Solo Leveling: All S-Rank Hunters And Their Abilities Explained

Warning: Contains big spoilers for Solo Leveling (manhwa and anime).

In the world of Solo Leveling, the S-rank hunters are the strongest front that humanity has to offer against the magical beasts and each S-rank hunter has their own unique fighting style and abilities that differentiate them. Powerful as they may be, S-rank hunters are scarce, and only a handful have been mentioned throughout Solo Leveling, with even fewer making an appearance or getting the chance to show off their abilities.

What makes S-ranks truly the strongest hunters in Solo Leveling is their immense mana, which cannot be measured even using the most advanced devices. Such power, coupled with their battle expertise and experience, often puts S-rank hunters above the law. Five of the strongest S-rank hunters have even been dubbed National Level hunters and wield as much authority as a country as their power can easily rival that of a nation’s entire military force. Hence, news of a new S-rank hunter awakening quickly becomes a nationwide sensation and draws plenty of attention within the series.

Yuri Orloff is Known as the Best Support-Type Hunter

Mage-type S-rank hunter from Russia

Yuri Orloff is a Russian S-rank hunter who specializes in creating barriers. Orloff is first introduced in chapter #123 when he arrives to help Japan with a massive S-rank gate in Tokyo. Orloff planned to contain the dungeon break with his barriers and the help of additional mana crystals. However, the barrier was swiftly broken by a giant from the gate, leaving the actual strength of Orloff’s barriers debatable despite his titles as a barrier specialist and the best support-type hunter.

Lennart Niermann is Ranked 12th in the World

S-rank hunter from Germany and guild master of the Richter Guild

Ranked as the 12th strongest hunter in the world and acclaimed as Germany’s strongest hunter, Lennart Niermann is yet another powerful S-rank hunter who does not get nearly enough time in the spotlight to truly show off his strength. Only one of Niermann’s skills has been revealed thus far called Charge, which he uses to create luminous gauntlets and to fire blasts of energy. Niermann uses this skill to save Thomas Andre during the battle against Rakan and the other Monarchs who attack Korea. He has also been shown to be incredibly perceptive, as he was able to detect Jinwoo’s hidden shadow soldiers.

Hwang Dongsoo Boasts Great Physical Strength

Fighter-type S-rank hunter from the USA belonging to the Scavenger Guild

Hwang Dongsoo was originally one of Korea’s S-rank hunters before he moved to America and joined the Scavenger Guild. In exchange for leaving Korea, Dongsoo’s powers were “upgraded’ by Norma Selner, which is reflected in his immense physical strength and durability. His fight against Sung Il-hwan also caused extensive damage to the surrounding landscape and buildings. That said, Dongsoo was utterly defeated by Il-hwan and while he was initially able to withstand some of Jinwoo’s attacks, he was eventually killed in the fight, leaving his true strength rather debatable.

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Goto Ryuji is Japan’s Strongest Hunter

Fighter-type S-rank hunter from Japan and guild master of the Blade Guild

Goto Ryuji is one of Japan’s strongest S-rank hunters and the guild master of the second largest guild in Asia known as the Blade Guild. Goto is considered the only hunter on equal footing with China’s Liu Zhigang and was even recognized by the Ant King as the strongest hunter on the island during the fourth Jeju Raid until Jinwoo’s arrival. Little is known about Goto’s full abilities, as, although he was able to briefly keep up with the Ant King, he was decapitated rather quickly. Nonetheless, Goto is depicted as quite a fierce combatant, as seen from his brief sparring session with Jinwoo.​​​​

Atsushi Kumamoto Goes Berserk

Fighter-type S-rank hunter from Japan belonging to the Blade Guild

Atsushi Kumamoto is a Japanese S-rank hunter introduced during the fourth Jeju Island Raid in Solo Leveling. Although Atsushi does not get a lot of focus amidst the chaos of the raid he does leave quite an impression during the sparring session against Korea’s S-ranks prior to the raid. Atsushi was able to keep up with both Baek Yoonho and Cha Hae-in in terms of speed. Surprisingly, he nearly outpaced the latter to the point that Jinwoo had to intervene before he could land the attack on Hae-in.

Atsushi also has a peculiar trait in that he goes into a berserker state when injured and begins blindly attacking everyone in sight, friend and foe alike. He has also displayed impressive physical strength as seen when he created a crater in the Korean Hunters’ Gym with a simple swing of his arm. Interesting as he may be, even though Atsushi is among the few to survive the Jeju raid, little is seen of him in the rest of the story.

Kei Wields Powerful Ice Magic

Mage-type S-rank hunter from Japan belonging to the Blade Guild

Kei is another Japanese hunter from the Blade Guild that joined the fourth Jeju Raid. Although little of his combat abilities are shown, Kei is shown to be particularly agile and is especially skilled at ice magic. During the raid, Kei was able to create a large wall of ice nearly instantly which is a testament to his S-rank status and immense mana.

Much like Cha Hae-in, Kei also has a sensitive sense of smell, so much so that he constantly wears a mask to block out the stench of mana. Thanks to his Mana Smell skill, Kei can also pick up on the scent of magic beasts, which helped him detect the Ant King during the raid but was unfortunately killed during the raid, leaving the full extent of his powers up to the imagination.

Liu Zhigang is China’s Top Hunter

Fighter-type S-rank hunter from China and National Level Hunter

Liu Zhigang is China’s strongest hunter with a seven-star ranking on China’s otherwise five-star scale for ranking hunters, which speaks volumes of his strength. He is also one of the National Level Hunters and is ranked the second strongest among them after Thomas Andre. Despite his reputation, Solo Leveling has only given fans a few glimpses of Liu Zhigang in action. However, these few instances speak volumes of his abilities.

Zhigang is seen taking down an entire swarm of ants with ease with just a single blast of energy from his sword during the fourth Jeju Island Raid. He was also able to defeat one of the giants that escaped to sea from the giant gate in Tokyo during the Tokyo Crisis, displaying immense speed and agility as he did so. As one of the Rulers’ vessels, Zhigang also possesses the Ruler’s Authority skill, which gives him telekinetic powers.

Thomas Andre is the Strongest National Level Hunter

Tanker-type S-rank hunter from the USA, National Level Hunter, and guild master of the Scavenger Guild

Thomas Andre is not only the strongest hunter from America but is also ranked first among the National Level Hunters, making him a force to be reckoned with. As a vessel to a Ruler, Thomas also possesses the telekinetic powers known as Ruler’s Authority, which he can take a step further, using the ability to suck objects towards him with force so great that Jinwoo likens it to a black hole and has to use Ruler’s Authority himself to avoid being pulled in. Dubbed Capture, Thomas Andre was also able to use this skill to even pull Kamish out of the sky.

Thomas can also transform into the body of a Ruler using Spiritual Body Manifestation to coat himself in golden armor, which boosts his attacks and defenses. Besides these skills, Thomas also boasts incredible physical strength. Even his punches are so strong that they can create deadly shock waves when he strikes the ground with his fist. He can also concentrate his mana into one fist to throw a single deathly destructive punch using a skill called Power Smash and these abilities eventually led to Thomas defeating one of the Monarchs during the final battle of Solo Leveling.

Christopher Reed Shows Only a Glimpse of His Destructive Flames

S-rank hunter from the USA and National Level Hunter

Christopher Reed is another one of the National Level Hunters who gained the title after defeating Kamish. Little is shown of Christopher’s fight against the Monarchs or his abilities, but he did display the ability to use Spiritual Body Manifestation, which took the Monarchs by surprise. Although he was defeated, Christopher was able to take on three of the Monarchs at once and was perceptive enough to detect when they had intruded on his home.

Judging from the brief glimpse of the battle, it appears as though Christopher might have been especially adept at using fire-type magic like Choi Jong-in, if not on a much more advanced level. The flames generated from his final battle against the Monarchs were especially vicious, with onlookers quickly recognizing it was no ordinary fire and that a single spark could burn one to a crisp. Besides these abilities, Christopher also possesses Ruler’s Authority as another one of the Rulers’ vessels.

Min Byung-gu is a Top-Class Healer with A-rank Combat Skills

Healer-type S-rank hunter from South Korea

Min Byung-gu is one of South Korea’s few S-rank hunters who retired after the third Jeju Island Raid. Although he may be a healer, Byung-gu is still a seasoned fighter with combat abilities comparable to that of an A-rank hunter and was able to hold his own against the ants at Jeju quite well. That said, Byung-gu is one of the best healers in Solo Leveling. He was able to regenerate Ma Dong-wook’s severed arm almost instantaneously and, even as a shadow, he was able to bring Cha Hae-in back from death’s doorstep. Byung-gu was also able to provide the team with potent buffs during the Jeju Raid and also possesses the skill to conceal his presence.

Lim Tae-gyu is a Skilled Archer

Ranger-type S-rank hunter from South Korea and guild master of the Fiend Guild

Known as the best ranger-type hunter in South Korea, Lim Tae-gyu is a skilled archer and the guild master of his own guild called the Fiend Guild. He can create multiple magic arrows and shoot them with great precision. These magic arrows are also quite strong and can cause quite a bit of damage, seeing as they were able to pierce the Ant Queen during the Jeju raid. That said, as a hunter who specializes in ranged attacks, close combat is naturally Tae-gyu’s biggest shortcoming and can put him at a significant disadvantage. While he may not get as much attention as Choi Jong-in or Baek Yoonho, Lim Tae-Gyu is certainly a strong S-rank hunter in his own right.

Ma Dongwook Can Gigantify Himself

S-rank hunter from South Korea and guild master of the Fame Guild

Ma Dongwook is yet another of South Korea’s few S-rank hunters who was introduced prior to the fourth Jeju raid. Like Jinwoo notes, differences in strength are apparent even among the S-rank hunters and this is especially the case with Ma Dongwook who, despite his stature, pales in terms of physical strength in comparison to South Korea’s more powerful S-rank hunters like Baek Yoonho.

While he does seem to have adequate combat experience, Dongwook was quickly defeated in a sparring match against the Japanese S-rank hunters. That said, Dongwook does have an interesting ability that allows him to grow approximately two times in size, and was able to hold up against the ants during the raid even after losing an arm.

Choi Jong-in’s Fire Magic Makes Him the Ultimate Hunter

Mage-type S-rank hunter from South Korea and guild master of the Hunters Guild

Known as “the Ultimate Hunter”, Choi Jong-in is the suave guild master of the Hunters Guild, his title coming from his ability to easily burn out swarms of magic beasts to a crisp with his fire magic. In fact, Choi Jong-in is also referred to as the best wielder of fire-type magic. While fire magic is the most common type in Solo Leveling, Choi Jong-in’s spells are especially powerful and can supposedly destroy an entire building with a single spell.​​​ He can also shape his fire magic into spears, nets, and even a small dragon. Overall, Jong-in uses his fire magic in a variety of ways, making his intelligence his most important trait.

Baek Yoonho Can Turn into a Fearsome Beast

S-rank hunter from South Korea and guild master of the White Tiger Guild

Baek Yoonho is another one of South Korea’s S-rank hunters and the guild master of the White Tiger Guild, a name that represents his particular skill set and abilities. Yoonho can transform into a powerful tiger-like humanoid beast with white fur, long glowing white hair, and massive fangs and claws. This ability appears to be unique to Yoonho among all the other S-rank hunters in the series. When transformed, Yoonho can sprint across long distances in mere seconds, and his sharp claws are capable of significant damage. That said, his hybrid form, which he refers to as his “enlightened state,” is arguably just as strong as when he is fully transformed.

Moreover, he also possesses a skill known as Eyes of the Beast through which he can read his opponent’s skill level and strength. This allowed Yoonho to deduce that Jinwoo was constantly leveling up and growing in strength. His supernatural vision and heightened perception also allow him to see miles ahead. Solo Leveling‘s anime adaptation further highlights Baek Yoonho’s raw physical strength through an added scene in episode #5 where Yoonho effortlessly punches a hole through a massive slab of concrete, obliterating it as part of his training regiment.

Cha Hae-in is Much Stronger Than She Appears

Fighter-type S-rank hunter from South Korea and vice-guild master of the Hunters Guild

Nicknamed “the Dancer” Cha Hae-in is known for her agility and sword skills. Cha Hae-in is the vice guild master of the Hunters Guild and the latest addition to Korea’s S-rank hunters (before Jinwoo) after she awakened two years prior to the beginning of the story. Cha Hae-in’s abilities have caught Jinwoo’s eye on multiple occasions who claims she may be as strong as Choi Jong-in and on the same level as Go Gunhee, if not slightly stronger. She has displayed many notable feats, the most impressive being her ability to throw multiple punches in a second like a Gatling gun.

Cha Hae-in was also able to keep up with Jinwoo’s strongest shadow soldier, Igris, and defeat him. Hae-in’s skills include Sword Dance, which grants her increased attack speed, and Sword of Light which, as the name implies, turns her sword into light and increases the destructiveness of her slashes. Another skill called Quake of Provocation also allows her to generate a small earthquake by stabbing the ground with her sword. Cha Hae-in also possesses a very sensitive sense of smell when it comes to mana, through a skill called Mana Smell which allows her to detect magic beasts and hunters better.

Go Gunhee is Far From a Meek Old Man

S-rank hunter from South Korea, and President of the Korean Hunters Association

While Go Gunhee may be the oldest S-rank hunter in the series, he is by no means weak. Go Gunhee was once a powerful hunter, possibly on par with the National Level Hunters, as he too, is a vessel to a Ruler. Jinwoo also recognizes Go Gunhee’s strength on multiple occasions and even the Monarchs refer to him as the “Brightest Fragment of Brilliant Light” implying he may be the strongest of the Rulers’ vessels on earth. His ability to fight declined with age, eventually forcing him to retire and become the president of the Hunters Association.

However, Go Gunhee was still able to defend himself fairly well against Rakan, the Frost Monarch, even dodging his attacks with his bare hands. Gunhee also has Rulers’ Authority which allows him to telekinetically control and move objects around him and was likely unimaginably powerful during his prime.

Sung Il-hwan was Given the Powers of the Rulers

S-rank hunter from South Korea

Sung Il-hwan is Jinwoo’s estranged father who spent ten years trapped in a dungeon, during which the Rulers found him and made him a vessel. Il-Hwan was possibly one of South Korea’s first S-rank hunters but was never recognized as such as the ranking system was put in place much after his disappearance. Il-hwan possesses great strength and appears to be a skilled combatant, as well. He was able to defeat Hwang Dongsoo with relative ease and even destroyed many buildings doing so.

As such, Il-hwan eludes an intimidating aura and was also able to fight many of the Monarchs on equal footing, proving he may have been as strong as the National Level Hunters. Besides his physical strength and agility, Il-hwan also possesses the Stealth skill which allows him to conceal his presence and gained the ability to use Ruler’s Authority after becoming a vessel.

Sung Jinwoo is Constantly Leveling Up

Mage-type S-rank hunter from South Korea and guild master of the Ahjin Guild

Jinwoo is the latest addition to South Korea’s S-rank hunters and easily the strongest S-rank hunter in the world. After building his shadow army, Jinwoo came to be known as a one-man guild capable of clearing even high-ranking gates all by himself. Jinwoo’s ability to level up easily allowed him to surpass every other S-rank hunter and he was made even more powerful after inheriting the title of the Shadow Monarch from Ashborn.

Jinwoo possesses many active skills such as Stealth, Ruler’s Authority and passive skills that make him immune to any abnormalities in his status, making him near invincible. That said, his job-specific skills are the most important, as they allow him to extract shadows from his called foes and turn them into his soldiers. Jinwoo can also use his shadows to teleport by exchanging places with his soldiers. Lastly, Jinwoo can also create shadow armor and manipulate people’s memories.

Solo Leveling is available from Crunchyroll.

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