The following contains spoilers for Solo Leveling Episode 6, "The Real Hunt Begins", available on Crunchyroll.

Sung Jin-woo has his work cut out for him as he attempts to solo the C-Rank Boss that he and Jinho have been trapped with. Having leveled up significantly during his Instance Dungeon triumph, a level 18 Sung Jin-woo still has a tough time against the Giant Arachnid, in what was the series’ best fight so far.

Beyond that, Jin-woo is forced to make a life-changing realization as the slimy degeneracy of Dongsuk and his crew force him to choose between himself or death. Beautifully animated, the episode interestingly ends on a rather quiet note, unlike its established tendency towards cliffhangers.

RELATED

Interview With Aleks Le, Sung Jinwoo From Solo Leveling & ADR Director Caitlin Glass

We got the chance to sit down with Sung Jinwoo and ADR Director Caitlin Glass to chat about their experiences in the recording booth of Solo Leveling.

Jin-woo and Jinho Were Left To Die

Episode 6 of Solo Leveling begins with Dongsuk and his group of criminals emerging from the Gate. He and his subordinates retrace the plan from the beginning, including how they had known about Sung Jin-woo due to his reputation as “Humanity’s Weakest Weapon”, and how they intended to leave both him and Jinho to die. As Jin-woo predicted, they intended to wait for the Boss to kill them, then they’d use the caverns to enter the Boss Room from another side, and mine the mana crystals to their hearts’ content. The entire scene is more like a recap of their motive for the betrayal.

Jin-woo struggles against the tough metallic exoskeleton of the Giant Arachnid, not to mention its fast moves, and ability to spit highly corrosive acid. While they’re even when it comes to offense, the high defensive ability of the Boss makes this a battle of attrition, with the deciding factor being Jin-woo’s rapidly increasing Fatigue. This fight is far more vivid and fluid than any that came before it, and it was a visual treat from start to finish, especially in moments where Jin-woo made use of his Skills. Throughout the anime adaptation, the effects related to the videogame inspirations of the series have been extremely convincing beyond the HUD that springs to view for Jin-woo.

The Series’ Best Fight So Far, Without Question

Taito Ban continues to put in incredible voice-acting performances that really bring Sung Jin-woo to life. While Jin-woo puts in the work, Jinho worries that he might just be a “False Ranker”, a rare kind of Hunter capable of controlling their mana output and do so in order to register a false rank; generally with nefarious intentions. Jin-woo’s increased strength is evident, but it is luck that gives him the advantage in the end. As his Fatigue begins reaching critical levels, the Boss’s attacks start connecting more frequently. Just as it corners Jin-woo, he remembers his rewards from his Daily Task, so at the critical moment, he activates Full Recovery to reset his Fatigue.

Refreshed, Jin-woo lands a direct attack on one of its eyes, activating the terrifying special ability of his weapon, the Kasaka’s Fang, which inflicts paralysis and HP Drain. Brutally wedging the blade into the paralyzed spider’s eyes repeatedly, Jin-woo eventually chips away at the Boss. The speed and intensity of this fight are leagues beyond what we saw from Jin-woo in the Instance Dungeon in episodes 3 and 4, and with no ceiling to how far he can go, the fights in Solo Leveling can only get more intense, and hopefully, more entertaining to watch as well. Music has been a significant boon for the Solo Leveling anime adaptation; however, this episode in particular has been brilliant, especially in the final act, with composer Hiroyuki Sawano's "Dark Aria" serving as an excellent score to Jin-woo's first human kills.

Cutting Into The Action With Unnecessary Narration

Soon after Jin-woo defeats the arachnid, Jinho’s entire demeanour changes out of fear of the man who defeated a C-Rank Boss on his own. He starts calling him “Boss”, and offers to do some of the menial work like mining the mana crystals, but they’re interrupted by Dongsuk and his crew, who are surprised to see them alive. Like in the first episode, there were scenes dedicated to other characters in the universe. Hunter Association Chairman Go Gunhee’s sparring match with one of his subordinates simply serves as a reminder of the permanence of Hunter abilities and a quip about the inherent darkness of human nature.

Elsewhere, a group of Hunters grab drinks and talk about some training they experienced at the White Tiger Guild. These bits of information aren’t necessarily unwelcome, but they’re placed in between the climactic moment where Jin-woo is forced to fight and kill other people for the first time, which once again diminishes the impact of these scenes. Like with Gun Hee, the three Hunters drinking coffee and living their lives are meant to be “naturally” having a conversation about their industry, but it’s done in a way that is meant to serve as dramatic set-up and narration. The attempt at a dramaturgical development of Solo Leveling through Chairman Go’s and others’ commentaries makes sense, but so far it has been mistimed and takes away from the scenes it’s meant to augment.

Sung Jin-woo Reckons With the Consequences of Murder

With new knowledge of Jinho’s wealthy family, Dongsuk gives him an ultimatum: kill Jin-woo and join them, or die and have his fancy gear finance this band of thugs. He admits that his group finds loners or stragglers and lures them in with a good deal, only to lead them to their demise. Dongsuk and his allies draw their weapons, but Jinho decides to stand with Jin-woo despite his fear. The group’s mage lands a huge hit on Jin-woo that sends him flying, and they believe they’ve killed him. As he lies there injured, Jin-woo curses himself for having grown numb to just how ruthless life as a Hunter actually is, and comes to understand why people like him are called that in the first place. Understanding that the System is desperate to keep him alive, he acquiesces to its demands, and resolves to use it just as it uses him. The moment carries every bit of weight as its counterpart in the manhwa.

A solemn song plays in the background as Jin-woo quickly deals with each of Dongsuk’s friends, one shot killing each one. The score elevates this scene and highlights Jin-woo’s emotional state. Dongsuk tries to power-up, but Jin-woo coldly pins him to the ground with a hand to the face. Dongsuk pathetically tries to beg for his life, but Jin-woo wonders how one can ask for mercy from someone he’s tried to kill three times. Dongsuk’s head rolls just as he starts talking about his powerful little brother. Later, an official from the Association fills out the paperwork but struggles to believe that two low-ranked Hunters survived a quest that their C-Rank allies couldn’t. She makes a quick assumption based on the quality of Jinho’s gear and the two are free to go. As it rains, Jin-woo is relieved that he told his sister to take an umbrella. As a nod to fans who know what’s next, the episode ends with a shot of Dongsuk’s brother, Dongsoo, in his apartment in Washington.

MORE

Is Solo Leveling an Isekai?

Solo Leveling has some fans wondering if the series can be classified as an isekai or something else entirely.

Solo Leveling

A-1 Pictures' Solo Leveling is an anime based on Chugong's popular web novel. Set in an unforgiving fantasy world where hunters explore dungeons filled with monsters, the vulnerable Sung Jinwoo gains a significant power boost after he is picked to be a solo player by the System.