Though Sung might be one of the weakest Hunters to have ever lived, he clearly knows how to survive. This gives readers a generally good introduction to how the world of Solo Leveling works and does a fantastic job of setting up Sung as a character. The bulk of the volume, split between three chapters, focuses on Sung and a small group of Hunters desperately trying to survive a mission gone horribly wrong. Though the first volume of Solo Leveling doesn’t get too deep into the main narrative, it does a fantastic job of hooking readers in. Once a seemingly easy raid into the Gate goes wrong, however, Sung’s life is changed forever as he is granted the ability to rise above his means by “leveling up.” Known by his colleagues as “The Weakest Hunter,” Sung only returns to the Gate each week to provide for his sister and mother.

Jinwoo Sung is a young Hunter that couldn’t be worse at his job. When it appeared, some humans were granted superhuman powers and became known as “Hunters.” The Hunters began delving into the Gate each week, defeating monsters before they can emerge into our world. The series takes place in a world where a portal known as “the Gate” appears in Seoul and connects the real world with one of magic and monsters. Torres, and lettering by Abigail Blackman. The English release features translation by Hye Young Im, rewriting by J. Solo Leveling Volume 1 is published in English by Yen Press, illustrated by Dubu (Redice Studios), with an original story by Chugong. Solo Leveling currently sits at the top of MyAnimeList’s highest-rated manhwa list, so it was only a matter of time before it would make its way to English audiences with a physical release. It wasn’t long before Solo Leveling saw a manhwa adaptation by Dubu (Redice Studios). Through utilizing tropes and plot devices commonly seen in the isekai genre, Solo Leveling quickly became a hit online. Who doesn’t love a good underdog story? Solo Leveling, a web novel by author Chugong, sees its hero start as the lowest of the low.

Solo leveling light novel vol 1