Summary
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With the airing ofSolo Leveling’ssecond season, fans have had cliffhanger after cliffhanger, particularly with Sung Jin-Woo’s “aura farming.” The 12th episode ofSolo Leveling’ssecond season features an intense battle between Sung Jin-Woo and Beru, and after an epic beatdown, it seems Beru is aboutto become Sung Jin-Woo’s next Shadow soldier, a rebirth in shadow that would forever change the Ant King into one of Sung Jin-Woo’s most powerful shadow soldiers.
With how powerful Beru was as the tyrannical Ant King, seeing as he was able to overpower all S-Class hunters in Jeju Island, including Goto Ryuji, his further evolution as a member of Sung Jin-Woo’s shadows is sure to be a spectacle.
Type
Even before his birth/hatch, the size of Beru’s egg showed that he was going to be much stronger than the other ants. He wasn’t like the rest, but he was born to lead the ant colony as an apex predator with unmatched strength, speed, and, most of all, intelligence. As an Ant King born to kill, Beruhad immense bloodlust and the sadistic tendencyto play with his prey or outright ignore them. His confidence in his strength was so immense that after the Ant Queen was killed, he simply walked past all the Korean S-Rank hunters on the scene before making short work of them.
Before Beru’s existence, the Korean hunters had failed to reclaim Jeju Island three different times. With his birth, that impossible mission turned out to be no short of a nightmare. Having the ability to behead hunters before they even realized he was there showed just how significant the difference in ability between the S-Rank hunters and the Ant King was. At least, that was before he faced theaura farmer and overpowered hunter Sung Jin-Woo.
Sung Jin-Woo Vs. Beru
A Battle Beyond S-Rank Hunters
Sung Jin-Woo’s battle against Beru showed just how powerful both characters are. While Sung Jin-Woo came out on top, it wasn’t one he easily dominated. During his battle with Beru, Sung Jin-Woo continually evolves, evendeveloping skills like Mutilation mid-battleto face the Ant King. Their battle showed just how much they had both surpassed the rank of common S-Rank hunters. Aside from his strength, Beru also displayed his adaptive nature and regeneration capabilities.
This ability allowed him to continually survive Sung Jin-Woo’s onslaught, even as the S-rank hunter did not let up. One aspect that showed just how intelligent and adaptive Beru is was in his use of poison. Ants generally don’t use poison, but Beru possessed the insight to take a mixture of toxins from the marine life around the island and then amplify it with his magic. If he were facing anyone else aside from Sung Jin-Woo, it would surely have been an effective strategy. But even that insight didn’t prevent his eventual ‘death.’ At the end of it all, he was truly left in awe of the Shadow Monarch’s might.
Loyalty And Devotion
Beru’s Shift From Ruthless Predator To Faithful Aide
As someone who commanded the utmost fear and ruthlessness, Beru’s shift from an Apex Ant King to Sung Jin-Woo’s loyal follower has a lot of implications in theSolo Levelingseries. It shows that Sung Jin-Woocan turn powerful foes into his soldiers, and having the Ant King, a being that terrorized various S-Rank Hunters and even killed Gyoto Ryuji, means that Sung Jin-Woo’s shadow army is not to be underestimated by any means.
After getting resurrected into Sung Jin-Woo’s shadow soldier, Beru undergoes a great change. The transformation in his demeanor was more of absolute devotion than simply obedience. Rather than his past demeanor of a haughty and brutal Ant King, Beru now had the demeanor of a soldier that seeks to please his King by all means. This shows just how deep the power of Sung Jin-Woo’s Shadow Extraction is. Despite being more of a devoted soldier, Beru’s haughtiness and aggressiveness still exist even after his transformation. All that ruthlessness was instead directed toward Sung Jin-Woo’s enemies.
Why Beru’s Transformation Matters
Beru’s Evolution Proves The Limitless Potential Of Shadow Soldiers Alongside Their Unwavering Loyalty
As an already powerful predator,Beru’s power continued to increaseeven after he became Sung Jin-Woo’s shadow soldier. Right from when he was transformed, Beru asked Sung Jin-Woo to grant him a name. Moreover, as Sung Jin-Woo’s soldiers are linked to him, they can evolve as Sung Jin-Woo himself evolves, meaning that they have almost limitless potential for growth, all dependent on their master. Even before his transformation, some of Beru’s more nuanced abilities, like Gluttony, which allows him to absorb the skills and knowledge of those he consumes, became even more pronounced. Abilities like that greatly helped Beru become the feared and domineering Shadow Soldier he is today. However, aside from his increase in strength, Beru’s evolution has various significances. It shows just how deep and entrenched Sung Jin-Woo’s absolute authority over his shadow soldiers is. Moreover, unlike the usual mindless undead, it shows that if powerful enough, Sung Jin-Woo’s shadow soldiers can indeed have varying personalities and retain their previous ones but still be at the beck and call of their master.
All in all,Beru’s evolution from a monstrous Ant Kingto Sung Jin-Woo’s shadow soldier shows just how Sung Jin-Woo’s power reshapes his enemies while granting them unparalleled strength. Beru’s transformation wasn’t just a power shift but one that completely altered Beru’s personality and purpose. From a domineering Ant King, he became a trusted aide with humorous devotion to his master and, eventually, a fan favorite with both strength and humor.
Solo Leveling
A-1 Pictures' Solo Leveling is an anime based on Chugong’s popular web novel. Set in an unforgiving fantasy world where hunters explore dungeons filled with monsters, the vulnerable Sung Jinwoo gains a significant power boost after he is picked to be a solo player by the System.
