The Handsomer You Are, the Stronger You Become-Chapter 154: Friends (15)

“...You bought all the tickets? How did you even know which flight I was taking?”

“You inquired about chartering a private jet, didn’t you? I knew you were headed to Japan. I just assumed you’d leave right away, so I booked every ticket for flights to Japan around this time.”

“......”

—Wow, this is on another level of obsessive. Booking out every single ticket for flights to Japan just because of a rumor?

Kang Hyunsoo was at a loss for words.

The truth was, Hayuri had also been involved in the Forced Dungeon Break operation.

Like Choi, she was officially retired as a hunter, meaning she couldn’t participate on the front lines. However, she had been prepared to step in if the defensive perimeter in Gangnam was breached.

Of course, once Choi appeared and wiped out the monsters, she never got the chance to take action. Still, Hayuri had been standing alongside Kang Hyunsoo as an ally.

But with everything that had happened—the appearance of Joo Ho-seong, the interrogations, and the search for Sloth’s whereabouts—Hyunsoo had been too preoccupied to keep in touch with her.

He had planned to contact Hayuri after arriving in Japan, but what was this?

She had bought out all the tickets for flights to Japan and was waiting for him.

As Swallow put it, this was beyond obsessive fan behavior.

And Hyunsoo wasn’t the only one caught off guard.

“...W-Who is this, Hyunsoo oppa?”

“She looks kind of familiar...”

Yuhana and Jin Seoyun, who had followed him onto the plane, immediately noticed Hayuri and grew wary.

Then—

“Hello there. I’m Hayuri, chairwoman of the Aden Group. So, you must be the ones helping our dear Hyunsoo. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Hayuri linked arms with Hyunsoo and greeted them with a bright smile.

“O-Our dear Hyunsoo?!”

“Hayuri...? If she’s the chairwoman of Aden Group... That means she was a hunter in the early days of the Great Cataclysm but later retired to enter the entertainment industry...?”

As Hayuri introduced herself, Yuhana and Jin Seoyun’s eyes widened.

First, because she had called Kang Hyunsoo our dear Hyunsoo while clinging to his arm.

Second, because of who she was.

To the general public, she wasn’t a household name, but among the higher echelons of society, Hayuri was quite famous.

Not only had she been hailed as a hero in the early days of the Great Cataclysm, but she was also now the leader of the global K-pop industry—someone with close ties to Kang Hyunsoo.

Their pupils trembled at the sudden appearance of a new competitor.

But Hyunsoo himself remained unaffected.

“You’re taking this joke too far. We met while I was completing a quest. She’s helping with some things in Japan. This is Hunter Yuhana and Hunter Jin Seoyun. They’re comrades I’ve fought alongside multiple times.”

In the midst of the tense atmosphere, Hyunsoo gently unlinked his arm from Hayuri’s and introduced everyone before taking his seat according to his ticket.

Even when Hayuri suggested moving to first class, he refused.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Our flight to Tokyo will be departing shortly.”

Right on cue, the announcement for departure echoed through the cabin.

Hayuri sighed in defeat, shaking her head, before settling into the seat beside him.

“I was going to talk about the Sins. You don’t mind, right?”

“I don’t, so cut the nonsense and get to the point.”

“...Fine. If that’s what you want.”

Hayuri glanced at Yuhana and Jin Seoyun, who were sitting across from them, then casually picked up a magazine and flipped through it as she spoke.

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“You heard from Choi, didn’t you? About Sloth’s location.”

“Yeah. Did you already know?”

“Roughly. But why are you looking for Sloth? Tracking down the other Sins doesn’t benefit you.”

At Hayuri’s question, Hyunsoo glanced at Jin Seoyun and Yuhana, who were seated beside him.

Choi, Sloth, the Sins...

The two of them were pretending not to listen, but their ears were definitely perked up. However, since they had no prior knowledge, they seemed to struggle with piecing things together.

Information about the Seven Deadly Sins was classified, meaning it was best to keep it a secret.

But—

—It might be better to give them a hint, Master. You’re going to keep relying on them from now on.

Swallow, who was hidden in the seat ahead, made a valid point.

Not only were they accompanying him to Japan, but they would also be assisting him in the future. It would be best to at least give them a general understanding of the situation.

Especially Yuhana. She had seen him back when he was at rock bottom, so she would have a better grasp of the power Lust wielded.

Having made up his mind, Kang Hyunsoo shared what he had seen in Joo Ho-seong’s memories.

The truth about Joo Ho-seong, the Frontier, the Abyssal Lords...

Some parts were undoubtedly difficult to comprehend, but whenever a key point surfaced, Yuhana and Jin Seoyun quietly gasped.

After hearing everything—including what he had discussed with Choi—Hayuri spoke in a low voice.

“The Primordial Valley... I don’t know much about it, but there’s a good chance Sloth does. It’s not certain, but back when I met him, he mentioned visiting a place called something-Primordial.”

“So Choi wasn’t lying.”

“That’s right. But we don’t even know for sure if Sloth is at Mount Fuji, and getting in won’t be easy. If hunters want to conduct a search in Japan, they need approval from the Japanese Hunter Bureau. Either way, it’s going to be complicated... You have to go, don’t you?”

At Hayuri’s question, Kang Hyunsoo silently nodded.

The place suspected to be the Frontier’s base wasn’t just something to investigate for curiosity’s sake—it was the key to tracking the Abyssal Lords.

[Divine Authority Quest]

[Path to Divine Authority (0/3)]

[Path to Divine Authority 1: Complete the Sin of Lust (95%)]

[Path to Divine Authority 2: Retrieve the Shard of Beauty (70%)]

[Path to Divine Authority 3: Pass the Trial of the Altar (0%)]

[A clue has been found.]

[Final Shard of Beauty Location: Primordial Valley]

According to the Divine Authority Quest message, the final Shard of Beauty was located in the Primordial Valley.

This location appeared in the system message after checking Joo Ho-seong’s memories.

That meant Kang Hyunsoo had to go there—but the journey wouldn’t be easy.

Mount Fuji was a restricted area due to frequent dungeon breaks, with strict entry controls enforced by the Japanese Hunter Bureau.

He would need their permission to enter, and that wouldn't be a simple task.

And sure enough, his concerns proved correct.

Two hours after takeoff, they arrived at Narita Airport in Japan.

“...H-Huh? W-Why are there so many people...?”

“That... I think they’re all here for Hyunsoo oppa?”

“Wow, there’s seriously a crowd.”

A massive crowd had gathered outside the airport.

Beyond what they could see with their own eyes, the news was also blowing up with coverage of his arrival.

Of course, there was a contingency plan in place.

“Welcome, Hunter Kang Hyunsoo! We’re honored to have you in Japan. I am Yoshikawa, the Deputy Director of the Japanese Hunter Bureau.”

“We’ve been expecting you, Hunter Kang Hyunsoo. I am Seong Jongseok from the Korean Embassy in Japan. A limousine has been arranged for you—please follow me.”

As soon as they landed, officials from the Japanese Hunter Bureau and the Korean Embassy in Japan were there to greet Kang Hyunsoo.

He was no longer just an ordinary hunter—he was receiving VIP treatment as a top-tier hunter.

That meant he could bypass standard immigration procedures and move freely.

But—

“No, it’s fine. Since they went out of their way to welcome me, I’ll go greet them for a moment.”

Hyunsoo stepped out into the airport lobby.

“Kyaaaaaah! Hyunsoo-sama! It’s really Hyunsoo-sama!”

“He looks even better in person?!”

“Ahh, he’s so handsome...”

The moment he showed his face, screams erupted from all directions.

Some people even shed tears of joy at finally seeing Kang Hyunsoo in person.

His presence alone brought happiness to so many Japanese fans, and honestly, Hyunsoo felt good about it too.

Not just because he was drawing energy from the cheers—

[Side Beauty Quest 26]

[Radiant beauty benefits the hearts and minds of all. Spread it across the world.]

[Achieve 500,000 live viewers on an international broadcast (100%)]

[Reward: Charm +40]

He had only shown his face for a moment, yet a Beauty Quest was instantly completed, granting him a reward.

When he had first received this Side Beauty Quest, he had no idea how to achieve it. Who knew it would be this easy?

After waving at the Japanese fans, Hyunsoo returned through the gate and got into the limousine prepared by the embassy staff.

And then—

Along with his companions, he headed to the Japanese Hunter Bureau.

The reason was simple.

“You wish to enter the dungeon at Mount Fuji? It’s possible. The Korean Hunter Bureau and our Japanese Hunter Bureau have an existing agreement, after all. However, since Mount Fuji is home to several S-rank dungeons, we’d like to conduct a simple test first. Would that be acceptable?”

When Hyunsoo inquired about gaining entry to Mount Fuji, the Japanese Hunter Bureau agent provided that response.

Of course, this wasn’t a standard procedure.

Even Jin Seoyun tilted her head in confusion at the request.

“A test? I’ve never heard of such a thing... May I ask what it entails?”

“Haha, it’s nothing too serious. We simply ask that you spar with one of our hunters. Since we /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ don’t have the authority to measure your stats or skills directly, we determine qualifications through combat against a hunter of similar skill level. If you’re unwilling, you’re free to decline. However... that would make it difficult for you to gain entry to Mount Fuji.”

A sparring match.

Yoshikawa was offering Mount Fuji access in exchange for a sparring session.

The reason was obvious.

They wanted to gauge Kang Hyunsoo’s stats and abilities but didn’t have the authority to scan his status window. So instead, they were trying to figure it out through combat.

This had happened in his previous life too.

Japan had failed to contain an SS-rank dungeon break originating from Mount Fuji and had requested assistance from Korean hunters, including Kang Hyunsoo.

Back then, they had made up excuses about how the lives of Korean hunters were precious, and thus, they needed to ensure only strong individuals were deployed.

Now, they were framing it as a qualification issue.

“Hunter Kang Hyunsoo, you don’t have to do this. If we report this to the Korean Hunter Bureau, it’ll take some time, but we’ll get it sorted out.”

“Want me to take care of it? With the power of Greed, I could brainwash them in an instant.”

Jin Seoyun and Hayuri whispered countermeasures into Hyunsoo’s ear, recognizing how disrespectful the request was.

But—

“I don’t mind. Bring as many as you want. I’ll take on anyone.”

“O-Oh! Truly? Thank you so much!!”

Hyunsoo accepted Japan’s proposal without hesitation.

After all, he had done this in his previous life anyway.

And—

[Swordsmanship Quest 31]

[Defeat three foreign awakeners of level 500 or higher (0/3)]

It was also the perfect opportunity to complete his newly assigned Swordsmanship Quest.