Summary
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The Jeju Island arc ofSolo Levelingfinally ends with Sung Jin-Woo’s victory against the ferocious Ant King that terrorized both Japanese and Korean hunters. In addition to reaching new levels, Jin-Woo also acquires a new shadow in his army. Beru, formerly known as the Black Ant or the Ant King, returns not as Jin-Woo’s enemy but as his powerful ally who surprisingly speaks the human language.
TheSolo Levelinganime has already introduced most of Sung Jin-Woo’s major shadow soldiers from the manhwa. Beru, an insect-type magical beast, is the latest addition to Jin-Woo’s army, armed with the most outrageous abilities like his master. He possesses immense strength, speed and, most impressively, utilizes healing magic. He is a significant force, capable of leading Jin-Woo’s army to victory.
Origin and Identity:
Solo Levelingseason 2 episode 13, “On to the Next Target”
Story Arc:
Jeju Island Arc
Beru, formerly known asthe Ant King or the Black Ant, is the main antagonist of the Jeju Island story arc of Solo Leveling. He is the hidden boss of the dungeon break, bred by the Ant Queen to sustain and lead the colony. He was born out of the Ant Queen’s desire to protect her children, feeding him with intentions to kill and consume anything there was to consume. After the Queen’s demise, the Ant King longed to fight the strongest being there is until he came face to face with Sung Jin-Woo.
“The aura surrounding this guy is even more revolting."—Sung Jin-Woo to the Ant King
While the Ant King easily overpowered the six Korean S-rank hunters who ambushedthe Ant Queen in her nest, he failed to defeat Sung Jin-Woo with his skills and abilities. No matter how hard the Ant King fought against Jin-Woo, his strength paled in comparison to the hunter he acknowledged as the king of humans. Eventually, the Ant King perished, but Jin-Woo didn’t let him go to waste, as he was later extracted as a shadow soldier. Jin-Woo then named him Beru.
The Ant King’s Communication Skill
Conversing With Humans Is Not a Problem
Even before the Ant King became a shadow, he was capable of using human language, unlikeJin-Woo’s other shadows, who communicate through monster tongue. This skill came as a shock among Korean hunters since it was the first time they had ever heard a magical beast talk in their language. They are aware of high-ranking monsters possessing intelligence, but they don’t seem to be prepared to understand one of them.
“Who is your King?"—The Ant King to Baek Yoon-Ho
Jin-Woo, on the other hand, has no problems conversing in the monster language, owing to the system’s automatic translation feature. He expected to converse with the Ant King in monster tongue, but he was caught by surprise. Most surprisingly, the Ant King was looking for the “King,” perhaps referring to the strongest human being among the hunters on the island. It’s amazing how the Ant King understands the hierarchy, which speaks volumes about his intelligence.
So, How Can Beru Speak Human Language?
How Is It Possible?
When the Ant King was born, there was no evidence that he already possessed the ability to speak and understand human language. In fact, the first time the Ant King addressed the humans was when he stormed inside the Ant Queen’s nest anddevoured Min Byung-Gu’s head. That’s when the Ant King asked the Korean hunters who among them was the “King.”
WhileSolo Levelingnever explicitly confirmed the reason why the Ant King was able to communicate, his absorption skill seemingly had something to do with it. This skill was known as “Gluttony,” which allowed the Ant King to absorb not just the skills of his target but also their knowledge. Going back, the Ant King devoured Byung-Gu, which likely explains why he became able to speak and understand humans.
“Are you the King?"—The Ant King to Goto Ryuji
After turning into a shadow, the Ant King somehow retained his ability to speak. Jin-Woo, on the other hand, believed that it had something to dowith Beru’s shadow gradesince he was the first shadow to ever own a general rank.
This section contains spoilers from theSolo Levelingmanhwa.
Beru’s Human Side
After turning into a shadow, Beru’s ability to speak with humans remained intact. He often communicates with Jin-Woo, although it’s hard to determine when he uses the monster or the human language. Either way, Beru has no problems expressing his thoughts and emotions to Jin-Woo, unlike other shadows in the army.
The funny thing is that Beru has also grown accustomed to humans, especially to Jin-Woo’s family. Since Jin-Woo ordered him to look out for his family, he eventually got used to theirhabit of watching historical dramas. He started getting into the dramas so much that he began calling the other shadows peasants, as if channeling his inner actor. There’s also a possibility that Min Byung-Gu’s passion for history had something to do with Beru’s new hobby.
All in all, Beru’s ability to speak with humans easily makes him a memorable and fan-favorite character inSolo Leveling. His linguistic prowess sets him apart from the other shadows, adding depth to his character. Not to mention, Beru already hasa lot of quotable quotes, which fans like to bring up from time to time.
