Solo Leveling has been a great ride till now, and it’s pretty clear that people have been loving this series. It is time to get deeper into the subject as we tackle the series’ fundamentals. After Jin Woo’s horrifying experience at the dungeon, he is miraculously saved by the “System” and gains a way to surpass unprecedented amounts of power.

That’s great to hear, but what exactly is the “System” about? What is its purpose in the world of Solo Levelling? And to add more to the curiosity, why choose someone like Jin Woo, essentially the last choice on the list of people who could save humanity?

Those are some hefty questions, so we need to clarify beforehand that this will be a spoiler-heavy article. We will get into the nitty-gritty of the story and answer these questions. So, if you don’t want to be spoiled, you can step aside, but we welcome anyone ready to learn more!

So, if you are still reading, sit back and enjoy!

What is the System in Solo Leveling?

Imagine yourself in a hypothetical situation, where you are going to get brutally killed by horrifying monsters, and suddenly you see a message in front of your eyes, something akin to a virtual reality headset:

What would you do? Well, we will never know, but our protagonist Sung Jin Woo faced a situation and agreed to become a “player” upon being asked. Upon agreeing to this mysterious notification, Jin Woo’s life changed.

This prompt is nothing but the workings of the mysterious program that goes by the name System in the Solo Leveling universe. It works essentially like a Game UI, that provides players with Quests and rewards them with unique equipment and buffs upon completion.

Jin Woo has a character level denoted by a number and gets notifications about new quests, new abilities, choices, etc that helps him keep growing consistently.

It also goes on to provide players with a skill-leveling system, stats management, and even an inventory with unlimited storage. The System also features an in-game shop, that can be used to purchase items and gear using currency earned after completing quests. Rise, gamers!

Anyway, the System provides Jin Woo with training facilities, many quests, and a myriad of tasks that would turn eventually him into the strongest hunter alive.

Now that we know what the System is and how it works, what is the true purpose behind this program, and who made it? Let’s talk about that right now.

What is the true purpose of the System and who made it?

The System is without a doubt a powerful program that can change the lives of mere men. It was brought into existence by a powerful individual known as the Architect.

Sung Jin Woo meets him for the first time in chapter 126 when he is invited back to the Double Dungeon after crossing level 100.

After looking at the picture above, anyone would be able to make the connection. That fearsome grin haunts even the ghosts of the hunters who went inside the Double Dungeon in the first episode along with Jin-Woo. The accursed Smiling Statue.

But in reality, this is not the Architect.

Yes, they do look similar but the boss of the Double Dungeon is nothing but a pawn under the Architect’s control. The statue holding the commandments tablet that included the solution to get out of the dungeon was the true Architect.

The Architect created the System for none other than Ashborn, who is the Strongest Ruler as well as the Shadow Monarch.

The Architect approached the Monarch to assist him in looking for a human vessel, in exchange for immortality. He was aware of Ashborn’s deadly powers, so in hunger for power, he took the initiative to help him.

As the Monarchs waged war on the Rulers and the world, Ashborn wished nothing but peace. He wanted to find a suitable vessel to free himself from his life of chaos and misery. After years of searching, they stumbled across Jin-Woo.

Ashborn is arguably the strongest character in Solo Leveling and therefore, the vessel had to be strong enough to fully absorb his powers. That is why the System is designed to have challenges and difficulties at various levels. The System was also designed to have a User Interface similar to a video game, just so that Sung Jin Woo could easily adapt to it.

Why did the System choose Sung Jin Woo?

But why was Jin Woo chosen in the first place? It was because of his acts of bravery and smartness throughout his career as a hunter.

Granted that he was nothing but a burden on his party and also dubbed as the “Weakest Hunter of Humanity”, he still showed feats far more impressive than anyone.

Defying death multiple times and the act of caring for others, was something Ashborn admired in him.

The Architect and Ashborn had their eyes on Jin Woo for a while. This is also why the Double Dungeon event was a planned event and nothing that occurred randomly. It was the final test that would determine Jin Woo’s capability of succeeding the Shadow Monarch.

It was Jin Woo was able to save some of the few remaining hunters due to his quick thinking and figuring out the rules of the dungeon mentioned in the Tablet.

Not only that, he was also the one left alone to die after losing a leg, sacrificing himself for others. That is when he received the choice of becoming a player, a decision that changed his life.

It was also necessary for the Monarchs and Rulers to find suitable human vessels as they are spiritual creatures who lack a corporeal form. This was the only for them to descend to humanity. Unlike the Rulers who borrow the body of their vessels, Monarchs assume complete control and essentially steal their vessels’ bodies. They both have their pros and cons.

Monarchs can use all of their power once the body has been taken over but they will die if the human vessel is killed, making them mortal. The Rulers on the other hand do not fully control their vessels which leads them to not die even after a vessel’s death, but their power output is never the maximum.

This problem was solved by Ashborn after training Jin Woo using the system rigorously so that Jin Woo became capable of not only using Ashborn’s full power but also ended up becoming his successor, a plan that the Architect was not aware of. Ashborn’s decision to make Jin Woo his successor worked marvelously, as we see him save the world from the madness of these otherworldly gods.

Conclusion

The System is a detailed program whose true purpose was to train the vessel of Ashborn, the Greatest Fragment of Brilliant Light as well as the Shadow Monarch.

Designed by the mysterious Architect who had his share of ulterior motives, the System was catered specifically to Sung Jin Woo’s choice, akin to a game. As a teenager, a user interface similar to a game is probably the best way to understand something.

As Jin Woo showed results and grew stronger and stronger, the time had come for him to go back to the accursed dungeon that took the lives of his comrades.

After defeating the Smiling boss and the true Architect, Ashborn decided to make Jin Woo his successor, and not just possess his body, the true plan he was after all along.

It was important for the Monarchs as well as the Rulers to find human vessels to reincarnate as they lacked a physical form. Blood, sweat, and tears enabled Jin Woo to become a vessel capable of handling the powers of the strongest Monarch, which is how he was able to bring an end to the war.