The Handsomer You Are, the Stronger You Become

Hyunsoo stood confidently, exuding an aura of determination.
His firm stance and resolute tone visibly rattled Kyle.
“You… you bastard!” Kyle gritted his teeth, attempting to mimic Hyunsoo’s skill.

[Target of Envy: Kang Hyunsoo]
[Detecting usage of target’s skill.]
[Skill cannot be mimicked.]
[Mimicry activation failed.]
Kyle froze in disbelief.
Despite his attempts, the skill didn’t activate.

Kyle’s Mimicry, fueled by the Sin of Envy, allowed him to replicate an opponent’s skills, often with enhanced effects. He could increase the skill’s power, refine its precision, or even erase the original skill entirely and redirect its energy.
He had used this ability to copy and strengthen Hyunsoo’s protective shield and other sword techniques during their match.
But now, for the first time, he failed.

Kyle clenched his fists, refusing to believe it. Hyunsoo had just summoned a swallow wearing sunglasses—a summon Kyle should have been able to mimic immediately. Normally, a translucent, aura-constructed duplicate of Swallow would have appeared as soon as the skill was used.
But no matter how much he tried, nothing happened.
Realizing this, Kyle snarled, “Do you think Mimicry is all I have?!”

He launched a direct counterattack.
Kyle struck at the swallow in midair with a surge of aura before charging at Hyunsoo, swinging his sword.
While Mimicry was his hallmark, Kyle’s true strength lay in his 733-level mastery of the longsword, a skill unmatched and unknown to most.

Even if Hyunsoo’s mysterious skill couldn’t be copied, Kyle was confident his raw strength and refined technique were more than enough.
[Skill Activated: Blade Dance (S)]
A flowing swordsmanship skill that increases destructive power by 10% every 10 seconds as long as the sequence remains uninterrupted. If interrupted, the effect resets.
BOOM! BOOM! CRASH!

Kyle’s sword strikes roared with explosive power, generating shockwaves rather than mere metallic clashes.
Each successive attack grew faster and stronger, threatening to overwhelm Hyunsoo.
But Hyunsoo stood his ground.
[Skill Activated: Charm (D)]

Though Kyle held the advantage in pure stats, Hyunsoo exploited his skills strategically. Using Charm, he disrupted Kyle’s concentration, creating openings to block and deflect the relentless blows.
“Where do you think you’re aiming?!” Hyunsoo shouted.
[Beauty Companion activates Stylish Shield.]
[Beauty Companion activates Stylish Feather Strike.]

Swallow joined the fray, providing support.
While Kyle focused on Hyunsoo, Swallow used its shield to block low strikes and launched feathered projectiles from behind, exploiting Kyle’s blind spots.
Kyle’s Sin of Envy usually allowed him to mimic any skill automatically, but this time, it failed.

As a result:
[Kyle’s Shield: 7,252/10,000]
Kyle’s shield was chipped away further.

While Kyle had never struggled against summons or secondary attacks before, the unfamiliar situation made his response sluggish.
“You irritating pests!” Kyle roared, swinging his sword again.
His blade cut through the air with a hiss, but it struck nothing.

Watching Kyle’s growing frustration, Hyunsoo smirked.
‘Good. The strategy is working.’
Hyunsoo had confirmed that Kyle couldn’t mimic his Beauty Skills, so he adjusted his tactics.

Since the match required depleting the opponent’s shield rather than lethal attacks, he decided to capitalize on Swallow’s versatility and his unique skills.
The plan was working perfectly.
[Skill Activated: Illusion (S)]
A clone identical to the user is created. The clone mirrors the user’s actions, dealing residual damage that amplifies and detonates when the skill ends.

SHIIIIIING!
As Hyunsoo activated Illusion, an identical clone materialized beside him.
“A… clone?!” Kyle exclaimed, his voice laced with disbelief.

Gritting his teeth, Kyle swung his sword, but his attacks failed to land.
Instead, the four swords of Hyunsoo and his clone blocked Kyle’s every strike.
“Take this!” Hyunsoo shouted.

[Beauty Companion activates Stylish Feather Strike.]
CLANG!
[Kyle’s Shield: 5,860/10,000]

Kyle’s shield took yet another hit.
The situation was turning against Kyle.
‘What’s going on? Why can’t I mimic his skills? They’re clearly skills, but Mimicry won’t activate…!’

Kyle’s initial confidence began to waver.
Unable to copy Hyunsoo’s unique skills and failing to break through with conventional swordsmanship, Kyle felt the momentum slipping from his grasp.
‘I need to end this quickly!’ Kyle thought.

With his shield heavily damaged, he had little time left to regain control.
Grinding his teeth, Kyle shouted, “You’ll pay for your tricks!”
Justifying his actions as retribution, Kyle decided to unleash his full power.

Kyle reversed his grip on his sword and drove it into the ground.
RUMBLE!
The arena quaked as the earth trembled beneath them.

[Skill Activated: Rising Blades (SS)]
Summons 100 aura-constructed blades at the designated location. The size and power of the blades are proportional to the mana consumed.
One hundred aura-forged swords erupted from the ground.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

“……!!”
“M-Master!” Swallow cried out in alarm.
The sheer destructive force of the Rising Blades not only obliterated the protective barrier that shielded the arena floor but even sent Swallow into a momentary panic.

But Kyle wasn’t done yet.
[Skill Activated: Falling Blades (SS)]
One hundred aura-forged swords descend from above onto a designated target. The size and power of the swords are proportional to the mana consumed.
This time, swords rained down from above, following the eruption of Rising Blades from below—a devastating two-pronged assault.

The combination was akin to a crocodile biting down on its prey from both jaws, above and below.
BOOOOOOOM!
The protective barrier shielding the arena shattered into pieces, and chaos erupted in the stands.

“What’s happening?!”
“Kyaaaaaah!”
“The barrier! Activate the second barrier! No, bring up all three emergency shields!”
WHIRRRRRRRRRRR—
Staff scrambled to contain the shockwaves rippling into the audience, hastily activating additional barriers to prevent further damage.

“Medic team, prepare for injuries!”
“Yes, sir!”
As the dust cloud engulfed the arena, many assumed the match was over. The force of Kyle’s attack was so overwhelming that it seemed impossible for anyone inside to have survived.
But then.

WHOOOOOSH—
The dust began to clear, revealing a figure standing at the center of the devastated arena.
“……!!”
“What the…?!”

Kyle and the spectators stared in shock, their eyes wide with disbelief.
Amidst the wreckage of the arena stood Hyunsoo, completely unharmed.
[Skill Activated: Bloom (SS)]
For three minutes, your latent beauty is amplified to its maximum potential.
[Appearance Power: 999]
Effects: All stats +3,996

Hyunsoo’s appearance was nothing short of otherworldly. His features were so flawless and radiant that he no longer seemed human, exuding an aura of divine perfection.
“K-Kang Hyunsoo…?”
“Is that really him? He looks completely different… no, he’s definitely the same person, but… what is this feeling?”
“Wow… what the hell…?”
A hushed awe swept through the audience before giving way to murmurs of admiration. Even from a distance, Hyunsoo’s sheer presence was palpable.

His radiant appearance, glowing as if bathed in divine light, was almost too perfect to be real.
Kyle, however, was frozen in disbelief.
As the dust fully settled, Kyle’s composure cracked.

“How… how is this possible?!”
Frustrated, Kyle unleashed a relentless flurry of attacks, hurling aura-infused strikes at Hyunsoo.
His speed and power—befitting a top-tier hunter—were overwhelming. Even a single hit would end the match instantly.

But.
“How… how are you dodging everything?!”
Hyunsoo avoided every attack with effortless grace, not even needing to block with his twin swords.

The reason was simple:
‘How am I dodging? Because I already know them all.’
Kyle’s techniques were all too familiar to Hyunsoo.

Though he hadn’t learned them himself, a certain eccentric old man had used these very skills to pummel him countless times in the past.
Back then, Hyunsoo had no choice but to endure. But now, the tables had turned.
“Curious? Then…” Hyunsoo said, closing the distance between them.

As he raised his twin swords, a notification appeared.
[100 Dodge Combo Achieved!]
You have perfectly avoided a consecutive chain of attacks from your opponent.
[Fusion Talent Unlocked: Beauty Swordsmanship.]
Hyunsoo smirked.

“Think it over while you’re lying down.”
[Skill Activated: Beauty Swordsmanship: Blooming (SS)]
SHIIIING!

Cherry blossom petals swirled around Hyunsoo’s twin swords as he activated the skill.
Kyle swung his longsword in a desperate counterattack, but it was futile.
[Detecting target’s skill usage.]
[Skill cannot be mimicked.]
[Mimicry activation failed.]

Hyunsoo’s Flame Sword parried Kyle’s longsword, while his Lightning Sword found an opening and struck Kyle’s exposed side.
BOOOOOOM! CRACK—!!
“Guh…!!”

A blinding flash of light illuminated the arena as an explosion erupted.
Kyle was sent tumbling across the ground, his golden hair scattering like debris.
The next moment, silence blanketed the stadium.

Then:
“Ka-Kang Hyunsoo wins!!!”
“WOOOOAAAAHHHHH!!!”

The once-quiet arena exploded into thunderous cheers.
Hyunsoo stood victorious, his radiant figure framed by the wreckage of the battlefield, basking in the deafening adulation of the crowd.