The Handsomer You Are, the Stronger You Become-Chapter 162

It was a place with no nearby streams or fresh water, making it unthinkable that anyone would be here.

However, since Hayuri’s words had turned out to be true...

“There’s a powerful barrier at the entrance of the cave, Master. It looks like it’ll be pretty hard to break.”

Swallow, who had just returned from reconnaissance, added credibility to the claim.

Kang Hyunsoo stared at the cave entrance and said,

“A barrier of that level... It seems like this is the right place.”

“It’s certain. And we should end this quickly. The Lazy would move if his hideout is discovered, and by now, Japan’s Hunter Bureau must be organizing a search team after hearing news from the Yakuza hunters,” Hayuri replied.

After they had cleared the Shinmyo Dungeon, Hayuri had tied up the Yakuza hunters and reported them to the Japan Hunter Bureau.

She didn’t need to leak information by keeping the Yakuza hunters with her on the way to meet the Lazy.

Of course, even though she reported the Yakuza hunters, they wouldn’t be punished. In fact, it would only encourage the formation of a pursuit squad, but it didn’t matter.

By the time Japan’s Hunter Bureau sent their team, the situation would already be over.

Indeed, things were progressing quickly.

“Then let’s finish it right now.”

At Hayuri’s words, Kang Hyunsoo moved toward the cave entrance, swinging his twin swords.

[Activation]

[Thunderstorm (SS)] [Black Spot Explosion (SS)]

Szzzz-!! KAAAAAA-!! Crash-!!

Foll𝑜w current novℯls on ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm.

With a burst of electricity and flames swirling, the translucent protective shield blocking the cave entrance shattered into pieces.

"Whoa, that was an incredibly strong barrier, but it shattered in one hit."

"...You're the top hunter in the country. Or should I say, the best in the world?" Yuhana and Jin Seoyun exclaimed in awe.

Hayuri didn’t refute their words.

After the SS-class forced dungeon break incident, Kang Hyunsoo had become the world’s top hunter, recognized by leaders from various countries.

Not long ago, Kyle had been known as the world’s best hunter, but now, most people saw Kang Hyunsoo as the best.

Of course, there were those like Japan who didn’t recognize him.

Despite that, the power Kang Hyunsoo wielded was immense. However, that didn’t mean he could afford to relax.

‘The Lazy... has never lost to anyone.’

A long time ago, when the heirs of the Seven Deadly Sins had reached their peak of competition, Hayuri and many other Sin heirs had tried to block the Lazy’s Sin quest.

The Sin quests reflected the traits of the corresponding sins, and for the Lazy, doing nothing was likely the quest itself. If it was the easiest condition, it would be the top priority to block.

In fact, when the heirs of other sins had reached their peak, the Lazy had hidden away in desolate places and had never shown up.

One day, to counter the Lazy, Hayuri had gone to find him, but...

Ugh, what power…!

Snore, heh... Snore...

The result had been a crushing defeat.

She had found the Lazy’s location and tried to interfere, but she couldn’t even wake him up from his slumber.

Whether he wasn’t actually asleep or was pretending to sleep, he had blocked all of her attacks while snoring.

And when Hayuri had gotten distracted and turned her attention away for a moment, he had disappeared using a skill like teleportation.

This wasn’t something that had only happened to her.

Later, when she met Kyle and Iron, both of them had spoken of their own failures when trying to interfere with the Lazy.

So now, Hayuri watched Kang Hyunsoo, the world’s top hunter, with curious eyes, wondering if he could actually wake the Lazy’s heir.

Following Kang Hyunsoo into the cave, they came to the end of a faintly lit space, where a man with gray hair lay on a large rock, asleep.

He was certainly the Lazy’s heir that Hayuri knew.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

The anticipated confrontation was finally about to take place.

And then—

“Zzz… Heh… Zzz… Heh…”

The cave echoed with a deep snore.

"Jeez, there really is someone here…?"

"Ha, he’s even sleeping."

Yuhana and Jin Seoyun burst into awkward laughter, looking incredulously at the man sleeping on the rock as Kang Hyunsoo approached and spoke to him.

"Lazy Sin’s heir, Luke Aresa. Is that right? I came to ask you something."

The gray-haired man in pajamas, Luke Aresa.

Thirty-five years old.

One of the union hunters who entered the Infinite Dungeon, a successor cursed by the sin of Sloth.

For the past five years, his whereabouts have been unknown, but it is speculated that he is the most powerful and advanced among the successors of sin, particularly in his quest progress.

One of his characteristics is that no matter what happens around him, he doesn’t break.

When Hyunsoo first heard about this from Hayuri, he didn’t understand it, but soon, he would.

Thung—!

As Hyunsoo got closer to wake him up, Luke suddenly swung his hand and sent a sword wave at him.

Shwick—!!

The sword aura shot through the air, too precise and sharp to have been launched blindly.

Hyunsoo blocked the attack with his Thunder Sword and raised the corner of his mouth in response.

"So, you want to give this a try?"

As they say, silence often means agreement.

When Luke didn’t respond, Hyunsoo immediately went on the offensive.

To wake him up, he followed up his Thunder Sword with his Divine Sword.

The Sun Swordsmanship, starting with Flare and Red Flame, followed by the Black Spot Explosion, and the Thunder Swordsmanship, with thunderstorms wreaking havoc.

Bang—! Crack—! Kwangggg—!

The wide cavern was filled with roaring flames and electricity.

"Ugh! What kind of aftershock is this...!"

"Come behind me, sister!!"

The sword techniques Hyunsoo used were so overwhelming that even Jin Seoyun and Yuhana, watching from behind, had to put up a protective shield to hold out.

But when the smoke cleared, the result was unchanged.

Grrr… Kuul….

Even with Hyunsoo’s SS-grade sword techniques, Luke didn’t suffer a single hit.

Then, Hayuri, as if she had expected this outcome, walked up to Hyunsoo’s side.

She opened her fan, moved toward Luke’s legs, and swung it.

It was a surprise attack aimed at a supposedly vulnerable spot.

However—

Chaeng—!!

Hayuri’s attack was blocked.

As the fan flew, Luke raised one leg, covering it with a shield to stop her strike.

Hyunsoo looked at Hayuri’s failed attack and asked,

"Is there no way to wake him up? I just need to hear the answer."

"If we could do that, we wouldn’t have come this far. Not only have we never seen him open his eyes, but we’ve never even been able to wake him up."

"Hmm... I feel like we could wake him if he just opened his eyes..."

After pondering over Hayuri’s words, Hyunsoo rubbed his chin and continued, "Guess there’s no choice. Everyone, go outside."

"Are you giving up?"

"No, I’ll use the strongest sword techniques. I’ve been holding back because the cave might collapse or he might die, but if it’s not working like this, I’ll have to use a stronger method."

"What if he dies or the cave collapses as you said?"

"Then it’s his fault for not understanding even after all this."

"...Right. Got it."

"Then we’ll wait outside, Hyunsoo oppa!"

"Don’t overdo it, Hunter Kang Hyunsoo!"

With that, Hayuri, Yuhana, and Jin Seoyun left the cave, and Hyunsoo stood alone.

"Shall we begin?"

He lowered his twin swords and took his stance.

Silence fell upon the cave.

"......"

The area around Luke, lying on the stone, suddenly became still, and the world was engulfed in silence.

***

One second, three seconds, ten seconds...

Time passed.

‘...What is this? Why hasn’t the attack come?’

Luke, the successor of Sloth, felt anxious.

He had clearly heard that the intruder would use the strongest sword techniques, yet nothing had happened.

‘Did he just leave...?’

At first, Luke was uneasy.

But as the silent time passed five minutes, his anxiety turned into doubt.

‘Why did he leave? Did he give up?’

His doubt turned into curiosity.

He had never seen any intruder give up so early.

"Hm...?"

Luke pretended to be sleep-talking, forming an aura around his arms and legs, and scanned the area.

However, there was nothing within a 3-meter radius.

‘He really left.’

Convinced, Luke slowly opened his eyes.

[Sloth Sin Successor Quest 18]

[Sleep without interacting with others for 10,000 hours (96%)]

Since the intruders had left, it was time to prepare to move his residence.

But as Luke opened his eyes—

"Checkmate."

"Couldn’t resist being curious, huh?"

Hyunsoo and a swallow were hanging from the ceiling, visible to him.

"......!!"

‘This... no way!!’

Luke realized he had fallen into a trap and hurriedly tried to close his eyes, but it was too late.

The first time he saw Hyunsoo, his appearance was so captivating that he was almost mesmerized.

【Activated】

[Charm (D)]

"Don’t close your eyes. Get up."

The moment their eyes met, Hyunsoo’s pleasant voice captivated his heart.

Luke couldn’t ignore the command, and eventually,

"Ahh... Of course, I have to."

He got up from his spot as if in a trance.