Solo Leveling Season 2Episode 5 Summons A Familiar Sense of Despair

The following contains spoilers for Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow-Episode 5 "What We're Trained to Do"available on Crunchyroll.

Summary

• Sung Jinwoo joins the Hunters Guild's secondary strike team to raid a C-Rank Gate and encounters High Orcsleading to a tense situation.
• Sung Jinwoo meets Cha Hae Inan S-Rank Hunterwho takes an interest in him due to his pleasant scent.
• The secondary strike team faces a powerful Dungeon bossKargalganwho gives them an ultimatum to either meet himor die immediately.

The fifth episode of Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow- saw Sung Jinwoo get caught up in yet another incident when he joins the secondary strike team of the Hunters Guild into a supposedly C-Rank Gate as a porter. While insidehe got a front-row seat to the teamwork and tactical operations of a high-level party of Huntersbut still had to get involved in the combat when it turned out that the Dungeon was housing High-Orcs: intelligent magic beasts capable of organization much like the ice elves of the Red Gate Incident.

With nowhere to goRaid CaptainA-Rank Tank Son Kihoonis given an ultimatum: fight nowor be taken to meet the Dungeon bossin an entertaining set up to what will likely be an exciting fight in the following episode.

Sung Jinwoo Meets Cha Hae In For the First Time

Love At First Scent?

The previous episode ended with Jinwoo at the door to the Boss Room in the A-Rank Dungeon being conquered by the main strike team of the Hunters Guildled by Choi Jong In. S-Rank Hunter Cha Hae In appears behind him without making a sounddemanding to know why he's there. She noticed the weapon in his handbut he'd concealed it quickly enough for her to doubt what she saw. She asks him to come a little closer before sniffing himasking if he's really a Hunter. Apparentlyshe suffers from a condition that makes her olfactory senses extremely sensitiveand Hunters give off an unpleasant odour. Jinwoo is the only Hunter Cha Hae In has encountered who actually smelled nice.

Fans of the manhwa will know that Cha Hae In is endgameand in the sequelSolo Leveling: Ragnarökshe is the mother of Jinwoo's sonSung Suho. After getting away from the situation with Cha Hae InJinwoo talks to his miner colleagues about itand they tell him about her earnest desire to protect them from the dangers of the Dungeon. She spends her breaks patrolling Dungeons in case any monsters slip through during the initial sweep. The encounter with Jinwoo leaves a lasting impression on Cha Hae Inand she tries to get more information on him from the Hunter Associationwhich is how she learns that Choi Jong In has requested the same informationpiquing her interest in him even further.

The Next Gig

Jinwoo Is Recruited to Help The Hunters Guild Once More

After the work is donethe leader of the miners thanks Jinwoo for a job well-doneand is so impressed with him that he tries to recruit him on a more permanent basisbut Jinwoo politely declines. The boss then asks if he could come in for one more day because the plan for the following day is to hit an A-Rank and a C-Rank Gatewith the Hunters Guild's secondary strike team coming in to finish off the A-Rank Gate that the main strike team cleared outas well as the C-Rank Gatestarting with the latter.

In the morningJinwoo impresses againand the mining leader tries to recruit him againoffering five times the usual rate because Jinwoo's hard work allowed them to finish way ahead of schedule. That's when the secondary strike team leaderA-Rank Tank Son Kihoonapproaches them to ask for extra hands from the mining team because their equipment carrier didn't show upand the collection team is also short-staffed. Jinwoo offers to go with them despite the others trying their hardest to illustrate the danger he'll be in; howeverupon hearing that he's an E-RankerKihoon asks to bring him along.

Secondary Strike Team Raids a C-Rank Gate

Horrors Await Them Inside

At the GateJinwoo notices that it's bigger than the one from the previous daybut according to Kihoonit has less magic emanating from it. The secondary strike team is made up of six A-Ranks and three B-Rankswhich Jinwoo marvels as no other Guild would have such talent on a "B-Team"allowing him to understand the power of the Hunters Guild. Upon entering the GateJinwoo feels less magic in the airbut he's overcome with the same feeling of despair he felt during the Red Gate Incident. Another Hunter notices his apprehension and reassures him that the group has strong members. Once completedKihoon will make Captainso there's also a bit of nervousness about himbut as an experienced A-Rank Hunterhe should be able to handle a C-Rank Gate.

They're immediately attacked by a pack of Dungeon Jackalsand Jinwoo marvels at their teamwork and ability to get into combat formation without a word. Jinwoo notices collars on the jackal corpsesleading him to assume that they've been domesticated. Suddenlya huge group of High Orcs attacks themputting the group into a very tough situation because one High Orc is already a handful for an A-Rankerso a group of them is dire straits. They put up a really good fight in the beginningand we're treated to some nice fight animationespecially when Jinwoo jumps into the mixusing Stealth to conceal his impact. With Jinwoo's helpthe secondary strike team survives the ambush with no deathswhich they consider a sign of their luck. Kihoon decides they should probably leave this Dungeon for the main strike team and retreatbut their exit is blocked by a powerful magic barrier.

I am called Kargalgan. I am a proud orcish master of curses.

That Funny Feeling

The High Orcs' Trap

Given the complexity of the barrierthe group's Mage surmises that the monster that cast it is far more powerful than any of themand that Kihoon's decision to turn back was the right idea. While high-levelit can be broken with time; howeverdoing so activates a curse that immediately causes multiple Hunters to bleed profusely from their orifices. When they turn around to the open maw of the Dungeonthey're horrified to see a legion of at least fifty High Orcs at the ready to tear them apart. One of them comes forthand Kihoon goes to meet itshowing no hostility with hopes that showing no intent to fight might lead to them being spared. The advance orc's head contorts in unnatural ways before it speaks to Kihoon in a language he can understand. The Dungeon BossKargalganis an extremely powerful Mage who gives them an ultimatum: come meet himor be killed by his soldiers. Kihoon agrees to meet himand asks Jihoon to take the opening they'll make when they attack the Boss to escape the Dungeon and contact the main strike team for help.

They have no intention of leaving alive. Another Hunter entrusts him with giving her family her final will and testament. Jinwoo compares the sense of despair to what he experienced at the Cartenon Double Dungeonbut unlike thenhe isn't being abandoned by his fellow Hunters. OutsideCha Hae In returns to the Gate on her day off to find Jinwooand the mining leader tells her he's inside. Unbeknownst to herJinwoo and the others are facing a horrific fate as they enter a huge colloseum-type hall where Kargalgan sits atop a throne to welcome themwith hordes of High Orcs all around them. This episode was very easy on the eyesand Kargalgan's introduction was a high-impact moment that drives up excitement for the next episode. This will be an epic one for sure.