This article contains spoilers from the Solo Leveling manhwa series.
Summary
- Sung Jin-Woo’s power in Solo Leveling grows thanks to a unique video game-like system.
- The System’s creator, Kandiaru, created it for Shadow Monarch to take over Jin-Woo’s body.
- Jin-Woo deletes the system, unlocking his full potential, but loses its guidance.
Solo Leveling has a unique and innovative power system designed like a video game to nurture Sung Jin-Woo’s strength and combat potential. Unlike other hunters, Jin-Woo has exclusive access to this system, allowing him to enjoy its perks and rewards. Jin-Woo can consider the system as his special playground, but what happens if it is deleted or destroyed?
The system plays a significant role in Sung Jin-Woo’s growth in Solo Leveling. It allows Jin-Woo to level up, acquire new abilities, complete quests, obtain rare weapons, and allocate stats just like a real video game character. It basically incorporates RPG elements into its mechanism, so Jin-Woo won’t have trouble figuring out how it works. In the Shadow Monarch’s words, the system was designed for Jin-Woo’s “amusement.”
Related
Solo Leveling: Who Could Be the First S-Rank Hunter?
When the gates first appear in Solo Leveling, who is the first S-rank hunter among the awakened individuals?
The Creation of the System
Kandiaru and the Shadow Monarch’s Artificial Construct
A mage by the name of Kandiaru, also known as the architect, is credited as the system’s creator and moderator. He conceptualized the system to help speed up the Shadow Monarch’s search for a worthy vessel sometime after the Monarchs started their attack on Earth. It was a lengthy and exhausting search, as Kandiaru and the Shadow Monarch could not decide on a suitable human vessel capable of absorbing the Monarch’s powers. There were a lot of qualified humans, but none of them made a strong impression on the Shadow Monarch.
Eventually, the Shadow Monarch takes a liking to Sung Jin-Woo, despite his pathetic abilities and weak frame. Jin-Woo’s qualifications are unclear, but he possesses a strong determination to survive for his family—an intense trait the Shadow Monarch strongly admired. Despite Kandiaru’s reservations, Jin-Woo passed all the tests in the double dungeon incident and was accepted as the system’s official player.
Sung Jin-Woo’s Role and the System’s True Purpose
The ultimate purpose of the system is to allow the Shadow Monarch to take over Sung Jin-Woo’s body. He needs to descend into the human world to assist the Monarchs in their never-ending conflict against the Rulers. That said, Min Byung-Gu’s shadow was right to warn Cha Hae-In on Jeju Island, since Jin-Woo needed to be more careful of his powers than the enemies in front of him. Even the upgrader, Norma Selner, was frightened when she tried to look into Sung Jin-Woo’s abilities and was met by darkness itself.
“I didn’t choose you. In fact, I was against the idea; I am simply the architect and moderator of the Player Breeding system. My designs are perfect.”—The Architect
Once the system has already served its purpose of nurturing Jin-Woo’s strength, the last thing Kandiaru needs to do is wait for the Shadow Monarch. Unfortunately, the Shadow Monarch betrayed Kandiaru, leading to his demise at the hands of Jin-Woo. His work was taken for granted, and his efforts were overlooked as the Shadow Monarch decided to transfer his powers to Jin-Woo without taking over his body.
What Happens When the System Is Destroyed?
Sung Jin-Woo Deletes the System
In most anime, a system or a game gets deleted or destroyed whenever the creator dies, but that’s not the case with the system in Solo Leveling. After Kandiaru died, Jin-Woo was still able to level up like usual, going so far as to reach level 122 after defeating Legia, the Monarch of the Beginning. Surprisingly, Jin-Woo never had any issues with the system, as if Kandiaru had not died at all. It worked and operated normally until Jin-Woo opted to delete the system by himself.
After absorbing the Shadow Monarch’s full power and becoming one with him, Sung Jin-Woo deleted the system. Without the system’s restrictions, all kinds of power limits placed on Sung Jin-Woo and his army of soldiers were immediately removed. They have all regained their full potential, and their abilities have risen significantly. The Shadow Monarch has also returned to the World of Eternal Void, making it difficult for Jin-Woo to ever see him again.
“I tirelessly sought strength because I didn’t want to be controlled by an overwhelming power. That’s how I got to where I am today.”—Jin Woo
It takes serious guts for Sung Jin-Woo to erase the system in Solo Leveling. The best part is that he no longer has to deal with annoying notifications, quest prompts, and stat increases, but the downside is that the system is no longer there to steer his growth. Even so, this marks a turning point in Jin-Woo’s character development, as he has finally outgrown the system. Times have changed, and so has Jin-Woo, who has evolved from a mere system player to the Shadow Monarch, who’s at the peak of his strength.
- Release Date
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January 7, 2024
- Directors
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Shunsuke Nakashige
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Taito Ban
Shun Mizushino (voice)
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Genta Nakamura
Kenta Morobishi (voice)
