Summary
Mysterious magical portals known as Gates are the foundation ofSolo Leveling’spower system, and while much has been discovered about these odd portals, several details are still a mystery to most. One peculiar element pertaining to Gates is the phenomenon known as Dungeon Break, an event that blurs the lines between these magical portals and the real world.
Despite being a rare phenomenon, Dungeon Breaks are extremely lethal, withthe Jeju Island breakbeing notorious for its large-scale destruction. While these breaks are responsible for catastrophic events, the concept is rather crucial forSolo Leveling’snarrative, creating a high-stakes threat that adds a sense of gravity to the premise.
A Rare Phenomenon In the World Of Solo Leveling
True to its namesake, a Dungeon Break is a phenomenon where a dungeon quite literally ‘breaks,’ leading tothe monsters and bosseswithin the Gates rushing into the real world. Once they enter the real world, these monsters will indiscriminately kill Hunters and regular humans alike, yet the only ones capable of slaying these magical beasts are Hunters themselves.
In a way, a Dungeon Break grants monsters and beasts the ability to cross between the dimensions, similar to Hunters. The number of monsters that escape the dungeon also depends on how many are left alive, though dungeon bosses are the most likely to escape into the real world and wreak havoc.
How Are Dungeon Breaks Triggered?
Dungeons Have A Seven-Day Time Limit
Despite their magical origins, Gates are dictated by specific principles that apply to each dungeon across the globe. One aspect of these Gates is their time-sensitive nature, as Gates have a set time limit of seven days.If Hunters fail to cleara dungeon within this set time frame, a Dungeon Break will occur, forcing every single magical beast left alive into the real world.
The only way to trigger a Dungeon Break is for the seven-day time period to complete, and the Gate will continue to exist until every single beast from the portal is killed. While this short duration can be a massive threat to Hunters and citizens, it also serves as an escape route for Hunters trapped within the Red Gates, a rare type of portal that traps anyone inside till the final boss is defeated.
Notable Dungeon Breaks
The Jeju Island Dungeon Break Showcases the Danger of This Phenomenon
Since the Hunter’s Association meticulously keeps track of every new Gate that emerges within the country, it’s almost impossible for a portal to slip through unnoticed for seven days. Parties areformed by guildson an urgent basis if a Gate is nearing its seven-day limit, though instances where Hunters are unable to defeat the final boss in time can lead to a possible Dungeon Break. The only example of such widespread destruction resulting from a Dungeon Break is the Jeju Island Break, an incident that has remained one ofSolo Leveling’smost intriguing plot points.
Isn’t there something you left behind on the island as well? - Choi Jong In
The S-Rank dungeon that appeared on Korea’s Jeju Island couldn’t be cleared in time due to the country’s weak Hunters, leading to the island being overrunby S-Rank monsters. With three more raids to reclaim the island, the government eventually abandoned the mission. However, the incident left an ever-lasting scar on the nation due to the immense casualties from the Dungeon Break. The entire civilian population of Jeju was either displaced or killed by the monsters, with the entire island becoming uninhabitable.
Moreover, Hunters that survived the incident suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder years after the incident, with some even retiring from the profession altogether. For Korea, the most tragic loss of all was the death of one of itsstrongest S-Rank Hunters, Eunseok. With just a handful of S-Rank Hunters in the entire country, the loss of Eunseok only weakened Korea’s feeble Hunter landscape. A similar Dungeon Break occured on the West Coast of America, with over hundred Hunters and thousands of civilians losing their lives in the carnage that followed.
The Danger Of Dungeon Breaks
Monsters Can Evolve If Left Alone
While the Jeju Island incident is enough of an example to showcase the threat and lethality of Dungeon Breaks, the danger of this phenomenon extends far beyond this short-term carnage. The S-Rank dungeon on Jeju island was eventually abandoned in hopes of the ant monsters running out of food on the island, inturn perishing from starvation. However, this course of action proved to be detrimental, with the ants eventually evolving to the point of growing wings and flying large distances.
Somehow, it would seem, they’re evolving.
Since these monsters can perpetually evolve and grow stronger, leaving the remnants of a Dungeon Break could threaten theexistence of Huntersand all of humanity. Within a span of four years, the monsters were able to evolve and grow wings, showcasing the immense potential for these creatures and their mutations. If similar Dungeon Breaks were to be abandoned for even a decade, these monsters could evolve to the point where even S-Rank Hunters would fail to slay these beasts.
