Solo Leveling

by Chugong

Genres: Fantasy, Light Novels
Pages: 272
Series: Solo Leveling (light novel) #6
Rating:

Synopsis:

Having witnessed the staggering power of the Shadow Monarch, Jinwoo can't wait to level up and reach those heights, and what better way to do so than to mobilize his army of soldiers against an S-rank dungeon's worth of giants? Saving a country abandoned by the rest of the world has its benefits—international renown, the expansion of his guild, an invitation to the most prestigious hunter conference in the world—but perhaps the most unexpected bonus is a run-in with another Monarch who brings not-so-welcome tidings. If he's to be believed, a war is coming that not even Jinwoo is strong enough to stop…

Volume six of Chugong’s Solo Leveling features Jinho’s father’s illness, the kidnap of Jinho, the revelation that Jinwoo’s father (or something that looks like him) is running around doing something thus-far inscrutable, and the fate of Gunhee Go, so it’s a hard hitter as far as Jinwoo’s development goes. It ties up some loose ends with Dongsoo Hwang, and starts to introduce the endgame here.

That means it’s possibly one of my favourite volumes so far, and I think a lot of this was more affecting in this format than it was in the manhwa, somehow. The way that Jinwoo’s incredibly high perception stat makes him more susceptible to Jinho’s feelings as well is an interesting touch, and that scene between them was really cute. (Though, c’mon, Jinwoo! Let him hug you! You’re bros now.)

Jinwoo’s biggest challenges are approaching, and I honestly can’t wait to dig in. I feel like the pacing is a bit different than the manhwa — same sequence of events, but with slightly different weights, I guess? — and is ratcheting up a bit slower, but it’s definitely ramping up.

Oh, and Jinwoo’s fight against Thomas Andre hits a bit differently I find — in the manhwa it felt more like he might be a match for Jinwoo, and here it isn’t even close.

Rating: 4/5 (“really liked it”)