Episode 5: A Pretty Good Deal

“	A whole different... level... ? I take it all back. Jinho. Don't move. I'm gonna fight this thing.	”
—Sung Jinwoo

Overview

Gallery

A Pretty Good Deal
Jinwoo and Jinho left alone by Hwang's squad to face the dungeon boss.
Season	Season 1
Episode	5
Air Date	February 3rd, 2024 (Japanese) February 17th, 2024 (English)
Adapted From	Chapter 18 - Chapter 21 WB Chapter ? - Chapter ? NV
Arc	Dungeon & Lizards Arc
Credits
Studio	A-1 Pictures
Writer	Norimitsu Kaihō
Director	Makiko Hayase
Music
Opening Theme	SawanoHiroyuki[nZk] : TOMORROW X TOGETHER - LEveL
Ending Theme	krage - request
Episode Guide
Previous	Episode 4
Next	Episode 6

A Pretty Good Deal is the 5th episode of the Solo Leveling anime series.

Synopsis

Jinwoo joins a party led by Hwang Dongsuk to meet the headcount necessary for a C-Rank dungeon. Joined by another temporary hire, Yoo Jinho, the party defeats beasts without much trouble, but Jinwoo has suspicions about the group's lack of a healer.

Key Points

• Jinwoo getting discharged from the hospital.
• Jinwoo’s physical changes becoming a lot more noticeable. The hospital nurses approve.
• The introduction of Solo Leveling characters like Yoo Jinho and Hwang Dongsuk. Yoo Jinho was technically in the first episode.
• Jinwoo deciding to keep his increased level a secret.
• Jinwoo joining his first raid group after what happened at Cartenon Temple.
• The betrayal of Hwang Dongsuk’s group.

Summary

The nurses at the hospital couldn't resist gossiping about their patient, Jinwoo, and his remarkable physique, a result of his dedicated strength training provided by the System. Jinwoo's transformed appearance drew admiration from the nurses, evident when Nurse Choi Yoora stumbled upon him post-workout and couldn't help but blush at the sight of his muscles. With a mix of nervousness and boldness, she hastily informed him of his discharge, seizing the opportunity to request his phone number. Oblivious to the underlying intentions, Jinwoo innocently complied, assuming it was part of the checkout procedure.

Meanwhile, Baek Yoonho, an S-rank hunter, appears on a morning news show where he chats with the host. The host mentions the rarity of S-rank hunters, highlighting that there are only seven of them, before shifting the conversation to Baek’s life outside of the dungeons. Baek discusses his daily training routine, which he maintains to keep his skills sharp, revealing that it's a habit he adopted during his days as a firefighter.

At Jinwoo's house, his sister, Jinah, watches Baek's interview on TV, noticing the time as it grows late for school. Jinah calls for her brother as she prepares to leave for school, while Jinwoo, still with bedhead, yawns and greets her. Jinah is surprised by his new look and asks if he's been working out lately. Observing the results of his training, she notes that he even seems taller than before. Grinning, she puts on her shoes, about to leave for school, as Jinwoo tells her to take the umbrella, displaying his protective nature. Despite her refusal, he insists anyway.

Jinwoo takes a moment to review his daily training quests, pondering whether he'll eventually resemble a bodybuilder. Having reached level 18, he allocates his stat points, focusing on strength, agility, and perception after defeating the dungeon boss. However, his contemplation is interrupted by a phone call from his landlord, reminding him of overdue rent. Though the landlord offers to extend the deadline, Jinwoo declines, determined not to inconvenience anyone. Resolving to settle the bill immediately, he realizes he needs to find raid work to earn enough money. This prompts Jinwoo to increase his stats before delving into online searches for potential raid opportunities.

While Jinwoo is now more than capable of taking on the magic beasts in dungeons that would easily make the rent, technically he’s still an E-rank hunter. He’s wary of getting too much attention if he joins raids in higher-ranked gates. He wants to learn more about what’s happening to him before getting that kind of scrutiny. One job listing catches his eye.

Jinwoo takes his daily quest run to the raid group’s meeting spot at a gate in a construction site. He meets raid leader Hwang Dongsuk. Jinwoo’s reputation as the weakest hunter precedes him, and Hwang shushes the other hunters as they start to laugh about it. Jinwoo isn’t bothered, but wants to make sure that he can join as an E-rank. The leader assures him he’s just there to fill out their hunter quota so they can enter a C-rank dungeon; they’ll do all the fighting. Jinwoo notices there’s no healer, which is odd, but signs a release form and officially joins the raid.

As the party walks to the gate, the youngest member of the raid introduces himself. 21-year-old Yoo Jinho is a chatty D-rank hunter wearing a brand-new set of expensive armor. The gate looms large over the group, but Jinwoo tells Jinho not to worry; it’s the level of magic that it emits that determines the rank it’s assigned, not the size. They enter the dungeon and notice the lack of magic beasts and glow stones, making it completely dark inside. Jinwoo is reminded of Cartenon Temple.

The group comes to a crossroad in the tunnels and Jinwoo feels the presence of beasts. He realizes they’re insect types and senses their attack coming from above. Just as he warns the group, a swarm of ant-like monsters attacks. The hunters are well-coordinated, notes Jinwoo, and Jinho holds his own thanks to his pricey armor. But something feels off.

Elsewhere, the highest-rank hunters train. S-rank hunter Baek smashes through stone with his bare hands, causing the building to shake.

Jinho keeps up a friendly conversation with Jinwoo as the hunters continue to explore the dungeon; it’s huge, but mostly empty of monsters. As they come upon the boss chamber, they find it filled with glittering mana stones—and a sleeping giant spider. The leader, Hwang, thinks of showing up his little brother with this haul. Jinho, looking out for Jinwoo, points out that per the contract he’s entitled to split the haul as well. Hwang gamely agrees, but mentions they’ll have to take care of the dungeon boss first. He tells Jinho and Jinwoo to stay put while it sleeps as the rest of the group goes out to get their excavation gear.

Then the group springs their trap.The hunters seal the chamber with an explosion, trapping Jinho and Jinwoo inside with the boss. They’ll serve as bait for the spider, probably putting it to sleep with a full stomach, so the group can take the mana crystals for themselves. Jinwoo tells Jinho to stand back as he’ll take on the boss himself.

Appearance

In order of appearance by category:

Humans

• Sung Jinwoo
• Choi Yoora (Debut)
• Baek Yoonho
• Sung Jinah
• Hwang Dongsuk (Debut) - Strike Team Leader.
  • Cho Kyuhwan (Debut)
  • Goo Juntae (Debut)
  • Lee Chul-Jin (Debut)
  • Min Seok (Debut)
  • Jinsuk (Debut)
• Yoo Jinho (Debut)
• Go Myung-Hwan (Cameo)
• Kim Chul (Cameo)
• Song Chi-Yul (Flashback)

Magic Beasts

• Ants
• Giant Arachnid Buryura (Debut)

Locations

• Hunters Hospital
• Insects Dungeon (Debut)
• Cartenon Temple (Flashback)

Anime & Manhwa Differences

• General Differences
• Added in Anime
• Cut from Anime

• The concept of Lizards and Jinwoo having a flashback to a time where he was warned about those kind of hunters who commit crimes in dungeons, was told to him by Song Chi-Yul. In the manhwa, it was an unknown hunter.

TBD

TBD

Trivia

• The umbrella that Jinwoo gave to Jinah was one of the reward he received from the System. Jinwoo gave the object to Jinah because any items that the System provides him will eventually come in handy in the future. This can be shown when it started to rain outside when Jinwoo and Jinho, following the massacre of Dongsuk's squad, despite Jinah having said that it was going to be sunny earlier.