The Handsomer You Are, the Stronger You Become

An inexplicable phenomenon.

“What is this light...?”
Kang Hyunsoo frowned slightly and turned his head.
The light wasn't just bright; it exuded a dense, palpable mana, making it feel unnatural.

But the moment he turned to look at it—
“...?”
The light had vanished.

The radiant glow that had been blinding just moments ago disappeared as if it had never been there.
In its place stood...
A mannequin dressed in a jumper.

‘There was definitely light here...’
Kang Hyunsoo approached the mannequin and inspected it closely.
There was no mana emanating from the mannequin itself. It appeared entirely ordinary.

Yet, the clothes it wore were slightly unusual.
High-end, with a strangely familiar design.
As Kang Hyunsoo rubbed his chin, studying the mannequin’s fashion, a sales associate approached him with a friendly smile.

“Welcome, sir. The outfit is stunning, isn’t it?”
“It really is. Can you tell me more about it?”
“Of course! This is a casual knit jumper that combines a basic design with color-blocked materials and a hood for a relaxed look. Made with wool cashmere, it’s luxurious and incredibly comfortable to wear. It also features a zipper closure for added convenience!”

“Oh... I see.”
Hyunsoo found himself slightly dazed by the sales associate's rapid and enthusiastic explanation.
While there wasn’t a single unfamiliar word, something about the way they spoke made it feel like he was listening to an alien language.
But the next part of the explanation was crystal clear.

“You’ve heard of Designer Baek Jinnam, right?”
“...Baek Jinnam?”
“Yes! The hunter who’s also a designer. This piece is a special edition created by Baek Jinnam himself! It’s one of a kind in the entire world!”

Now that they mentioned it, the design did seem oddly familiar.
While it was distinct from other jumpers in its own way, there was something about it that felt recognizable to Hyunsoo.
‘Baek Jinnam... another one of his creations.’

Hyunsoo frowned slightly, gazing at the beige knit jumper.
It was a piece that would significantly boost his Appearance Power and overall harmony score, yet its designer’s personality left much to be desired.
Remembering his past encounters with Baek Jinnam, Hyunsoo wanted nothing to do with the guy, but his unique designs strangely suited Hyunsoo’s style. As a result, his wardrobe was now filled with Baek Jinnam’s clothes.

Well, it wasn’t the clothes’ fault, after all.
Hyunsoo reached out to touch the jumper.
Part of him wanted to check the fabric, but more importantly, he suspected the mysterious light had come from this jumper.

At that moment, the sales associate spoke cautiously beside him.
“The price is one hundred million won.”
“...One hundred million?”

“That’s correct, sir.”
Hyunsoo’s hand immediately withdrew from the jumper.
One hundred million won.

That price was far beyond excessive.
If it were armor, he could justify the cost—it might even seem cheap. But this was clothing, and it was hard to convince himself to make such an expensive purchase.
More than that, though...

Baek Jinnam’s clothing at one hundred million won?
For some reason, Hyunsoo’s pride was wounded.
Considering the annoying, cheeky designer from his past life, Hyunsoo didn’t want to hand over such an absurd amount of money.

He steeled himself and began to step away from the mannequin when—
“Excuse me... Are you Hunter Kang Hyunsoo by any chance?”
The sales associate recognized him.

Hyunsoo turned back with a startled expression and nodded.
“Ah, yes... That’s me.”
“Wow! I’m a fan! I watched your matches. You were incredible!!”

“T-Thank you.”
“Could I take a photo with you, please?”
“A photo... Sure.”

It wasn’t every day that a stranger introduced themselves as a fan and asked for a selfie.
Though many people had approached him for autographs or photos during his outings, Hyunsoo had always refused.
It wasn’t something he was used to, and he simply didn’t have the time.

But today, he had come out for some shopping, and the associate’s earnest request made it hard to refuse.
After taking the selfie, the associate beamed and removed the jumper from the mannequin.
“Thank you so much, Hunter! Would you like to try on the jumper? I think it would look great on you!”

Hyunsoo didn’t even have time to object.
The associate quickly helped him into the jumper, and as soon as he wore it, a message popped up.
[Your fashion has changed.]
[Appearance Power: +30]
[Overall Harmony Score: +10]
[Additional Appearance Power: +30]
[This clothing adds anti-slash and thermal insulation functions.]
[Defense: +50]
[Cold Resistance: +50%]

‘It’s just regular clothing, but it boosts stats like an item?’
Hyunsoo’s eyes widened in amazement.
Not only did the jumper raise his Appearance Power by a total of +60 and add a harmony score of 10, but the added effects were fantastic as well.

Since wearing armor greatly reduced his Appearance Power, he typically wore casual clothing. With this jumper’s cold-resistance specialization, it could even replace an item in his inventory.
In the end—
“...I’ll take it.”

“Pardon? Are you saying you’d like to purchase it?”
“Yes, that’s correct. I’ll pay for it now.”
Kang Hyunsoo handed his card to the sales associate and purchased Baek Jinnam's jumper.

The sudden cold weather had made a proper outer garment a necessity, and finding one of this quality elsewhere would have been difficult.
Although the price felt exorbitantly high—no, absurdly high—he reasoned it was a fair cost for what was essentially an item with valuable stats.
After all, he had saved a significant amount of money from his dungeon raids.

While the associate packaged the jumper—
“There’s Hunter Kang Hyunsoo over there!”
“Hyunsoo oppa! Look at this!”

“Oh... I feel embarrassed.”
Jin Seoyun, Yoo Hana, and Choi Jiwoo approached Hyunsoo, showing off Choi Jiwoo’s outfit that they had coordinated together.
Instead of the usual Hunter Bureau uniform, she was now dressed in a skirt and coat.

Hmph, my strategic wing flaps to guide them to that coat have paid off!
“Wow... It really suits you!”
Even Swallow and Han Sungbin were admiring her new look.
Kang Hyunsoo glanced briefly at Choi Jiwoo, then handed another card to the associate standing nearby.

“Please add that outfit to the bill as well.”
“Certainly, sir. I’ll handle the transaction right away.”
“Wait! I can pay for it myself—”

Choi Jiwoo hurried to object, but the associate was already at the register.
The outfit suited her so perfectly that Hyunsoo didn’t mind the cost. Moreover, he felt grateful and wanted to give her a gift.
“Everyone else, pick something out as well. I’ll take care of it.”

Despite the long hours of shopping, which could have been exhausting, they had stayed with him the entire time without a single complaint. This was the least he could do to express his appreciation.
Just as Hyunsoo was thanking his companions—
We sincerely thank all customers for visiting our department store today. We hope you had an enjoyable and fulfilling experience. Unfortunately, it is now closing time. We promise to continue providing the best products and services. Thank you, and have a good night.
The department store’s closing announcement echoed through the air.

“Oh, it’s already this late! Hyung, don’t you still have time left for your quest?”
Master, shall we proceed?
Han Sungbin and Swallow both looked at Hyunsoo.
They were right.

[Absolute Beauty Quest 12]
[Shop with companions of the opposite gender for 24 hours (13/24 hours completed)]
There was still plenty of time left to complete the quest.
He would need to shop through the night to finish it before the semifinals tomorrow.

“It can’t be helped. I don’t want to impose, so I’ll just save it for another time...”
Hyunsoo decided to give up.
Technically, finishing the quest wasn’t impossible.

Since the task involved shopping, he could simply visit a 24-hour store or café and purchase items to pass the time.
However, they had already been going non-stop since the morning, and he figured everyone must be tired. Returning to their accommodations seemed like the best option.
Besides, his main focus was the upcoming battle with Kyle. The reward for the Absolute Beauty Quest wasn’t essential for tomorrow’s match.

Just as Hyunsoo was about to conclude his plan—
“Hold on. Let me take care of it.”
“...What?”

Jin Seoyun suddenly interjected.
She pulled out her phone and made a call.
“Yes, it’s me. Could you switch the VVIP lounge at the department store to 24-hour access? Also, stock it with items for sale immediately. Right now.”

Moments later, she hung up, turning back to the group with a confident smile.
“Just follow me in about 30 minutes. I arranged for us to shop through the night and even requested an emergency fashion show setup.”
“Wait, is that even possible, Team Leader?”

Han Sungbin stared at her with wide eyes.
Choi Jiwoo and Yoo Hana were equally stunned.
“Wow...”

“H-how did you manage that, Seoyun-unnie?”
All eyes turned to Jin Seoyun.
“Oh, I never mentioned it?”

Shrugging nonchalantly, she looked at Hyunsoo, flashing a smile.
“I own this department store.”
***

“Welcome, everyone, to the Strongest Swordsmanship Tournament! We will now begin the semifinals!!”
“Wooooaaaaahhh!!”
Seoul’s Sangam World Cup Stadium erupted into cheers at the announcer’s declaration.

The crowd's roar filled the massive arena, packed to its full capacity of over 60,000 spectators.
The tournament's intense atmosphere was unmatched.
Part of its allure was the participation of world-famous hunters, but the fact that two of the semifinalists were Korean hunters had captivated the nation.

From major television networks to cable and online streaming platforms, every media outlet was broadcasting the event.
With such fervent attention, the opening ceremony was nothing short of spectacular.
Following the announcer’s introduction, a singer took the stage, delivering a rousing performance to celebrate the occasion.

The song echoed through the stadium, electrifying the atmosphere.
Meanwhile, the two participants for the first match waited in the entry tunnel, out of view, until the performance concluded.
Standing side by side in the narrow passage were Kang Hyunsoo and Gwak Dowon.

Staff bustled around them, preparing for the event, but an unspoken tension lingered between the two hunters.
“Finally, we meet, Hunter Kang Hyunsoo,” Gwak Dowon said, breaking the silence.
Hyunsoo tilted his head slightly, glancing at the man beside him.

“...?”
“I heard you were out shopping leisurely with women yesterday. Did you think I’d be an easy opponent?”
“Spying on me, were you?”

“You’ve been flaunting yourself recklessly, making it hard not to notice. I’ll make you regret that arrogance from yesterday.”
Gwak Dowon’s glare was sharp enough to pierce steel, his teeth grinding in barely contained rage.
His gaze burned with a hatred that could only be reserved for a sworn enemy.

Hyunsoo met his glare for a moment before shifting his eyes to the arena ahead.
“Regret, huh... Sure, whatever makes you happy.”
Then, he turned back to Gwak Dowon, locking eyes with him.

“But why are you speaking informally?”
Hyunsoo’s voice carried a chilling edge, laced with unhidden menace.