Summary
Quick Links
Solo Levelingfeatures villainsfrom diverse backgrounds, each one of whom is gifted with unique supernatural powers. Perhaps the most notorious onesreside in high-ranking Gatesand are waiting for the right opportunity to fight humans till their last breath.
In the Jeju Island arc,when Korean and Japanese hunters arrive on the forsaken island, an arrogant but dangerous dungeon boss is waiting for them. Unlike most dungeon beastsinSolo Leveling, Ant King is extremely intelligent. But despite being gifted with incredible powers, he still lost against Sung Jinwoo. Did Jeju Island’s S-rank boss underestimate Jinwoo?
Ant King: An Arrogant and Narcissistic Magic Beast
Understanding the Psyche of Jeju Island Dungeon Boss
As the resources on Jeju Island depleted rapidly, Ant Queen realized that the magic beasts needed a new leader who would help them find a new home. That’s when she gave birth to her strongest son, the Ant King. Right from opening his eyes, Ant King’s innate power overshadowed that of other evolved ants on Jeju Island by a large margin. He had no competition and was thus regarded as the undisputed king of the ants on the island.
Are there others? Others you call king? ~ Ant King
As a magic beast, Ant King believed in the aphorism that might makes right. Being the most powerful monster on the island, and arguably in the world, it was no surprise that he was filled with arrogance. As days passed, and he became more conscious of his unique abilities, Ant King was consumed with the idea of invincibility and ruthless dominance against rivals.
By the time the Jeju Island raid partyarrived on the island, Ant King was frighteningly strong, despite being just a few days old. He had understood by this point that he could consume any living organism and absorb its powers. This must have been a radical discovery for the Ant King, whose ego would have inflated knowing how he could keep leveling up exponentially by taking on more powerful rivals.
The Validation: Ant King Meets Jeju Island Raid Party
While Ant King understood that he was incredibly strong, he was also intelligent enough to know that he had yet to fight a challenging battle to establish himself as the king. So when the raid party arrived on Jeju Island, he understood that this was his opportunity. He devised a cunning strategy to go after the Japanese hunters first who were fighting the magic beasts in small teams.
Ant King took advantage of this tactical flaw and cornered one team after another, killing Japan’s most powerful S-rankers without breaking a sweat. He then went on to confront the Korean contingent in the Ant Queen’s lair and easily overwhelmed the squad.The entire Jeju Island raid partyfailed to land a single blow on him.
Things took a dark turn when hechallenged Japan’s greatest hunter, Goto Ryuji, and won in just one swift attack. Even before the battle, Ant King probably felt invincible, but the single-handed slaughter of enemy forces must have validated his belief in his own supremacy. It should not come as a surprise that he appeared to look down on human beings.
Sung Jinwoo: A Rival With Otherworldly Powers
Ant King Has Never Faced Someone Like Sung Jinwoo
Unlike theS-rankers who went to Jeju Islandfor the ambitious mission, Sung Jinwoo had supernatural powers that put him in a league of his own. He single-handedly defeatedan S-ranked High Orc Shaman named Kargalganand his army.
I am saying you should get ready to become hunted. ~ Sung Jinwoo
Even before that,he went to the Demon Castlefor the ingredients of the Holy Water of Life. On the final floor, he fought and defeated Baran, the Monarch of White Flames. So, Sung Jinwoo already had some experience in fighting extremely powerful enemies and understood what it takes to take down someone of Ant King’s caliber.
The Inevitable Clash and Ant King’s Downfall
Ant King Failed to Assess the Threat Sung Jinwoo Posed
Even before Sung Jinwoo arrived on Jeju Island, there was already a mismatch between his and Ant King’s worldviews. While the former was experienced indefeating intimidating S-ranked magic beasts, the latter had never fought someone of Jinwoo’s caliber. However, that did not stop Ant King from feeling invincible because of the experiences he had in his short life.
The complete disconnect with reality meant thatAnt King felt that he would simply defeat Sunglike the other hunters he had faced that day. Considering how dominant he had been, his overconfidence made sense. But Sung Jinwoo’s powers far exceeded any member of the Jeju Island raid party. It was eventually Ant King’s arrogance that made him fight recklessly against Sung despite not knowing much about him.
Considering how he kept fighting till the end and the brutal beatdown he received, it is safe to say that he underestimated Sung Jinwoo. Ant King had the potential to evolve exponentially, just like his final rival, but his ego eventually led to his downfall. Had he been more mindful and cautious, he might have had the time to flee the island to avoid the battle altogether and help the evolved ants find a new home.
By the time he made it back to the lair,Ant Queen was already dead. There was no other reason to return except to torturethe Korean S-rankers. His desire for revenge and sadism was so strong that he could not sense that he was voluntarily rushing towards the world’s best hunter, Sung Jinwoo. This turned out to be a fatal mistake and he lost his life in the ensuing battle.
