Chapter 40 : Prank!? Prank!! 1

Do you know what "molka" is?

Everyone knows that it's short for "molka-camera," or hidden camera.

In the West, it's also called a "Prank," referring to the act of deceiving someone or setting up a certain atmosphere to catch the person off guard and later revealing it was all a hidden camera prank.

Of course, hidden cameras used for criminal acts like secret filming or sexual harassment are clearly illegal, and those responsible are arrested.

However, innocent pranks have become a cultural phenomenon with the popularization of cameras and the development of video-sharing platforms.

Naturally, there are not only fun pranks but also malicious ones, and sometimes pranks cross the line, causing not just shock but outright anger from the victim.

Yet, for onlookers, these pranks often result in hearty laughter—this basic instinct being a key characteristic.

For a while, there was even a trend in the West based on clown phobia, where people dressed up as clowns at night to scare others in prank series.

At one point, the pranks became so extreme that people would dress up in grotesque, terrifying costumes even beyond clowns.

There were videos where clowns wielded real weapons, laughing maniacally while chasing people.

One such YouTuber who repeatedly pushed boundaries with extreme pranks was eventually shot dead by a gun-owning citizen.

Anyway, even on the global streaming platform 'Switch,' there are many people who film hidden camera pranks, but the important thing is knowing not to cross the line.

In cases of serious incidents like the Great Rift or when many people are injured or killed, the atmosphere becomes somber, and prank streamers and prank culture disappear for a while.

It wasn't until society stabilized and peace returned, thanks to the remarkable efforts of S-rank hunters like Yeonseo, that prank and hidden camera culture began to thrive again.

Some might call it an over-interpretation, but pranks are only possible because peace exists.

The fact that people can laugh and joke, grabbing their stomachs while watching simple pranks, is evidence that society has stabilized.

And in 2088, there's a channel called 'Prank & Joy.'

"Hello, Prank and~ Joy! Welcome."

[Hello]

[LOL]

[Nice!]

[Let's go!]

[Let's go!]

[Hahaha lol]

Even though prank channels and prank streamers were still around, Prank & Joy stood out as the top channel.

Prank & Joy was run by Choi Hyung-min, a B-rank Hunter specializing in transformation, along with his team.

Their clips were so popular they often ranked in the top 30 on Switch.

While their simple, primal humor could be polarizing, this kind of humor is exactly what made them so popular, bringing in huge sums of money.

They were notorious not only for pranking ordinary civilians or random passersby with their sudden pranks, but Prank & Joy became truly famous for one reason: their pranks targeted hunters.

In the early days of the Great Rift, hunters and awakeners—who fell into the category of "non-humans"—seemed like gods or unreachable beings to ordinary people.

However, by pranking hunters, the channel showed that even hunters were human, making people laugh.

In the beginning, the channel helped narrow the gap between hunters and ordinary citizens and spread the message that hunters existed to protect humanity.

In fact, around 40 years ago, there's a legend that the living legend, Yeonseo, once fell victim to a prank.

However, at this point, finding the video is almost impossible, and it's treated as an urban legend.

"Honestly, if you're skilled enough, hunters are the best targets for pranks."

Choi Hyung-min had started his streaming career after hearing a rumor that "Yeonseo-nim" had been pranked.

Even after searching in secretive corners of the deep web, he couldn't find the footage, so he thought, "If I can't find it, why not prank hunters myself?" And so, he filmed his first prank video.

Targeting hunters, no less.

Hunters might have stronger bodies than ordinary people, but their reactions to pranks were the same.

By ordinary standards, what might be considered "crossing the line" in terms of pranks would seem like nothing to hunters.

Choi Hyung-min was particularly sly in selecting targets, only choosing those ranked lower than himself or people who, for one reason or another, found it hard to get angry.

That way, he could play pranks that crossed the line.

Even when a prank was considered genuinely dangerous and provoked anger, Prank & Joy had an average audience of hundreds of thousands, making it one of the top corporate-level channels.

Many criticized him, but just as many defended his pranks.

Even when hunters got mad, the responses from viewers were:

[LOL, the hunter is so petty, lol.]

[Did they sneak their way to that rank?]

[Lol, it's just a prank, why are they taking it so seriously?]

[Hey, it's just a prank! Can't you see the camera?]

[Why so serious?]

[Sooo dramatic lol.]

Such reactions were typical.

At least those ranked higher or who had the standing to speak out could get angry, but F–C-rank hunters or small-time streamers with fewer than 10,000 viewers couldn't even express their anger.

No matter how much the gap between hunters and civilians had narrowed, hunters were still hunters, awakeners were still awakeners, and returnees were still returnees.

In the end, most viewers were ordinary people, and from their perspective, no matter how bad the prank was, it didn't seem like a big deal.

"So, who shall we mess with today?"

"Mess with" in this case wasn't a phrase referring to murdering someone and burying them in cement.

Between Choi Hyung-min, the viewers of Prank & Joy, and his staff, it simply meant pulling a prank.

Pranking hunters required one critical condition.

You needed enough skill to not only prank the target but also clean up afterward, making sure no one got seriously injured or killed.

Choi Hyung-min's ability was a B-rank transformation type.

He could transform parts of his body into monsters he knew and could even mimic some of their abilities.

A versatile power.

In fact, he was skilled enough to have already been promoted to A-rank, but rather than focusing on being a hunter, he preferred developing new prank content for his channel and focusing on streaming, delaying his A-rank promotion for the sake of his broadcasting career.

"Why would I want to become A-rank just to be forced into dangerous missions? It's way sweeter and more profitable to grow the Prank & Joy channel and make bank off my viewers."

The content of his hunter prank videos was simple.

He would head to popular dungeons where he could easily find hunters.

Then, in these dungeons, he would transform into A-rank or even S-rank monsters that shouldn't exist in the area and scare the hunters.

Though he was technically B-rank, his real ability was already at A-rank.

With elaborate setups, sound effects, and a solid performance, the hunters he targeted would inevitably panic.

A monster that shouldn't exist, a monster that would be disastrous if encountered.

There was even a legendary video where Choi Hyung-min ambushed a C-rank female hunter, fresh out of the academy, by pretending to be an A-rank monster.

The hunter was so frightened she fainted, crying uncontrollably.

Of course, some criticized him for going too far, but by that time, his fan base had grown so large that it was easy to drown out the criticism with support.

What if things got too serious?

The solution was simple.

He'd enter what was called the "apology mode."

"I sincerely apologize to anyone who was hurt by what I intended as just a prank, a hidden camera joke."

Just by offering a seemingly heartfelt apology, public opinion would shift.

Before Choi Hyung-min even did anything substantial, viewers would begin to say, [He apologized, so let's move on.], or [What more do you want after he bowed to that small-time hunter?].

Eventually, the narrative would often flip, making the big-time streamer Choi Hyung-min seem like the victim, while the hunter who had seriously reacted would be painted as the bad guy.

Of course, the longer you pull the same tricks, the more likely you are to get caught.

But Choi Hyung-min wasn't stupid. He didn't stay at the top of the game this long by being foolish.

If he felt he had gone too far, he would lay low for a while, sticking to light-hearted and wholesome content. He knew how to test the waters and maintain a facade of self-reflection.

Then, when the time was right, he'd bring back the primal laughter that would send his audience into a frenzy.

At the start, it was just Choi Hyung-min transforming into monsters and surprising people.

But now, at the height of his career, he had a whole team for his broadcasts.

He had three C-rank staff members who specialized in illusions, a B-rank manager who also acted as a secondary director, and others—graduates from the Hunter Academy or various awakening experts whom he hired to film even more elaborate pranks each broadcast.

With the help of his crew and their expert staging, Choi Hyung-min, an A-rank transformation-type hunter, could create the illusion that an actual S-rank monster had appeared.

"The funniest reaction was from Cheon Ah-young, right?"

Cheon Ah-young, who had been streaming a hunter broadcast in a B-rank dungeon, was so shocked she screamed, throwing her protector in a fit.

Frankly, if it weren't for his A-rank abilities, he might have gotten seriously hurt.

If anyone else had been in his place, it wouldn't have been surprising if someone had died or gotten injured.

That episode remains one of the most spectacular and popular videos Choi Hyung-min has ever made.

It wasn't just a prank where he transformed into a monster and scared a hunter.

It turned into an impressive fight between Cheon Ah-young, an experienced A-rank hunter, and Choi Hyung-min, who had transformed into a monster.

The battle entertained viewers' eyes and ears.

"Viewers might think I'm just B-rank, but my actual skill is good enough to be A-rank."

Battles between people of similar strength are always the most intense and entertaining.

The video, which combined the prank and a fierce fight between A-rank hunter Cheon Ah-young and Choi Hyung-min, who had transformed into an A-rank monster, was stunning even to him upon rewatching.

Though he ended up with three cracked ribs and a broken collarbone, he revealed it was all a prank with a laugh, right as Cheon Ah-young's face went slack in disbelief—now a viral meme.

Of course, Cheon Ah-young was furious, but in the end, money can smooth over most problems.

The success of the prank and the amazing fight scene brought in far more revenue than what he had to pay Cheon Ah-young as compensation.

"Hmm, I'm here now, but nothing's coming to mind…"

Choi Hyung-min and his staff had arrived at the Suwol Plains, a popular B-rank dungeon.

The Suwol Plains were a vast field with reeds taller than a person waving in the wind.

There were some swampy areas and ponds, but the terrain was mostly flat, allowing hunters to conserve their stamina. The monsters here were typically low-ranked, from F-rank to C-rank, but many of them spat out Gredden ore, which was in high demand and sold at high prices on the hunter market.

Gredden ore was the hardest material available for crafting weapons and gear, and by 2088, it was being used in everything from building construction to various types of weapons.

For hunters who needed money or for low-ranked hunters looking for training grounds, the Suwol Plains were the perfect place.

"Hey, guys. Seems like there aren't any suitable targets today, right?"

[Where did all the hunters go lol]

[Maybe they all ran after hearing the host was coming?]

[That's probably it lol]

"Come on, no way."

In reality, Choi Hyung-min was on a blacklist among hunters.

Not for any actual crimes, of course.

For low-rank hunters or those just starting out, Choi Hyung-min was a notorious figure, and encountering him meant they could end up drained of energy and leave the dungeon with nothing to show for their efforts.

This led to a culture among low-ranked hunters where they shared information, warning each other to stop hunting and retreat if Choi Hyung-min showed up.

However, this network was limited to a small number of hunters with the right connections.

Many hunters still ended up as laughing stocks on the Prank & Joy channel.

Today's lack of people in Suwol Plains was just a coincidence.

"Man, I even have the ability to transform into a new S-rank monster, but if there's no one to prank, it's such a letdown."

[What monster?]

"Guess."

[Oh really?]

[You don't trust us?]

"I trust you. But I trust money even more."

['OmarungOmarung' has donated 150,000 won!]

ㄴIs that enough for you?

"Thank you, OmarungOmarung!"

[Lol]

[Greedy bastard lol]

[Look at him bowing lol]

"Do you know what a dragon soldier is?"

[Yeah, they're the dragon's underlings, right?]

[The soldiers born from a dragon's teeth?]

"Dragon soldiers are usually B-rank, but there are different levels. Some of them can grow and evolve. Some even train and evolve to reach S-rank."

Crackle!

[Oh… nice]

[For real….]

[That's insane]

When Choi Hyung-min cracked his arm, flames ignited, and his arm began to transform.

It was the arm of an S-rank dragon soldier he had mentioned earlier.

Red dragon scales covered his arm like armor, and his newly enlarged arm, now five times bigger, looked like it could pack an enormous punch.

"I'll show you the whole thing when we find someone for the prank…"

[Choi Hyung-min! There's someone up ahead!]

At that moment, Choi Hyung-min paused, looking at the text message his manager sent.

If someone was up ahead, then great.

After all, what mattered today wasn't who he pranked but the monster he transformed into for the prank.

Viewers love spectacle.

Even with pranks, if the monster transformation was spectacular and convincing enough, viewers would eat it up.

Good. So, who's up ahead?

Choi Hyung-min immediately quieted his breath, hiding among the reeds.

Just as the message said, he spotted a small plume of smoke rising in the distance as if someone was camping.

The moonlit Suwol Plains were bright, making the fire and smoke clearly visible, as if the person was saying, "Here I am."

"Alright. Target locked. Let's go play with that poor hunter over there. Don't worry, I'll keep things in check."

[Lol]

[This is the best part]

[Poor hunter….]

[He's doomed, being caught by Hyung-min today lol]

[Of all the times to be caught, he gets caught when Hyung-min can transform into an S-rank monster lol]

Seeing the excitement building in the comments, Choi Hyung-min immediately transformed his whole body.

Bright red scales and spikes sprouted from his skin, and his human face morphed into the head of a giant dragon.

His eyes burned with a fiery glow, and the overwhelming aura made it seem like a real S-rank dragon soldier had appeared, not Choi Hyung-min.

[Wow, holy crap… it looks like a real S-rank]

[So badass….]

[This is elite-level stuff…]

[The dragon soldier looks amazing]

['CalculusDropout' has donated 50,000 won!]

ㄴWow, the dragon soldier is so cool…

['AhoyCaptain' has donated 200,000 won!]

ㄴLet me kiss those abs, oppa…

'Of course, it's not all my own power…'

He had the help of three illusionists, two transformation experts, and a variety of hunters and awakeners lending their skills to make the transformation look like a real S-rank dragon soldier.

He even took doping potions to temporarily enhance his abilities, allowing him to move and act like a true S-rank monster.

Alright.

The viewers' reactions were electric.

His viewer count had already surpassed 80,000.

Even if the prank was all he did, today's stream would be a smashing success, raking in tons of money from his audience.

Alright. Let's go.

KRAAAAAAAWWWWRRRR!!!!

"Hm? What was that sound?"

Letting out a roar like that of a dragon, Choi Hyung-min immediately rushed toward the "prank target."

"Huh?"

The ground trembled as Choi Hyung-min moved, his transformation fully complete. He was confident this prank would go off without a hitch.

That confidence lasted until the moment the "prank target" turned their head…

"...."

"…..?"

In that instant, time seemed to freeze as Choi Hyung-min sensed something was wrong.

What's going on?

By now, the prank target should be panicking, screaming, and running, setting up a thrilling chase scene for the stream…

But as the silver hair of the figure was illuminated by the moonlight, Choi Hyung-min felt a cold shiver run down his spine.

In that brief instant—0.001 seconds—his hunter's instincts screamed that his life was in grave danger.

"Sluuurp…"

She licked her lips.

Sure, she had a large chest and a beautiful appearance.

Any guy would naturally find his eyes drawn to a pretty woman.

But what if that woman suddenly spread tentacles from her body like a blooming flower?

Beautiful, yet horrifying.

No, not just horrifying—she evoked a fear that far exceeded terror.

Tentacles alone were disturbing and terrifying enough, but when the woman's eyes turned a blood-red hue and she started licking her lips while staring at him, what kind of feeling would you have?

At that point, you wouldn't just feel fear or panic anymore.

The thought that crosses your mind is…

'Oh, I'm screwed.'

"Delici…ous…!"

THWACK! SNAP! SNAP, SNAP!!!

As the silver-haired woman's tentacles snapped together like jaws, Choi Hyung-min knew, in that moment, that he was truly, utterly screwed.

Not just a little—completely and absolutely screwed.