The National Hero Hunter Only Bullies Me 1

Lee Kanghyun’s peaceful life fell apart when he was nineteen.

One day, gates suddenly opened around the world, and through those gates, monsters poured out. People died. Then, some individuals awakened superpowers and saved the world, and so on and so forth.

Soon, the government began calling those who wielded these abilities Hunters. Thanks to the Hunters’ efforts, the world gradually stabilized.

It was an event that turned the entire world upside down, but none of this was Kanghyun’s concern. Gates and Hunters—those were all stories far removed from him. Kanghyun’s biggest interest was the college entrance exam he’d be taking that year. After all, he was a high school senior.

Several months passed after the first gate appeared. Finally, the exam was just a month away. He thought he’d go to college smoothly, serve in the military, get a job, and live an ordinary, boring life like that.

But everything changed overnight. What he’d thought was someone else’s problem exploded right in front of Kanghyun’s house. Monsters poured out from a gate into the world. His parents died before his eyes, and the shock caused Kanghyun to awaken.

Truly, it was such a dull and clichéd story. Kanghyun thought so himself.

***

The moment he awakened, Kanghyun became a star. He was South Korea’s second S-rank Hunter.

People went wild over the appearance of such a rare S-rank. They adored him, giving him the title of “the Second” and fawning over him.

‘A boy hero who lost his parents before his eyes at a young age.’ That was the title attached to Kanghyun. The entire nation pitied him while also admiring him. He especially gathered instant popularity with his handsome looks and tall stature.

Then, public opinion gradually began to change.

What people expected was a righteous and devoted S-rank Hunter who rose above tragedy.

But that expectation was shattered in a single live interview.

It was right after his first successful gate raid following his awakening—and he’d cleared an A-rank gate solo, at that. Countless cameras and microphones were shoved in Kanghyun’s blood-covered face.

“Hunter Lee Kanghyun! How do you feel after risking your life to fight for the citizens!”

“Is it true that you awakened to avenge your parents!”

“What are your aspirations for the future!”

Blinding flashes, a barrage of noisy questions. On January 1st, having just turned twenty a few minutes ago, Lee Kanghyun stared blankly at the cameras. It wasn’t even certain whether he was staring. Nothing seemed to enter his field of vision.

On the screen broadcasting live across the nation, his mouth slowly opened.

“Ah, fuck… I want to go home.”

Silence.

The reporters tried to salvage the situation in their confusion, but Kanghyun ignored them and just left.

At first, people were shocked, but they soon began interpreting things as they pleased. They worked hard to defend and sympathize with Kanghyun, saying things like ‘He lost his parents at such a young age and carries too heavy a burden,’ and ‘He was exhausted right after battle.’

However, it didn’t take long for that sympathetic view to change.

Typically, S-rank Hunters were called the nation’s guardians and walking small-to-medium enterprises. This was because the income they gained through gate byproducts was enormous. Not just in Korea, but all S-rank Hunters around the world consistently cleared gates and moved tirelessly for the safety of citizens.

But Kanghyun was different.

‘February raid count: 1.’

Not per day. Per month. What others could finish in a day if they were fast, Kanghyun barely managed over the course of a month, and very reluctantly at that.

At first, people worried. ‘He must be too young and hasn’t overcome his trauma yet.’ ‘Maybe he’s not feeling well?’

But even as time passed, he remained immovable. When major guilds requested raid support—no response. When the Association summoned him—read and ignored. He only cleared the bare minimum to keep his income stream from cutting off, then holed up back in his house.

People slowly began to get angry.

[Lee Kanghyun, that bastard’s annoying]

Seriously, isn’t he completely hopeless? Does he think everyone else is a sucker working themselves to death? It’s so frustrating. Some people can’t even earn much despite slaving away all month long. But he probably makes hundreds of millions a month working once thanks to his ability lol

Comments

You’re jealous of a kid lol If you’re so envious, get reborn or something lol

└ Are you Kanghyun’s mom? Oh right. He doesn’t have one lol

└ Fucking insane, you crossed the line

└ Delete your comment you fucking bastard

[I really don’t understand the Second]

Why is he holed up in his room when he was born with such a great ability… Is he too young to know better? If you’re S-rank, clearing gates isn’t a choice, it’s a duty..ㅜㅜ

Comments

Going on about duty—did you even contribute money to him? Did you assign him gates to clear? If you’re so upset, go awaken yourself

└ Kanghyun-ah, stop throwing a fit here and go clear some gates
With great power comes great responsibility. Is it normal to just walk past when people are dying next to you, saying it’s not your problem? That’s sociopathic

What fanned the flames was his attitude.

One day in August. Reporters swarmed like bees toward Kanghyun as he emerged from a gate.

“Hunter Lee Kanghyun! There’s criticism that this month’s performance is poor!”

“Why aren’t you actively working like other Hunters?”

“The citizens are anxious! Please give us a word!”

A microphone was shoved right up to his face. Normally, he should have said “I’m sorry, I’ll try harder,” or at least gotten angry and told them to get lost. But he pulled his hoodie down over his head and plugged earphones into his ears. Then he treated the reporters like they were invisible and just walked right through them.

As if avoiding obstacles, he leisurely slipped through the reporters and, with the impressive physical abilities unique to S-ranks, just ran off and disappeared.

When this scene aired on the news, public opinion turned ice cold. Criticism poured in: arrogant, completely disrespecting the citizens, spoiled, and so on. The few comments defending Kanghyun were all buried under downvote bombardments and reports.

Then the final blow hit. It was because of an anonymous post uploaded by someone who identified themselves as an Association employee.

[That bastard is seriously fucking insane]

(Photo of fine payment notice)

See that amount? 10 billion won? Why did he pay it? Because he ignored the Association’s summons and didn’t clear gates lol This bastard didn’t even apply for installment payments and paid it all at once. Seems like he has way more money than you’d imagine. He’s not hurting for anything, so he doesn’t clear gates. Seriously fuck this

The post was deleted at the speed of light, but screenshots spread across the internet in an instant. Although no name was written, everyone knew who “that bastard” was.

People were horrified. 10 billion won. That astronomical sum that ordinary people would never touch in their lifetimes—Kanghyun had been handing it over to the Association simply because he didn’t want to work.

Public opinion naturally exploded.

[Lee Kanghyun, got reality checked after seeing he paid a 10 billion fine]

I work at a small company and make 2.3 million after tax. Even if I don’t spend a single won and just breathe while saving, it would take 360 years lololol

But this bastard just threw that away as a fine because he was too lazy

We grind our whole lives trying to buy one house and can’t even manage it, but to him, 10 billion is an amount he can casually pay to fuck around?

Is this even a country?

Comments

There’s a limit to wasting money. People are dying out there and that’s what he does?
But honestly, if I had that ability and that wealth, I wouldn’t work either. Would you guys?

[The Association is trash too, they just shut up after taking the money lol]

The Association bastards talk about working for citizens’ safety on the surface, but behind the scenes they’re sitting there sweetly sucking fines from Lee Kanghyun.

Lee Kanghyun being a bastard is true, but the Association that took money and let him be is more vicious.

They probably had a grand company dinner with that money

Comments

Oh god, for real, no point criticizing Lee Kanghyun. The system is fucked, so the one who extracts honey is the winner

└ What bullshit are you talking about? The bastard exploiting the system is the worst. Don’t try to muddy the waters
But seriously, where does that money go? Is it even used for damage recovery?

└ Probably went to the Association old farts’ entertainment expenses lololol
Lee Kanghyun: Ah so annoying (deposits 10 billion) / Association: Gulp~

Very occasionally, posts would go up saying he was still only twenty and hadn’t been long since he lost his parents, so criticism should be restrained, but they’d immediately get cursed out and buried.

The title of ‘tragic boy hero’ was thrown in the trash. Instead, nicknames like ‘personality-ruined S-rank,’ ‘national unlikable,’ and ‘psychopath’ were attached.

But Kanghyun didn’t care. Rather, as if to show them, he hid away even more stubbornly and refused to leave his house.

His bizarre behavior didn’t stop there.

Article 3 of the Republic of Korea Hunter Act.

‘Hunters must belong to and be managed by state-designated guilds.’

Kanghyun brazenly ignored this. He didn’t join a guild.

Because of this, he had to pay about half of his monthly income as fines, but he still didn’t join a guild.

That’s how he became South Korea’s only unaffiliated S-rank Hunter.

His gate raiding methods were also a spectacle.

Even for A-rank gates, it was standard to form a party consisting of about two A-rank Hunters and three B~C rank Hunters before entering, but Kanghyun smashed through A-rank gates alone.

And without a single scratch, completely unharmed.

Because he insisted on solo clearing, no one had ever seen Kanghyun use his abilities. For this reason, not just the public but even the Association didn’t know what abilities and skills he possessed.

Everyone just vaguely thought that Kanghyun must be incredibly strong. The only question was why he was letting such a great ability go to waste.

Five years passed like that. Unlike before, people didn’t actively criticize Kanghyun anymore.

There were plenty of other excellent S-rank and A-rank Hunters doing well and dedicating themselves to the country, so there was no need to worry about such a wastrel.

Occasionally, posts would go up asking what that asshole was doing with his life, but people didn’t tear Kanghyun down as enthusiastically as before.

So what had Kanghyun been doing all this time?

He didn’t go to college, and as an S-rank, he was exempt from military service. With nothing to do, he holed up in his house and wasted five years doing nothing. Cooped up at home, spacing out meaninglessly, squandering his youth.

Kanghyun loved it.

No matter what others said, Kanghyun didn’t care. The Republic of Korea ran just fine without him anyway.

Kanghyun wanted to live like this forever.

He had absolutely no intention of changing his way of life.

Right now, he was happy.

***

[Hunter Registration Information]

Name: Lee Kanghyun

Gender: Male

Birthday: October 19

Height: 184cm

Guild Affiliation: X (Refused guild recruitment invitations over 130 times, refuses Association management)