Shocking Deaths and Surprising Survivors: Jeju Island Arc’s Ultimate Showdown!

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This article contains major spoilers from Solo Leveling’s Jeju Island Arc.

Summary

  • Jeju Island Arc features a dangerous joint mission with 16 S-rank hunters from South Korea and Japan.
  • Despite the practical strategy, the Ant King claims the lives of 8 S-rank hunters in the raid.
  • Sung Jin-Woo saves the day by defeating the Ant King and Queen, solidifying his status as a one-man army.

The exhilarating Jeju Island storyline within “Solo Leveling” sees top-tier South Korean and Japanese hunters joining forces to prevent the ants from escaping and wreaking further chaos. With the lives of 16 elite S-rank hunters hanging in the balance, who ultimately perishes, and who manages to endure in the thrilling climax of “Solo Leveling’s” Jeju Island Arc?

Prior to the combined operation between the two countries, South Korea had already attempted to resolve the dungeon breach on Jeju Island, sending no less than three missions. Unfortunately, none of these efforts resulted in success, leading instead to the loss of many hunters, including the high-ranking mage Eunseok. This series of failures significantly affected the morale of the government. Over time, the ants have adapted, acquiring wings and escalating the problem beyond South Korea’s borders, affecting neighboring Asian nations as well.

The Jeju Island Raid Party

Who’s in the Dangerous Joint Mission?

16 elite S-rank hunters, all hailing from both Japan and South Korea, have devised a straightforward yet effective plan for their raid on Jeju Island: The Japanese team will lure and battle the ants away from their nest, while the South Korean group focuses on eliminating the queen, avoiding her protective guards. Among the South Koreans are Choi Jong-In, Cha Hae-In, Baek Yoonho, Lim Tae-Gyu, Ma Dongwook, and even Min Byung-Gu, a retired healer who’s rejoining the fray. A passionate A-rank hunter, known for his penchant for risky raids, is also part of the South Korean contingent, allowing the entire nation to view the intense operation live on stream.

“Hey, you’re emitting quite a fearsome aura, Ant.”—Goto Ryuji to the Ant King

Contrarily, the Japanese hunting party is headed by Goto Ryuji, the esteemed leader of the Draw Sword Guild and Japan’s most formidable hunter. Accompanying him are nine elite S-rank hunters from his guild, such as Minoru Hoshino, Mari Ishida, Kanae Tawata, Atsushi Kumamoto, Tatsumi Fujishima, Kenzo Tanaka, Akari Shimizu, Ippei Izawa, and Kei. These team members were organized into four distinct units: Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, and Delta.

Who Dies in the Jeju Island Arc?

Death Toll Revealed

As I stood there, the Ant King, hidden boss of the Red Gate, had just taken down eight elite S-rank hunters, a testament to the formidable power now wielded by this evolved being. The Delta team, comprising Kei and Ippei, was decimated, as were the Charlie team members Tatsumi, Kenzo, and Shimizu. The Alpha team’s Goto Ryuji and Mari Ishida were also among the fallen, while fortunately for us, Kumamoto and Tawata from Bravo team survived. This tragic loss not only affected the Draw Sword Guild but sent shockwaves throughout all of Japan.

I haven’t interacted with ants since my childhood days. I recall the soft, distant popping sounds each time I burned an ant with a lighter. Nowadays, those noises remind me of fireworks.”

Or, in a more conversational tone:
“It’s been quite some time since I messed around with ants, which was back when I was just a kid. Every time I lit up an ant with a lighter, there was this faint snapping sound. Nowadays, those sounds take me back to fireworks.

During this time, Min Byung-Gu valiantly perished in the Queen’s lair, even as the top South Korean S-rank hunters banded together against him. In an act of selflessness, he exerted all his efforts to heal his comrades, going as far as enhancing their abilities and restoring their severed limbs, despite his own emotional trauma following Eunseok’s demise and the threat posed by the Ant King. Byung-Gu had initially planned to teach, but he decided instead to join his fellow hunters, particularly Baek Yoonho, on this perilous journey. His untimely death was a significant loss.

Ultimately, Sung Jin-Woo successfully passed through the S-rank gate by eliminating both the Ant King and the Ant Queen. He also extracted the shadow of the Ant King, naming him Beru, and officially incorporated this advanced being into his troop of soldiers. Additionally, he extracted Byung-Gu’s shadow to help heal Cha Hae-In’s severe wounds, but later chose to rescind the extraction as a tribute to Byung-Gu and his dislike for fighting monsters.

What Happens After the Jeju Island Raid?

Jeju Island Raid’s Aftermath

After the somewhat victorious Jeju Island Raid, Sung Jin-Woo became a hot topic across the nation, with some admiring his skills and others questioning his timing. Critics argue that if Jin-Woo had shown up earlier, lives might have been saved. On the flip side, Jin-Woo’s extraordinary talents have caught the eye of every nation globally, especially the United States. They are eager to enlist Jin-Woo on their team, but Go Gun-Hee is resolute in keeping Jin-Woo within South Korea by offering him special privileges.

The “Jeju Island Arc” of Solo Leveling delivers an intense and emotional narrative, revealing the terrifying reality of an S-rank gate, showing that even top-tier hunters like Sung Jin-Woo can be put in peril by its dangers. Notably, this storyline serves as a crucial milestone for the series, firmly establishing Sung Jin-Woo’s role as a formidable solo force to reckon with.

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2025-03-13 03:25