Solo Leveling: Arise shared update news during its July Developer Live, headlined by Sung Jin-woo's 'Master of Shadows' form. A new hunter, 'Jeong Ye-rim,' designed to synergize with the fire-attribute buster Ryu Zikang, will be introduced. Additionally, one of the key end-game contents, the Workshop of Brilliant Light, is being revamped into a seasonal format.

[Redeem Codes and Additional Rewards]

- SHAD0W_M0NARC : [Transcendence] Skill Rune Selection Chest x1, Amplification Material x500

(Valid until August 27, 2026, 08:59 (KST))

- 730_UPD473 : Gold x10,000,000, Mana Dissolver x3, Core Growth Selection Chest II x5

(Valid until August 27, 2026, 08:59 (KST))

- 5UMM3R-EV3NT : Dungeon Entry Key x300, Custom Draw Ticket x10, Workshop of Brilliant Light Invitation x1

(Valid until August 27, 2026, 08:59 (KST))

■ Release of Master of Fangs Adan

This is an original story not found in the source material. It follows Sung Jin-woo and Baek Yoon-ho as they investigate an incident where hunters begin to lose their sanity. We hope you look forward to uncovering the mastermind behind the Fangs Legion's hideout alongside the Rivera Guild.

■ Sung Jin-woo & Reputation Level Cap Increase

Sung Jin-woo's maximum level will increase from 150 to 160, and the maximum Reputation level will rise from 150 to 200. With the level increase, a new job advancement, 'Suppressor,' will be released, granting a skin upon completion.

Since the previous update, reaching the level cap for Sung Jin-woo has become easier. We received feedback that top-tier players felt less rewarded for their long-term dedication, so we expanded the Reputation level by 50 to provide further differentiation.

■ Dark Attribute Inheritor 'Master of Shadows''

Fans of the original work know the significance of the title 'Master of Shadows.' As the story of Solo Leveling centers on Sung Jin-woo borrowing the power of Ashborn and eventually becoming the Master of Shadows himself, we put a great deal of effort into this content.

Because this is Sung Jin-woo's Master of Shadows form, we decided it should be accessible to everyone, so we are holding a 'Master of Shadows' creation event. It can be obtained for free upon completing the event, and the special draw for the Master of Shadows will be permanently available for new players.

The event difficulty is set to be accessible. You can complete it by clearing Chapter 17 of the story, leveling up Sung Jin-woo once, using 500 Integrated Keys, and performing 200 artifact enhancements.

Growth for the Master of Shadows follows a system similar to the Labyrinth. We recommend prioritizing the two growth elements in the top right of the image, as they provide skill changes and enhancements. As the Master of Shadows, you will see a significant increase in Shadow Attack power, allowing you to enjoy combat alongside your shadows.

The combat style of the Master of Shadows retains the feel of Sung Jin-woo while being more flashy and polished. A key feature is the synergy with other shadows, such as performing joint attacks with Igris, riding Kaisel to unleash breath attacks, or having Beru intervene. It also features a unique resource called 'Shard' for rapid dagger attacks and a system that reduces the cooldown of common skills for frequent use.

■ Workshop of Brilliant Light Revamp

The Workshop of Brilliant Light is moving to a seasonal format. Previously, there was no reason to revisit the workshop once you had cleared it. Now, you can enjoy upgraded versions of past Masters scaled to your current combat power. The cycle will be 2 weeks per season and 4 weeks per attribute, with 'Fragments of Remnant Power' being consolidated into a common fragment.

The upper and lower floors will be merged. The first season will feature the Baran battle with Vulcan and Esil Radiru, and the second season will feature Yogumunt, Master of the Illusion Realm. For attributes, lower difficulties will accept all, while higher difficulties will have fire and dark attribute weaknesses in seasons 1-2. The highest difficulty is level 10, comparable to the previous top 3k tier.

The sweep system is also changing. Previously, you needed 20 clears to sweep, but now you only need one clear at that difficulty. However, due to structural improvements, even those who cleared it before must clear it once more.

In August, Lakpasa will appear in weeks 1-2, and Regia in week 3. In September, Adan will appear in weeks 1-3, and Baran will return in weeks 4-5. The schedule variation in late August/early September is due to the Chuseok holiday.

Additionally, a challenge-type content called 'Corridor of the Master' will be updated in August, unlocked after clearing level 10 of the workshop. It replaces 'Proof of the Strong,' but instead of increasing all difficulties, you can select constraints to increase difficulty and compete for scores. Since random bosses appear, it offers strategic depth, and honor rewards like titles will be awarded based on rankings.

■ New Hunter 'Jeong Ye-rim'

A fire-attribute supporter and A-rank hunter from the Order of Knights who excels at protecting and buffing teammates. She features options to increase burst damage and burst damage accumulation rates, making her a perfect partner for Ryu Zikang and a replacement for the existing fire supporter, Gina.

Her mechanics require using her ultimate skill first, as her common skills are enhanced after the ultimate is activated.

■ Sung Jin-woo Performance Improvement - Guild Buff Balance Adjustment

Guild buff balance is being adjusted to improve Sung Jin-woo's performance. The five separate attribute damage buffs will be consolidated into a single 'All Attribute Damage Increase' buff, allowing for buffs tailored to Sung Jin-woo or specific classes.

Additionally, the value of defense penetration has become higher than intended due to stat changes over the past two years. Adjustments are planned, but it will not be a patch that renders defense penetration useless.

The guild boss 'Rage' system has also been modified. The maximum rage will be lower than before, but rewards will remain the same or increase. The guild boss appearing after the late July update is the Queen Ant.

■ Summer Event: Midsummer Mermaid Disturbance

Summer means vacation. Enjoy a story about chasing a mermaid found at a resort, and enjoy the story alongside hunters in beautiful swimsuits. Various activities, including battles with Masters and card-matching minigames, will be available.

Successful completion of the minigames offers various rewards, including exclusive profiles, titles, legend skill runes, blessing stone chests, and summer-themed weapon chests like water guns.

Q. It is inconvenient that regular tickets are selected first when resetting artifact enhancements instead of time-limited ones

- There was a logic issue where regular tickets were prioritized. This will be changed in the update so that time-limited tickets are prioritized.

Q. Buster auto-mode controls need improvement

- We have checked the buster auto-mode issue internally. It will be modified so that if burst damage is accumulated, the character will use the burst skill before exiting.

Q. You said you would simplify artifacts, so why do busters like Ryu Zikang or Agnes Rivera perform better with Designer sets

- We have investigated this. As mentioned in the developer notes, we plan to strengthen class-specific effects so that artifacts tailored to each job perform better. We are also simplifying ultimate skill animations to help busters and stackers deal more damage.

Beyond equipment for strikers and busters, we are improving team-fight effects for other items, including Lakpasa. This will be updated in August.

Q. The Forbidden Library difficulty has become too hard

- We were adjusting difficulty as growth increased, but feedback suggests it became excessive. We will rebalance it in the next update. As it is seasonal content, we hope you look forward to the next season.

Q. Please ease the guild level growth requirements

- This is an area we can certainly improve. We will discuss it.

Q. Please reconfirm if the Sung Jin-woo Master of Shadows is permanent

- Yes, it is permanent. We decided that for a 'Master of Shadows,' it wouldn't fit Solo Leveling if it couldn't be obtained after a certain period.

Q. When will Kamish's Wrath be released

- It is currently in production. The original artwork is confirmed, but it will be released in line with the story, so please wait a little longer. It will be within this year.

Q. Frame drops are severe

- We are discussing this with the development team and are researching ways to optimize graphics to ensure better frame rates.

Q. Hackers keep appearing in the rankings

- It is an ongoing battle of spear and shield. We are taking follow-up measures against those who bypass security after updates. If your ranking was pushed down by a hacker at the moment rewards were distributed, we will provide the reduced rewards separately, so do not worry.

Regarding reports of slow speeds, we are checking hundreds of reports one by one to minimize the risk of false bans on skilled players.

Q. When will the Labyrinth return?

- The Labyrinth was the first Inheritor content and is currently unavailable. No return date is set. For now, please utilize the Master of Shadows, and we will prepare for a rerun based on user demand.

Q. When will Shadow Bellion be released

- Bellion is the commander of the shadows and is very symbolic and important to the story. It is not yet time for him to appear in the story, so please wait a little longer.

Q. Artifact presets are needed

- The development team also feels this is a pain point. In this update, Sung Jin-woo's presets will increase from 2 to 4.

Q. Agnes Rivera's usability is low

- She relies heavily on super armor. She is designed to be stressful if her damage cycle is canceled, and we know the monster patterns make it difficult to deal damage without being interrupted.

Rather than simply adding super armor, we are considering ways to create various possibilities based on combinations and settings. We are looking into adjustments where using her with certain hunters covers her weaknesses and increases total damage, and we will provide an update on this.

Q. Wind and dark attribute infusion weapons have been released; when are the next ones coming

- Water attribute infusion weapons will be released next month. Overload weapons will be released separately, and we are designing them to be used alongside existing weapons, starting with Skadi or Winterfang.

There is also feedback that Winchester Locke and the Key of the Illusion Realm are less useful than recently released wind weapons. These will be buffed in the August update.

Q. Off-banner' pulls are very frustrating

- We cannot overhaul the pickup system right now. While I empathize with the frustration you are experiencing, many users have already been using this system to pull characters; changing it suddenly could lead to reactions like, 'If I had known, I would have waited instead of pulling.' We will increase the number of tickets provided and offer more rewards through events and coupons, so we ask for your understanding.

Q. Are there any plans for more collaborations?

- We have done a few collaborations since our 2nd anniversary, but we realized that 'Solo Leveling shines brightest when it is most like Solo Leveling.' There are no additional collaborations planned at this time.

Q. We need content where we can spend gold.

- Until recently, gold shortages were severe, and we have made changes to increase gold supply. As a result, many players have accumulated a lot of gold, so we will prepare events where you can spend it to receive rewards.

Jin Seong-geon, Lead PD: The Master of Shadows is included in this update. The development team is putting a lot of effort into showing you flashy, differentiated combat, so please look forward to it. We will strive to provide a fun experience with various events and rich rewards.

Lee Da-haeng, Business Director: This is a great opportunity to showcase the Master of Shadows. To make the update more accessible, I suggest we provide 10 pickup draw tickets three times, for a total of 30 tickets. You can receive these rewards by logging in for three days starting from the update day. We will also provide separate artifact enhancement reset tickets.

I feel that the Solo Leveling development team thinks a lot about how much fun hunters will have when they see the Master of Shadows or the Workshop of Brilliant Light. We have prepared this update thoroughly, so please enjoy it. For those returning after 8 months, I would say now is the perfect time to get the Master of Shadows for free.

Shin Dong-hyun, Balance Lead: Today's demonstration was a bit lacking, but I am sure you will find it very fun when you play it yourself. We have prepared a lot for the Workshop of Brilliant Light, which is reborn as new content, so please enjoy it, and please leave plenty of feedback so we can reflect it in our work.