Episode 10: What Is This, a Picnic?

“	What is this, a picnic?	”
—Ahn Sangmin

Overview

Gallery

What Is This? A Picnic?
Jinwoo using Stealth skill while slashing C-Rank monster.
Season	Season 1
Episode	10
Air Date	March 16th, 2024 (Japanese) March 30th, 2024 (English)
Adapted From	Chapter 34 - Chapter 37 WB Chapter 35 - Chapter 45 NV
Arc	Yoo Jinho Raid Party Arc
Credits
Studio	A-1 Pictures
Writer	Yoshikazu Tominaga
Director	Yūya Horiuchi & Takashi Sakuma
Music
Opening Theme	SawanoHiroyuki[nZk] : TOMORROW X TOGETHER - LEveL
Ending Theme	krage - request
Soundtrack	SawanoHiroyuki[nZk] : Laco, Benjamin & mpi - 4eVR
Episode Guide
Previous	Episode 9
Next	Episode 11

What Is This, a Picnic? is the 10th episode of the Solo Leveling anime series.

Synopsis

Jinwoo survives tragedy once again, but Woo Jinchul warns him that Hwang Dongsoo, an S-Rank hunter, may be after his life. Determined to grow stronger, Jinwoo teams up with Jinho to raid a succession of C-Rank dungeons, but they attract attention...

Key Points

• Jinwoo and Joohee reminisce during a walk; Joohee decides to retire.
• Jinchul warns Jinwoo of potential danger from S-Rank hunter Hwang Dongsoo.
• Jinwoo and Jinho form a ragtag strike team to get rights for C-Rank gates.
• Sung Jinah's friend, Han Song-Yi, awakening as an E-Rank hunter. She joins Yoo Jinho and Jinwoo's raid group.
• Jinwoo clears several dungeons solo, with Jinho helping to mine mana crystals.
• White Tiger Guild's Ahn Sangmin aims to recruit Jinwoo, recognizing his potential.
• Jinwoo sells 3 dungeon rights to the White Tiger Guild, outsmarting them.
• Jinwoo embarks for the Job Change Quest, eager for the new challenge.
• The amazing insert song “4eVR” by SawanoHiroyuki[nZk] featuring Laco, Benjamin & mpi.

Summary

Joohee returns an essence stone to Jinwoo and retires as a Hunter

After completing another eventful raid, Jinwoo and Lee Joohee take the opportunity to catch up during a leisurely walk through a serene park. Joohee, a B-Rank healer, confesses her belief that her timidity might not be suited for the life of a hunter anymore. However, she expresses gratitude for the lower-ranking raids that led to her meeting Jinwoo, admiring the unwavering determination in his eyes despite the numerous injuries she had to heal. Joohee returns the E-Rank essence stone Jinwoo gave her the last time they met eachother, revealing she never sold it. She decides to retire as a hunter and return home, and expresses her hope to see Jinwoo again soon, parting with a smile.

Jinchul warns Jinwoo about Hwang Dongsoo

Alone, Jinwoo thinks back to a warning Woo Jinchul gave him after the raid, concerning his previous dungeon incident. Woo mentioned that S-Rank hunter Hwang Dongsoo might want revenge for his brother Hwang Dongsuk's death. He suggested Jinwoo and Jinho, the raid's other survivor, should be cautious or even consider leaving the country because "The law is powerless to deal with S-ranks." Jinwoo sees this as another reason to grow stronger, understanding that he wouldn't stand a chance at his current level.

Later, Jinwoo and Jinho meet with their unique strike team of lower-ranked hunters at a glowing C-Rank dungeon gate. Jinho picked six hunters with various "reasons" preventing them from working regularly, including injuries, lack of experience, or personal issues like alcoholism, meeting the required eight-hunter minimum for a C-Rank gate. Among them was Han Song-Yi, a minor allowed to participate due to her awakened status, despite skipping school at the time. She's also a friend of Jinwoo's sister, Jinah, though Jinwoo is unaware at the time. Song-Yi takes offense at being referred to as a kid by Jinwoo, but he quickly reminds her of her place, pointing out her E-rank status and lack of raid experience.

Jinwoo and Jinho enter the gate

Jinwoo announces to the team that only he and Jinho will enter the dungeon, causing some skepticism among the hunters, given the lucrative offer of three million WON (roughly $2,430 USD) per raid just to show up. As Jinho explains the contract details, including the non-disclosure agreement, Jinwoo redeems the Stealth skill he acquired from a rune stone after defeating Kang Taeshik. The duo then proceeds into the C-Rank gate alone, after Jinwoo forces Jinho to take off the ridiculous set of high-rank armor he was wearing. However, he was allowed to wear the helmet at least.

Jinwoo clears a C rank dungeon solo.

The rest of the strike team, skeptical and somewhat dismissive after receiving their payment, waits outside as told. Their astonishment is clear when Jinwoo and Jinho reappear only an hour later. The team's initial thought was that they had fled, but it turns out the pair managed to clear the dungeon quicker than the usual two hours taken by an average strike team for a C-Rank gate. Motivated by their swift success, they plan to proceed to the next gate, aiming to tackle three dungeons a day, leaving their teammates in awe.

In the following dungeon, Jinwoo swiftly defeats a group of goblins while Jinho collects all the Mana Crystals close by. Jinwoo defeats the hobgoblin boss in one decapitating slash. As days go by, they continuously clear dungeons filled with magic beasts and gather resources. Jinwoo's power increases with each boss he defeats, his skills leveling up with him. Jinho witnesses the Stealth skill in full effect and is taken aback by its effectiveness and Jinwoo's significant growth in strength.

Jinwoo clears a C rank dungeon

Jinwoo successfully clears dungeons inhabited by snakes, scorpions, and werewolves, eventually becoming Level 40. He levels his Dash skill for the first time and gains new abilities: Advanced Dagger Wielding and Fatal Strike. Recognizing the need for more Mana to use these skills, as he's been dependent on mana potions from the System Shop, he plans to boost his Intelligence. Not feeling quite prepared to tackle the Demon King's Castle, Jinwoo assesses his power as somewhere between B-Rank and A-Rank, using A-Rank hunter Woo Jinchul as a benchmark. Then, a System alert informs him he's eligible for the Job Change Quest.

At the White Tiger Guild headquarters, the news of Jinho spending a huge sum of 150 million WON ($121,500 USD) on rights to C-Rank gates catches the eye of Manager Ahn Sangmin and his assistant Hyun Kichul. Ahn remembers Sung Jinwoo's name from the infamous Double Dungeon incident and is immediately intrigued. Considering Jinwoo's narrow escapes from three dangerous situations - the Double Dungeon, Hwang Dongsuk's strike team, and Kang Taeshik's attack - Ahn suspects that Jinwoo might have gone through a second awakening. Eager to learn more, Ahn decides to investigate at one of the gates personally.

Ahn and Kichul reach the C-Rank gate entrance and are surprised to see a group of mismatched hunters lounging outside, similar to a picnic. Han Song-yi comes over and informs them that the area is restricted, and they are surprised that she is a hunter too. Ahn deduces that Jinwoo is tackling the dungeon solo, which further fuels his resolve to recruit him as he would be a major find for them. The two decide to leave but stop to discreetly listen in as Jinho and Jinwoo exit the gate. Jinwoo requests a day off to tackle the Job-Quest, prompting Jinho to delay their upcoming gate reservations, before they head to the next gate of the day.

Choi suffers a nightmare of Jeju Island

Elsewhere, Guild Master Choi Jong-In is tormented by visions of his fellow hunters consumed by fire, with a gigantic ant looming over him as he kneels helplessly. A bloodied hunter with a missing arm reaches out for him, only to be decimated, shocking Choi awake. Realizing it's just a recurring nightmare of the failed Jeju Island raid, he is jolted back to reality in his desk chair in the Hunters Guild headquarters. Clutching the reconnaissance mission plans for the island, Choi steels himself, knowing the time to act is close at hand.

At day's end, Jinwoo bids farewell to his strike team before being approached by Ahn and Kichul, who aim to recruit him for the White Tiger guild. Over coffee, Ahn boasts about their prestige as one of the best guilds in Korea and offers Jinwoo double what Yoojin Construction promised. However, Jinwoo's deal is worth 30 billion WON ($24.3 million USD). Caught off guard and unprepared, Ahn mentions needing approval for such a sum. Jinwoo, showing his Yoojin contract, gets ready to leave but stops to confront Ahn about prying into him, his tone sharp and warning as he places a hand on Ahn's shoulder.

Jinwoo threatens Ahn

Ahn turns to face him, but Jinwoo has vanished, and Ahn realizes its the Stealth skill and that is why he is so valuable. After feeling a cut on his cheek, Ahn clarifies he was looking into the C-rank gate issue, not Jinwoo himself, and vows to keep Jinwoo's skills a secret while apologizing for the intrusion. Jinwoo reappears, apologizes for taking all the gates, and offers to sell three for 300 million WON each. Despite the shock, Ahn sees the need for these gates to train his guild's new members. Eventually, he agrees to buy the three gates for a total of 600 million WON ($486,000 USD).

Ahn reacts to the Tiger Guild being duped by Jinwoo

Jinwoo instructs Ahn to open his mouth and shut his eyes, then administers a health potion that immediately heals the cut. As Jinwoo departs, Ahn muses that Jinwoo might be an even bigger deal than he initially thought. The next day, the White Tiger guild realizes they have been duped – other C-Rank gates were available on the market in their jurisdiction, priced at 70 million cheaper than what he paid Jinwoo. A text from Jinwoo then arrives, suggesting they're square, hinting at this being retribution for spying on him. Though outmaneuvered, Ahn finds solace in now having Jinwoo's contact information.

Finally, Jinwoo cruises down the highway in a red truck, windows rolled down, eagerly anticipating the start of his new job-change quest.

Appearances

In order of appearance:

Humans

• Lee Joohee
• Sung Jinwoo
• Woo Jinchul (Flashback)
• Hwang Dongsoo (Cameo)
• Yoo Jinho
  • Jinho's Strike Team (Debut)
  • Han Song-Yi
• Sung Jinah
• Female Investigator (Flashback) - Works in Hunter Association.
• Ahn Sangmin (Debut)
  • Hyun Kichul (Debut) - Ahn Sangmin's junior co-worker.
• Hwang Dongsuk (Flashback) - Strike Team Captain.
  • Jinsuk (Flashback)
  • Min Seok (Flashback)
  • Cho Kyuhwan (Flashback)
  • Juntae Goo (Flashback)
  • Lee Chul-Jin (Flashback)
• Kang Taeshik (Flashback)
• Choi Jong-In

Magic Beasts

• Hobgoblin Boss (Debut)
  • Goblins
• Giant Snake (Debut)
• Scorpions (Debut)
• Werewolves
• Cerberus (Flashback)
• Ants (Flashback)

Locations

• C-Rank Dungeons
• Cartenon Temple (Flashback)
• Insects Dungeon (Flashback)
• Goblins Dungeon (Flashback)
• Cafe Pene

Items

• Job Change Quest

Anime & Manhwa Differences

• General Differences
• Added in Anime
• Cut from Anime

• Jinwoo wore a blue tracksuit. It was red in the manhwa.
• Chief Ahn stalked Jinwoo, deceived his strike team, and approached him at the end of the day. In the manwha, he confronted Jinwoo the first time they visited the gate he was at and revealed themselves as White Tiger representatives.

Nightmare scene of the Jeju Island failed raid though the eyes of Choi Jong-In

TBD