Strongest Demons In Solo Leveling

Summary

• High-Grade Demons are powerful but not top-tier threats for Sung Jin-woo.
• Demon Knights are intelligent and combat-savvy, serving Ancient Demons.
• Demon Nobles are S-Rank, lead clans, and contribute to Jin-woo’s growth.

Demons are one of the most powerful races in Solo Leveling, and quite a challenging opponent for a growing Sung Jin Woo and his Shadow Army. The problem with demons is that they are sentient to a certain grade: while the lower-class demons are merely powerful beasts, the higher-grade ones are smart and deadly, and can even raise armies and organize themselves in clans.

To give readers a better idea of what Sung-Jin Woo has to deal with during the Demon Castle Arc, here’s how some of the more powerful demons compare from the lower high tier to the strongest, considering the information regarding power, resilience, and rank provided by the Manhwa series and Webnovel, and what is seen in the anime as well.

Spoilers for Solo Leveling Anime below, proceed with caution.

8

High-Grade Demons

Above The Average, But Below Other High Class Demons

• First appearance: Novel 72 – Manhwa 58
• Hunter Association Rank: A

High-Grande Demons or High Ranking Demons are the strongest among the beast-class creatures inhabiting the Demon Castle dungeon/world, and they are fearsome Rank-A opponents that the Sung Jin-woo from Season 1 would have had trouble dealing with. But, as things are currently moving forward in Season 2, these beasts barely represent any kind of danger for the MC and his Army of Shadow Soldiers.

These Demons are strong, but they’re bottom tier compared to other denizens of the Demon Castle world, and are powerful cannon-fodder to make the MC level up as he searches for the true objectives in this Dungeon: the Final Bosses and Demon Leaders.

7

Demon Knight

One Of The Strongest Humanoid-Like Demons

• First appearance: Novel 101 – Manhwa 81
• Hunter Association Rank: A+

Demon Knights are considered A+ Rank due to their extreme intelligence, ability to handle weapons, and combat organization. They’re the strongest among the A-Rank Demons that Sung Jin-woo encounters during his dive in the Demon Castle realm, and are capable of holding out to some of his weaker Shadow Soldiers. Jin-woo is at first surprised when he encounters these creatures, then, intrigued when he discovers the identity of their leader, Esil.

After discovering that there’s an even higher rank among Demon Knights (Demon Nobles) Jin-woo proceeds to find out the truth about this strange dungeon, and realizes that these beings are actually sentient and well-organized. Demon Knights serve Ancient Demons and Demon Noble clans, and there are several of them still living in this Demon Castle Dungeon, one of them being the Randir clan.

6

Demon Noble

The Elite Of The Demon Clans

• First appearance: Novel 101 – Manhwa 81
• Hunter Association Rank: S

Among all the Demon-kin found by Sung Jin-woo, Demon Nobles are classified as Mini-Boss Rank or S-Rank, and are powerful enough to lead entire clans or to escort those leaders into battle. Among the Demonic Nobility, the Randir Clan seems to occupy a privileged position, inhabiting the 80th floor of the Demon Castle Dungeon, and serving under Lord Borgon Randir, the master of the Randir clan and father to Esil.

These beings are hidden away in this Dungeon as refugees from an ancient war that happened Eons before Sung Jin-woo inherited The Shadow Monarch’s Powers, and they are a direct link to the mysterious Architect who made it possible for the MC to have his second awakening and become a ‘Necromancer.’ In terms of power levels of the Hunter association, these beings could be considered as strong as S-Rank Hunters, but weaker than the World’s Top Rankers.

5

Vulcan

Ruler Of One Of The Lowest Floors, And A Powerful S Rank Demon

• First appearance: Novel 72 – Manhwa 58
• Hunter Association Rank: S+

Vulcan, the supreme overlord both eLower floors of the Demon Castle is the Ancient Demon Boss overseeing an army of High-Grade Demons. Brutal, massive, and powerful, this beast was one of the first Bosses that Jin-woo faced during his first explorations through the Demon Castle dungeon. Vulcan is huge as a building, and despite his bulky appearance, he is quite fast, so it can be a challenging opponent.

Be it as it may, it wasn’t a rival for Jin-woo’s abilities, and ended up being destroyed, dropping a lot of important items for the MC’s personal quest, including a Fragment of the World Tree. Despite all his efforts, Jin-woo wasn’t able to add this creature to his Shadow Army, which indicates that it was a higher being locked away from the reach of his abilities. In the webnovel, it is established that Vulcan is part of a higher class of demonic creatures known as Archdemons, though the recreation of this being in the Dungeon might have been less powerful than its original version.

4

Metus

A Powerful Ruler, With An S Rank And An Army Of High-Grade Demons

• First appearance: Novel 74 – Manhwa 60
• Hunter Association Rank: S+

Metus is another of the bosses of the Lower levels of the Demon Castle dungeon, a skeleton-like being with the ability to control Demons and make them rise from the grave. Metus is classified as an undead, but it was formerly a Demon Lord sorcerer who had risen to lichhood through unknown means. Little is known about Metus or his demeanor, except that he is quite malicious and capable of using high-ranking magic. In the webnovel, it is seen casting higher-level spells and commanding his army of undead demons with fearsome brutality.

This S Rank Boss met his demise at the hands of Jin-Woo, who was able to recognize the main weakness of every Mage-type monster in Metus, and confronted him directly with his dual daggers, slicing him into a myriad pieces. Yet again, Jin-Woo was unable to resurrect this Demon Boss as a Shadow Soldier, but he was able to collect a lot of valuable resources and items from him, including the Demon Sovereign’s Necklace, a part of a set that gave him an extra stat boost.

3

Esil Randir

A Notch Above The Demon Clan Nobility

• First appearance: Novel 101 – Manhwa 81
• Hunter Association Rank: S+

Defeated by Sung Jin-woo upon his arrival on the 80th floor, Esil was commandeered by the MC to serve as a guide through the rest of the remaining 20 floors of the Demon Castle Dungeon. Esil is both intelligent and strong, being a little bit more powerful than the regular soldiers and nobility of the Randir Demon Clan, but weaker than her father, Borgon, who rules over the rest of the demons of the 80th floor. When questioned by Jin-woo about the origin of the Demon Castle Dungeon, a System Error occurred, revealing that she was acting under the influence of the Administrator (Architect), and couldn’t reveal more information.

Esil is crafty, skilled with the spear, and has good affinity with magic. She is also extremely intelligent, but she wasn’t fast enough to surprise Jin-woo, even after attempting to double cross him and stab him in the back. Luckily for her, Jin-woo saw her as more human-like, and refused to dispose of her. Instead, she was taken hostage to enter her father’s castle and claim the Entry Pass that would allow him to progress without having to battle the Randir Clan. Though in the continuation of the series, Solo Leveling: Ragnarok, Esil is seen alive and well, being the new Monarch of Gluttony and ruling over the Demon Clan.

2

Borgon Randir

Ruler Of A Noble Clan, And The Only Noble Ancient Demon Able To See Jin-woo’s Shadows

• Firsr appearance: Novel 102 – Manhwa 83
• Hunter Association Rank: S+

Borgon Randir is the leader of the Randir Noble Demon Clan, and father to Esil Though at first sight, he cannot be pictured as a capable and strong ruler, the second Jin-woo enters his throne room accompanied by Esil, he knows that he is dangerous. He asks Esil how was it possible that she was unaware of the Army that followed Jin-woo, which indicates he can actually see the MC’s Shadows. This by itself should be proof enough of him being more capable and powerful than Esil, and since he rules over an entire Clan, his strength should be at least superior to Esil’s.

Borgon is perhaps one of the most mysterious characters in Solo Leveling, since readers barely see anything of him besides his protective attitude towards Esil, and the fact that he is also part of the recreation made by the System through an alternate version of a Demon Invaded Seoul.

1

Baran

The Demon King, Ruler Of The Demon Castle, And A Former Monarch

• First appearance: Novel 107 – Manhwa 85
• Hunter Association Rank: S+ Rank Boss (Original: Unmeasurable)

Baran, the Demon King, is a fragment of his former self, a being of pure hatred and power. Riding over his faithful Wyvern, Kaisellin, Baran is a force to be reckoned with. Even Jin-woo had some trouble fighting the boss of the 100th floor, who is said to be the ultimate ruler of all demonkind, and a S+ Rank Boss. Later, it is discovered that this version of Baran is naught but a recreation introduced by The Architect, based on the former Monarch of the White Flames, a former rival of Ashborne, the Monarch of Shadows.

Baran was able to overpower Jin-woo with a fast and deadly attack, but was defeated thanks to the intervention of Esil Randir, who saw this chance as the best way for her clan to be rid of the rule of this oppressor. Jin-woo was able to connect a finishing blow on Baran, beheading him and conquering the Demon Castle dungeon. Witnessing the strength and speed of this monster, it is nearly impossible to discern how strong he would have been in his prime. With the ability to breathe lightning, his draogn-riding skills, and superior warfare abilities, he would have been a challenging opponent for Sung Jin-woo.