Solo Leveling Season 2: The Hunters’ Desperate Last Stand

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This material includes spoilers for Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow- Episode 5, titled “Our Instinctive Responses,” which can be found on Crunchyroll.

Summary

  • Sung Jinwoo joins the Hunters Guild’s secondary strike team to raid a C-Rank Gate and encounters High Orcs, leading to a tense situation.
  • Sung Jinwoo meets Cha Hae In, an S-Rank Hunter, who takes an interest in him due to his pleasant scent.
  • The secondary strike team faces a powerful Dungeon boss, Kargalgan, who gives them an ultimatum to either meet him, or die immediately.

In the thrilling fifth installment of Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow-, I found myself embroiled in another exhilarating adventure as I tagged along with the secondary strike team of the Hunters Guild, ostensibly for a C-Rank Gate assignment as a mere porter. However, my role quickly evolved as we ventured deeper into the Dungeon, affording me an unparalleled view of the coordinated strategies and masterful teamwork displayed by this elite group of Hunters. But alas, even a simple porter like myself couldn’t escape the fray when it was revealed that the Dungeon harbored formidable High-Orcs – cunning magic beasts with organizational skills reminiscent of the ice elves from the Red Gate Incident!

In a predicament with no escape, the commanding Raid Captain, elite tank Son Kihoon, faces a tough decision: engage in battle immediately, or be escorted to confront the Dungeon’s ruler, setting the stage for what promises to be an enthralling fight sequence in the next episode.

Sung Jinwoo Meets Cha Hae In For the First Time

Love At First Scent?

In the previous scene, I found myself standing outside the Boss Room in the A-Rank Dungeon, where the main strike team of the Hunters Guild, headed by Choi Jong In, had just sealed off the area. As I looked on, a figure emerged behind Jinwoo – none other than S-Rank Hunter Cha Hae In. With a quiet step and piercing gaze, she inquired as to why he was there. Her eyes flickered towards the weapon in his hand, but it vanished so swiftly that she questioned her own perception. She motioned for him to move closer, then leaned in for a sniff. This was no ordinary inquiry; Cha Hae In has an unusual condition that heightens her sense of smell to extraordinary levels. Hunters typically emit an unpleasant odor, but not Jinwoo – he’s the only one she’s ever encountered who didn’t reek of that tell-tale scent.

Readers of the manhwa will recognize that Cha Hae In is destined for Jinwoo, and in the follow-up story Solo Leveling: Ragnarök, she becomes the mother of his son, Sung Suho. Following their encounter, Jinwoo confides in his mining companions about her, revealing that they speak highly of her dedication to safeguarding them from dungeon perils. During her free time, Cha Hae In patrols dungeons to ensure any escaped monsters are promptly dealt with. Their meeting leaves a strong impact on Cha Hae In, prompting her to seek details about Jinwoo from the Hunter Association. This investigation leads her to discover that Choi Jong In has also requested information about him, deepening her curiosity towards him even more.

The Next Gig

Jinwoo Is Recruited to Help The Hunters Guild Once More

Once the tasks are completed, the miner’s foreman expresses gratitude towards Jinwoo for a job done efficiently and shows interest in keeping him on permanently, but Jinwoo gently refuses. Subsequently, the boss invites Jinwoo to return the next day as they aim to tackle both an A-Rank and C-Rank Gate simultaneously. The Hunters Guild’s secondary strike team will join them to complete the A-Rank Gate left open by the primary team, followed by the C-Rank Gate, starting with the latter one.

During morning hours, Jinwoo once more demonstrates his prowess, prompting the mining team leader to make another attempt at recruiting him, this time offering a fivefold increase in pay due to Jinwoo’s exceptional work pace that expedited their project completion. Just then, the secondary strike team leader, A-Rank Tank Son Kihoon, approaches them requesting additional help from the mining team as their equipment carrier failed to appear and the collection team is understaffed. Despite the concerns expressed by others regarding the potential danger, Jinwoo expresses his willingness to join them. However, upon learning that Jinwoo is an E-Ranker, Kihoon requests his presence.

Secondary Strike Team Raids a C-Rank Gate

Horrors Await Them Inside

At the gate, Jinwoo observes that it appears larger than yesterday’s, yet Kihoon mentions its magic output is diminished. Impressed, Jinwoo reflects on how extraordinary it would be for a guild to assemble such high-caliber talent on a “B-Team,” underscoring the Hunters Guild’s immense power. As they step through the gate, Jinwoo senses less magical energy in the atmosphere, but is once again struck by the same wave of despair he experienced during the Red Gate Incident. Another hunter notices his unease and encourages him, assuring him their team is strong. With Kihoon set to become captain soon, there’s a hint of apprehension, but as an accomplished A-Rank Hunter, he should be capable of managing a C-Rank gate.

Initially, the party encounters a swarm of Dungeon Jackals, impressing Jinwoo with their synchronized attacks and formation without verbal commands. Collars on the slain jackals suggest they were tamed. Subsequently, a large contingent of High Orcs assaults them, creating a challenging predicament as even a single High Orc is formidable for an A-Ranker, let alone a group. The skirmish kicks off with intense fight sequences, showcasing impressive animations, particularly when Jinwoo joins the fray using Stealth to minimize his impact. With Jinwoo’s intervention, the backup team manages to escape the surprise attack without any casualties, interpreting it as a stroke of good fortune. Kihoon suggests that the main group should withdraw from this Dungeon and retreat, but their departure is obstructed by a potent magical barricade.

I am called Kargalgan. I am a proud orcish master of curses.

That Funny Feeling

The High Orcs’ Trap

either meet him, or die at the hands of his soldiers. Kihoon decides to meet him and asks Jihoon to use any opportunity created during their attack on the Boss to flee the Dungeon and signal for help from the main team.

Instead of planning to stay alive, another Hunter asks him to pass on her last will and testament to her family before she dies. Jinwoo finds this feeling of hopelessness similar to what he felt at the Cartenon Double Dungeon, but unlike that time, he’s not being deserted by his fellow Hunters. On her day off, Cha Hae In goes back to the Gate and discovers that Jinwoo is inside. However, she doesn’t realize that Jinwoo and the others are walking into a massive coliseum-like hall where Kargalgan sits on a throne, with countless High Orcs surrounding them. This episode was visually appealing, and the introduction of Kargalgan was a thrilling event that increases anticipation for the next episode. Without a doubt, this will be an extraordinary episode!

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2025-02-02 20:55