Solo Leveling

10 years have passed since the Gates, portals to danger-filled pocket dimensions called Dungeons, have appeared on Earth. Monsters dubbed Magic Beast can come from Gates that have been opened too long called Dungeon Breaks. At the same time, people awaken to supernatural powers named Hunters, who can venture into Gates and conquer Dungeons, which close these portals. Sung Jin-woo, a Hunter designated 'Weakest Hunter,' is on a routine raid into a D-Rank Dungeon. Venturing further reveals it to be a Double Dungeon where he narrowly survives but is gifted with the System, which gives him the ability to gain strength no other Hunter can do, such as leveling up. This is the start of Jin-woo's story, where he becomes the strongest Hunter on Earth.

Solo Leveling started as a web novel by Chugong, also known as I Alone Level Up, on KakaoPage. It was later published by D&C MEdia under their fantasy label Papyrus. The novel was licensed in English by Webnovel on December 21, 2018, and the collected volumes were published by Yen Press on February 16, 2021. The webtoon adaptation launched on KakaoPage on March 4, 2018, and concluded on March 19, 2020. It was then digitally published in English by Webnovel and Tappytoon on May 7 and June 4, 2020, respectively. It was also released on Tapas, and the collected volumes have been licensed and published by Yen Press for North America, released on March 2,2021. An anime adaptation produced by A-1 Pictures started broadcasting on January 7, 2024.

Tropes used in Solo Leveling include:

Balance of Power: Hunters are stronger than governmental militia, which leads to Guilds like Korea's Hunter Association to regulate them. The Hunter Association president is an S-Rank Hunter who keeps the delicate balance of power to ensure Guilds don't grow too strong.
Cool Gate: Gates are portals where Hunters can access their Dungeons. Dungeon Breaks occur when left unconquered after seven days. Average Gates are blue, while red Gates can lead to the most dangerous Dungeons with a time dilation and closes off entry and exit until the hunters are dead, the Dungeon Boss is defeated, or a Dungeon Break happens.
Fighter, Mage, Thief: Hunters can fall into the six roles of Fighters, Tankers, Healers, Assassins, and Rangers officially and under raids.
Fantastic Tribulation: Portals called Gates, connected to another dimension dubbed a Dungeon teeming with monsters termed Magic Beasts, appeared worldwide. Simultaneously, people known as Hunters appeared with magical powers that could fight these beasts while keeping the public safe. These monsters have Essence Stones, a stable and efficient energy source that Hunters gather for income. Hunters can group together and create Guilds and associations to recruit Hunters for raids on Gates while administered by governments.
Mass Super-Empowering Event: Thanks to humanity's exposure to magic, people can become Hunters through an event called Awakening. Hunters can't get stronger after their Awakening and keeping their abilities, which determines their Rank. There is a rare case where Hunters can go through a second Awakening.
Power Levels: A Hunter's magic power determines their strength and Rank. A Hunter can train to get experience along with abilities from Rune Stones.
Rank Inflation: Hunters get a Rank from S-E after being tested by the Hunter Association. E is the weakest, and S is the strongest. Rank determines their income and reputation, which means discrepancies due to them. Since Hunters can't grow in power, they only change if they go through a second Awakening. E-Ranks are seen as disposable and get low pay, while higher Ranks have more privileges