Solo Leveling: 13 Strongest Characters In The Manhwa, Ranked

Summary

• Sung Jin Woo's journey to a powerhouse showcases overcoming obstacles to become the strongest in Manhwa.
• Monarchs in Solo Leveling display unmatched abilities.
• Sung Jin Woo, the beloved protagonist, exhibits strategic planning and selflessness to conquer formidable adversaries.

In Solo Leveling, the protagonist, Sung Jin Woo, starts as an E-rank hunter and undergoes numerous hardships and near-death experiences to become one of the strongest characters in the manhwa. Throughout his journey to level up in the System, he is accompanied by many mighty hunters with unique and astonishing abilities that help him fight terrifying monsters.

Solo Leveling: 10 Most Powerful S-Rank Hunters

These hunters are the strongest you'll find in Solo Leveling.

Only a few S-class hunters managed to survive the brutal arcs of Solo Leveling. Besides these hunters, there are a lot of mighty Monarchs and Rulers as well, with truly unmatched abilities. To rank them accurately, it is essential to consider their strengths, battle tactics, skills, and intellectual abilities.

Updated on May 18, 2025, by William Quick: While there is still no guarantee that we'll see season 3 of Solo Leveling anytime soon, we have plenty of the manhwa to read and enjoy. Depending on who you ask, the manhwa may be the preferred way to enjoy the story, as it provides more details concerning character depth and offers greater information on elements like the system. It encompasses a multitude of story arcs and even extends into future stories where Sung Jinwoo is not the main protagonist. Here are some of the strongest characters that you'll read about while exploring the manhwa.

13 Thomas Andre

The National Level Goliath

Before Jin Woo came into the picture, Thomas Andre was considered to be the most powerful hunter in the world. Assigned to the USA, the national-level hunter battled a fierce dragon called Kamish and turned his fangs into powerful daggers.

The S-class tank hunter has a very aggressive playstyle and can use skills like Spiritual Body Manifestation and Ruler’s Authority, being a Ruler’s Vessel. While he couldn’t win against Jin Woo and the Beast Monarch, he still managed to put up a tough fight against them and survive, despite grave injuries.

12 Sung IL Hwan

One Of The Very First S-Rank hunters In Korea

After years of being trapped inside a dungeon, Sung IL Hwan is finally released by the Rulers, serving as a vessel for them. He is tasked with the duty of killing the new Shadow Monarch before finding out he is his son.

Even though his appearance was brief, he managed to win the hearts of many fans as he battled against two Monarchs on his own, giving Jin Woo enough time to resurrect as the Shadow Monarch. When he became a hunter, there was no ranking system, but it is safe to say that Sung IL Hwan easily qualifies as an S-rank fighter.

11 The Frost Monarch

Cold-Blooded And Powerful

Sillad, better known as the Frost Monarch, is a highly intellectual individual who managed to fatally injure Sung Jin Woo despite not being as strong as other monarchs. He paired up with other monarchs to stop the Mage hunter and used his ice magic on S-rank hunters to defeat them.

Solo Leveling: Best Fights In The Manhwa

These fights are truly epic and in some cases story changing.

His reflexes and speed are unmatched, and gave Jin Woo a tough time during combat. The King of Snow Folk has some of the best ice-based abilities in Solo Leveling Manhua, making him one of the most powerful characters.

10 Legia

The Monarch Of The Beginning

If you know one thing is true when it comes to characters, it's that if someone has a black beard, chances are that they're extremely dangerous. Of course, you can tell that Legia is far more hazardous than that before you even get close enough to see his face. He's a monstrous being known as the King of Giants, and the Monarch of the Beginning, a boss entity hidden deep within a Tokyo S-Rank Gate.

Even though Sung Jinwoo encountered Legia when he was supposedly at his weakest, Legia was imprisoned by the Rulers due to the threat he posed. As a result, he became entwined in chains and had limited movement, but still proved to be a powerful opponent. After failing to escape his bonds, he launches a full assault against Jinwoo, but we only witness a fraction of his true power, which is still enough to make Jinwoo take him seriously.

9 The Monarch Of White Flames

The Hell-Raising King Of The Demons

Baran, known as the Monarch of White Flames, is considered to be one of the strongest in Solo Leveling. He and Rakan were ordered by Antares to kill Ashborn but failed to accomplish their mission. Later on, Jin Woo faces his clone in the Demon’s Castle's final floor and engages in a devastating battle.

He possesses immense strength and is capable of summoning an army of demons to aid him. Despite his power surpassing Jin Woo's, he lost against him thanks to the Mage Hunter’s intellect and strategic thinking.

8 The Monarch Of Beastly Fangs

Unmatched Physical Strength

The King of Beasts, Rakan, is a cunning Monarch who has single-handedly defeated mighty S Rank hunters, including Thomas Andre, without using the maximum of his ability. He possesses a very arrogant and boastful persona, but whenever he is on the verge of losing a fight, he often flees the battlefield.

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In the battle against Jin Woo, he cunningly dealt a fatal blow to his back, which knocked him out. When Jin Woo reawakened, he was quickly able to overcome both Rakan and Sillad. Due to his physical strength and unconventional tactics, he is considered one of the most powerful Monarchs.

7 Yogumunt

The King Of Demonic Specters

Among all the Monarch characters, Yogumunt was one of the few who was not only cautious, but clever. When he was asked to kill Sung Il-Hwan, Yogumunt immediately refused as he knew just how strong the target was and wasn't foolish enough to charge into battle. He would bide his time and find the right moment to strike with his might.

Yogumunt would spend his time planning his attack with fellow Monarch Antares in an attempt to overwhelm Jinwoo. When the attack began, he stayed at a range and began opening a huge number of portals to let minions of all levels pour through and support them with his power. He was a native spellcaster and excelled at attacking from a distance with his skills and abilities.

6 The Monarch Of Destruction

The Oldest And Most Powerful Of All Monarchs

Antares is the final boss Jin Woo has to fight, and even after the latter’s awakening, he requires help from the Rulers to defeat the Monarch of Destruction. His speed and strength are rivaled only by Ashborn's. Antares was so scared of the Shadow Monarch that he ordered Baran and Rakan to kill him, but they failed to do so.

When he battled Jin Woo, he was able to summon an army of countless soldiers. Jin Woo knew he wouldn’t be able to fight Antares alone and decided to use the Rulers to kill him.

5 The Rulers

Beings Of Light

Created by the Absolute Being to protect the world, the rulers are mighty, angel-like warriors, always seen fighting in groups. Together, they were able to destroy the very entity that had created them, proving the strength they possessed.

Where To Watch Solo Leveling

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Although their power is not known, they have collectively defeated numerous powerful beings, including Ashborn. They also help Jin Woo win his final battle against Antares by killing him. Rulers are also able to bestow their powers onto humans, who are referred to as Ruler Vessels, like Thomas Andre and Sung IL Hwan.

4 The Monarch Of Shadows

Ruler Of The Shadows

Ashborn is without a doubt the strongest Monarch in Solo Leveling. Even though, in terms of individual strength, Antares outclasses Ashborn, the former was still intimidated by the Shadow Monarch’s powerful army and did all he could to stop him, but ultimately failed.

Ashborn’s Shadow Extraction ability allowed him to add enemies to his army by extracting their shadows. Formally being a Ruler, he could also make use of the Ruler’s Authority, which allowed him to control the movement of objects using only his mind.