Chapter 1: The World of Hunters - A Prelude
Hey guys! How is everyone? It's been many years! Wow, a lot of things have changed in my life, but fanfictions have been the one constant for me, no matter what happened.
I've spent a lot of evenings wondering what to do, and I've been thinking about getting back into writing for months now. It's tough getting started again when you've been out of practice for so long. But the passion is still there, and so am I, so today (which happens to be a Friday), I've decided to push through my hesitation and just go for it.
I have a few plans for my other two Naruto stories, and that anime/manga is still my go-to for when I want to read something new, but today, I wanted to do something different. This time, I'll be diving into Solo Leveling, an extremely popular Korean Manhwa that recently got an anime adaptation. It's based on a light novel, which was then adapted into a manhwa (Korean manga). For those of you who aren't familiar with it, here's a quick summary:
Plot Summary of Solo Leveling
The story follows Sung Jinwoo, who starts out as an E-Rank hunter—the weakest of them all, often called "the weakest hunter." After a near-death experience in a dangerous dungeon, he gains a mysterious power that allows him to "level up" like in a video game. With this unique ability, he begins to grow exponentially in strength, surpassing other hunters and becoming humanity's strongest hope against increasingly powerful monsters and world-threatening forces.
That's a very abridged version of the plot, as there are a lot of characters, countries, guilds, hunters, and even some economics involved, especially with things like Mana Crystals and Essence Stones—rare resources found inside dungeons.
Introduction: A New World After the Gates
Twenty years ago, the world changed forever. Gates, mysterious portals that connected Earth to another dimension filled with monsters, began appearing all over the globe. As powerful monsters began pouring through, humanity faced extinction. However, Awakened individuals, known as Hunters, emerged as the only ones capable of fighting back.
These Awakened could harness the power of mana, making them humanity's only hope of surviving the onslaught from the Gates. Over time, the world adapted, and a new global order was established—one that centered around the exploitation of resources from these Gates and the powers of the Awakened.
Hunter Statistics and Global Distribution
The world population stands at around 7.8 billion, but only a tiny fraction of that population is Awakened. Currently, only 0.05% of the world population is made up of hunters, which translates to about 3.9 million hunters worldwide.
Hunter Rank Distribution:
E-rank Hunters (60-70%): 2.34-2.73 million hunters
The weakest Awakened. Often engage in non-combat roles or work as porters during raids.
D-rank Hunters (15-20%): 585,000-780,000 hunters
Strong enough to handle low-level dungeons.
C-rank Hunters (10-12%): 390,000-468,000 hunters
The backbone of most raid teams, handling moderate-level Gates.
B-rank Hunters (2-4%): 78,000-156,000 hunters
Strong, often part of elite guilds and capable of tackling high-tier dungeons.
A-rank Hunters (0.3-0.5%): 11,700-19,500 hunters
Exceptionally powerful, able to clear high-level dungeons and often lead raid parties. Considered elite, but more common than S-ranks.
S-rank Hunters: 500 hunters globally
Nation-level assets. The most powerful hunters, capable of soloing high-rank Gates. Their power and influence can shift global politics and economic control.
S-rank Hunter Distribution by Country
Even though S-rank hunters are incredibly rare, they are disproportionately concentrated in certain countries.
United States (Population: 331 million): ~30 S-rank hunters (including Special Authority hunters like Thomas Andre)
China (Population: 1.4 billion): ~30 S-rank hunters
Japan (Population: 125 million): ~20 S-rank hunters
South Korea (Population: 52 million): ~10 S-rank hunters
India (Population: 1.4 billion): ~15-20 S-rank hunters
Russia (Population: 146 million): ~10-15 S-rank hunters
Germany (Population: 83 million): ~8-12 S-rank hunters
France (Population: 67 million): ~5-10 S-rank hunters
And so on…..
Awakened Hunters: Roles and Non-Combat Jobs
Not all Awakened individuals choose to live the dangerous life of a hunter. While A-rank and S-rank hunters almost always pursue careers in combat, many E-rank and D-rank hunters work in non-combat professions.
Porters: E-rank and D-rank hunters often work as support staff during raids, carrying equipment and handling logistics for higher-rank hunters.
Mana-based Industries: Some hunters use their abilities in industries like mana crystal processing, construction, or transportation.
Guild Administration: Hunters with weaker abilities may work in management positions, helping run guilds by handling contracts, logistics, and financial transactions.
Mana Crystals and Essence Stones: The New Currency
The discovery of Mana Crystals and Essence Stones inside dungeons has revolutionized the global economy. These are now considered valuable commodities, much like oil or precious minerals.
Mana Crystals are used as a clean, renewable energy source, making them immensely valuable.
High-rank dungeons (S-rank, A-rank) yield rare, high-quality crystals, while lower-rank dungeons produce lesser-quality crystals. The most powerful crystals are worth millions.
Essence Stones are even more valuable, as they are dropped by monsters and used for weapon enhancements, medicine, and mana-infused technologies.
Mana crystals have replaced fossil fuels in many countries, leading to massive shifts in the global power structure.
Similar to the Industrial Revolution, mana has enabled the creation of new technologies like medical devices that revolutionize healthcare.
Countries that control more Gates with higher-quality crystals and Essence Stones have emerged as superpowers or key players in world affairs.
Economic Impact of Gates and Hunters
The appearance of Gates has given rise to entire industries, disrupted existing markets, and caused massive shifts in the global economy.
Hunter Guilds:
Hunter guilds are now massive corporations, responsible for recruiting hunters, managing dungeon expeditions, and trading mana crystals and essence stones.
Elite guilds have multi-billion-dollar budgets, and high-rank hunters often have personal sponsorships from companies looking to capitalize on their celebrity status.
Dungeon Resource Companies:
A whole industry has developed around mining and refining mana crystals and essence stones. Specialized firms handle the dangerous work of dungeon mining, hiring support hunters and scientists to safely extract materials.
Monster Parts as Commodities:
Monster hides, bones, and venom are sold for various industries. High-rank monster parts are used to craft luxury goods, potent medicines, or enhanced weapons and armor.
Global Power Shifts:
Nations with more Gates or stronger hunters have become economic powerhouses.
Black markets have sprung up around illegal dungeon raids and the smuggling of rare materials, creating an underworld economy.
Political Power of S-rank Hunters
S-rank hunters are often treated as national assets, and countries that possess more S-rank hunters—like China and the United States—wield tremendous influence. These hunters are capable of soloing high-rank dungeons and can protect entire regions from catastrophic monster outbreaks.
Special Authority Hunters, a unique subset of S-rank hunters with extraordinary abilities, operate on a level beyond other S-ranks and command global attention due to their unique powers.
Hunter Guilds as Economic Powerhouses
Guilds not only manage dungeon raids, but they also control the market for mana crystals, artifact sales, and the distribution of dungeon loot. The wealthiest guilds in Japan, the U.S., and South Korea hold enormous influence over both the world's political and economic landscape.
Hunter Classes in Solo Leveling
In the Solo Leveling universe, hunters are divided into combat roles based on their abilities and fighting styles.
Fighter/Warrior Class:
Melee combatants who specialize in physical strength and wield swords, axes, or other heavy weapons to deal damage up close.
Tanker Class:
Defensive hunters who focus on soaking up damage and protecting their team by drawing the attention of monsters using high durability and taunt abilities.
Assassin Class:
Stealthy hunters who rely on speed, agility, and high-burst damage, often attacking from the shadows with daggers or light weapons.
Mage Class:
Long-range spellcasters who use mana to cast destructive magic and crowd-control spells, often specializing in elemental attacks like fire, ice, or lightning.
Healer Class:
Support hunters whose primary role is to heal injuries and restore health to their teammates during prolonged battles.
Summoner Class:
Hunters who summon creatures or monsters to fight for them. They focus on controlling summoned entities while dealing damage or supporting their team from a distance.
A New Player in the Game
In this world, our SI original character is reincarnated into the Solo Leveling universe. The character awakens with a Player system, much like Sung Jinwoo, but with unique aspects. The Player system allows the OC to gain levels, skills, and stats, allowing them to grow stronger with each completed quest or defeated monster.
Let me know what you guys think of this idea. I have already finished half of the actual first chapter of this story! I want to know if you guys have any suggestions or if there are any aspects of this world that you want me to elaborate on or change, but I want to think that I did a pretty good job.
Je ne!
Anbustar16
