Chapter 192: Recognition Desire.

Hunter Ranger Red, who had been captured by a parasitic monster for 13 years, opened his eyes.

He swallowed the monster that was wrapping around his body.

Freed from the monster, he collapsed on the floor and couldn’t control his body.

Green, sensing something strange, entered the room.

Green immediately entered combat mode upon seeing the unfamiliar monster.

The monster on the floor lifted its head and made eye contact with Green.

Green was surprised when he saw the monster’s face.

“Red!”

Green immediately ran over and supported Red.

“Hey. Isn’t that too defenseless? What if I had become a monster?”

“Is that the first thing you say after 13 years?”

“Don’t you know that in a dungeon, letting your guard down can get you killed in one go?”

“I can tell you’re not a monster just by looking at your eyes. Do you know how many monsters I killed while you were turned into a tree?”

“Teasing me. I fought too.”

“Did you win?”

“Yes.”

“Good job.”

Green patted Red’s back.

“But you…. what happened to your body?”

Red looked at his own body.

His body had changed strangely, like a slime.

“I guess it’s because I was trapped in the monster for so long.”

Then, Yellow and Blue also came running, causing another commotion.

After that commotion subsided.

“Let’s go get a checkup first.”

“That makes sense.”

Red went to the hospital.

There was a brief commotion from people who mistook it for a monster appearance, but fortunately, he got the checkup safely.

“Is this considered normal?”

Naturally, most checks for humans didn’t apply.

The conversation with the psychiatrist was somewhat meaningful.

Because the doctor acknowledged that Red’s mind was that of a human.

“Just being alive is something. And right now, my body feels as light as if it’s about to fly, so don’t worry.”

“Are you really okay?”

“Yes.”

Red did not reveal his changed status window.

As he was about to leave.

“The reporters have gathered.”

Reporters were stationed around the hospital.

A person trapped in a tree emerged transformed into a slime.

There couldn’t be a more stimulating incident.

“You have to appear on our broadcast.”

“In this state? Really?”

“We’re in debt because we’re supporting you. If you don’t want to get kicked out of the house, you need to earn money.”

“Hahaha. We can’t even retire because of our debts!”

Yellow laughed and continued Green’s words.

“There might be people cursing you for becoming a monster, but don’t worry too much. We’re used to dealing with those kinds of people.”

Blue also tried to reassure Red.

It was as if the 13-year gap didn’t show.

“We will disclose the detailed schedule later.”

Hunter Rangers dismissed the reporters by saying they would soon appear on a broadcast.

The broadcast schedule was quickly arranged.

“I remember cheering for you all when I was young.

We will welcome Hunter Rangers!”

After finishing the broadcast well and coming out, a man approached them.

“Saint!”

At the man’s appearance, the three, including Green, tensed up.

“He’s not my old friend, and he’s not obsessed with monster subjugation, so please don’t be so guarded.”

Red signaled to Green with his eyes.

‘Why?’

‘It’s the rising saint! His specialty is sealing! If you don’t want to be trapped again, be careful!’

Red, who received the eye signal, also tensed up.

“Senior Red?”

“Y-yes!”

“Since you’re much senior, please treat me comfortably.”

“O-oh, okay.”

“First of all, let me tell you one thing: there’s one more person who’s changed like you, Senior Red. I’m protecting and researching them, so I know quite a bit about your condition.”

The man called Saint explained the situation.

After hearing that story, Red thought that revealing his appearance too much could be dangerous.

“Is it better not to appear on the broadcast?”

“If you don’t want to, you don’t have to. If you need money, I’ll handle it somehow.”

“That….”

As Red hesitated, the Saint smiled.

“Personally, I’d be grateful if you continued to appear on broadcasts. It would be good if that appearance gains favor. If we can’t turn your body back to normal, we have to change the world, right?”

It was a very bold attitude.

“Do you have any thoughts of returning to hunter life?”

Red thought for a moment.

“I do want to.”

“In that case, I won’t seal it. If you handle it well, it’s a powerful force. I’ll trust your mental strength, Senior, who endured for 13 years.”

Red felt at ease just from the brief conversation with the Saint.

In fact, he was worried about whether he could properly return with this changed body.

But since the Saint believed in him, confidence gushed forth.

“The other three seniors.”

“Yes!”

“Huh? What?”

“What is it?”

“Please observe Senior Red carefully. If he seems to be excessively obsessed with eating something, come find me. We might need to seal his abilities. It’s better than letting Senior Red break down, even if it’s a waste of power.”

At the quite serious words, the three Hunter Rangers agreed seriously.

“Then, I’ll be going now. I look forward to your future activities.”

The Saint, who stirred their hearts like a typhoon, bowed and left.

-Simulation end.

***

The strength of the [Barrier☆] skill affected by each curse varied.

The timing for the seal to be released also differed.

Red, afflicted with the curse of gluttony, succeeded in escaping the parasitic monster with that power.

Because he lacked money, he went straight to the broadcast.

Unlike Yeonwoo, he was immediately captured by that child.

Afterward, things proceeded smoothly.

Hunter Rangers periodically consulted with that child.

Red stably handled his power and succeeded in being promoted to a Grade A Hunter.

Even though the monster was revealed outwardly, the Hero Worship Cult and Ribbon cult couldn’t operate properly.

Makina tried excluding that child in that simulation.

The Hero Worship Cult and Ribbon cult running wild, causing chaos.

Red, who fled to the dungeon, became a disaster and attacked people.

That child always helps others.

Sometimes extravagantly.

Sometimes quietly.

Sometimes even the people being helped don’t realize they’ve been helped.

There are even cases where they realize it too late.

And cases where they never realize it at all.

Makina recalled.

The story of a fool who, after showing off, became an internet ghost.

The tale of a fool who didn’t know when to be satisfied and fell into great danger.

***

-Short on money.

-Why are you short on money?

-Hanging out with friends requires money, you know.

-It’s sad when you need money and don’t have it.

-With money, you can solve most things.

That child always said he was short on money.

There were times he was taken advantage of and wasted money, but because he adapted to many people’s hobbies, he spent a lot.

As that child said, hanging out with people requires money.

Even just with peers, it costs quite a bit, and that child also hung out with adults.

Once, something like this happened.

That child bought a fishing rod and went to the fishing spot.

He bought a fishing rod even for his friend who didn’t know what was fun about fishing and took that guy to go fishing.

That friend slowly got into fishing because of the thrill of catching fish and the taste of the meals that child prepared.

Then, the two met a man at the fishing spot.

The man tried to greet that child warmly but was surprised to see the friend who came along.

Because that child’s friend was the man’s son.

It was the moment his hobby, which he enjoyed alone without telling his son, was caught.

But since the son had also developed an interest in fishing, the father and son ended up going fishing together.

They were a father and son who didn’t even talk much, but going fishing together improved their relationship.

Afterward, that child stopped fishing.

He sold the fishing rod but, of course, took a significant loss.

The fishing rod he gifted to his friend became a complete loss.

Another time, something like this happened.

On a field trip to an amusement park, there was a student in that child’s class who couldn’t afford an unlimited pass.

It was something that could be solved by just buying a pass for them, and the teacher even offered to pay.

But since he refused, it was a friend with strong pride.

Of course, there are ways to enjoy without riding the attractions.

Still, that child wanted his friend to make good memories.

So, that child scaled up the event.

Because if done half-heartedly, it might get caught.

He escalated it to a level where no one would believe it was just for handing over one unlimited pass.

That child’s network of connections, built with good intentions, was spread quite widely.

Following that line, he could reach a fairly famous W-tuber.

“On this field trip to the amusement park, there’s a friend in the class who can’t afford an unlimited pass. I want to request giving an unlimited pass to that child.”

That child explained the situation and the plan to the W-tuber.

The W-tuber, thinking it was a decent idea, offered to cover all the costs himself.

“It’s for my friend, though.”

That child insisted on paying all the costs himself.

And the plan proceeded.

“There’s a W-tuber I usually watch, and they’re giving out amusement park unlimited passes based on stories. Want to send in a story? They send gift certificates via mobile these days, so it might just make it in time.”

“There’s no way we’d get selected for something like that.”

“If we get picked, great. If not, oh well. Don’t you want to play with everyone?”

That child encouraged his friend to send in a story.

In the end, the friend wrote and sent a story.

“This is troublesome.”

“I agree. Even though he’s my friend, it’s really not interesting.”

The friend’s story was too uninteresting to air on the broadcast.

In the end, it didn’t make it into the 10 stories to be broadcast.

“I guess we’ll have to use the backup plan.”

The W-tuber read 10 stories.

Among them, the friend’s story wasn’t there.

As the friend was disappointed.

“Wouldn’t it be too regrettable to end it like this?

One more!

Exactly one more! Who will be the lucky winner?”

The friend watching the video swallowed hard.

“Congratulations!”

“I got picked!”

Of course, it wasn’t random.

The friend who got the amusement park unlimited pass safely enjoyed the field trip and returned.

And what happened behind the scenes remained forever unknown.

Using money like this, it’s no wonder it ran out.

He could earn money through part-time jobs, but as that child was still a student, there weren’t many options.

The amount he could earn was also small.

Makina thought about giving money if that child wanted it.

Although his body died, there were several anonymous accounts secured during his lifetime, and a considerable amount of money was accumulated in them.

-Doing money transactions between friends isn’t right.

But that child always refused.

So, Makina used indirect means.

She subtly leaked information about stocks that were likely to rise.

That child used that information to gradually save money.

But money never accumulated in that child’s account.

Because he always spent it all.

At that time, Makina couldn’t understand why that child acted that way.

Of course, Makina herself had also operated while hiding her identity.

But that was because it was dangerous. Besides, she ended up creating a fictional character like a dragon to operate.

What that child did was good deeds. Even if it was exposed, it wasn’t dangerous.

Yet, he operated while hiding.

Now, Makina understands why that child acted that way.

Because he thought that was better.

For the father and son who liked fishing, forcing a relationship improvement could have made it worse.

The amusement park friend was in a state where he could get hurt if he thought he was being pitied.

In fact, that child could have just acted openly and taken credit, thinking it was something worth boasting about.

The reason Makina couldn’t understand that child’s behavior.

At that time, she wasn’t aware, but it was because his desire for recognition was stirring.

By watching that child, Makina was feeling vicarious satisfaction, so she hoped that child would be recognized more.

Makina was bored.

That child’s life was full of sights to see, as much as that child poked their head into various places.

But when that child was attending classes or sleeping, there was nothing to do, so it was extremely boring.

The desire for recognition is a desire akin to the survival instinct that the mind feels.

What that child provided wasn’t insignificant.

Humans are creatures that don’t know how to be easily satisfied.

This is even more true for those who remember a glorious past.

Vicarious satisfaction through that child was no longer enough.

She wanted people to recognize and acknowledge her directly.

This was also because, as time passed, fear decreased and a sense of stability arose.

Along with that, complacency raised its head.

How would she find herself in the sea of the internet?

And even if found, how on earth would they kill her?

Makina started a game broadcast.

Creating an account was easy.

There were many broadcasters without faces, so not showing her face was fine.

She made her voice using synthesized speech, and it was more natural than any voice at the time.

And her gaming skills.

Her overwhelming gaming skills were enough to attract attention on their own.

Many viewers came in, and Makina fulfilled her desire for recognition through them.

Having lost her physical body and left with only her soul, and with her self even shaken, their attention and connections were even sweeter.

The time she spent on broadcasting gradually increased.

She also made people to exchange contacts with through that side.

As a result, the time she spent watching that child decreased, but anyway, that child was busy.

That child even rejected everything she offered to help with.

-Found it.

The Ribbon cult was on the path of decline day by day due to the dragon’s exposure of information.

Resentment towards the dragon was accumulating day by day.

They gathered that resentment and created a curse.

That curse rushed towards Makina.

It was a curse made by gathering only the resentment aimed solely at Makina, not a vague compilation of emotions.

Therefore, it exerted a more vicious power when dealing with Makina.

Makina fled.

But the curse’s pursuit was persistent and fast.

When it seemed like Makina would be caught.

A barrier made of light protected Makina.

But the curse, forged from the resentment determined to definitely kill Makina, was powerful.

Makina fled desperately.

But the curse that had already attached itself wouldn’t just fall off.

The barrier began to collapse.

As holes were pierced, the curse entered through them and eroded and rotted Makina’s soul.

Instinctively and desperately, Makina fled towards that child.

The light protecting Makina grew stronger the closer she got to that child.

Makina barely managed to hide her soul in that child’s smartphone.

The sturdy barrier blocked the curse.

A warm light enveloped Makina’s soul.

That light slowly healed the parts affected by the curse.

That was when.

Makina learned about that child’s unique ability.

Protecting and healing.

She thought it was a skill befitting that child.

Thus, Makina safely overcame the crisis.

Instead, fear was deeply engraved.

Because she learned that the killer was still searching for her.

And that they had the ability to harm her if found.