8 Solo Leveling Characters That Can Rival Sung Jinwoo In Power

by

This article contains spoilers from the Solo Leveling anime and manhwa.

It’s hard to find anyone in Solo Leveling who could beat Jinwoo, particularly after he gained the Shadow Monarch’s abilities. While most hunters can’t compete with him now, it doesn’t mean all the other characters in Solo Leveling are weak.

Even though Jinwoo has become incredibly powerful in Solo Leveling, there are still others who could match his strength. He knows the power balance is always changing, which motivates him to keep getting stronger and reach his full potential.

The Architect of the System

Kandiaru Can Deactivate Jinwoo’s Shadows

The Architect of the System will be a major challenge for Jinwoo in Season 3 of Solo Leveling. As the creator of the System that helped Jinwoo gain his powers, the Architect understands it completely. This makes him a particularly dangerous opponent, able to find and exploit weaknesses in how Jinwoo grows stronger – something very few enemies can do.

During Jinwoo and Kandiaru’s battle in the Double Dungeon Arc, the Architect manipulated the System to his advantage, notably disabling Jinwoo’s shadows. He nearly defeated Jinwoo by adding a strict time limit to the fight, pushing him to the edge of death before Jinwoo ultimately prevailed.

Ashborn

Ashborn Is the Original Owner of Jinwoo’s Powers

If it weren’t for Ashborn, Jinwoo would have remained a weak, low-level hunter with no chance to improve. Without being chosen as Ashborn’s successor, he would have continued to struggle in anonymity, never realizing the incredible power and status that came with being the Shadow Monarch. He might even have died in a dungeon, just another forgotten hunter.

As a huge fan of this series, let me tell you, Ashborn, the Shadow Monarch, is absolutely terrifying! He’s basically on the same power level as Jinwoo, meaning he controls an army of shadows and is unbelievably strong – strong enough to genuinely scare even the most powerful Monarchs and Rulers. It’s incredible!

Antares

Antares Is Jinwoo’s Ultimate Opponent

In the world of Solo Leveling, Antares is Jinwoo’s greatest challenge. Living up to his title as the Monarch of Destruction, Antares is incredibly powerful and commands the respect of the other Monarchs. Jinwoo knew facing him required careful planning, as even a small error could be fatal.

Antares, also called the King of Dragons, is the ultimate enemy in Solo Leveling. Defeating him will require Jinwoo to use all of his power, clever tactics, and the full extent of his Shadow Monarch abilities.

The Absolute Being

The Absolute Being Created the Monarchs and the Rulers

In the world of Solo Leveling, the Absolute Being is the source of all conflict. He created both the Monarchs and the Rulers simply for his own amusement. As the series’ God, he’s likely far more powerful than anyone else, even surpassing the strongest beings like Jinwoo, the Rulers, and the Monarchs.

Although the Absolute Being has never demonstrated his power through combat, it’s generally understood that he’s all-powerful. He can alter reality and influence events without ever directly intervening in conflicts.

Blood-Red Commander Igris

Jinwoo Almost Lost to Igris

Wow, do you remember back in Season 1 of Solo Leveling? I was blown away when Igris, the Blood-Red Commander, fought Jinwoo! Even back then, Igris was a total powerhouse. Every swing of his sword was so precise and deadly – it felt like Jinwoo was this close to being defeated with every single hit. It was an intense fight, even considering how much stronger Jinwoo gets later on!

Without Igris dropping his sword, Jinwoo likely wouldn’t have survived. Fortunately, a stroke of luck and his own courage bought him the time he needed to heal and grow stronger from the experience.

Baruka

Jinwoo Fails to Summon Baruka’s Shadow

Baruka was a powerful enemy who gave Jinwoo a tough fight. During the Red Gate incident, this ice-based leader bravely faced Jinwoo and his shadow soldiers, using his special skills to effectively counter Jinwoo’s attacks and almost drain his magical energy.

Fans of Solo Leveling might recall that Jinwoo wasn’t able to summon Baruka due to a significant power imbalance. Shadow Extraction requires the person being summoned to be weaker than the summoner, and Baruka was simply too strong for Jinwoo to control.

Sung Il-Hwan

Sung Il-Hwan Can Fight Two Monarchs Simultaneously

Sung Il-Hwan is the father of Korea’s most powerful hunter, and many believe he’s a force to be reckoned with, potentially on par with Jinwoo. While Jinwoo is incredibly talented, Sung Il-Hwan is a highly skilled and experienced hunter who has earned his own reputation. Furthermore, he’s connected to the Rulers, granting him unique and immense power that sets him apart.

I’ve seen some incredible displays of power in Solo Leveling, and Sung Il-Hwan definitely stands out. He took down the S-rank hunter Hwang Dong-Soo with what looked like ease, and then I witnessed him fighting two Monarchs at the same time – all while making sure Jinwoo stayed safe. Honestly, it’s hard to argue he isn’t one of the strongest hunters around, maybe even the second strongest after Jinwoo himself.

Thomas Andre

Thomas Andre Endures a Solo Fight Against Jinwoo

No discussion of top hunters would be complete without mentioning Thomas Andre, widely considered America’s strongest. He’s a highly skilled fighter at the national level and a major rival to Jinwoo. Even now, fans debate whether Jinwoo, after the events of Season 2, could actually win in a fight against him. Regardless of the outcome of that hypothetical battle, Thomas Andre is clearly an incredibly powerful hunter.

Adapting the International Guild Arc in Season 3 of Solo Leveling, specifically the fight between Thomas Andre and Jinwoo (where Thomas is at least level 120), would finally show us just how powerful Thomas truly is. He’d have to face Jinwoo’s immense Shadow Monarch abilities and somehow survive a legendary battle.

Read More

2025-11-20 17:35