Sung Jin-Woo’s Strongest Shadows In Solo Leveling

Solo Leveling is a popular Webtoon featuring a ranking system for hunters authorized to clear and secure dungeons. The main plot of Solo Leveling revolves around Sung Jin-Woo, once known as the “World’s Weakest Hunter,” due to his immense weakness as a hunter.

However, by chance, Jin-Woo discovers the System, which allows him to level up, increasing his strength as a Hunter. Once Jin-Woo reaches a certain level, the System grants him a Shadow Extraction skill, permitting him to summon dead warriors’ souls as powerful shadows. Solo Leveling‘s protagonist then uses this power to create a powerful army, but some shadows stand out among his minions in terms of strength.

Updated February 21, 2025, by Emedo Destiny: While being extremely powerful as a single person, Jin-Woo’s true power lies in the multitude of his Shadow Army due to his exclusive skill; Shadow Extraction. Sung Jin-Woo’s shadow-based abilities are a crucial part of the story’s flair. With such an overpowered skill, it is only natural that both fans and viewers alike are curious about the individual strength of the Shadows that make up Jin-Woo’s most elite forces. The anime, so far, has only been able to show glimpses of powerful Shadows like Igris and Tusk. As such, this piece highlights and details the strongest of Jin-Woo’s most elite Shadows.

This article contains spoilers from the Solo Leveling manhwa.

10

Tank

Alpha Ice Bear of the Red Gate

• Abilities: Colossal Strength and High Attack Power
• Shadow Rank: Knight
• Manhwa / Anime Debut: Chapter 100 / Episode 15

Tank was introduced to Solo Leveling readers when Sung Jin-Woo encountered a Red Gate. Initially, the Guild exploring the Dungeon was under the assumption that they entered a C-Ranked one, which was originally true until their location changed to a far more dangerous one after entry. To their surprise, they discovered that the Red Gate was home to powerful Ice Bears and Ice Elves.

Later on, Kim-Chul, the A-Rank hunter leading the party, quickly excluded party members lower than C-Rank from following them. However, Jin-Woo could not ignore this golden chance to level up. He ventured into the Ice Bear territory and killed all of them, including their Boss Leader. After killing the Ice Bears, Jin-Woo added the Boss Leader to his Shadow Army, naming him “Tank” due to his raw attack power.

9

Kaisel

Kaisellin; Mount of the Monarch of White Flames

• Abilities: Immense Speed, Flight, and Enhanced Senses
• Shadow Rank: Knight
• Manhwa / Anime Debut: Chapter 88 / N/A

Kaisel is a Wyvern Sung Jin-Woo encountered while leveling up in the Demon territory. In the Demon Territory, Jin-Woo leveled up, but for some reason, he was unable to use his Shadow Extraction skill on Demons. However, this changed when he met Kaisellin, Baran’s flight mount.

After a sensational battle, Jin-Woo defeated Demon King Baran, while Iron, his subordinate, eliminated Kaisellin. However, the protagonist used his Shadow Extraction ability to revive Kaisellin as a shadow before naming him “Kaisel.” Although Kaisel’s Strength wasn’t highlighted in the Webtoon, his flight ability and enhanced senses place him at the top of the Jin-Woo army’s ranking.

8

Jima

A-Rank Boss Naga

• Abilities: Size Manipulation, and Regeneration
• Shadow Rank: Elite Knight
• Manhwa / Anime Debut: Chapter 122 / N/A

Jima isn’t shown much in Solo Leveling, but its strength is unmistakable. Sung Jin-Woo encountered the magical creature in a raid Ahjin Guild participated in. Initially, the Hunters couldn’t defeat this beast due to its strength and magical prowess. Wielding a trident, Jima resembles a sea serpent due to its large size.

The Hunters’ situation appeared to be insurmountable until Jin-Woo stepped in. He defeated the monster and revived it as his Shadow minion, Jima. After the fight, Jin-Woo discovered that Jima possessed a size manipulation ability due to its magical power. This places the creature on a high pedestal among Jin-Woo’s shadows.

7

Iron

A-Rank Hunter Kim Chul

• Abilities: Regeneration and Shout of Provocation (taunting ability)
• Shadow Rank: Elite Knight
• Manhwa / Anime Debut: Chapter 54 / Episode 15

In the Ice Bear Saga, Tank wasn’t the only trophy Sung Jin-Woo gained; Iron was on the list. After the hero’s party ventured into the Red Gate and were attacked by Ice Elves, they split up. Their A-Rank leader disallowed any member that was lower than C-Rank from following them in clearing the Dungeon so they don’t become dead weight.

After an unsuccessful raid, Kim Chul, an A-Rank White Guild member, discovered that the neglected party members were unharmed and even enjoyed their stay at the Dungeon. Enraged and jealous of this fact, he tried to attack Jin-Woo but was killed by Igris. The manhwa’s main character then resurrected the Hunter as “Iron.”

6

Greed

S-Ranker Hwang Dongsoo

• Abilities: Enhanced Strength, Regeneration and Conversation
• Shadow Rank: General
• Manhwa / Anime Debut: Chapter 147 / N/A

Greed was the Shadow of Hwang Dong-Soo, a powerful S-Rank Hunter from Scavenger Guild. Hwang Dong-Soo bred an immense hatred for Sung Jin-Woo based on the suspicion that he killed his brother. However, after discovering that Jin-Woo was far stronger than him, Dong-Soo tried getting rid of him using a roundabout method: Thomas Andre.

Sadly, Hwang Dong-Soo’s scheme falls apart after Jin-Woo trashes Thomas Andre publicly. Although Solo Leveling doesn’t show Jin-Woo killing Hwang Dong-Soo, it’s deducible from the circumstances. Jin-Woo then used his Shadow Extract on the S-Rank Hunter, naming him “Greed.”

5

Tusk

Kargalgan, The Shaman High Orc

• Abilities: Gravity Magic, Hymn of Protection, Hymn of Frenzy, Hymn of Giants, Hymn of Blazing Fire, Hymn of Rage, Regeneration, amongst others
• Shadow Rank: Commander
• Manhwa / Anime Debut: Chapter 75 / Episode 18

Initially, Tusk was the Boss leader of the High Orcs at the Hunter Guild Dungeon. During the Dungeon’s raid led by an A-Rank Hunter, the situation went south after the High Orcs revealed themselves. After an intense battle, the hunters discovered that they could not fight anymore, and they decided to surrender.

After surrendering, they met the High Orcs Shaman leader, Kargalgan, who revealed his intention to kill the Hunters to entertain himself. However, Sung Jin-Woo intervened, fighting against Kargalgan and killing him; he then resurrected Kargalgan as Tusk. Tusk is an immensely powerful Shadow with magical abilities, ranging from Gravity magic to Telepathy.

4

Igris

The Blood-Red Commander Idris

• Abilities: Regeneration, Conversation, Immense Strength and Telekinesis
• Shadow Rank: Marshal
• Manhwa / Anime Debut: Chapter 45 / Episode 12

Igris was a red knightly creature that Sung Jin-Woo fought after a hard-pressed battle in a dungeon. In this Dungeon, Jin-Woo encountered many difficult obstacles, such as Necromancers that kept on summoning soldiers to attack him. However, after discovering the Necromancers’ ploy, Jin-Woo killed all of them and earned the skill of Shadow Extraction.

He uses this skill to revive the red knight he fought at the Dungeon’s entrance, naming him “Igris.” So, Igris was one of Jin-Woo’s first Shadows. Like other powerful members of the protagonist’s army, Igris continued growing in strength till the end of Solo Leveling and gained the ability to speak upon reaching Marshal Rank.

3

Beru

The Ant King

• Abilities: Regeneration, Conversation, Immense Speed, Immense Strength, High Durability, Healing Magic, Flight and Skill Absorption
• Shadow Rank: Marshal
• Manhwa / Anime Debut: Chapter 105 / N/A

Beru was a powerful minion Jin-Woo obtained during the “Jeju Island Arc”. Beru’s strength while being an Ant King is on par or even greater than S-Rank Hunters. He single-handedly defeated Goto Ryuji, a man revered as Japan’s strongest Hunter, and struck fear into the heart of an S-Rank Hunter, who declared Beru as being impossible to defeat.

However, Beru’s free reign ends when he meets Sung Jin-Woo, who surpasses him in strength and speed. After Beru becomes Jin-Woo’s shadow, his healing abilities are revealed in the Webtoon.

2

Kamish

Humanity’s Greatest Calamity

• Abilities: Dragon’s Fear, Immense Strength, and Dragon’s Breath
• Shadow Rank: Marshal
• Manhwa / Anime Debut: Chapter 115 / N/A

The United States tried to convince Sung Jin-Woo to join their ranks as a Hunter. However, before Jin-Woo agreed, he made a request to meet Kamish, a Dragon that even Thomas Andre couldn’t defeat solo. Once this came to pass, Jin-Woo used Shadow Extraction on Kamish, reviving the powerful monster.

Despite being under Jin-Woo’s dominion, the Dragon still managed to act independently, almost killing the humans surrounding his master. Sadly, Kamish couldn’t last long as Jin-Woo’s shadow since he had been dead for a long period. However, from the shadow’s brief show of power, he is easily Marshal Rank.

1

Bellion

The Right Hand of Ashborn

• Abilities: Immense Durability, Colossal Strength, Immense Speed, Regeneration and Conversation
• Shadow Rank: Grand Marshal
• Manhwa / Anime Debut: Chapter 166 / N/A

Bellion is the only shadow that Jin-Woo didn’t face since he was among Ashborn’s final gifts to the protagonist for the Monarch War. Previously, Bellion served Ashborn, the Shadow Monarch, as a leading figure in his army. However, when Ashborn officially appointed Sung Jin-Woo as his successor, Bellion and the rest of Shadow Monarch’s army surrendered to their new master.

Bellion’s strength was also proved in his short bout with Beru. Bellion easily subdued the Marshal-ranked shadow using his extendable sword. Still, Beru tried to attack Bellion under constraint, but his tenacious attacks did not faze the latter, who appeared unscathed from the attack.