Solo Leveling: Can Sung Jin-Woo use necromancy? Explained

Solo Leveling
Solo Leveling's Sung Jin-Woo and if he can use necromancy (Image via A-1 Pictures).

Solo Leveling's protagonist, Sung Jin-Woo, is known for a lot of reasons and one of the most prominent is his wide array of abilities. Since he joined the System, Sung Jin-Woo can train and become a lot stronger thanks to the experience gained, which is something that goes against the established rules within the Hunters organization and its limitations.

In that regard, there have been doubts among newcomers to the Solo Leveling regarding Sung Jin-Woo's abilities and one of their questions is if the character can use necromancy. The answer is that, yes, he can use this ability, although perhaps doesn't work the same way a lot of people think, and that is due to his power known as Shadow Extraction,

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the Solo Leveling series. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda as a whole.


Explaining how Sung Jin-Woo's Shadow Extraction works in Solo Leveling

As Sung Jin-Woo becomes stronger in the Solo Leveling thanks to his inclusion in the System, he develops several techniques. However, perhaps one of Jin-Woo's most useful and practical abilities is Shadow Extraction, which has proven to be something that has allowed him to succeed throughout the series.

Shadow Extraction is basically necromancy, which allows Sung Jin-Woo to take the body of a slain hunter or beast and turn it into a Shadow, with its own set of characteristics and personalities. It is also worth pointing out that these Shadows are not clones of the original bodies but have their own way of doing things and their own points of view.

Another detail about this ability is that it can only be applied to bodies that produced mana when they were alive, so regular people can be subjected to Shadow Extraction. It can only be used on targets who are weaker than the user, said user only has three attempts to execute the move successfully, and spiritual forms such as the Rulers and the Monarchs are immune to this ability as well.


Sung Jin-Woo's journey throughout the series

Sung Jin-Woo at the beginning of the series (Image via A-1 Pictures).
Sung Jin-Woo at the beginning of the series (Image via A-1 Pictures).

Solo Leveling became the first major hit in the anime industry in 2024 and part of the series' success is due to the journey Sung Jin-Woo goes through in the story. Considering that he started as the weakest type of Hunter in the manhwa, his path to the top of the ladder feels very rewarding and logical because is the direct result of his hard work and dedication.

Furthermore, Jin-Woo is shown to be a very caring person since he is not following the instructions of the System or gaining more power out of sheer arrogance and desire for improvement but rather to help those he cares about. He is fighting in the Dungeons to make money to provide for his sick mother and sister, who is starting college, which is why his motivation is very relatable.

The story has a strong theme of hard work overcoming natural talent, which is something that the series fully cements at the end of the story when Sung Jin-Woo becomes the Shadow Monarch. It is one of the most compelling aspects of Solo Leveling as a series and perhaps why it has become the most popular manhwa series in recent years.


Final thoughts

Sung Jin-Woo can use necromancy in the Solo Leveling series, although is known as Shadow Extraction. The ability focuses on taking the slain body of a beast or a human who stored mana and turning said individual into a Shadow, serving the person responsible for using this ability.

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