Solo Leveling’s power system centers on Hunters—awakened humans who fight monsters from Gates. Let’s break down the ranks, abilities, and unique System that makes Sung Jinwoo special.
The Awakening
What Creates Hunters?
Ten years before the story, humans worldwide began awakening—gaining supernatural abilities. No one knows why, but awakened individuals are classified as Hunters.
Hunter Registration
All Hunters must:
- Register with the Association
- Take rank evaluation tests
- Join guilds or work independently
- Clear Gates to prevent dungeon breaks
Hunter Ranks
E-Rank
Weakest Hunters. Slightly superhuman but can’t solo even low-tier dungeons. Often work support roles.
D-Rank
Can clear basic Gates. Most common rank. Reliable but limited.
C-Rank
Professional level. Can form raid parties for mid-tier dungeons. Respected in the community.
B-Rank
Elite Hunters. Rare abilities, often guild leaders or vice-leaders. Can handle most threats.
A-Rank
Top 1% of Hunters. National-level assets. Can solo high-tier dungeons. Extremely rare.
S-Rank
The pinnacle. Each S-Rank is a strategic asset—nations compete for them. They can:
- Solo Red Gates (highest difficulty)
- Fight Monarchs (with difficulty)
- Turn the tide of wars
National Level
Unofficial rank for the strongest S-Ranks. Only five exist worldwide. Jinwoo surpasses even this.
Types of Hunters
Fighter Types
- Assassin: Speed and stealth
- Tank: Defense and aggro
- Fighter: Balanced combat
- Ranger: Ranged attacks
Mage Types
- Mage: Elemental attacks
- Healer: Recovery support
The System (Sung Jinwoo Only)
How It Works
After the Double Dungeon incident, Jinwoo gains access to a leveling System:
- Quests give experience
- Leveling increases stats
- Stat points can be allocated
- Skills can be unlocked
- Items drop from dungeons
Stats
- Strength: Physical damage
- Agility: Speed and evasion
- Vitality: Health
- Intelligence: Mana and magic damage
- Perception: Awareness
Key Skills
- Shadow Extraction: Turn dead enemies into shadows
- Shadow Exchange: Teleport to shadows
- Ruler’s Authority: Telekinesis
- Domain of the Monarch: Enhanced territory control
Shadow Army
How Extraction Works
After killing an enemy, Jinwoo can extract their shadow:
- Shadows retain abilities from life
- Stronger enemies = stronger shadows
- Shadows can level up
- No limit to army size (eventually)
Notable Shadows
- Igris: Knight, first major extraction
- Tusk: High Orc shaman
- Iron: Tank demon
- Beru: Ant King, strongest shadow initially
- Greed: Giant knight
The True Origin
Major Spoiler: The System exists because Jinwoo is the vessel for Ashborn, the Shadow Monarch. The System trains him to inherit Ashborn’s power and fight the other Monarchs.
Gates and Dungeons
Gate Ranks
Gates (portals) are ranked E through S, matching required Hunter levels. Red Gates are special—they trap Hunters until cleared.
Dungeon Breaks
If a Gate isn’t cleared in time, monsters pour into the real world. Higher rank Gates = civilization-ending threats.
Why the System Works
Solo Leveling’s power system succeeds because:
- Clear progression visible through levels
- Shadow army provides tactical variety
- Ranks create stakes and achievements
- The mystery of Jinwoo’s power drives plot
Related: Sung Jinwoo: Shadow Monarch Breakdown