Solo Leveling by Chugong became as popular as it is today thanks to its blistering action that is hard to match. Following its anime adaptation by Aniplex and A-1 Pictures that pushed this already popular series to sky-high levels, Solo Leveling is now a global phenomenon, having already achieved records like becoming Crunchyroll’s most rated anime of all time.
At the center of Solo Leveling’s popularity are the many compelling characters who are often seen engaging in high-level combat. Chugong’s story has given us both amazing heroes and Villains, and among them is one of the most spectacular characters to grace the series — the Ant King, who stood as the main antagonist of the Jeju Island arc. In this arc, the terrifying villain wreaked havoc on the S-Rank Hunters until finally being stopped by Sung Jinwoo.
The Ant King is Solo Leveling’s most iconic villain at the moment, and while he was already strong in the anime, Solo Leveling Arise Overdrive brings him back stronger than ever with a new transformation that has absolutely wrecked players who dared to challenge him. What’s more exciting is that this isn’t all for Beru, as he also makes a new appearance as a Shadow.
Solo Leveling Arise OVERDRIVE Brings Back The Ant King With A New Transformation In The New Update
Solo Leveling’s web novel was written between July 25, 2016, and March 13, 2018, by Chugong. The excitement and success it generated led to the creation of the most successful manhwa series of all time between March 4, 2018, and December 29, 2021. Eventually, in 2024, the series went on to get a TV anime. In 2025, Solo Leveling Season 2 was released by Aniplex and A-1 Pictures, which also carried the Jeju Island Arc, released on March 8, 2025, in Episode 9.
“Are you the king of humans?” — The Ant King to Sung Jinwoo in Solo Leveling season 2
Jeju Island saw S-Rank Hunters from Japan and South Korea try to subdue an ant invasion that had taken over Jeju Island and started to seep through into other places. While the Hunters managed to hold their own at first, the Ant King proved to be too overwhelming and completely obliterated them. The Queen was strong, but her powers were no comparison to those of her son. On Jeju Island, the Ant King was simply on a whole other level, as he was able to kill a majority of the Japanese S-Rank Hunters effortlessly, including Goto Ryuji, who was hyped up as a powerhouse from Japan. It wasn’t until Sung Jinwoo finally appeared to save the day that the Ant King was dealt with. The battle between the two was intense, but Jinwoo came out on top as victorious and even added the Ant King to his arsenal of Shadows with his Arise ability. At the moment in the anime, Beru is his strongest Shadow.
While the Jeju Island arc seemed like the peak of the Ant King, Solo Leveling Arise OVERDRIVE proved that he has even more potential. This Solo Leveling game by Netmarble Studio, released on November 17, 2025, just hit its Jeju Island update, and the Ant King was expectedly a major highlight. Through this update, the Ant King was added as a new boss to the Workshop of Brilliant Light.
Fans who have fought this new Ant King quickly realized he isn’t the same as in the anime. This Ant King is far stronger and quite a challenge to take on. Instead of his usual dark blue color scheme, this Ant King is all white with red highlights. This form is even more terrifying than the one that Jinwoo fought previously, and many players express that it’s one of the harder fights in the game. Solo Leveling video games keep giving us fresh designs for well-established characters, and we hope to see the same treatment for other antagonists of the IP.
Related
Solo Leveling Officially Sets Up An S-Rank Hunter On Jinwoo’s Level
Solo Leveling Season 2 made Jinwoo powerful, but an S-rank hunter has officially risen to his level in Japan.
Beru Also Makes a Comeback as a New Shadow In The New Jeju Island Update of Arise Overdrive
The Ant King is an icon in the Solo Leveling franchise, so seeing him featured as a new boss with an exciting new form isn’t all that surprising. With that being said, not only does he have a new boss form, but he is also featured as a Shadow in the new Jeju Island update. The Shadow form of the Ant King is called Beru, and in Solo Leveling Arise OVERDRIVE, he looks just like his anime and Manhwa version, but with a far more striking purple aura emitting from his wings and body. This new Shadow buffs attacks and critical hits for Sung Jinwoo in the game, and is definitely a must-unlock for fans of the character.
The Jeju Island Update of Solo Leveling Brings Brand New Content
The Jeju Island update was one of the most anticipated ones for Solo Leveling Arise OVERDRIVE. While the Ant King Boss and Shadow Beru sent the fans into a frenzy, there was more to the update than just their inclusion. Along with Very, new Hunters that are relevant to Jeju Island were also added to the game, notably Goto Ryuji, Japan’s Strongest S-Rank Hunter, who was killed by Beru, as well as Tawata Kanae, another Japanese S-Rank Hunter. The two also have their own exclusive weapons.
Aside from that, Sung Jinwoo also received a new costume for the update that mirrors his Jeju costume from the source, as well as a new skill tree to unlock. Some of the new stuff can be unlocked in the game, while others are paid DLC that fans could choose to invest in.
Who’s That Character?
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Beru’s Role in The Future of Solo Leveling
Solo Leveling Animation Partners
Beru is one of Jinwoo’s most popular shadows, rivaling even Igris in popularity. In big part, this is thanks to his striking design, overwhelming powers, and also his personality that stands out from the rest. While he was the standout new character in Solo Leveling Season 2, he will also be important moving forward, as the world of Solo Leveling continues to expand. In Solo Leveling Season 3, Beru will become a trusted Shadow for Jinwoo and will be tasked with the protection of Jinah, his very own sister.
“The spot to the King’s Left is mine! How dare you stand there!” — Beru
After that, he will also be looking to assist Jinwoo regularly in battle, such as during the Japan Crisis Arc, where he has to play a pivotal role in taking down various enemies. Beru will also be of significant help in Jinwoo’s fight against the Monarchs in the Monarchs War Arc. Undoubtedly, he has proven himself as one of the strongest shadows in Jinwoo’s possession, and we can’t wait to see more of him in future projects for the franchise.
