The Solo Leveling series is known far and wide by many, and with the anime adaptation of the series, its popularity is sure to skyrocket. The series portrays how Sung Jin-Woo goes from being the weakest hunter to the strongest.
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Along the way, Sung Jin-Woo encountered many hardships and many battles. As he got stronger, Sung Jin Woo became able to take on many adversaries without breaking a sweat; however, he also encountered stronger adversaries that pushed him to his limit. From B rankers to S rankers and even national-level hunters and powerful monarchs, Sung Jin Woo faced a plethora of adversaries, but which of his battles were the toughest?
WARNING! Spoilers head!
8 Sung Jin-Woo Vs. Stone Statues
The World’s Weakest Hunter Stood No Chance
- Chapter 3
The beginning of Sung Jin-Woo’s ability to level up started with a colossal defeat. As an E-rank hunter with the title of the world’s weakest hunter, Sung Jin-Woo had barely held on to his life multiple times. However, in the Cartenon Temple (Double Dungeon), it seemed like that would be his end.
In the Cartenon temple, Sung Jin-Woo and many others faced off against giant statues. These statues attacked if the hunters in the dungeon didn’t follow the laid-out rules. Even B-rank hunters were weaklings in the face of the statues, not to mention the world’s weakest hunter. Luckily, his supposed death turned into a stroke of good fortune.
7 Sung Jin-Woo Vs. Blood Red Commander Igris
One Of Ashborn's Former Commanders Vastly Outclassed Him
- Chapter 39
Igris was one of Ashborn's former shadow commanders, and he was tasked with facing off against Ashborn's potential successor. Sung Jin-Woo faced off against Igris during his job change quest, and Igris outclassed him in every way.
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In terms of strength, speed, and even toughness, Sung Jin-Woo was outclassed. Moreover, when he saw his daggers were unable to penetrate Igris’ armor, he opted to use his hands, and Igris opted to drop his sword. Perhaps this was what saved Sung Ji Woo’s life, as had Igris used his sword, he would’ve died. Even without Igris using his sword, Sung Jin-Woo only won due to luck, even by his acknowledgment.
6 Sung Jin-Woo Vs. Demon King Baran
The Last Boss Of The Demon Castle Proved Formidable
- Chapter 86
The Demon King Baran was not the strongest of Sung Jin-Woo’s adversaries; however, at the time he fought Baran, Sung Jin-Woo was weaker than him. The original Baran was the Monarch of White Flames; however, Baran was defeated by the Shadow Monarch Ashborn eons ago.
The Baran Sung Jin-Woo fought was a magical copy of the original set on the Demon Castle’s 100th floor. He was set there as one of the tests for Sung Jin-Woo to grow stronger and prove that he was worthy of being Ashborn’s successor. Despite fighting against Baran with all his shadow generals, Sung Jin-Woo proved weaker; however, after a young demon girl (Esil of the Radir clan) distracted Baran, Sung Jin-Woo managed to end him.
5 Sung Jin-Woo Vs. The Architect
The Creator Of The System Had Sung Jin-Woo Dancing In The Palm Of His Hands
- Chapter 125
Early on in the Solo Leveling series, Sung Jin-Woo faced the stone statues that allowed him to become a hunter who could level up and continually grow stronger. As Sung Jin-Woo grew stronger, he was invited back to the place where it all began, and he realized that the real perpetrator of the events that took place was the Architect—the statue that stood with wings from which the hunters read the rules.
As the architect introduced himself as the creator of the system, he revealed that everything up until that moment had been planned. To get answers from the architect, Sung Jin-Woo had to defeat him; however, the architect was no easy adversary.
4 Sung Jin-Woo Vs. Thomas Andre
America’s Strongest Hunter Was No Walk In The Park
- Chapter 145
As one of the five national-level hunters and America’s strongest S-Class hunter, Thomas Andre, also known as the Goliath, was a power-type hunter that many feared. He was one of those whose powers came from being a fragment of brilliant light and a vessel for the rulers.
While Thomas was aware of Sung Jin-Woo for a while, he and Sung Jin-Woo were forced to battle when an S-class hunter and member of Thomas’ Scavenger Guild kidnapped Sung Jin-Woo’s vice chairman and tortured him. To stop Sung Jin-Woo from killing Hwang Dongsoo, Thomas stepped in; however, he was ultimately defeated by Sung Jin-Woo, but the battle was by no means an easy one.
3 Sung Jin-Woo Vs. Beru
The Most Formidable Of The Jeju Island Ants Could Defeat S-Class Hunters With Ease
- Chapter 102
Before Beru became a Shadow monster of Sung Jin-Woo's army, he had no name. He was simply a tool of murder, born from the queen of the ants on Jeju Island. Initially, Sung Jin-Woo had no plans of participating in the raid; however, Beru’s appearance made it a necessity as he killed many of Japan’s S-Rank hunters.
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Even Japan’s most notable hunter, Goto Ryuji, who thought it was time for him to become a national hunter, stood no chance against Beru, who sliced him apart. Moreover, unlike other monsters, Beru possessed high intelligence from when he hatched, and he could absorb the powers of hunters that he killed.
2 Sung Jin-Woo Vs. Three Monarchs
One Human Vs. Three Monarchs Was Not An Easy Battle
- Chapter 158
Of the many times that Sung Jin-Woo had been closest to death, his battle against the Frost Monarch, Monarch of Plagues (Querehsha ), and Monarch of Fangs (Rakan) stands out. Facing three monarchs was no easy feat, especially as Rakan, the King of Beasts, was a terror with immense destructive power.
Although Sung Jin-Woo quickly takes care of Querehsha amidst his three-way struggle, a moment of carelessness causes him to be impaled by Rakan. Sung Jin-Woo only survived because of the awakening of Ashborn, who gave him his full legacy at the time and unlocked the restriction on him inheriting his full powers.
1 Sung Jin-Woo Vs. Antares
As A Being That Rivaled Ashborn, Sung Jin-Woo’s Predecessor, Antares Was Destruction Itself
- Chapter 173
As the King of Dragons and Monarch of Destruction, Antares proved to be Sun Jin Woo’s toughest adversary. Among the eight monarchs, only Ashborn, the former Shadow Monarch and the greatest fragment of brilliant light held a candle to him.
As the King of Dragons, his body was extremely durable, and his power was so great that he couldn’t find a vessel to possess, as none could withstand his power. To defeat Antares, Sung Jin-Woo lured him to a remote island in the world and had the rulers come to impale him after he (Sung Jin-Woo) and Antares had been fighting for a long time.
Solo Leveling
- Release Date
- January 7, 2024
- Creator
- Chugong
- Studio
- A-1 Pictures
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
