Solo Leveling & The Beginning After the End Guide: 2026 Update

South Korean manhwa and webtoon are fueling a steady pipeline of anime adaptations, and with that shift comes a familiar trend: protagonists who start out “normal” and then quickly become borderline god-tier. Characters like Sung Jinwoo from Solo Leveling and Arthur Leywin from The Beginning After the End are often cited as examples of just how far these stories push power ceilings.

Key takeaways

Sung Jinwoo and Arthur Leywin are presented as reaching god-like power levels in their respective series.
Kang Lim is highlighted as a top-tier Ghost Messenger with near-unlimited potential inside the Kingdom of the Dead.
Cadis Etrama di Raizel’s authority and abilities make him the central figure among Noblesse vampires, even stopping werewolves from attacking.
Seo Joo-Heon stands out as a relic-focused protag who can draw a relic’s maximum power with consistency.
Jin Mori’s true identity as the Monkey King connects him to the Nine Kings and ultimately to a Supreme God ascension.

8 Kang Lim Protects Both the Mortal and Immortal Worlds

Ghost Messenger

Among the Ghost Messengers operating in the Kingdom of the Dead, Kang Lim is framed as one of the most formidable figures—someone with nearly limitless potential. Within his ranks, he’s respected for two things in particular: an impressive record of ghost hunting and strong overall combat ability.

Even when Kang Lim gets stuck to his own Ghost Messenger phone after an error, he refuses to let that derail his career. He continues his work alongside his 12-year-old partner, the psychic Kang-Rim, traveling between the mortal and immortal realms while carrying the Black Shark Sword.

7 Desir Herrman Rewrites His Fate

A Returner’s Magic Should Be Special

Desir Herrman’s second chance at life is portrayed as the reason his abilities can keep expanding—especially his analytical approach and his draconic magic. He begins as a low-ranked mage in the weakest class, but he’s still capable and sharp, climbing from there toward heights that feel impossible. At one point, he even manages to cast a draconic spell from the highest tier of magic.

By the time the story reaches its conclusion, Desir Herrman has near-limitless mana reserves, enabling him to fire off advanced draconic spells at their most destructive levels. The text also emphasizes that even a meteor-scale threat can’t overwhelm him, thanks to anti-mage tactics that let him break down powerful spells rather than simply enduring them.

6 Cadis Etrama di Raizel Rules the Vampire World

Noblesse

Cadis Etrama di Raizel is presented as one of the strongest vampires in anime, positioned as the most overpowered vampire noble in Noblesse. He holds unmatched influence over other nobles and over every vampire clan featured across the series. In other words, he isn’t just a powerful noble—he is “Noblesse” himself, feared for his blood affinity, telekinesis, and the use of a soul weapon.

The article further claims that Cadis Etrama di Raizel is the ruler over vampire nobles throughout the series. His power is also credited as the reason werewolves don’t attack the nobles, since he can wipe them out without much trouble. On top of that, he commands an extremely dangerous and dependable servant: Frankenstein. His servant’s massive strength and high combat intelligence are described as making Frankenstein one of the deadliest fighters in the franchise.

Solo Leveling is finally moving toward the franchise’s biggest war in its latest 2026 release.

5 Seo Joo-Heon Is the Ultimate Relic User

Tomb Raider King

Seo Joo-Heon is introduced as a newer entry in the roster of overpowered South Korean anime protagonists. At first glance, he’s said to resemble Sung Jinwoo—though without the Shadow Monarch’s intimidating aura. The text notes that Seo has more personality than Jinwoo, while still possessing power and skill strong enough to challenge the Shadow Monarch directly.

In Seo Joo-Heon’s second chance at life, he becomes a powerful tomb Evacuator and relic user. He’s strong enough to draw out a relic’s maximum potential without fail. The article adds that his new powers are so extreme that it’s rumored he could swallow the entire world, though his personal goals remain straightforward: living a happy, fulfilled life surrounded by loyal friends.

4 Arthur Leywin Mastered Every Form of Magic

The Beginning After the End

Arthur Leywin is described as a gifted mage, beast tamer, and swordsman in The Beginning After the End. He’s said to have unmatched mastery over the five elements, letting him use both basic and advanced elemental magic on demand. He can also transform into a full dragon using his Realmheart Skill, which grants access to gravity magic, more precise mana sensing, and the ability to negate magic itself.

Even before Arthur Leywin is reincarnated, his previous life as King Grey is framed as an unstoppable battlefield force. As the leader at the top of society, King Grey is credited with conquering wars that were considered unwinnable. The article also highlights that he was already an accomplished swordsman—and that skill follows him into his new existence.

3 Twenty-Fifth Baam Transforms Into an Irregular Monster

Tower of God

Tower of God is called out for having an especially overpowered protagonist in the form of Twenty-Fifth Baam, an irregular climber. The early portrayal is that Baam starts out weak, unable to defend himself against dangers inside the Tower, so he depends on allies for protection. Once he uncovers his latent power, the story says he never truly looks back—growing much stronger at an alarming pace.

Baam is then framed as an overpowered irregular capable of manipulating shinsu at the highest possible level. The article attributes much of this to his training under FUG and other top-tier characters within the series, culminating in Twenty-Fifth Baam becoming an irregular monster that most regulars try to avoid in combat.

2 Sung Jinwoo Can Defeat Almost Any Hero

Solo Leveling

With a single command, Sung Jinwoo—one of the most recognizable names in the genre—can flip even the deadliest foes into allies. The text emphasizes that with total control over shadows, souls, darkness, and even death itself, he acts as the Monarch of the Shadows to the best of his abilities inside the perilous world of Solo Leveling.

Jinwoo’s rise is presented as a major reversal: he used to be the weakest hunter in the nation, until the former Shadow Monarch chose him as a proper successor. After that, Jinwoo becomes an overpowered hunter capable of fighting multiple magical beasts at once. As the series progresses, his growth becomes so extreme that taking on Itarim Gods of Creation becomes something he can handle as a routine part of his life.

1 Jin Mori Becomes a Supreme God

The God of High School

Jin Mori is described as the definition of overpowered in The God of High School. His true identity is revealed as the legendary Monkey King, one of the Nine Kings, who is said to have defeated countless gods before reaching Nirvana and ascending as the Supreme God in the South Korean series.

Even after losing his original powers, Jin Mori is shown gradually regaining his former strength through endless battles against formidable tournament participants in the G.O.H. storyline. The article also credits him as a master of Renewal Taekwondo, and claims that with the combined Charyeok of humans, gods, and monsters at his disposal, his power goes beyond even the mightiest deities.