How did Sung Jinwoo become a Shadow Monarch in Solo Leveling? Explained

After the first season of the Solo Leveling anime, Sung Jinwoo obtained the abilities of the Shadow Monarch. This new power allows him to form a shadow army using the bodies of his adversaries. It is a fascinating upgrade for Jinwoo as he can now easily face a multitude of opponents without being at a disadvantage.

Despite Jinwoo’s initial reluctance to accept the job title, he eventually came to the realization that it would aid him in his pursuit of becoming stronger.

In the Solo Leveling manhwa, Jinwoo’s attainment of the title of Shadow Monarch through his job change quest is just the beginning. His connection to his newfound abilities goes much deeper, as shown in the anime.

The Rise of the Shadow Monarch: Uncovering Sung Jinwoo’s Journey to Power

Sung Jinwoo as seen in the anime (image via A-1 Pictures)
Sung Jinwoo as seen in the anime (image via A-1 Pictures)

In the final stages of the initial season of the Solo Leveling anime, Sung Jinwoo embarked on a challenging ‘Job Change Quest’ that required him to confront the formidable Blood-Red Commander Igris and countless foes. Despite the overwhelming odds, Jinwoo emerged victorious and was rewarded with the title of a necromancer.

Despite his initial hesitation, Jinwoo eventually agreed to take on the job title after weighing its advantages. To his surprise, his Necromancer class was immediately elevated to the prestigious title of Shadow Monarch.

Upon obtaining the upgraded class, Jinwoo was granted two distinctive skills. The first one, Shadow Extraction, enabled him to transform his vanquished foes into shadow soldiers. The second one, Shadow Storage, allowed him to keep a specific number of shadows in his inventory.

As Jinwoo continued to progress through levels, his shadow skills became increasingly formidable, leading to a greater number and strength of his shadow army. With their support, he was able to single-handedly defeat vast amounts of enemies.

With the passage of time, Jinwoo acquired two additional abilities: Shadow Exchange and Monarch’s Domain. These formidable powers enabled Jinwoo to defeat even stronger adversaries and expand his ever-increasing army of shadow soldiers.

Throughout the majority of the Solo Leveling manhwa, the true nature of Sung Jinwoo’s powers remained shrouded in mystery. However, it wasn’t until the Double Dungeon arc, spanning chapters 123-131, that the secret behind his abilities and the System was finally unveiled.

In this arc, the Hidden Boss of the Double Dungeon, also known as the Architect, revealed that he had created the System with the purpose of finding a suitable vessel for the original Shadow Monarch, Ashborn.

The Architect had finally discovered the ideal vessel for Ashborn after a lengthy search, and it turned out to be none other than Sung Jinwoo. Despite this, the Architect initially had doubts about Jinwoo being the rightful heir to the Shadow Monarch’s powers.

Despite his own strength and power, Ashborn found himself fascinated by Jinwoo’s incredible resilience and determination to survive, even in the face of certain death. It was precisely because of these qualities that Ashborn selected Jinwoo to be his vessel.

Sung Jinwoo and his shadow soldiers as seen in the anime (image via A-1 Pictures)
Sung Jinwoo and his shadow soldiers as seen in the anime (image via A-1 Pictures)

Therefore, the Architect created the System in the fashion of a video game, with the intention of fortifying Sung Jinwoo’s physique and conditioning it for the future acquisition of Ashborn’s power.

As Jinwoo progressed through each level, his body grew increasingly adept at harnessing the powers of the Shadow Monarch. In fact, it was during this arc that he acquired a second heart of the Shadow Monarch, further enhancing his strength and giving him a newfound commanding aura.

Thus, it can be inferred that Ashborn had planned for Sung Jinwoo to inherit the powers of the Shadow Monarch, believing him to be the most suitable candidate. As the story unfolded, it became clear that Ashborn’s decision was justified as Jinwoo utilized his newfound abilities to bring about a definitive resolution to the ongoing conflict between the Rulers and the Monarchs.

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