Unveiling Baran: The Fearsome Monarch of White Flames in Solo Leveling!

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Summary

  • Baran was once an ally of Ashborn and a Monarch who fought the Rulers for eons.
  • Jinwoo faces Baran during the Return to Demon Castle arc in Solo Leveling.
  • Being a Monarch, Baran proved to be a fearsome and powerful opponent to Jinwoo.

In the series Solo Leveling, a variety of potent beings propel its storyline. Up until now, we’ve encountered some formidable S-Rank Hunters alongside fearsome monsters from other dimensions. Yet, fans are anxiously awaiting the appearance of a Monarch in the show, and yes, that event is imminent.

In the “Return to the Demon Castle” arc within “Solo Leveling”, our protagonist, Jinwoo, confronts Baran, a formidable figure known as the Monarch of White Flames, also infamously called the King of Demons. This powerful adversary offers a tough challenge for Jinwoo, leaving readers intrigued about the identity and backstory of the King of Demons and how he came to be in the Demon Castle.

WARNING: This post contains MAJOR SPOILERS from the Solo Leveling Manhwa series.

Baran Faught Rulers Alongside Other Monarchs For Eons

He Was Once An Ally Of Ashborn

In a similar vein to other monarchs and rulers, Baran was bestowed upon by one of the Itarim Deities. The Monarch of White Flames waged wars against fellow rulers for eternities, all at the behest of their God who found this conflict merely amusing. Even after the rulers slew their God following a betrayal, Baran and other monarchs persisted in their struggle against the rulers. Interestingly, Ashborn – initially a ruler himself – remained loyal to his deity until the end. After the demise of his God, Ashborn invoked the powers of the Shadow Monarch and allied with the monarchs to carry on the battle against the rulers. Thus, one could say that Baran and Ashborn were once allies, engaged in an eternal struggle alongside the Shadow Monarch against their common foes, the rulers.

As a fervent supporter, I didn’t harbor any allegiance towards the Monarchs, but I chose to align with them to thwart the Rulers from triumphing in the war. Despite my pivotal role within their ranks, Antares, the Monarch of Destruction, began to tremble at the Shadow Monarch’s potent abilities. Consequently, he entrusted his loyal pawns, Baran and Rakan, with a sinister task: to eliminate me. Regrettably, their stealth attack didn’t bear fruit, as I effortlessly overpowered them both. Rakan managed to elude a gruesome demise, but poor Baran faced a grim end at the hands of the Shadow Monarch. You might be curious about who engaged in mortal combat with Jinwoo during the Return to Demon Castle arc if Baran was crushed by my skull. The answer, surprisingly, is not me.

Baran’s Appearance In ‘Return To Demon Castle’ Arc

It turns out that the Baran who battled against Jinwoo in the ‘Return to Demon Castle’ arc was not the genuine Monarch of White Flames; instead, he was a clone. You see, when Monarchs and Rulers transported their selfish feud to Earth, Kandiaru manufactured a duplicate of Baran to serve as the ultimate boss for the Demon Castle. For those who are unfamiliar, Kandiaru is the same entity who developed ‘The System’ and decided to train Jinwoo to become Ashborn’s vessel.

He has a remarkable force! Will I be able to….defeat this monster? – Jinwoo upon seeing Baran.

In his lifetime, Baran possessed a formidable and colossal dragon. After his demise, the dragon continued to be confined by Ashborn. However, Kandiaru chose to utilize this dragon in the Demon Castle, with the silver wyvern pledging allegiance to Baran’s clone as its master. It’s noteworthy that although the clone shared the same appearance and powers as the authentic Monarch, it was significantly weaker than the genuine ruler. Had it been the real Baran within the Demon Castle, he would have undoubtedly vanquished Jinwoo. Indeed, Jinwoo held immense power, but he wouldn’t have triumphed against a Monarch without the full powers of the Shadow Monarch.

Jinwoo’s Fight With Baran In The Demon Castle

Jinwoo Faces Him Upon Reaching The 100th Floor

Jinwoo chose to confront Demon Castle in order to make a substantial leap in levels and collect its treasures, yet his main objective was acquiring all pieces of the Life-Reviving Holy Water. On his initial journey to Demon Castle, Jinwoo successfully obtained two fragments. However, he had to vanquish Baran to lay hands on the third fragment.

So far, Jinwoo had never encountered an adversary as formidable as Baran. Unlike common monsters found within dungeons, Baran was none other than the clone of the Demon King himself. While Jinwoo effortlessly dispatched numerous minions under Baran’s command, defeating his clone proved challenging.

In fact, Baran seemed poised to claim victory in their battle, but just when things looked dire, Esil, a demon girl who had been with Jinwoo since the 80th floor, created a distraction. Seizing this chance, Jinwoo unleashed a powerful strike against Baran, finally defeating the Demon Castle’s final boss.

It’s worth noting that Jinwoo usually prefers to tackle opponents single-handedly, but in this case, it’s clear that he couldn’t have emerged victorious without Esil’s assistance.

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2025-02-19 18:36