Solo Leveling Season 2 Episode 4: The Rise of an S-Rank Hunter - A New Chapter Begins

As the clock strikes midnight on January 26, 2025, fans of Solo Leveling are treated to the thrilling fourth episode of Season 2, titled "Need to Stop Faking." This episode marks a pivotal moment in the series, diving deep into the Retesting Rank Arc, where the protagonist, Sung Jinwoo, is officially unveiled as an S-Rank Hunter during his re-evaluation.

The episode starts from Jinwoo, who is leaving the dark depths of Demon Castle: his mind is congested with thoughts of his sick mother. Other than deciding to collect the last ingredient for the Holy Water of Life to save her, he dreads the task of defeating the formidable boss of the Demon Castle. Since he admits he could use a little more strength, he decides to undergo a Hunter rank re-evaluation so that he may qualify for advanced raids and speed up his level-up process.

A Shocking Revelation

Upon entering the Hunter's Association, the first thing to meet him is the frantic advent of preparations. An officer from White Tiger Guild soon informs Yoonho about Jinwoo, sparking curiosity among the onlookers. An interesting development during the re-evaluation occurred when the mana meter exploded, unable to measure Jinwoo's levels. An employee explains that the device cannot measure mana over the S-Rank limit and hints that Jinwoo could be one of Korea's 10th S-Rank Hunters. The Association is shaken by this unprecedented reading and puts the brakes on his evaluation until higher authorities provide approval.

Meanwhile, Choi Jong-in and Jinchul, two other prominent figures in the Hunter community, arrive at the scene, drawn by the commotion. Upon seeing Jinwoo, Jong-in is immediately struck by his enhanced aura of strength and extends an invitation for him to join his Hunters Guild. However, Jinwoo, in a surprising turn of events, declines, citing an urgent mission. Jong-in is so taken aback, and just then Yoonho (the Guild Master) arrived on the heels of Jinwoo and saw him disappearing into the shadows.

Family Matters and New Challenges

Later that night, Jinwoo visits his mother in the hospital, where he bumps into Jinchul and Go Gunhee, the Chairman of the Hunters Association. Gunhee congratulated Jinwoo on his incredible accomplishment and explained that official S-Rank evaluations have been postponed because it was intended to lure magnificent Hunters to join the Association. But when presented with the proposal, his mind naturally turned in another direction—instead towards personal growth and whatever awaited him in the dungeons.

As the story progresses, we see Hwang Dongsoo recovering in a hospital in the United States. He talks about his desire for revenge against Sung Il-Hwan, promising to become stronger and get back at him for his past defeat.

Preparing for Battle

Back in Korea, Jinwoo begins to prepare for his own battle against the Demon Castle's boss. He realizes that in order to defend against fire magic, he needs specialized equipment, and he browses the Hunter's Auction Market, only to find them priced exorbitantly.

The episode ends with the beginning of the Hunters Guild Gate Arc, where Jinwoo gets a chance to join an A-Rank gate raid with the Hunter's Guild, but he is only there as a mining recruit. Gunhee and Jinchul look at each other in confusion, wondering why an S-Rank Hunter would take on such a job. As the raid goes on and the strike team defeats most of the monsters, the miners are asked to help out.

A Tense Encounter

It is during this tense moment that Jinwoo meets Cha Hae-in, the guild's second-in-command. Feeling the powerful aura of her being, he briefly suppresses his own impressive aura, sensing her keen instincts. A group of recruits, working alongside Jinwoo, is dumbstruck and left in awe for Jinwoo's strength. None, however, are able to comprehend how that particularly strong man could still be classified as an E-Rank.

In a quiet moment, Jinwoo chooses to check out the boss's chamber because he's curious. When he stands in front of the door, he realizes that the boss is even stronger than Metus, which makes him even more interested. Just as he thinks about testing his skills against this tough enemy, the episode ends on a cliffhanger: Cha Hae-in shows up behind him and asks why a simple miner is in the boss's lair.

Anticipation for the Next Episode

With excitement and anticipation, fans are eager for the next episode, curious about how Jinwoo will handle this tricky situation and what challenges he will face on his journey as an S-Rank Hunter.