Chapter 56 is the fifty-sixth chapter of the Solo Leveling webtoon series written by Chu-Gong and illustrated by Dubu.
Summary[]
Yoo Jinho is stunned as he witnesses Sung Jinwoo’s shadow army for the first time, effortlessly slaughtering magic beasts and collecting essence stones with inhuman efficiency. Meanwhile, in a distant dungeon, an American Hunter trembles as a wild-looking man approaches him, his voice filled with desperation as he mutters, "I want to go home."
After completing their guild raid requirements, Jinwoo and Jinho celebrate over beer and barbecue. Jinho, tipsy, confesses that he wishes Jinwoo were his older brother, to which Jinwoo warmly replies that from now on, he considers Jinho his younger brother. Their conversation is interrupted by a news report featuring Baek Yoonho, announcing the conclusion of an investigation by the Hunters’ Association.
Baek Yoonho, exhausted, learns from Min Byeong-Gu that Japan’s Hunters' Association has secretly contacted Korea. The reason is alarming—Jeju Island’s ants are mutating and developing wings. A corpse of a winged ant has already washed up on Japan’s shores, raising fears that more may have escaped, threatening the entire region.
Plot Details[]
Yoo Jinho stands frozen in disbelief as he witnesses Sung Jinwoo’s shadow army for the first time. The battlefield, once filled with the monstrous roars of magic beasts, now falls into an eerie silence as Jinwoo’s black-clad soldiers move with inhuman efficiency. The shadows tear through the remaining monsters, their dark weapons slicing through flesh with practiced precision. Unlike regular Hunters, who struggle and sweat through battles, these creatures work without hesitation or fear, cutting down enemies and swiftly gathering the dungeon’s essence stones as if they had done it countless times before. Jinho watches as the once-terrifying dungeon becomes a place of methodical slaughter, the magic beasts unable to resist the overwhelming force before them. He can’t help but gulp, realizing once again that Jinwoo is unlike any other Hunter he has ever known.
Meanwhile, in a faraway dungeon shrouded in darkness, an entirely different scene unfolds. The air is thick with tension, the only light coming from a flickering magic lantern held by an American Hunter. His breath is ragged, his hands trembling as he steps backward, pressing himself against the cold stone walls. He had heard the rumors—whispers of a man who appeared and disappeared like a phantom, his face wild with desperation. Now, that very man stood before him, his clothes ragged, his hair unkempt, and his eyes filled with a haunting emptiness. Each step the stranger takes is slow yet deliberate, his bare feet scraping against the rocky ground. The Hunter wants to run, to escape, but his body refuses to move. The man finally stops in front of him, his voice low and hoarse as he utters words that send chills down his spine. "I want to go home."
After another successful dungeon raid, Jinwoo and Jinho sit at a small restaurant, celebrating their victory over plates of sizzling barbecue and cold beer. The warm atmosphere is a stark contrast to the icy, life-threatening battles they had endured just hours before. Jinho, still excited from their latest achievement, takes a sip of his drink and happily declares that they have now completed the necessary requirements to establish their own guild. However, he acknowledges that he still has one last hurdle to overcome—the written exam for official certification. Though the test itself is not particularly difficult, there is another, far greater challenge waiting for him: convincing his father, Yoo Myung-Han, to let him take control of the family’s guild. The weight of his father’s expectations has always loomed over him, and he knows that getting approval will not be easy.
Jinwoo, however, is not overly concerned with guild matters at the moment. As he takes another sip of his beer, he pulls out the Demon Castle Key from his inventory, rolling it between his fingers as he studies it. It is his next objective, a dungeon unlike any other he has faced before. He has no idea what awaits him inside, but one thing is certain—he will be gone for a while. Jinho, already tipsy from the alcohol, leans back in his seat, a wistful expression crossing his face. He mentions, almost absentmindedly, that he and his older brother have never been close. Unlike his brother, who is the perfect heir in their father’s eyes, Jinho has always been seen as the family’s black sheep, someone whose ambitions were never taken seriously. In his drunken honesty, he confesses that sometimes, he wishes Jinwoo was his older brother instead.
Jinwoo, surprised by the statement, lets out a small chuckle. There is no mockery in his voice, only warmth, as he places a hand on Jinho’s shoulder. "Then from today onward," he says, his tone light but sincere, "I’ll consider you my younger brother." Jinho’s eyes widen slightly before his face turns red, whether from embarrassment or the alcohol, Jinwoo isn’t sure. Before the conversation can continue, the television in the corner of the restaurant flickers, capturing their attention. Baek Yoonho appears on the screen, his expression serious as he delivers a statement regarding the Hunter’s Association. The investigation that had been launched following recent events has now been completed, but what they have uncovered may change everything.
Baek Yoonho slumps into his chair, exhaustion clear on his face. The weight of his responsibilities as Guild Master of the White Tiger Guild has never felt heavier. The Association’s investigation may have concluded, but new problems continue to surface, leaving him little room to rest. His mind is troubled, not just by local affairs, but by the whispers coming from across the sea. Min Byeong-Gu, an A-rank healer and trusted ally, had recently traveled to Japan, keeping him informed of the situation unfolding there.
The Japanese Hunters' Association had secretly reached out to Korea, their tone one of urgency. They had requested assistance—specifically from Hunters who had previously participated in the Jeju Island Raid. The reason for this sudden request was as chilling as it was alarming. The ants were evolving. Reports had surfaced indicating that the magic beasts on Jeju Island were undergoing a terrifying transformation—some were now growing wings. It was an unsettling revelation, one that posed an even greater threat than before. If the ants were capable of flight, it would mean that their containment on Jeju Island would no longer be guaranteed.
Even more disturbing was the discovery made just days ago. A corpse of one of these winged ants had washed up on a beach in Japan. The fact that a single monster had made it across the sea was troubling enough, but it also raised a terrifying question: Had more of them already escaped? Baek Yoonho rubs his temples, the implications of this information weighing heavily on him. If these creatures could fly, then the safety of not just Korea but the entire region was at risk. The Jeju Island disaster that had once been considered contained was now threatening to spiral out of control once again.
Appearances[]
- Sung Jinwoo
- Yoo Jinho
- Unnamed American Hunter
- Sung Il-Hwan
- Yoo Myung-Han (Mentioned)
- Baek Yoonho
- Min Byeong-Gu
Locations[]
- Dungeon (Guild Raid with Jinwoo and Jinho)
- Restaurant (Jinwoo and Jinho’s Celebration)
- White Tiger Guild Headquarters (Baek Yoonho’s Office)
- Jeju Island (Mentioned, Ant Colony)
- Japan (Mentioned, Winged Ant Corpse Discovery)
[]
| Season 1 | ||||||||||||
| Prologue | Prologue | |||||||||||
| D-Rank Dungeon Arc | 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 | |||||||||||
| Reawakening Arc | 11 • 12 | |||||||||||
| Instant Dungeon Arc | 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 | |||||||||||
| Dungeon & Lizards Arc | 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 | |||||||||||
| Dungeon & Prisoners Arc | 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31 • 32 • 33 • 34 | |||||||||||
| Yoo Jin-Ho Raid Party Arc | 35 • 36 • 37 | |||||||||||
| Job Change Arc | 38 • 39 • 40 • 41 • 42 • 43 • 44 • 45 | |||||||||||
| Red Gate Arc | 46 • 47 • 48 • 49 • 50 • 51 • 52 • 53 • 54 • 55 | |||||||||||
| Demon Castle Arc | 56 • 57 • 58 • 59 • 60 • 61 | |||||||||||
| Retesting Rank Arc | 62 • 63 • 64 | |||||||||||
| Hunters Guild Gate Arc | 65 • 66 • 67 • 68 • 69 • 70 • 71 • 72 • 73 • 74 • 75 | |||||||||||
| Return to Demon Castle Arc | 76 • 77 • 78 • 79 • 80 • 81 • 82 • 83 • 84 • 85 • 86 • 87 • 88 • 89 | |||||||||||
| Jeju Island Arc | 90 • 91 • 92 • 93 • 94 • 95 • 96 • 97 • 98 • 99 • 100 • 101 • 102 • 103 • 104 • 105 • 106 • 107 | |||||||||||
| Recruitment Arc | 108 • 109 • 110 | |||||||||||
| Season 2 | ||||||||||||
| Ahjin Guild Arc | 111 • 112 • 113 • 114 • 115 • 116 • 117 • 118 • 119 • 120 • 121 • 122 | |||||||||||
| Double Dungeon Arc | 123 • 124 • 125 • 126 • 127 • 128 • 129 • 130 • 131 | |||||||||||
| Japan Crisis Arc | 132 • 133 • 134 • 135 • 136 • 137 • 138 • 139 | |||||||||||
| International Guild Conference Arc | 140 • 141 • 142 • 143 • 144 • 145 • 146 • 147 • 148 • 149 | |||||||||||
| Monarchs War Arc | 150 • 151 • 152 • 153 • 154 • 155 • 156 • 157 • 158 • 159 • 160 • 161 • 162 • 163 • 164 • 165 • 166 | |||||||||||
| Final Battle Arc | 167 • 168 • 169 • 170 • 171 • 172 • 173 • 174 • 175 • 176 • 177 | |||||||||||
| Epilogue | 178 • 179 | |||||||||||
| Academy Arc | 180 • 181 • 182 • 183 • 184 • 185 • 186 • 187 • 188 • 189 • 190 • 191 • 192 • 193 • 194 • 195 • 196 • 197 • 198 • 199 • 200 | |||||||||||