Summary
- Hunters seek runestones to expand their skill set.
- Runestones come from monster drops but can also come from humans.
- Runestones differ from essence stones and hearthstones in function, serving as crucial game-changing elements in Solo Leveling.
Most hunters in Solo Leveling are looking for different ways to get stronger, either by purchasing expensive equipment and weapons like Yoo Jin-Ho or by collecting runestones like Sung Jin-Woo. Between these options, Sung Jin-Woo would prefer using a runestone to wearing a fancy, yet heavy piece of armor like Jin-Ho in combat. Understandably, runestones work like wonders, especially for hunters like Jin-Woo, who keep growing stronger.
Solo Leveling is not the only anime and manhwa series that explores magical artifacts like runestones. They are commonly present not just in isekai and fantasy, but also in anime shows with MMORPG elements. Most of the time, they are useful and essential stones that turn the tide of battle to favor the protagonist. Think of it as a power-up stone that comes with a special skill.
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What Exactly Are Runestones?
Runestones Contain Skills Essential for Hunters
It’s no secret that most hunters in Solo Leveling can’t grow stronger since their abilities are set in stone the moment they awaken. No matter how hard they train their bodies or practice their abilities, they remain stagnant unless they become a double awakener or someone like Sung Jin-Woo. Because of this, hunters seek different ways to at least improve their skill set. After all, it’s a no-brainer that the more skills a hunter has, the more efficiently and effectively they can fight during dungeon raids.
“This reward (runestone) is on another level. It looks like it was worth risking my life here after all.”—Sung Jin-Woo
What better way to add skills to their arsenal than by obtaining a runestone? Hunters can obtain runestones from monster drops, which likely explains how a hunter, regardless of class, can use a particular skill. For example, Choi Jong-In can cast fire magic techniques like Flame Spear, Flame Prison, and Flame Arrow, likely due to the runestones he obtained from killing high-level flame-type magical beasts. Though this assumption is never confirmed, runestones remain a possible explanation behind the unique skills of the hunters in the series.
Runestones Obtained by Sung Jin-Woo
Runestones commonly come from monsters but also from humans in special cases. In fact, Jin-Woo’s first-ever runestone after becoming a player comes from the B-rank hunter Kang Tae-Shik, who tried to kill him, along with the other rehabilitators and survivors of the double dungeon incident. After defeating Tae-Shik, Jin-Woo obtains a runestone that grants him the Stealth skill. Another runestone Jin-Woo obtains comes from the Blood-Red Commander Igris, whom he defeats while completing the system’s job-change quest. The runestone contains the Dominator’s Touch skill, also known as the Ruler’s Hands.
“I can obtain his (Kang Tae-Shik) skill after killing him?”—Sung Jin-Woo
In addition, Jin-Woo also receives a runestone as a reward for defeating the Monarch of the White Flames, Baran, and it contains the Shadow Exchange skill. Later in the series, Jin-Woo will obtain a powerful skill from a runestone kept by the Federal Bureau of Hunters in America, which will become useful in the Final Battle arc of Solo Leveling.
How Runestones Differ from Essence Stones and Hearthstones
Unlike runestones that give unique skills to hunters, essence stones and hearthstones work differently. Even so, these magical stones are all essential for hunters to fight monsters and survive dungeons. Essence stones, otherwise known as mana crystals or magic crystals, are important sources of income for hunters. They can be sold at a high price since they are used to forging high-grade weapons and equipment. These essence stones are implanted inside the bodies of magical beasts, but there are dungeons wherein magical crystals cover the walls. This is one of the reasons why private guilds organize a mining team to extract magic crystals before the attack forces clear the gates.
“I have the hearthstone that I didn’t use in the last instant dungeon, so if things get dangerous, I’ll use it right away.”—Sung Jin-Woo
On the other hand, a hearthstone, also known as an instant teleportation stone, is exclusive to Sung Jin-Woo’s use. An ordinary hunter can’t obtain a hearthstone unless they also become a player in the system like Sung Jin-Woo. After all, hearthstones are exclusive drop items in the system quests. In essence, hearthstones serve as a last resort for a player like Jin-Woo, allowing him to escape and survive from a high-risk dungeon.
All these stones, whether runestones, essence stones, or hearthstones, add depth to Solo Leveling’s power system. In Sung Jin-Woo’s case, runestones became one of the stepping stones in his journey to dominate and conquer the world. For ordinary hunters, runestones serve as a crucial game-changing element that allows them to learn new skills, adapt to difficult situations, and somehow enhance their strength. So, if you ever become a hunter, it’s recommended to look for runestones that can expand your skill set.
- 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)
