Solo Leveling features a world that’s radically changed due to the discovery of magic and the threat of gigantic Magic Beasts from another dimension. These events make organizations such as the military and law enforcement outclassed in many ways, with society at large reeling from its new status quo. This is also exemplified through the presence of Essence Stones.

Just one example of how portals, dungeons and monsters impact the world of Solo Leveling, Essence Stones are a valuable form of currency. Used for more than just money, they also reflect how powerful an enemy monster’s rank is. Harnessing these stones is pivotal to creating weapons to defeat even stronger monsters, making Essence Stones perhaps the most important resource of all in Solo Leveling.

Essence Stones are the Currency of Solo Leveling

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Essence Stones are harvested from the dead bodies of monsters after they’ve been defeated by Hunters. When it comes to taking down these monsters, only powerful Hunters can do so. Non-magical weaponry is useless against the creatures, and even those with low-level magical abilities are largely ineffective in stopping stronger monsters. This challenge gives Essence Stones value – the items are used as currency by Hunters. This makes them similar to Mana Crystals, though Essence Stones are worth a lot more.

Mana Crystals (despite their name) possess less mana, and they can also be found and harvested without taking down vicious monsters. Much like how Hunters are designated by rank, the same goes for Essence Stones. E-Rank Essence Stones are worth the least, as they’re the most common. On the other hand, S-Rank Essence Stones are valued in the millions, making it easy for a Hunter to get rich by selling them. Of course, these ranks also correspond to the difficulty of a dungeon and how powerful the monsters inside are.

In the case of S-Rank Hunters, the use of their powers can devastate and destroy the surrounding environment. Thus, dungeons of the same rank have monsters that are just as powerful. This is why harvesting S-Rank Essence Stones is such an “easy” fortune, as it requires enough power or teamwork to take down some of the toughest monsters. Another way to tell Essence Stones apart is through their color schemes. The lighter stones are more common, whereas the most valuable Essence Stones are darker. E and D-Rank stones are white, while A-Rank stones are red and S-Rank stones are purple. They’re all shaped like a sort of triangular diamond, making it easy for Hunters to differentiate them from mere Mana Crystals. In some cases, they also take on a more star-like appearance. Their function in Solo Leveling goes beyond simply selling them for quick cash, however.

Essence Stones are Vital to Making New Weapons

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Essence Stones possess so much mana because they function as the “magical core” of the monsters that Hunters face. For this reason, they’re also valuable in crafting powerful weapons.During their Hunter Raids, Hunters will likely damage or even lose weapons, especially against more powerful monsters. Those foes may also have certain abilities or weaknesses, requiring that Hunters pull out all the magical stops. For these situations, Essence Stones are useful to forge special equipment and weapons. These might possess the right properties or powers to take down foes that might otherwise be too tough for a Hunter’s rank, or at least help bridge the gap in power.

The mana inside Essence Stones is also a power source for more mundane equipment. For instance, the Federal Bureau of Hunters used an Essence Stone to power its headquarters, making these stones a powerful and long-lasting alternative to gas or electricity. It’s just another example of how much the advent of magic and monsters has changed the world of Solo Leveling, with those who can take advantage of these concepts having the proverbial upper hand in society. As it turns out, however, Essence Stones have an even more important role than expected, with their existence and harvesting being all part of a grander plan.

Essence Stones are the Key to Humanity’s Salvation

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Essence Stones aren’t merely a random resource that come from the bodies of monsters, but rather something that was implanted in order to ultimately aid humanity in the future. As shown in the revelations of the Solo Leveling manhwa, the Essence Stones were created by angelic beings known as Rulers. They placed them in the bodies of the Magic Beasts that were captured during the original war between the Rulers and the Monarchs. While the Rulers protected all creation, the Monarchs instead sought to plunge it into darkness. The goal of adding Essence Stones to the bodies of the monsters was a way to supercharge them with mana, in doing so making them far more dangerous toward humans. Though this sounds like a plan to kill off the human race, it was actually a way to inevitably make it stronger.

By packing the bodies of the Magic Beasts with Essence Stones, the Rulers also inundated humanity with a stronger exposure to mana. This meant that the species would be as susceptible to its effects in the coming conflicts. Humanity was not prepared for the return of the Monarchs, but by exposing them to Essence Stones/mana, the Rulers ensured that they stood a better chance. Likewise, more humans developed a natural affinity for magical abilities, allowing them to fight and ward off the monsters that came through the extradimensional portals.

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In this way, Essence Stones and mana acted as a way to evolve humanity and human society. Not only do they empower humans to fight the otherworldly threats facing them, but they also helped to advance society by way of presenting another source of energy. Using Essence Stones is a safer and cleaner form of energy than nuclear, thermal or other forms of renewable resources. They’re also a cleaner form of energy compared to fossil fuels, but the catch is that they’re far harder to acquire. Only Hunters can access the stones by way of killing monsters, whereas normal equipment is used to mine oil or ore.

Ironically, even those who work with Hunters or are Hunters themselves are initially unaware of the true purpose behind Essence Stones. They’re merely seen as a helpful resource, with their more cosmic nature left for later revelations. At the same time, they’re vital to society functioning in the world of Solo Leveling, be it for defense or more mundane purposes such as padding pockets. Even main character Sung Jinwoo uses these stones throughout the story of the web novel, manhwa and the new anime series, proving that Essence Stones are part of every successful Hunter’s arsenal.

Solo Leveling

In a world of gifted hunters and monsters, a weak hunter Sung Jin-Woo gains extraordinary powers through a mysterious program, leading him to become one of the strongest hunters and conquering even the strongest dungeons.

Release Date

January 7, 2024

Cast

Aleks Le , Taito Ban

Main Genre

Action

Seasons

1

Studio

A-1 Pictures

Creator

Chugong

Writers

Noboru Kimura