Episode 15: Still a Long Way to Go

Overview

Gallery

Still a Long Way to Go
Season	Season 2
Episode	15
Air Date	January 18th, 2025 (Japanese) February 1st, 2025 (English)
Adapted From	Chapter 56 - Chapter 61WB Chapter ? - Chapter ? NV
Arc	Demon Castle Arc
Credits
Studio	A-1 Pictures
Writer	Noboru Kimura
Director	Kōji Furukuwa
Music
Opening Theme	LiSa ft. Felix of Stray Kids ReawakeR
Ending Theme	TK from Ling Tosite Sigure - UN-APEX
Episode Guide
Previous	Episode 14
Next	Episode 16

Still a Long Way to Go is the 15th episode of the Solo Leveling anime series and the 3rd episode of its second season.

Synopsis

After fulfilling his promise to clear 19 dungeons together with Jinho, Jinwoo, now stronger than when he fought Cerberus, prepares for his next challenge.

To gather the materials needed for the "Holy Water of Life," which may cure his mother's illness, he once again takes on the S-rank dungeon, "Demon Castle." There, Jinwoo is tasked with a new quest: to collect 10,000 demon souls to clear the dungeon.

Key Points

TBA

Summary

Yoo Jinho is in shock as he sees Sung Jinwoo’s shadow army for the first time. The shadow soldiers work efficiently in their latest raid, slaying magic beasts and even harvesting the dungeon’s essence stones for them. Elsewhere, in another dark dungeon, an American hunter panics as a wild-looking man approaches him. “I want to go home,” the stranger says.

Jinwoo and Jinho celebrate the completion of the guild raid requirements with beer and BBQ. Jinho still has to complete a written exam and convince his father, Yoo Myung-Han, to let him take over their family’s guild, but he’s close to his goal. Already tipsy, Jinho says he and his older brother aren’t close, so he wishes Jinwoo was his older brother. Jinwoo smiles and says kindly that, starting today, he considers Jinho his younger brother.

Meanwhile, the disheveled man from the dungeon sits silently in a holding cell. Two officials discuss him, saying that his story is that he’s been trapped inside a dungeon for ten years. They’re not entirely convinced he’s not a humanoid magic beast. Since he doesn’t speak English well, the Americans bring in S-Rank Hunter Hwang Dongsoo to translate. As for the name of the mysterious man? It’s Sung Il-Hwan.

Jinwoo gets ready to leave for a week-long trip to the Demon King's Castle. His sister, Sung Jinah, comments that he’s been busy lately. Jinwoo has the Elixir of Life on his mind and wants to gather its required ingredients to cure his mother, Kyung-Hye, from her strange illness. Entering the castle, Jinwoo is shocked when the system assigns him a quest to kill 10,000 magic beasts. Determined to save his mom, he accepts.

Jinho formally requests his father to let him take over as head of the Yoojin Guild from his brother. While Yoo Myung-Han is skeptical, he agrees on the condition that Jinwoo becomes part of the guild, to which Jinho quickly agrees.

As Jinwoo clears the castle's floors, he gains levels while progressing up the tower. He summons a shadow ice bear and names it “Tank” to help speed up travel. Reaching the 50th floor, Jinwoo confronts Avaricious Vulkan, a massive and fast boss monster. Vulkan’s strength and intelligence make him a tough opponent, but Jinwoo ultimately slays the beast using skill and strategy.

Meanwhile, S-Rank Hunter Cha Hae-In reflects on her encounter with the evolved magic beasts on Jeju Island, witnessed alongside Choi Jong-In. She questions why this information remains secret, but Choi insists it’s better to stay prepared while keeping the public unaware.

In America, Hwang Dongsoo interrogates Sung Il-Hwan, who reveals that dungeons and magic beasts are just the start of a greater catastrophe. Hwang notices that Il-Hwan has a son named Jinwoo and smugly threatens that both father and son will be dead soon. In response, Il-Hwan overwhelms Hwang, destroying the building and leaving him unconscious before vanishing.

Jinwoo eventually runs out of time and supplies on the 75th floor. The journey proves valuable, with significant level gains, another secret dungeon key, and two of the three components for the Elixir of Life now in his possession. Jinwoo promises to return and finish his quest.

Appearances

In order of appearance:

Humans

• Yoo Jinho
• Sung Jinwoo
• Sung Il-Hwan (Debut)
• Hwang Dongsoo
• Sung Jinah
• Yoo Myunghan
• Cha Hae-In
• Choi Jong-In (Flashback)
• Ahn Sangmin
• Park Heejin
• Michael Connor (Debut)

Magic Beasts

• Goblins
• Cerberus (Flashback)
• Demons (Debut)
• Vulcan's Guards]] (Debut)
• Vulcan (Debut)
• Undead (Debut)
• Metus (Debut)

Shadows

• Shadow Infantry
• Iron
• Igris
• Tank
• Shadow Ice Bears
• Shadow Mages

Locations

• C-Rank Dungeons
• Federal Bureau of Hunters HQ
• Demon Castle

Items

• Collect 10,000 Demon Souls
• Fragment of the World Tree
• Demon Monarch's Earring
• Demon Monarch's Necklace
• Sphere of Avarice
• Unknown Black Key

Anime & Manhwa Differences

• General Differences
• Added in Anime
• Cut from Anime

• Sung Il Hwan says he is "human" in the anime instead of "Korean" as in the Manhwa.
• Go Myung Hwan does not join the conversation between Jinho and Yoo Myung Han about Jinwoo's involvement in the Red Gate; Yoo Myung Han mentions it directly.
• In the Manhwa, Jinwoo uses Stealth after ordering Shadow Soldiers to attack Demon Soldiers, but he does not use Stealth in the anime.
• Jinwoo's process of going through the new items obtained from killing Vulkan is moved to after he kills Metus in the anime.
• Anime original change where Park Heejin mentions that only Jinwoo's sister is home, replacing a scene in the Manhwa where Ahn Sangmin and Park Heejin ask an old lady about Jinwoo's whereabouts.
• In the Manhwa, Jinwoo attacks Metus from the front, but in the anime, he attacks from behind.

Anime original scene of Iron mining Mana Stones.

Anime original scene introducing Jinwoo's goal to obtain the items for the Elixir of Life earlier in the story.

Anime original montage of Jinwoo eating food and wearing different outfits as he ascends the Demon Tower.

Anime original scene of Cha Hae-In swimming in a pool and later asking Choi Jong-In why the information about the Flying Ants will not be released to the public.

Jinho mentioning that the Shadow Soldiers are scary is cut out.

Chibi Jinho wanting to hug Jinwoo after being accepted as a brother is cut; instead, Jinho offers more meat.

Jinwoo seeing Baek Yoonho in an interview about the Red Gate incident is not adapted in the anime.

The phone call between Baek Yoonho and Min Byung-Gu about the Flying Ants is not shown.

Yoo Myung Han's inner dialogue about S-Rank Hunters and Jeju-Do Island is not included.

Jinwoo's inner dialogue about the rising difficulty of leveling up and feeling slightly weaker than S-Rank Hunters is cut.

Shadow Soldiers being annihilated by Vulkan's swing is not shown and is skipped to Jinwoo attacking after the soldiers get hit.

Igris presenting the heads of slain demons to Jinwoo and Iron dragging Vulkan's head to him is omitted.

The scene where Jinwoo gives the Orb of Avarice to a Shadow Mage and has them test fire a fireball is cut; instead, he decides to give it later without showing the test.

The conversation between Sung Il Hwan and Hwang Dong Soo is shortened.

• Mention by Hwang Dong Soo of reviving Hwang Dong Suk is cut.
• Hwang Dong Soo declaring Sung Il Hwan to be a Magic Beast to U.S. Officials is omitted.