From Thug To Idol: My Celebrity Hunter System

Chapter 3: Mission: Becoming Somebody 1

The next morning, the first thing Jonny Saint did after waking up was stare at the ceiling.

"...Yep." he added "I'm definitely dead."

He remained motionless on the worn-out couch he had somehow managed to crawl onto during the night.

The translucent blue screen still floated quietly in front of him.

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Main Quest: Become recognized by 100 unique people.

Progress: 0/100

Time Remaining: 6 Days 14 Hours 37 Minutes

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"So you're still here." Jonny groaned.

The screen didn't respond. He rubbed his eyes hard enough to hurt, but when he looked again...

The screen was still there.

"Nope." He said grabbing the nearest pillow and smacked himself across the face.

Nothing changed. "...Ow."

'Maybe... Maybe I suffered a concussion after all.

People hallucinated after hitting their heads, didn't they?' he thought to himself try.

That had to be it. There was absolutely no way some magical game system had appeared in his apartment because he'd slipped on a banana peel.

"Yeah." He said "That sounds way more reasonable." He nodded confidently to himself.

"I've officially gone insane."

"...Great." he said as his stomach growled loudly.

He shuffled into the tiny kitchen, opened the refrigerator, and stared inside.

Half a bottle of ketchup, One egg, Expired mil and A lonely can of soda.

"I really need a better-paying job." He said as he slowly closed the refrigerator.

A notification suddenly appeared.

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[Daily Reminder: Poor nutrition reduces physical performance.]

[Recommendation: Eat a balanced meal.]

Jonny blinked. "You don't get to judge me."

Another notification appeared immediately.

[Correction:This is an observation.]

"You really are rude." He replied.

After changing into his faded warehouse uniform, Jonny grabbed his backpack and headed for the bus stop.

The cool morning breeze brushed against his face. People hurried along the sidewalks.

Students, Office workers, Street vendors, Joggers.

The city was already alive.

Jonny lowered his head instinctively.

It was habit, He never liked making eye contact.

The fewer people noticed him the better. At least, that had always been true. But now, Apparently, his entire future depended on people noticing him.

"...This System has terrible taste." He murmured under his breath.

As he walked, another blue window appeared.

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Passive Function Activated

Attention Analysis

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"Huh?"Jonny looked around and to his surprise...

Small numbers began floating above everyone's heads.

A businessman passed by.

Attention Value: 3

A young mother pushing a stroller.

Attention Value: 5

A traffic officer directing vehicles.

Attention Value: 18

Jonny frowned. "What are those?" He asked.

[Every individual produces Attention Energy.]

"...Attention Energy?"

[Attention is the awareness one individual directs toward another. The stronger the impression, the greater the energy produced.]

"So..." Jonny scratched his head. "If someone remembers me I get stronger?"

[Correct.]

"What if they hate me?"

[Hatred is a form of attention.]

"What if they're scared of me?"

[Fear is a stronger form of attention.]

"...Love?" He asked again

[Highest-quality Attention Energy.]

"Not happening." He responded as his ears turned slightly red.

"This feels unfair." He sighed. "I've spent twenty-four years making sure nobody notices me."

[Correction: Your current strategy has produced no measurable success.]

"Can you stop attacking me personally?"

The bus suddenly pulled up with a hiss, Jonny climbed aboard.

As usual, every seat near the front was occupied.

He shuffled toward the back.

Nobody looked at him, nobody greeted him, nobody even acknowledged he existed.

He sat beside the window. He noticed the tiny numbers floating above everyone. People talked laughed, argued and scrolled through their phones.

Every interaction caused faint golden particles to drift between them.

"So that's Attention?"

The particles were almost invisible, almost like dust floating beneath sunlight. Yet they continuously flowed from one person to another.

The popular high school student sitting across from him practically glowed. Dozens of tiny streams connected him to his friends.

Meanwhile... Jonny had none, not even a single thread.

He stared for several seconds.

"...Wow." he lamented after staring for several seconds." I really am invisible."

The words slipped out before he could stop them.

The bus eventually reached the industrial district massive warehouses stretched across several blocks.

Delivery trucks came and went. Forklifts beeped endlessly and workers in orange uniforms walked through the gates carrying coffee cups.

Jonny scanned his employee card.

Beep.

"Morning, Saint."His supervisor barely glanced up from his clipboard.

"Morning." He responded and that was the entire conversation.

Another notification appeared.

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Recognition Gained

Supervisor recognized your presence.

Attention Energy +1

Current Fame Points: 1

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Jonny stopped walking.

"...Wait.. What?" He looked back.

His supervisor had already returned to checking paperwork.

"He... He just said good morning."

[Recognition generates Attention Energy.]

"...Seriously?" Jonny couldn't believe it. "So all this time, i've been earning points without knowing?"

[Negative: Today's acknowledgment occurred because your supervisor consciously identified you.]

Most previous interactions were automatic and generated negligible energy.

"So people have to actually notice me?" He asked.

[Correct.]

Jonny suddenly understood why his progress bar was still empty.

Simply existing wasn't enough, he had to leave an impression.

The warehouse buzzed with activity.Boxes moved down conveyor belts, forklifts zipped through aisles. Employees shouted inventory numbers across the floor.

Jonny on the other hand simply settled into his usual station.

Lift.

Stack.

Move.

Repeat.

Hours passed.His mind wandered and every few minutes, the System displayed tiny bits of information above nearby coworkers.

Mark Wilson

Warehouse Worker

Attention Influence: Low

Social Reach: 46 Individuals

Sandra Lee

Inventory Manager

Attention Influence: Moderate

Social Reach: 213 Individuals

"What does social reach mean?"

[Estimated number of individuals capable of recognizing this person.]

Jonny nearly dropped the box he was carrying.

"So...Only forty-six people know Mark?"

[Approximately.]

"What about me?" He asked.

The answer appeared almost instantly.

Jonny Saint

Social Reach:

12

"...Twelve?"

He counted silently.

His mother.

His boss.

Three coworkers.

The pizza shop owner.

A neighbor.

A former classmate.

"That's... actually accurate." He added.

He suddenly felt strangely depressed.

Twenty-four years of life... Reduced to twelve people who could remember his face.

Just then, loud cheers erupted from the break room.

"What happened?" He questioned as workers abandoned their stations and rushed toward the mounted television.

Jonny followed. On the massive screen,

A handsome man stood atop the shattered remains of a monster the size of a skyscraper.

His silver armor gleamed beneath the afternoon sun.

Behind him, thousands of civilians cheered his name. Children waved flags and reporters crowded around him.

Helicopters circled overhead, ven through the television his presence was overwhelming.

Across the bottom of the screen flashed bold golden letters.

{S-RANK HUNTER: LEON VALOR SAVES BUSAN FROM TITAN-CLASS BEAST}

The entire break room erupted.

"That's incredible!"

"Did you see that attack?"

"He's so cool!"

"I heard he cleared an SS-Rank dungeon last month!"

"My daughter has his autograph!"

Golden streams of light poured endlessly toward the television image far more than Jonny had ever seen.

He watched, mesmerized then the System suddenly spoke.

I

"Observe carefully, Host." It added. "That man possesses enough Attention Energy to alter the fate of nations."

Jonny swallowed. "...Because he's famous?"

A new window slowly appeared before his eyes.

S-Rank Hunter: Leon Valor

Estimated Global Recognition: 3.2 Billion People

Attention Energy Reserve: Classified

Threat Assessment: Capable of Destroying a Major City

Jonny's pupils contracted. The final line appeared one word at a time.

"He could destroy a city because billions know his name."