These 10 strongest characters in Solo Leveling aren’t just powerful because of their strength, they also play a big role in the story and the fight between good and evil. These characters have abilities that seem impossible, like leading shadow armies, using god-like powers, or spreading massive destruction.
Their battles decide the future of the world, turning cities into war zones and forcing enemies to team up. Each fight is intense, full of strategy and emotion, often showing how thin the line is between being a hero and a monster.
What makes these powerful characters special is how they grow. Some start off weak and get stronger because of loss or responsibility. Others are ancient beings that come back to life in human bodies. Their strength isn’t just about fighting, it’s also about leading others, staying strong in tough times, and refusing to give up.
10. Beru
Beru is one of the strongest shadow soldiers in Solo Leveling. He was once a ruthless King of Insects before being brought back as a shadow by Sung Jin-Woo. With his insect-like look, sharp teeth, and amazing speed, Beru is a terrifying fighter.
As one of the top shadow soldiers in Jin-Woo’s army, his fighting skills and loyalty are key to their success. Whether he’s fighting up close or from a distance, Beru’s presence is enough to scare even the strongest enemies.
Beru is considered one of the most powerful characters in Solo Leveling because of his incredible strength, super-fast speed, and sharp instincts. His insect powers, like flying, quick reflexes, and venomous attacks, give him a big advantage in battle. As he becomes even stronger under Jin-Woo’s command, Beru continues to defeat powerful enemies with his skills and raw power.
9. Rakan
The Monarch of the Beastly Fangs, also known as the King of Beasts, is one of the strongest characters in Solo Leveling due to his immense physical strength and fearsome presence.
His raw power was clearly displayed during his battle with Thomas Andre, the top hunter from the USA, where he managed to overpower him despite holding back. His intimidating aura alone was enough to strike fear into even the strongest hunters, and unlike others, he relied mostly on brute strength rather than mana-based attacks.
Despite his fearsome reputation, Rakan, his real name, was ultimately revealed to be a coward. While his appearance as the Monarch of Fangs gave him the image of a bloodthirsty beast with sharp teeth and glowing neon eyes, his behavior proved otherwise.
After defeating Thomas Andre, Rakan tried to kill Jin-Woo by stabbing him through the heart, only to find that Jin-Woo had already absorbed Ashborn’s black heart, rendering the attack useless.
8. Legia
Legia, the Monarch of the Beginning, also known as the King of Giants, is one of the most strongest characters in Solo Leveling. His immense physical strength stands as one of his greatest attributes, demonstrated even while he was restrained and imprisoned. Despite lacking vital mana, Legia compensates for this with his wind pressure ability, which allows him to manipulate and create powerful gusts of wind.
Additionally, he possesses spell-casting abilities that grant him the power to extract the truth from others, making it impossible to lie to him. His presence alone proves his formidable nature, further establishing him as a major threat.
The circumstances surrounding Legia’s death are a testament to his incredible strength. When Jin-Woo first encountered him, Legia had been captured by the Rulers and kept in chains. Despite being restrained, Legia still put up a fierce fight when Jin-Woo attempted to kill him. Jin-Woo later acknowledged that if Legia had been freed from his chains at the start of their battle, he likely wouldn’t have stood a chance against him.
This is a stark contrast to the fights Jin-Woo had with other Monarchs, such as the Frost, Beast, and Plague Monarchs, whom he faced alone. Before his death, however, Legia revealed crucial information to Jin-Woo, allowing him to prepare for the challenges ahead.
7. Sung Il-Hwan
Sung Il-Hwan is an important character in Solo Leveling and is known as the father of Sung Jin-Woo. He was once a powerful hunter and an S-rank fighter, earning respect in the hunter world. His true strength wasn’t fully known for a long time, but later in the story, people learned more about his abilities. Sung Il-Hwan’s experience and skills allowed him to stay strong even after certain events left him in a weakened state.
Sung Il-Hwan is considered strong because of his great combat experience, physical strength, and the important role he played in his son’s journey. Even though he wasn’t active in the later parts of the story, his past achievements and actions showed that he was a warrior with great courage and toughness.
His determination, along with the secrets he carried about the Monarchs and Rulers, make him a character whose true strength can only be understood by those who know his history and sacrifices.
6. Bellion
Bellion is known as the strongest shadow ever, serving Ashborn, the Shadow Monarch. He was also the leader of Ashborn’s army. Bellion proved his strength during battles, especially when he fought alongside Sung Jin-Woo against the powerful Monarchs, showing just how strong he really was. His role as the Grand Marshal of Ashborn’s forces and his power in battle made him one of the most feared figures in Solo Leveling.
Bellion’s incredible strength comes from his origins—like the Heavenly Beings, he was born from the World Tree, which gave him amazing power and toughness. During his fight with Beru, Bellion showed his durability by easily surviving a blow that was meant to hurt him badly. His loyalty to Ashborn, combined with his amazing strength and battle skills, made him one of the most legendary and respected characters in the series.
5. The Rulers
The Rulers were the first beings created by the Absolute Being, making them his original subjects and minions. They spent much of their existence fighting against the Monarchs, led by Ashborn, who was a Ruler at the time. However, the Rulers soon discovered that their endless war and suffering were nothing more than entertainment for the Absolute Being.
In a stunning act of rebellion, the Rulers turned on their creator and successfully killed him, proving their immense strength. Their powers were later harnessed by powerful humans like Thomas Andre, Go Gun Hee, and Sung Il-Hwan, who were known as the “Ruler Vessels.”
As protectors created by the Absolute Being, the Rulers were designed to defend the universe with their unmatched power. While their individual combat abilities are rarely shown, they are incredibly strong when fighting as a group, achieving feats that rank among the most powerful in the series. However, their full strength cannot be fully realized in the real world.
The Rulers not only overthrew the creator of the universe but also delivered the final blow to the strongest Monarch, Antares, and defeated Ashborn before his awakening as the Shadow Monarch. Considering Bellion is a lesser version of the Rulers and the strongest member of the Shadow Monarch’s army, it’s clear that each of the Rulers is far more powerful than any of Jin-Woo’s Shadow Soldiers.
4. Ashborn
Ashborn, the original Shadow Monarch, is undoubtedly one of the most strongest characters in Solo Leveling. Initially known as the Greatest Fragment of Brilliant Light, he was the strongest of the Rulers before he rebelled against them in defense of the Absolute Being and ultimately became a Monarch.
As the Shadow Monarch, his power was such that only the Monarch of Destruction could potentially challenge him, though even Antares was wary of Ashborn’s rise. Ashborn’s strength was so immense that he had to rely on the System to develop a human vessel capable of containing his powers, demonstrating both his incredible abilities and the extent of his influence.
Ashborn’s story is full of twists, having gone from being one of the Seven Rulers to betraying them and assuming the title of Monarch of Shadows. His abilities as a Monarch are primarily focused on shadow manipulation, allowing him to extract and control shadows to strengthen his minions. He also had the power to transfer his Ruler abilities to others, which he used to empower Sung Jin-Woo.
Despite his vast strength and ability to command an army of shadows, Ashborn’s combat power remains somewhat limited when compared to other Monarchs, especially in direct confrontation. However, his strategic mind and influence make him an undeniably formidable force in the Solo Leveling universe.
3. Antares
Antares, the Monarch of Destruction, is the most powerful of all the Monarchs, second only to Sung Jin-Woo. He was created by the Absolute Being to destroy the world, making him the true embodiment of chaos and destruction. Even among the Monarchs, Antares stood out due to his overwhelming strength and army of dragons.
Just as one of his dragons, Kamish, who nearly wiped out humanity. Antares also commands many dragons just as strong or even stronger. Although he was proud and feared by all, Antares eventually came to respect Jin-Woo after losing to him in two different timelines.
As the King of Dragons, Antares has terrifying abilities, including his Spiritual Manifestation, which allows him to transform into a giant red dragon that is even stronger than Kamish. He also possesses Dragon’s Fear, a power that causes weaker enemies to freeze in terror, and his Breath of Destruction, which can completely erase anything it hits.
Antares was the final and most dangerous enemy Jin-Woo faced in Solo Leveling, and their battle pushed both to their limits. He also appears in Solo Leveling: Ragnarok, where he casually defeats Sung Suho, showing that his threat extends beyond just one generation.
2. Sung Jin-woo
Sung Jin-Woo starts out as the weakest Hunter in the world, but through the power of the System and his unshakable determination, he becomes the strongest human and the second most powerful being in Solo Leveling, after the Absolute Being. He defeats all the Monarchs by himself and earns the respect and fear of the Rulers.
While the Absolute Being created the world and all its powers, Jin-Woo surpasses every other character in combat skill, leadership, and willpower. As the Shadow Monarch, he becomes the embodiment of death itself, proving his unmatched strength.
Although the Absolute Being remains at the top as the creator of everything, Sung Jin-Woo stands just beneath him. With infinite mana, an army of millions, and abilities like damage reduction and time acausality, he reaches god-like levels of power.
His immunity to time and incredible speed, strength, and regeneration make him nearly unbeatable. Despite not being the original creator, his dominance in battle and growth as a warrior place him firmly as the second most powerful figure in the entire universe of Solo Leveling.
1. The Absolute Being
The Absolute Being is the creator of the universe in Solo Leveling and stands as the highest god in the story. He created both the Rulers and the Monarchs, giving life to the most powerful beings in existence. While his exact combat abilities are unknown, it’s clear that his power is unmatched in terms of creation.
Even though Ashborn suggested that the Absolute Being wasn’t suited for battle, the fact that it took all Seven Rulers combined to defeat him shows how incredibly powerful he was.
Despite his god-like status, the Absolute Being is portrayed as cruel, letting the Monarchs and Rulers wage endless war simply for his amusement. Though Sung Jin-Woo becomes immensely strong and defeats every Monarch on his own, the Absolute Being remains the strongest overall due to his role as the original creator and source of all power. In Solo Leveling: Ragnarok, his peers become new threats, proving that the legacy of his strength still looms large over the world he created.