous life, the Sword King had shared his own story.

As his life had faded, a pillar of light descended from the heavens, offering him a chance to meet swordsmen from another world. He had accepted, only to find himself trapped in a mountain sanctuary where time stood still.

The Sword King no longer needed food or sleep and would resurrect even after death. His past, his name—everything had been erased. All that remained was his mission: to test and guide challengers.

Thus, he could understand Hyunsoo’s situation better than anyone else.

“Now then, your task is clear: recover the remaining hidden pieces, claim the Sword Emperor title, and stop the monsters beyond dimensions. Everything else is secondary.”

“Yes, but I need to move quickly. Events from my previous life are unfolding much faster this time.”

“That’s likely because you’ve disrupted the natural order. Killing Choi Taehun and Seo Jieun, rescuing Han Sungbin, and defeating that Kyle fellow—all of it has altered the timeline. The consequences are evident.”

“I think so, too.”

The Sword King had deduced in minutes what had taken Hyunsoo and Swallow weeks of deliberation to conclude.

His wisdom, honed by centuries of experience, shone through.

“Then get moving! Time is of the essence!”

“Another battle... I see.”

“Exactly. This is a trial created by this domain, and there’s no avoiding it. But don’t expect me to go easy on you.”

“Of course, Elder. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

The Sword King stood, picking up his sword. Hyunsoo, setting down his drink, rose as well, ready to face the next challenge.

But just as he straightened, the Sword King suddenly swung his blade.

“Ah, all this talking has made me thirsty. Go fetch more drinks!”

Slash!

[Sword King Title Quest failed.]

[Returning to the starting location.]

The serene mountain and waterfall vanished, replaced by the familiar dungeon setting.

“Hmm... Master? Are you okay?”

Swallow, waiting by the portal, fluttered over in a panic as Hyunsoo reappeared.

“...That old man is as unpredictable as ever.”

Hyunsoo chuckled, gazing at the still-spinning portal that led back to the Sword King’s domain.