Summary
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In a world so cruel and dangerous,Solo Leveling’s Sung Jin-Woo is lucky he is strong enough to fight against those with evil intentions. Whether they come after his life or the people dear to him, everyone seems eager to put him to rest and prevent his rise to power. In particular, oneSolo Levelingcharacter foolishly thinks they can kill Jin-Woo with a weapon that seems like a lowly dagger. Who is this character, and what pushes them to hate Jin-Woo?
Sung Jin-Woo goes through countless life-or-death situations, whether he’san E-rank or an S-rank hunter. The more power he wields, the stronger the enemies he faces. Ranks don’t matter at all, as Jin-Woo’s enemies continue to come after him as long as he fights on the side of humanity. But against cosmic-level threats, demons, and magical beasts, Jin-Woo has no intention of giving up without putting up a good and intense fight.
Season 2, episode 8
First Novel Appearance:
Chapter 101
During the Return to the Demon Castle story arc, Sung Jin-Woo encounters thedemon noble, Esil Radiru, on the 80th floor. It turns out that Esil and her demon knights are the ones ambushing Jin-Woo’s shadows in the instance dungeon, which is why their regeneration can’t keep up. Esil possesses enough intelligence to skip past Jin-Woo’s high-grade shadows and intentionally target the weaker ones, like the high orc teams, to wipe them out. This calculated strategy makes Esil a formidable opponent and a cunning tactician.
Because of this, Jin-Woo has no choice but to personally confront Esil and her group. Naturally, Jin-Woo holds the upper hand due to his monstrous abilities, and as expected, he swiftly defeats the three demon knights, leaving Esil by herself. At that moment, Jin-Woo confirms thatmonsters can experience fear, as he sees Esil trembling beneath her armor.
“You attacked my soldiers and now you’re asking for forgiveness?"—Sung Jin-Woo to Esil Radiru
Before Jin-Woo can finish Esil, the demon noble pleads for her life. She apologizes for her actions, claiming that she has committed a grave sin. On the other hand,Jin-Woo contemplates killing Esil, torn by her human-like appearance. His indecisiveness gives Esil an opening to foolishly use a weapon that appears to be a dagger in an attempt to kill him. However, Tusk is there to cast Hymn of Protection on Jin-Woo, shielding him from Esil’s attack. Of course, even without Tusk’s protection, Jin-Woo isn’t weak enough to die from such a foolish attempt.
Why Did Esil Attack Jin-Woo?
There’s a Voice Inside Her Head
Following Esil’s failed attempt to kill Jin-Woo, she reveals that there’s a voice inside her head constantly telling her what to do. However, her objective is far different from Baruka, who had previously informed Jin-Woo that he heard voices urging him to slaughter humans. In Esil’s case, she explains that the voice only wants her to protect the area they reside in from outsiders like Jin-Woo, who run wild and kill demons like ants. This revelation adds a layer to Esil’s actions, suggesting that she may be under the influence ofa mysterious force, likely the system.
“What do you think you’re doing?"—Sung Jin-Woo to Esil Radiru
In other words, Jin-Woo is the gate monster to demons like Esil in the instance dungeon. Esil simply fulfills her duty to her kind by wanting to protect her world from hostiles. This idea piques Jin-Woo’s interest, leading him to discuss the topic further with Esil. She reveals that she first heard the voice the moment she woke up in the dungeon. Originally, Esil’s kind resided in the demon world and werepreparing for a large-scale war, but before they knew it, they found themselves trapped in the instance dungeon.
Esil Ends Up Joining Jin-Woo’s Party
Jin-Woo and Esil’s First Time Using the Party System
Esil made a huge impact in the Return to the Demon Castle story arc with her role. Her charming appearance and likable qualities attracted fans rooting for her and Jin-Woo due to their obvious chemistry. In short, she becamea potential love interestdespite her brief appearance in the original series.
Most importantly, Esil did a good job supporting Jin-Woo in his quest to clear the instance dungeon. Not only did she take on the role of Jin-Woo’s guide, but she also experienced beingin a party system with himeven though he restricted her from gaining experience points and leveling up. She also failed to earn Jin-Woo’s full trust, but at least he took a liking to her, which resulted in her clan being spared from his rampage.
In the end, Jin-Woo’s overwhelming power changes Esil’s objectives just as he reshapes the world with his might inSolo Leveling. Once Esil realizes how strong Jin-Woo is, she has a change of heart, abandoning her hostile attempts and quickly understanding that resistance is hopeless. But even though Esil fails to kill Jin-Woo, their encounter becomes a blessing in disguise, not just to her but also for the Radiru clan.
