Solo Leveling: KARMA story

An original Solo Leveling story

Solo Leveling: KARMA tells Sung Jinwoo's 27-year war against the Monarchs inside the Dimensional Gap, after he used the Cup of Reincarnation. The original story never showed that period in detail; original author Chugong supervised KARMA's story and lore.

Verified 2026-10-03 · 9 sources · Image © Solo Leveling Animation Partners © Netmarble Corp. & Netmarble Neo Inc. — official Solo Leveling: KARMA site · source ↗

Known Hunters, in Corrupted form

Several Hunters familiar from the anime and manhwa appear in KARMA as "Corrupted" versions — the developers have deliberately left it unclear whether they act as enemies or allies. Confirmed so far:

Sung Jinwoo — protagonist, Shadow Monarch, the only Hunter capable of growth
Cha Hae-in — one of only nine S-Rank Hunters in Korea, a major character with a deep connection to Sung Jinwoo
Choi Jong-in — S-Rank Hunter and Guild Master known as the "Ultimate Weapon," uses fire magic
Go Gunhee — the Hunters Association Chairman, who appears in the gap "shrouded in unknown power"; the boss of Story Mode Episode 0 in the TGS build

At Anime Expo 2026 Netmarble said Antares created these Corrupted Hunters out of Jinwoo's friends and forced him to fight them — and that this ends up helping Jinwoo, without saying how. The story also opens with Jinwoo's power of death taken from him.

Original characters

Netmarble has created further characters specifically for KARMA. Named so far:

Kali — a survivor who entered the gap to avenge her clan, fighting with twin swords; playable in the TGS 2026 build
Azarea — "the mysterious woman who appeared before Sung Jinwoo", sometimes his guide, sometimes in need of his help; her origin and goal are unknown
Nemir — an "unknown entity" whose only order is to eliminate Sung Jinwoo and seize the power of death

Antares, the Monarch of Destruction and King of Dragons, is voiced in English by Troy Baker. Competing sites have filled gaps with invented names and roles; this page names only what Netmarble has stated.

The Shadow Army

Sung Jinwoo's Shadow Soldiers — enemies he defeated and bound to his service — fight alongside him in the Dimensional Gap from the very beginning. Named so far: Igris, Beru, Tank, Bellion and Tusk. Several are directly playable in KARMA rather than summon-only. See Shadows.

Solo Leveling: KARMA story: FAQ

Is Solo Leveling: KARMA canon?
Netmarble presents it as an original Solo Leveling story, and original author Chugong supervised its story and lore.
When is Solo Leveling: KARMA set?
During Sung Jinwoo's 27-year war against the Monarchs inside the Dimensional Gap, after he used the Cup of Reincarnation.
Who is the villain in Solo Leveling: KARMA?
Antares, the Monarch of Destruction and King of Dragons, created the Corrupted Hunters Jinwoo has to fight. More →

Sources

S-004Addressing the Original's Gap with a Roguelite: 39 TGS Q&As for Solo Leveling: KARMA — Inven Global, Sep 18, 2026 · checked Sep 20, 2026
S-005Solo Leveling: KARMA Unveils Key Systems and Content at TGS 2026 — Inven Global, Sep 17, 2026 · checked Sep 20, 2026
S-008Solo Leveling: KARMA, TGS 2026 Game Overview Video — Netmarble (official YouTube) · checked Sep 20, 2026
S-011Solo Leveling: KARMA x TGS 2026 DAY 1 (ENG SUB) — Netmarble stage with Producer Jin Sung-gun — Netmarble (official YouTube), Sep 17, 2026 · checked Sep 20, 2026
S-012Solo Leveling: KARMA — Anime Expo 2026 Live Footage Premiere (panel) — Netmarble (official YouTube) · checked Sep 20, 2026
S-014Solo Leveling: KARMA — Story PV, Cinematic Trailer, Opening, G-Star/Anime Japan trailers — Netmarble (official YouTube) · checked Sep 20, 2026
S-018Solo Leveling: KARMA — Official Site, game info page (Story / Characters / Weapons / Authority) — Netmarble · checked Oct 3, 2026
S-020【俺だけレベルアップな件：KARMA】俺カル新作ゲーム事前プレイきちゃ！！ — Nakiri Ayame (hololive), sponsored pre-play — Nakiri Ayame Ch. (YouTube), Sep 29, 2026 · checked Oct 3, 2026
S-023Solo Leveling: KARMA, Anime Expo 2026 Stage Highlights Video — Netmarble (official YouTube), Jul 11, 2026 · checked Oct 3, 2026

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