Who is Tusk in Solo Leveling? Sung Jinwoo's new Shadow, explained

Modified Feb 12, 2025 06:30 GMT

Solo Leveling introduces many powerful Shadows throughout Sung Jinwoo’s journey, each bringing unique abilities to his army. As he grows stronger, he continues to recruit formidable creatures, including those who once stood as his enemies. Among these recruits is Tusk, a Shadow that quickly proves to be a valuable asset in battle. But who is Tusk in Solo Leveling?

Tusk is the Shadow of a High Orc Shaman, Kargalgan, whom Jinwoo defeats during a raid. After being resurrected, Tusk retains his immense magical power, specializing in destructive spells and support abilities.

His intelligence and adaptability make him one of Jinwoo’s most useful Shadows, especially when dealing with large groups of enemies. Over time, Tusk’s strength increases significantly, allowing him to stand out as one of the most formidable magic users in Jinwoo’s army.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the writer's opinion and includes spoilers from the Manhwa.

Tusk's identity and role in Solo Leveling

Kargalgan as seen in anime (Image via A-1 Pictures)

Tusk is an important character in Sung Jinwoo's Shadow Army in Solo Leveling, contributing to the overall strategy in both offense and support. Tusk is different from the usual berserker-like nature of most Shadows. He is intelligent and calm, usually observing his surroundings before engaging in battle.

Unlike lower-tiered Shadows that act on pure instinct, Tusk is more aware, enabling him to make tactical decisions. He shows a respect for Jinwoo's leadership and adheres to his orders with blind loyalty, sometimes displaying a pride in his skills.

He is one of the few shadows that do not resort to aggression. He proves that not all Shadows are violent. This quality, along with his intelligence, has made him an important presence in Jinwoo's army, especially in the larger battles, as strategy would play a very crucial role there.

Before becoming a Shadow, Tusk was originally Kargalgan, a High Orc chief of a powerful tribe. Being a Shaman, he possessed great magical prowess, especially in dominating his underlings and destroying enemies. But still, he was defeated by Jinwoo.

After his resurrection as a Shadow, he lost his previous identity but kept all the knowledge and skills that allowed him to be an expert in magic and to serve Jinwoo with the same magical expertise. Among all the other Shadows, who were once beasts without a mind, Tusk was a very intelligent being before the resurrection, which made his transformation into a Shadow easier.

Tusk's powers and abilities, explained

Kargalgan using Song of Guardian (Image via A-1 Pictures)

Tusk is considered one of the strongest magic users in Solo Leveling, using various devastating offensive and supporting skills. A shadow who belonged to the category of Elite Knights Grade, his strength is equivalent to S-Ranked Hunters, showcasing how powerful he is by slaughtering hundreds of demons within one spell or killing a giant in one blow.

One of Tusk's major unique abilities is Gravitation Magic, which gives him control over gravity. He can levitate any enemy or turn this ability offensive by slamming his target into the ground repeatedly, causing severe damage. Besides, his Regeneration ensures that he is going to heal rapidly from injuries, so he can be very durable in protracted battles.

Tusk as seen in Manhwa (Image via KakaoPage)

Tusk's key characteristic is the Hymns, which are a set of spells, all of different powers. His offensive Hymns include the Hymn of the Fire Dragon, which creates fire from his mouth in beam form. Waves of fireballs start with the release through Hymn of the Blazing Fire, but Hymn of Combustion can force his enemies to combust instantly or trigger explosive fire damage.

For support and control of the battlefield, Tusk uses Hymns such as the Hymn of Protection, which creates a shield for himself or his allies. Hymn of Strengthening increases physical strength, and Hymn of Giants greatly increases his size using mana. Hymn of Rage also increases allies' aggression and attack power, which can put them into a berserk-like state.

Final thoughts

Tusk is one of the most intelligent and powerful magic users in Solo Leveling, playing a very important role in Sung Jinwoo's Shadow Army. His combination of destructive magic, battlefield control, and support spells makes him a versatile and indispensable asset.

In contrast, most Shadows have lower intelligence, which makes them unable to make tactical decisions, which further increases Tusk's value in battle.