With the anime adaptation bringing it into the spotlight, Solo Leveling has gained massive recognition. The story follows Sung Jin-Woo’s transformation from being the weakest hunter to one of the most powerful beings in existence.
Throughout his journey, Sung Jin-Woo encountered numerous battles and obstacles. His increasing strength allowed him to take down formidable opponents with ease, yet there were still adversaries who pushed him to his limits.
The Demon Castle fight proves persistence is Jin-Woo’s greatest weapon (Photo: Solo Leveling/Lucasfilm Ltd)From B-rank fighters to S-rank elites, national-level hunters, and even monarchs with overwhelming power, his toughest battles were truly remarkable. But which ones proved to be the most difficult?
11. Sung Jin-Woo vs. Blue Venom-Fanged Kasaka
The Weakest Hunter Begins His Journey As A ‘Player’
Despite Kasaka being classified as a C-rank monster, the battle posed a major challenge for Sung Jin-Woo at that stage in his journey. He had only just begun fighting as a ‘player,’ stepping away from his previous identity as humanity’s weakest hunter.
This fight, despite the struggles it presented, opened his eyes to future possibilities. Throughout the battle, Sung Jin-Woo had to rely on quick thinking and alternative strategies rather than relying solely on brute force. His inadequate gear meant that his attacks weren’t strong enough to pierce Kasaka’s tough scales.
However, he soon realized that slicing through them wasn’t necessary—his raw strength was enough to crush the monster instead. Though Kasaka was far from the most powerful opponent he would face, overcoming this challenge was particularly difficult due to his weaknesses at the time.
He barely emerged victorious, but this triumph played a crucial role in his growth.
10. Sung Jin-Woo vs. Cerberus
The Demon Castle Introduces Jin-Woo To A Harsh Reality
As the guardian of the Demon Castle, Cerberus made it abundantly clear that conquering this dungeon would not be an easy feat. The anime adaptation of Solo Leveling highlighted this struggle, showing Sung Jin-Woo sustaining multiple injuries during the fight—including the loss of an arm.
With the opponent’s overwhelming attack patterns, Sung Jin-Woo could barely keep up. Unlike many of his other boss fights, this particular battle forced Sung Jin-Woo to recognize that simply leveling up wouldn’t be enough to guarantee victory. His abilities had grown, but his combat skills still needed refinement.
It was only through sheer luck and persistence that he managed to defeat the three-headed gatekeeper. However, the experience left him with an undeniable realization—continuing his climb up the Demon Castle at his current strength would be equivalent to walking straight into death.
9. Sung Jin-Woo vs. Baruka
Jin-Woo’s Quick Adaptation Proves Key Against A Formidable Opponent
When Sung Jin-Woo faced Baruka, the Ice Elf, his power had surpassed the level of an A-rank hunter but had not yet reached the level of an S-rank. Acknowledging that Baruka was stronger than him, he devised an unconventional strategy—he sacrificed the vengeance-driven Kim Chul, transforming him into a Shadow soldier named Iron.
At the time, Iron was among the strongest of Sung Jin-Woo’s shadow soldiers and fought alongside both him and Igris against Baruka. Despite being outnumbered, Baruka did not fall easily. The fight was far from a one-sided battle, as many might have expected.
Sung Jin-Woo only secured victory by employing poison-based tactics and stealthy assassin techniques. His method proved effective, but the fight demonstrated that a confrontation—even with Igris by his side—would have been considerably more difficult to win.
8. Sung Jin-Woo vs. Stone Statues
An E-Rank Hunter Faces A Nightmarish Ordeal
Sung Jin-Woo’s path toward gaining the ability to level up began with a brutal defeat. He had already endured multiple life-threatening encounters as the weakest E-rank hunter, but his experience in the Cartenon Temple—also known as the Double Dungeon—seemed certain to be his final battle.
Within the temple, he and several others found themselves against towering stone statues that attacked anyone who failed to follow the dungeon’s established rules. Even B-rank hunters were powerless against them, making Sung Jin-Woo’s survival all the more improbable.
Yet, in an unexpected turn of events, what appeared to be his demise became the start of something much greater.
7. Sung Jin-Woo vs. Blood Red Commander Igris
A Former Commander Of Ashborn Proves To Be An Overwhelming Foe
Igris, once one of Ashborn’s shadow commanders, was assigned the task of testing a potential successor. During Sung Jin-Woo’s job change quest, he came face-to-face with this fearsome adversary, only to realize that he was completely outmatched in every aspect.
Igris surpassed Sung Jin-Woo in raw power, speed, and durability. When Jin-Woo discovered that his daggers couldn’t even scratch Igris’ armor, he resorted to fighting with his bare hands. In response, Igris put down his sword, a decision that possibly saved Sung Jin-Woo’s life.
Had Igris used his weapon, the outcome might have been fatal. Even without Igris wielding a sword, Sung Jin-Woo’s victory was a result of sheer luck—a fact that he acknowledged.
6. Sung Jin-Woo vs. Demon King Baran
The Final Test Of The Demon Castle Pushes Jin-Woo To His Limits
Among the many foes Sung Jin-Woo encountered, the Demon King Baran was not the most powerful. However, when the battle took place, Sung Jin-Woo was still far from Baran’s level. The original Baran, the Monarch of White Flames, had been defeated long ago by the Shadow Monarch Ashborn.
The Baran that Sung Jin-Woo fought was a magical replica stationed on the 100th floor of the Demon Castle as a trial for him to overcome. Despite commanding an army of shadow generals, Sung Jin-Woo found himself at a disadvantage.
It wasn’t until Esil, a young demon girl from the Radir clan, distracted Baran that Jin-Woo managed to claim victory.
5. Sung Jin-Woo vs. The Architect
The Mastermind Behind The System Had Everything Planned
Earlier in the series, Sung Jin-Woo encountered the stone statues that granted him the ability to grow stronger. When he returned to the site of his transformation, he came face-to-face with the true mastermind—the Architect, a statue with wings that had once dictated the dungeon’s rules.
Introducing himself as the creator of the system, the Architect revealed that every event leading up to that moment had been carefully orchestrated. To uncover the truth, Sung Jin-Woo had no choice but to defeat him. However, doing so proved to be no simple task.
4. Sung Jin-Woo vs. Thomas Andre
America’s Strongest Hunter Proves To Be A Formidable Challenge
Thomas Andre, one of the five national-level hunters and the strongest hunter in the United States, was feared by many. Known as the Goliath, he possessed extraordinary strength as a vessel of the rulers and a fragment of brilliant light.
Though Thomas had been aware of Sung Jin-Woo’s growing reputation, their battle only occurred after a member of his Scavenger Guild kidnapped and tortured Jin-Woo’s vice chairman. To prevent Jin-Woo from killing Hwang Dongsoo, Thomas stepped in, only to suffer a crushing defeat.
Despite this, the battle itself was anything but easy.
3. Sung Jin-Woo vs. Beru
A Monster Born From Jeju Island’s Queen Ant Wreaks Havoc
Before becoming a shadow soldier, Beru had no name—he was merely an instrument of destruction created by the queen ant of Jeju Island. Initially, Sung Jin-Woo had no intention of joining the Jeju Island raid, but Beru’s emergence changed everything. With ease, Beru slaughtered multiple Japanese S-rank hunters.
Baruka’s icy wrath forces Jin-Woo into a fight of strategy over strength (Photo: Solo Leveling/Lucasfilm Ltd)Even Goto Ryuji, regarded as Japan’s strongest hunter and a potential national-level hunter, was helpless against Beru, who cut him down effortlessly. Unlike many monsters, Beru exhibited remarkable intelligence from the moment he was born, absorbing the abilities of fallen hunters.
2. Sung Jin-Woo vs. Three Monarchs
Facing Three Monarchs Was A Fight Few Could Have Survived
Among the many battles that pushed Sung Jin-Woo to the brink of death, his clash against the Frost Monarch, the Monarch of Plagues (Querehsha), and the Monarch of Fangs (Rakan) was one of the most grueling.
Taking on a single Monarch was already a challenge, but standing against three at once was an entirely different level of danger. Rakan, the King of Beasts, was particularly terrifying due to his raw destructive power.
Although Sung Jin-Woo managed to eliminate Querehsha quickly, a moment of miscalculation led to him being impaled by Rakan. Survival seemed impossible at that point, but it was only through the awakening of Ashborn’s full legacy that Sung Jin-Woo was able to endure.
The restrictions on his inheritance of power were lifted, granting him the strength necessary to turn the tide of battle.
1. Sung Jin-Woo vs. Antares
The Monarch Of Destruction Stood As Jin-Woo’s Strongest Opponent
Of all the adversaries Sung Jin-Woo encountered, none rivaled the sheer power and devastation of Antares, the Monarch of Destruction. As the King of Dragons, Antares was one of the most fearsome beings in existence, second only to Ashborn, the former Shadow Monarch.
Unlike the other Monarchs, Antares’ strength was so immense that he couldn’t find a vessel capable of containing his power, forcing him to remain in his original form. The battle against Antares was an exhausting war of endurance and strategy.
Sung Jin-Woo lured him to a remote island to prevent mass destruction and fought him relentlessly, knowing that he alone couldn’t bring Antares down. After an intense struggle, the rulers intervened and dealt the final blow, bringing the Monarch of Destruction to his end.
It was a battle unlike any other, marking the culmination of Sung Jin-Woo’s journey from the weakest hunter to the most powerful force in existence. Sung Jin-Woo’s path was paved with relentless challenges, each encounter pushing him further beyond his limits.
Whether it was against formidable hunters, deadly beasts, or powerful Monarchs, his ability to adapt and grow stronger made him an unstoppable force. Each victory played a crucial role in shaping him into the Shadow Monarch, ensuring that no matter the threat, he would always rise to the occasion.