As Sung Jinwoo levels up through the System, he unknowingly draws closer to the ultimate truth behind his powers.
Solo Leveling features a deep lore rooted in cosmic entities and omnipotent beings with unfathomable powers. Ashborn is one of these mighty figures—central to both the story and Jinwoo’s awakening. The first Shadow Monarch, Ashborn is a key player in the universal conflict between two factions: the Rulers and the Monarchs.
An enigmatic and intelligent being, the King of the Dead pulls the strings behind Jinwoo’s rise to absolute power. Though he hasn’t fully appeared in the anime yet, Ashborn is a complex character with a rich legacy. He’s the true source of Jinwoo’s strength making his origin essential to understanding Jinwoo’s journey.
Before starting you can now find all our anime figures from United Kingdom by clicking here :
Ashborn is Sung Jinwoo’s predecessor
Ashborn is the original Shadow Monarch
When a morally ambiguous supreme being known as the Absolute Being created two naturally opposing forces, chaos was inevitable. The Rulers were created as benevolent entities tasked with preserving life, while their counterparts, the Monarchs, embodied chaos itself. As the two sides fell into an endless war, one among them sought to end the cycle. Though he became known as the Shadow Monarch, Ashborn was originally a Ruler, fiercely loyal to the Absolute Being. He fought the Monarchs, but everything changed when the Rulers rebelled against their god, accusing Him of using them as pawns.
Ashborn alone remained loyal to the Absolute Being, but he could not defeat all his enemies alone. Eventually, he fell and was left for dead. However, hidden within him was a mysterious power granted by the Absolute Being—dominion over death. When his powers were restored, the Absolute Being had already been destroyed, and the betrayal of his fellow Rulers ran too deep for Ashborn to return to them. Instead, he sought to restore balance by joining the Monarchs, earning his infamous title: the Shadow Monarch.
Unfortunately, no matter where he went or what he did, Ashborn was haunted by betrayal and fear. Unable to protect the Absolute Being and later defecting to the Monarchs, his overwhelming power made even his new allies view him as a threat. Both Rulers and Monarchs feared Ashborn’s growing strength, and many were hesitant to accept him. When two of the nine Monarchs conspired to kill him, Ashborn fled the battlefield and went into hiding. His absence tipped the balance, allowing the Rulers to defeat the Monarchs and force them into retreat.
Ashborn was both the strongest Ruler and Monarch
He became nearly omnipotent after resurrection
It can safely be said that Ashborn was rewarded beyond comprehension for his unwavering loyalty. The power hidden within him by the Absolute Being made him supreme. He rose to become the most powerful of all Monarchs and Rulers, unmatched in combat. When he joined the Monarchs, his immense strength earned him the title King of the Dead, striking fear even into fellow Monarchs like Rakan and Baran. Instead of attempting diplomacy, they attacked Ashborn and his shadow army. Though he defeated them, he lost most of his forces in the process.
“Ashborn is also known as the greatest fragment of brilliant light, a symbol of his loyalty and closeness to the Absolute Being.”
Saddened and angered, Ashborn fled the war and began rebuilding his army in secret. Centuries later, he returned at the request of Antares, who was planning an assault on the human world to rebuild their armies. Though initially hesitant, Ashborn chose to follow them to Earth out of curiosity. He had witnessed centuries of chaos, endless war, betrayal, and disloyalty. Feeling directionless, he longed to find his place in the universe.
Moreover, after coming out of hiding, Ashborn had decided to willingly pass on his title and powers to the most worthy human he could find. Unlike the other Monarchs who cared little for humanity, Ashborn believed differently. His goal was to give a human the power to name him as their successor and bring an end to the bloodshed. Despite the contrast between his ideals and the nature of his powers, Ashborn may have been the only truly noble celestial being—unshakably loyal to his creator. He could have easily destroyed the other Monarchs one by one, but he wanted the fate of the war to follow a more natural and uncertain path.
Ashborn Needed the Perfect Human Vessel to Pass On His Powers
Ashborn enlisted Kandiaru’s help to find a human vessel through the System.
One of the main weaknesses of the Monarchs was their lack of a physical form—they couldn’t traverse Earth without a human host. While most Monarchs didn’t care who they possessed, Ashborn was different. He descended to the human world in search of the perfect vessel—someone capable of using his powers to bring a definitive end to the war. To achieve this, Ashborn made a deal with a greedy mage named Kandiaru, offering him immortality in exchange for creating the most effective process for selecting the right human.
Ashborn’s Most Notable Powers and Abilities:
- Shadow Extraction (ability to extract shadows from corpses)
- Monarch’s Domain (ability to boost his active shadows’ strength)
- Ruler’s Authority (telekinetic control over objects)
Kandiaru developed a program called the System, designed to find, evaluate, and prepare the mind and body most capable of wielding Ashborn’s power—and resisting his will. After extensive searching, the System chose Sung Jinwoo during the infamous Double Dungeon raid, right at the brink of death. Ironically, being chosen as a vessel for a Sovereign or Monarch was essentially a death sentence: the entity would overwrite the human’s body and soul. Although Ashborn’s plan may have seemed selfish, he would later reveal his true intent.
When the System selected Jinwoo, Kandiaru objected. But Ashborn was moved by Jinwoo’s sheer will to survive. As the world’s weakest hunter, he had defied death time and time again. So, when Kandiaru finally revealed himself after Jinwoo hit level 100, Ashborn betrayed him declaring Jinwoo the next Shadow Monarch. Rather than seizing Jinwoo’s body, Ashborn willingly passed on his powers and officially named Jinwoo his successor, granting him control over his abilities and body. Ashborn never intended to erase Jinwoo’s existence he had been preparing a successor with free will all along.
Ashborn Had Power Over Death but Wanted to Escape the Universe’s Chaos
He Was the Only One Who Understood the Need for an Endgame
As one of the universe’s most powerful beings, Ashborn could have easily conquered it with his army of shadows and dominion over death. But millennia of chaos and war had left him weary and questioning his place. This existential crisis drove him to secretly conspire with Kandiaru. No Monarch or Ruler knew of the System’s existence. Ashborn ensured Jinwoo’s training began before the Monarchs arrived on Earth to hunt down the Rulers.
In many ways, Ashborn was a generous force in Jinwoo’s life, shaping him into the most formidable being in existence. He was protective—even when he didn’t need to be. For example, when Jinwoo was killed by Rakan during the Monarch War arc, Ashborn appeared before him with two choices: live peacefully in an illusion, or return and confront the Monarchs head-on.
Naturally, Jinwoo chose war. That was when Ashborn officially passed down his powers, awakening him as the new Shadow Monarch. It's safe to say that Ashborn was a fascinating, somewhat heroic figure in Solo Leveling. He wasn’t an antagonist—rather, he supported those he deemed worthy of guidance and protection. His name, powers, and fearsome title didn’t reflect the compassion within him. He truly retained the essence with which the Absolute Being had created the Rulers.
While Ashborn didn’t play a constant role in the story, his presence was absolutely essential. Characters like him are the foundation of the narrative—a hidden but vital force that raises the stakes. He shaped Jinwoo’s destiny, carefully guiding him toward greatness.
Our store offers all types of figurines and derivative products of Anime, all our products are faithfully adapted from manga / anime in question.
You will find figures, LED lights, iPhone and Airpods cases as well as clothes and goodies featuring your favorite characters.
The characters present on our online store are from your most popular Anime and Manga such as: One Piece, Naruto, Demon Slayer, Dragon Ball Z, Jujutsu Kaisen...
The anime products we offer are not necessarily products to be offered as gifts. You can use them as a personal item, to decorate your room or to fill your collection cupboard like a real Otaku!
So don't hesitate to come and visit our online store by clicking here !
