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One of the best Solo Leveling fights was shown in the final episodes of the second season. Let’s discuss the events that transpired.
While there are plenty of epic fights in Solo Leveling, there are hardly any that can compare to the fight Sung Jinwoo ends up having against the Ant King. It wasn’t merely a battle of raw power — it was a pivotal moment of this series that displayed Jinwoo’s development, power dominance, and brutality. His transformation into the world’s most powerful hunter was fully realized in this confrontation, leaving an unforgettable mark on both fans and the story itself.
The battle takes place during the Jeju Island Raid Arc. After South Korea’s elite hunters fail to defeat the monstrous Ant King, Jinwoo arrives to change the tide of battle. Unlike any other fight before, this one solidifies his position as an unmatched force, proving that he has far surpassed human limitations. The fight is not only a test of strength but a demonstration of his superiority over even the most terrifying creatures. This article breaks down the legendary battle between humanity’s strongest hunter and the terrifying monarch of the ants.
The Build-Up to the Battle
Preparation of the Hunters
Jeju Island had long been a hunter’s graveyard, overrun by powerful magic beasts led by the Ant Queen. Even S-Rank hunters struggled against the creatures that swarmed the island. Jeju Island has been attempted to be claimed three times by the South Korean government, but they keep losing every time. The most recent was when Eunseok, an S-rank hunter, lost his life on duty. They decide to leave the island, hoping that the ants die of starvation, but that didn’t happen. Instead of becoming weaker, they evolved and became stronger.
The Hunter Association was putting together a team of S-Ranks to enter the island and end the fear of the ants. South Korea‘s top hunters, including Cha Hae-In and Choi Jong-In, answered the call, forming an elite raid team to handle the threat. Many different guilds, including some from Japan, were invited to come and join the strike squad that will attempt to take down the ants. At this point, Jinwoo was invited to join the group that would be going to the island. Unfortunately for the strike squad, he declined as he had just cured his mother of her ailment. As good of an opportunity as it was, he decided to sit it out and focus on his mother.
But the strike team felt confident even without Jinwoo, as their number had gone up to 15 S-rank hunters. They felt that with their number and the skill of independent hunters, they were going to win. Everyone had solidified their resolves and had trained as much as they wanted. On the day of the raid, the A-rank hunters were on ships surrounding the island, while the S-rank hunters were flown over to the island. This battle was geared to be one of the biggest Solo Leveling fights so far.
Byung-gu, a traumatized retired S-rank healer, finally decided to accompany them as a healer. Additionally, an A-Rank Hunter accompanied them to the island as a cameraman. The Japanese hunters acted as a diversion squad to pull out the ants, while the South Korean hunters went for the queen. Other hunters managed to make it past all the royal guards and get to the queen. The queen’s durability was quite impressive, but it was not enough to help her win against that many S-rank hunters. In a beautiful display of swordsmanship, Cha delivered the final blow to the queen. And that was the end, or so they thought.
Meet the Ant King
The Ant King’s initial appearance was an entrance of a lifetime. He moved so fast that he did not appear on the screen. He was attracted to the magical energy released by the diversion team and left the queen’s side. But in battle, he was something entirely different. In the flash of an eye, he took Shimizu and Kenzo’s heads. Fujishima tried to react, but he too was beheaded. Following the death of the Queen, all the ants that went out (including the Ant King) came back and broke through Cho Jongini’s fire net.
When the Ant King stood in front of the S-rank hunters, they felt terrified. This ant was black rather than the red and white that they had seen, and its presence was spine-chilling. It completely ignored the hunters in front of him and walked to the carcass of the Queen. After confirming the death of the Queen, the Ant King charged into battle. He put Cha Haein out of commission in one blow, then proceeded to make light work of the rest. He killed Byung-gu and ate his head. At this point, the Ant King was able to speak. After sensing Goto outside, he left the rest of the Korean hunters licking their wounds.
Inside the Queen’s chamber, the Korean hunters were getting seriously pressed, and when all hope seemed lost, Sung Jinwoo’s shadows that had been placed in the shadow of the hunters spawned and protected them. At this point, Sung Jinwoo uses his “Exchange” skill and appears on the battlefield.
The Ant King’s Power and Dominance
The creature known as the Ant King wasn’t just another monster. Even though he was less than a day old, the Ant King was at the top of the food chain for the ants in terms of power. He represented an evolutionary leap beyond the other ants. His massive frame carried scythe-like arms capable of slicing through hunter armor like paper, while his reflexes outmatched even the most skilled human fighters.
He was fast, strong, accurate, and had a large magical power. The way he went through the S-rank hunters that included Cha Haein and Baek Yoonho from South Korea and Shimizu, Kenzo, and Fujishima from Japan shows how powerful he is. The Ant King also managed to take down Goto, one of the most powerful hunters viewers have been introduced to. With no weaknesses and no mercy, he was seen as an unstoppable force.
The Ant King’s most unsettling ability was his Gluttony ability (evolution through consumption). This meant that as he ate, he grew stronger, absorbing the knowledge and skills of whatever creature he ate. The trait meant that as he devoured Byung-gu, he had learned some of his abilities and knowledge. This was shown in how he was able to speak after eating his head.
Sung Jinwoo Enters the Fray
The moment Sung Jinwoo arrived, the battlefield changed. Unlike other hunters, he had evolved beyond human capabilities. His power was not just superior; it was overwhelming. It was beautiful seeing Iron and his fellow shadows exterminate all the ant soldiers. Jinwoo focused on healing the other hunters who were damaged while the shadows fought.
As Jinwoo was about to create an exit path for them, the Ant King reappeared. The other hunters watched in awe as Jinwoo approached the terrifying figure. The way Jinwoo stopped right in front of the Ant King was thrilling for viewers watching. He even went ahead to taunt the King, calling him “a talking bug.”
During the rowdiness of the previous encounter, the camera had stopped working, and the live broadcast was put on hold. At this point, the camera started working again, and the world was about to see the battle between Jinwoo and the Ant King unfold. Everyone watching (Jinha included) was anxious to see how the newly approved S-rank would fare in battle against this creature. This was a very pivotal fight for Jinwoo in Solo Leveling.
The Intensity of the Fight
The first exchange was a blow-for-blow. The Ant King landed a blow that he believed had destroyed Jinwoo. To his surprise, Jinwoo was unfazed and responded with a much stronger punch that made the Ant King almost fall. For the first time, we saw the green blood of the Ant King spill. Their exchange of punches kept going for a while, and all the hunters were watching.
The Ant King, who used to be the predator, found himself getting pushed back. In his short life so far, he had not met anyone who was this strong, resilient, and powerful. During the exchange, he used his tongue to injure Jinwoo and poisoned him with a mixture of toxins from the marine life in the area. This was the first time Jinwoo fell to his knees. At this point, it seemed like things were over for Jinwoo. But Jinwoo countered by grabbing his arm and punching him so hard that he went flying a couple of meters. After realizing how futile his prior attacks have been, the Ant King transforms into another form. Jinwoo responds in kind by drawing his daggers.
The next exchange between the two was so fast that they appeared as red (the Ant King) and blue (Jinwoo) lines on the screen. Baek Yoonho was visibly having difficulty keeping track of their movements. Jinwoo was overwhelming the Ant King with his superior power and speed. Notably, there was a point where the Ant King was a whisker away from piercing Jinwoo’s skull, but Jinwoo managed to counter and cut off his arms.
Every attack he landed left the Ant King reeling, his once-formidable presence reduced to a desperate attempt to stay alive. At this point, the Ant King used regeneration (an ability from Byung-gu), made an ice barrier, and started running. But Jinwoo chased him down and started dicing him up.
The Brutal Finish
In a fit of last resort effort, the Ant King commanded his ants to attack Jinwoo, who matched him by deploying his shadows. The Ant King goes through his first and final existential crisis, questioning himself. He was born to be the strongest, and yet, here he was losing to a human. Even after devouring others and getting stronger, he was not strong enough to be King.
For the first time, the predator became the prey. In a last, desperate act, he attempted to flee, hoping to escape the inevitable. But Jinwoo wasn’t about to let that happen. With an innate fear of all creatures, he attempted to run again. With terrifying speed, Jinwoo caught up, delivering a final series of devastating blows. His strikes were precise, calculated, and merciless, tearing through the Ant King’s defenses with ease. Jinwoo ultimately ended the battle here and leveled up twice. The remaining ants fled the scene, and a victorious Jinwoo ran to save Cha Haein.
The Aftermath and Jinwoo’s Evolution
Before doing what he did next, Jinwoo asked that the camera stop rolling. As none of the potions he used worked to save Haein, he decided to make a shadow of Byung-gu to heal her. This saved her, but she remained unconscious. He dissolved the shadow after it healed Haein as per Yoonho’s request.
At this point, the other hunters took an unconscious Haein and evacuated the island, leaving Jinwoo to take care of the unhatched eggs and remaining ants. As there was no King or Queen, all the remaining ants were without a leader and ran amok. The defensive line of A-rank that was placed strategically from the island had their hands full with the swarm.
Jinwoo used his Shadow Extraction ability to revive the Ant King in the form of a shadow. As it spawned, it spoke and asked for a name. Jinwoo noticed that it had a new general rank and gave it the name Beru. Beru’s first order was to thin out the numbers of the remaining ants that were going towards the city, which it did effortlessly and efficiently.
His victory over the Ant King was just another Jinwoo moment that makes him clutch. As an added bonus, he got a General Rank Shadow, Beru, and a swarm of ants to add to his shadow collection. This fight proved beyond a doubt that he had surpassed all expectations, becoming a force that even the world’s strongest hunters could not compare to.
Conclusion
Sung Jinwoo’s battle against the Ant King is one of Solo Leveling’s most legendary fights. It shows how far Jinwoo has come, how powerful he has become, and how unstoppable he truly is. The smooth animation, beautiful fight choreography, and sheer intensity make this battle stand out. Its significance in the story and execution make it one of the most unforgettable clashes in anime and web novel history.
For Solo Leveling fans, this fight just sums up everything good about the series: epic battles, character development, and intense action. Whether you’re rereading it or reading it for the first time, Jinwoo vs. the Ant King is one of the most exhilarating fights the series offers.
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