Summary
Manhwa Solo Leveling went to great lengths to explain how S-Class hunters work and tend to operate outside the law. A-Class Hunters also possess considerable power, but nowhere near as impressive as the ridiculous power increases seen by their S-Class counterparts. The idea of justice is distorted in the world of Solo Leveling, as certain hunters can bend law enforcement to agree with whatever goal they pursue at the time.
Level up alone reveals a dark truth about S-Rank Hunters, especially when it comes to dungeons and the principle of survival of the fittest. Sung Jinwoo exercised this right when he was in a kill or be killed situation. Because when it comes to expeditions, What happens in the dungeon, stays in the dungeon. Well, except for the reports filed with the office afterward.
In episode #6 of the anime, or chapter #24 of the manhwa, the expedition to a C-rank dungeon ends with the death of hunter Hwang Dongsuk. Although the report later mentioned the destruction of the attack team, hunters Sung Jinwoo and Yoo Jinho were both freed after some light questioning. However, this does not mean that the problem has been completely resolved. The real danger lies outside the dungeon in form S-rank hunter Hwang DongsooHwang Dongsuk’s younger brother.
Murder is just part of the dark side of Solo Leveling. While Survival of the fittest reigns as law in the dungeon, this principle can also apply outside of them. Sung Jinwoo was an anomaly in the system who had the ability to level up, while other hunters did not have the means to increase their stats, so they had to create their own. hierarchy with the E-Class at the bottom of the food chain and the S-Class at the top.
S-rank hunters are above the law
Episodes #6 and #7 establish a hierarchy among the hunters
The dark truth about the S-Class hunter is revealed when Hwang Dongsoo targets the survivors of the incident for revenge. Although he asks what the consequences of his actions would be if he murdered a hunter in another country, this is clearly only for posterity. The truth is, he would technically get away with a light sentence, if any, regardless two possible legal consequences that will follow his actions. This dark truth is less established in the manhwa, clearly illustrating how S-Class hunters are powerful enough to operate outside the law.
This fact is mentioned many times towards the end of the manhwa, such as when Woo Jinchul as the Chief Inspector of the Korean Hunter Association warns Jinwoo to leave the country for a while, because the hunter S- Class Dongsoo will enter Korea to exact his revenge. So even though the Hunter Association knew of Dongsoo’s intention to visit the country, they had no way to control his power. Even when Jinchul picked Dongsoo up from the airport in chapter #47, tThe S-Class hunter eloquently taunted the A-Class hunter, “You? Stop me?” as if daring any authority to attempt to arrest him.
While S-Rank hunters possess the authority to maintain a position outside the boundaries of the law, those in the A-Rank field can as well. Chapter #52 in the Red Gate arc is where S-rank guild masters Baek Yoonho, of the White Tiger guild, and Hwang Dongsoo, of the Scavenger guild, provoke each other. A-rank Hunter Woo Jinchul stopped the two S-Class hunters before their fists collided, effectively ending the confrontation. This suggests that those in Class A may also have the ability to operate outside the law, as well as compete with those at a higher level than them.
Justice truly lies in the eye of the beholder
The original manhwa was composed by Chugong, the anime adaptation was produced by A-1 Pictures
With a world overrun by dungeons and monsters, it’s no surprise that society would function differently under these conditions. However, when it comes to the law, awakened people like Hunters operate within a different power structure. A hunter’s rank not only determines the strength of their power but also their influence, especially when it concerns guilds and the Bureau. Solo Leveling exposed its darkness not only through Jinwoo’s darkness but also through its undeniable control over the S-Class hunters.
Level up alone available to stream on Crunchyroll.