Episode 5 of Solo Leveling Season 2, Arise from the Shadow, throws Sung Jinwoo into another mess when he joins the Hunters Guild’s secondary strike team as a porter for what was supposed to be a simple C-Rank Gate. Inside, he gets a firsthand look at how a high-level Hunter party works together, but things take a turn when the Dungeon reveals High-Orcs—intelligent magic beasts that organize themselves like the ice elves from the Red Gate Incident.
Jinwoo meets S-Ranked Hunter Cha Hae In
The last episode ended with Jinwoo standing at the entrance of the Boss Room in the A-Rank Dungeon, currently being taken down by the Hunters Guild’s main strike team, led by Choi Jong In. Out of nowhere, S-Rank Hunter Cha Hae In appears behind him, completely silent, and demands to know why he’s there. She notices the weapon in his hand, but he hides it fast enough to make her question what she actually saw. Then she does something unexpected—she asks him to come closer before sniffing him. Turns out, she has an insanely sensitive sense of smell, and normally, Hunters reek. But Jinwoo? He’s the only Hunter she’s ever met who actually smells good.
After escaping that awkward moment with Cha Hae In, Jinwoo talks to his miner colleagues, who tell him about her dedication to keeping them safe. Apparently, she even spends her breaks patrolling Dungeons to make sure no monsters slip through. Their brief encounter sticks with her, though. She starts digging for more info on Jinwoo through the Hunter Association—only to find out that Choi Jong In has already requested the same thing, making her even more curious about him.
Jinwoo impresses
After finishing the job, the mining leader thanks Jinwoo for his hard work and is so impressed that he tries to recruit him permanently. Jinwoo politely turns him down. The boss then asks if he can at least come back for one more day since they’re planning to hit both an A-Rank and a C-Rank Gate. The Hunters Guild’s secondary strike team will be handling the clean-up, starting with the C-Rank Gate before moving on to the A-Rank one that the main strike team already cleared.
The next morning, Jinwoo impresses everyone again. The mining leader tries recruiting him once more, this time offering five times the usual pay since Jinwoo’s effort helped them finish ahead of schedule. That’s when A-Rank Tank Son Kihoon, the secondary strike team leader, steps in. He asks for extra hands because their equipment carrier is a no-show, and the collection team is short-staffed. Jinwoo volunteers, despite everyone warning him about the danger. But when Kihoon hears that Jinwoo is an E-Ranker, he decides to bring him along.
The High Orcs ambush the Hunters
At the Gate, Jinwoo notices it’s bigger than yesterday’s, but Kihoon points out that it’s actually giving off less magic. The secondary strike team is stacked—six A-Ranks and three B-Ranks. No other Guild would have this much talent on a “B-Team,” and Jinwoo starts to realize just how powerful the Hunters Guild really is. Once inside, he immediately senses the difference. There’s less magic in the air, but that same crushing despair from the Red Gate Incident washes over him. Another Hunter picks up on his hesitation and reassures him that they’ve got strong members. Kihoon, meanwhile, has a lot riding on this—if they clear the Gate, he gets promoted to Captain. He’s a little on edge, but as an experienced A-Rank, handling a C-Rank Gate shouldn’t be a problem.
Right away, they’re ambushed by Dungeon Jackals. Jinwoo watches as the team seamlessly falls into formation, not even needing to call out orders. It’s impressive. Then, he spots collars on the jackals’ corpses—these things were domesticated. Before they can process that, a massive group of High Orcs attacks. One High Orc is already a nightmare for an A-Ranker, but a whole group? That’s a disaster. At first, the team holds their ground, and the fight animation is on point, especially when Jinwoo jumps in, using Stealth to strike without warning. Thanks to him, they make it through with zero casualties—a miracle, all things considered. But before they can leave, Kihoon suggests handing this Dungeon off to the main strike team. Good call—except their way out is completely sealed by a powerful magic barrier.
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