Is it considered hypocrisy if a reciter imagines himself as an Imam while people listen to him during Quran recitation, and how can one get rid of it if that is the case?

Summary: What was mentioned does not apply to the definition of showing off (riyaa'). It remains that a servant should be keen to acquire knowledge and read the Qur’an for themselves before anything else, for knowledge is wisdom and a light by which Allah guides whomever He wills, and it is not about the multitude of issues. Imam Ahmad was asked about sincerity in seeking knowledge, and he said: "Sincerity in it is to intend to remove ignorance from oneself." So strive for your reading to be likewise, benefiting yourself and drawing closer to your Lord through it.