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The following contains major spoilers not yet adapted to the Solo Leveling anime.
In Season 2 ofSolo Leveling, we are given our first glimpse into National Level hunters during the Jeju Island arc. While the Korean and Japanese S-Rank hunters were struggling for their lives against the flying antsafter Beru’s defeat by Sung Jinwoo, the Chinese S-Rank Hunter Liu Zhigang flexed his power by casually eliminating countless ants in the skies by himself.
While considered also an S-Rank Hunter, Liu is in another class of his own compared to a normal S-Rank hunter. Just how much stronger are National Level S-Rank hunters like Liu compared to your average S-Rank hunter in the story ofSolo Leveling?
The Oppressive Strength of National Level Hunters
What We Know About National Level Hunters
Unfortunately, it’s hard to quantify just how strong National Level hunters are inSolo Levelingcompared to other S-Rank hunters. The reason for this is that we don’t get to see them fight very much since the story is mainly focused on Sung Jinwoo. National Level hunters, like S-Rank hunters in general,mostly exist as a plot device to test Jinwoo’s growthand give him a goal to shoot for as the story continues. Despite the limited insight we gain into them in the story, we do know a few things about them.
National Level hunters are thought to be equivalent to an entire country’s military in terms of strength. What this exactly means is unclear, but it is a solid dividing line between them and other S-rank hunters. Another benchmark of power that National Level Hunters are thought to possess is that they can clear an S-rank dungeon by themselves, a feat that normal S-rank hunters are incapable of. Normal S-ranks are thought to be only able to clear an A-rank dungeon at best. Cha Hae-In,who the superior S-rank hunter Goto Ryujijudged to be one of the strongest Korean hunters, regularly was able to clear A-Rank dungeons on her own, but was nowhere near a National Level hunter’s strength.
“Oh, yeah, he’s definitely a step above the other S-ranks. But I can still dodge him.” -Sung Jinwoo during his sparring match with Goto Ryuji in Episode 22.
Ryuji himself aimed to be recognized as a National Level hunterby clearing Jeju Island, which had been deemed to be the equivalent of an S-rank raid, by sacrificing the Korean hunters and taking the credit for himself. However, in the face of the Ant King, he was easily dispatched, proving that the buildup for his character was not quite enough to reach this level.
What Makes the Difference?
Why Is There So Much Power Variation in the S-Ranks?
It is later revealed that the National Rank hunters we know about in the storywere chosen to be vessels of the Rulers, a race of beings who stand opposed to the Monarchs, the villainous entities in the world ofSolo Leveling. It’s unclear if the power they possess from being vessels is necessary to make them National Level hunters, since we see in the revised timeline following Jinwoo’s use of the Cup of Reincarnation that, despite now having the power of vessels, some National Level hunters eventually regain their titles.
“Hunter Sung has a rare ability to keep growing stronger.” -Baek Yoonho analyzing Jinwoo in Episode 22.
Despite sharing the same ranking, the only thing all S-ranks have in common is that their mana cannot be properly measured by mana detectors. The lower ranks have clearly defined scales of power, but the S rank itself is a catch-all category for anyone meeting a certain threshold. This is what creates the potential for such a wide power disparity between S-rank hunters. Since this category can be nebulous, it created a need for another level inside S rank in the form of National Level hunters to quantify Jinwoo’s power increases throughout the story. It’s a shame that the potential power of these National Level hunters isn’t shown that much in Jinwoo’s story. Hopefully, in the eventual spin-off series adaptation, we will see additional world-building and witness National Level hunters garner more of the spotlight.
Solo Leveling
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A-1 Pictures' Solo Leveling is an anime based on Chugong’s popular web novel. Set in an unforgiving fantasy world where hunters explore dungeons filled with monsters, the vulnerable Sung Jinwoo gains a significant power boost after he is picked to be a solo player by the System.
