#sololeveling

Jin-Ah Sung (水篠葵) - Solo Leveling (俺だけレベルアップな件) Made by Digital Waifu Gallery

A/n: My phone can't play ZZZ anymore cause it's not up to par with the high standard devices required to play it now cause of the 2.5 Update. A year spent on ZZZ cut and dry, ruined, had to come on New Years Eve too. Literally did a Twitter thread about this on my account there including emails.

Currently tearing up and snot nosed while writing some of this. Solo Leveling Arise coming back on this phone to cope with the loss ... fuck these tears and snot, HOYO SUCKS.

Tagged: @colorfulotaku @heyimkana @sleepyamaya @arrtiee @angstylittleb1tch @o-qi-shisme @whatever-comes-to-me @blaxcunicorn @pa1nrema1ns @limerenceisserenity @definitelynotluffy @amayakurusu13 @blackqueen2k17 @nanamineedstherapy @xxeclipze @poketrainer2270

CW: 21+ MATURE EXPLICT SHORT SMUT INSIDE. Crossovers and mentions of some other shows at the start but mainly SL. Also angst, lots of hurt, some comfort cause of my unwell mind so sorry if that dampens my final fic of the year.

DO NOT PLAGARIZE STEAL REPOST COPY EDIT TRANSLATE AND OR USE FOR AI. Rather, reblog like comment and follow pls n thnx.

Here's to a better new year.

I can’t imagine Liu Zhigang taking many sponsorships unless he has to. He would probably just take deals from companies that produce weapon management products/ weapons.

I don’t think Jin-Woo would care for any advertisements. However I think he would let Jin-Ho handle any sponsorship deals for his guild. Being the entrepreneur he is Jin-Ho would probably tap into the fanbase for Jin-Woo’s shadows and there would be an influx of merchandise for them: plushies, pencil cases, clothing, etc. 

Todays story was requested by on of my followers: I can request a love triangle between igris x reader x jin-woo? Jin woo Like reader Reader love igris (love at first sight) Igris is being gentleman but also like reader - @sweatymusictree

___ _ _ _

authors note: Y/n = your name// not proof read// GIF not mine // Have fun <3

pairing: Igris x JinWoo x fem!reader

summary: Reader is a researcher working alongside Jinwoo. She falls for his loyal shadow knight Igris at first sight, their unspoken emotions ignite a quiet love triangle between human warmth and shadowed devotion.

genre: romance, love triangle

word count: 6.2k

The sound of boots against marble echoed through the dungeon as you followed behind Jinwoo. He walked with his usual calm confidence, hands in pockets, black jacket barely moving even as the mana around him pulsed like a living storm.

You had been working with Jinwoo for only a few months — analyzing dungeon anomalies, managing data, and occasionally helping him on his raids when he needed a pair of trusted eyes. You respected him deeply. He was quiet, decisive, and oddly protective of you. That had never really bothered you, as you knew it from your brother, but lately it had gotten a bit out of hand.

___ _ _ _

You had heard about the hunters, who hadn't? Your distant aunt had been killed by one of the monsters emerging from the portals in the Kijnam Mountains. You had realised how little was actually known about the monsters and the portal. No sooner had you finished your studies than you applied for a job as a data analyst, and lo and behold, you were accepted. Back then, you had no idea where you would end up. And certainly not with whom.

___ _ _ _

You and Jinwoo got along well. You were both rather quiet and analytical. Someone else might even have said that you were both boring. But that was precisely where you found peace and comfort. Whenever you went on a ‘research trip’ into the portals, Jinwoo made sure you weren't afraid. He asked how you were doing, held your hand, and was very gentle with you. You never realized the reason behind that gentleness and his protective side… until the day you met him.

The dungeon boss had just been defeated. The air was thick with the scent of iron and burnt mana. Jinwoo’s shadow rippled beneath his feet, and from it, figures began to rise — loyal soldiers born of darkness. It was unbelievable. You knew that Jinwoo's abilities surpassed those of the other hunters. But what you were seeing now, figures, no, people, forming themselves out of mist... that was a whole new level.

The smoke seemed to glow and throw off sparks. They danced ever more wildly through the misty smoke when suddenly a figure emerged. He emerged.

Armor the color of bloodied steel. A greatsword resting against his shoulder. The aura of power and discipline radiated from him in waves.

Igris.

You froze. Jinwoo had already told you quite a bit about igris, but you had never been able to quite believe it all. The world seemed to narrow to that single figure — tall, imposing, yet strangely elegant as he kneeled before Jinwoo, his crimson visor glinting faintly in the flickering light.

“My liege,” he said, voice resonant yet distant, like an echo from another life.

Your heart fluttered traitorously. You weren’t sure if it was fear or fascination — but when his helmet tilted slightly toward you, as if acknowledging your presence, your breath caught.

For the first time, a shadow made you feel alive. Okay, so you had reached a point where the job had gone to your head. What were you thinking at that moment? Or rather, what were you feeling...for a shadow?

___ _ _ _

You spent the afternoon trying to figure out why the portal still hadn't opened. Normally, it appeared as soon as the dungeon boss was defeated. Was there another boss here? Did another mission need to be completed? Questions piled up. And so time passed. There were a few minor incidents with mountain lions and some annoying gnomes, but all in all, it was a quiet day.

A little too quiet for your liking. As you're thinking this, something rustles in the bushes behind you. Before you can even react, Igris grabs your shoulders and pushes himself behind you. With one blow, the boar falls to the ground, the glow in its eyes slowly fading.

Completely shocked, you turn to Igris, "Is everything alright? That beast came out of nowhere..."

"Nothing I couldnt handle", he simply says in his dark low voice. But you don't even notice that anymore. During the brief fight, Igris had lost his helmet...

Long, silky, shiny white hair was blown around his face by the wind. His face. You had never seen it before. Masculine features met angelic traits. Long white eyelashes that looked as if the first snowflakes had fallen on them. Pale skin (as you would expect from an undead) and bright blue eyes. Or rather white... the blue was so bright that you couldn't quite tell.

He was gorgeous.

___ _ _ _

Days passed. Still no prospect of a quick way out of this world, back to your own. You had set up camp and made yourselves comfortable. Jinwoo had lit a small campfire and Igris had cut down trees so you guys could sit on them. Jinwoo noticed the way your eyes lingered on Igris. He wasn’t blind to it — he had always been observant, especially when it came to you.

“Do you… find him interesting?” he asked that evening, voice quiet, almost hesitant.

You looked up from your notes, surprised by the question. “Interesting? Well, he’s… loyal, powerful, and—” you trailed off, realizing how warm your cheeks felt. “—and he just has this… presence, I guess.”

Jinwoo looked away, his jaw tightening slightly. He didn’t answer. But you saw the faint shadow that crossed his eyes, and you knew.

He liked you. Maybe he had for a while. You wanted to say something, but then a familiar, comforting hum brushed your senses — Igris had appeared again, silently standing guard near the doorway.

You smiled without meaning to. And Jinwoo noticed that too.

You spent more time with Igris than you probably should have. You spoke to him even when you knew he couldn’t answer much — asking about his battles, his training, his loyalty to Jinwoo. Sometimes, you could swear you saw emotion flicker behind that crimson visor.

___ _ _ _

One evening, you stayed late at the Guild HQ. You had made it out of the dungeon a week ago. Your theory was correct, there had been a second boss, but it had been frozen in ice. After this mission, you decided not to go on any more missions for the time being. The fear of never getting your life back had been enough for you on this mission. So you returned to your desk. Safe, warm, cosy. But you still had the feeling that something was missing... Igris. Igris was missing.

When Jinwoo had an appointment at the office at the end of the corridor on your floor... a familiar shadow manifested itself. The lights were low, and Igris stood near the window, the city lights reflecting off his armor.

“You know...you shouldn’t stay too long,” you said softly, “You’ve done enough guarding for one day.”

He didn’t move. But after a moment, he reached out — slow, almost hesitant — and brushed his gauntlet against your hand. The metal was cool, but the touch was gentle.

“You… care too much,” you whispered, half to yourself. He bowed his head slightly. And though no words were spoken, you understood. He did care. Deeply. Quietly.

And that terrified you more than any dungeon could.

___ _ _ _

After this evening the tension between the three of you grew like a storm. Jinwoo grew quieter, his smiles rarer. Igris remained ever-loyal but lingered near you more often, protective in a way that felt… human. It was a shitty situation. Igris could only manifest himself when Jinwoo was nearby. And you had to admit that Jinwoo was also a very attractive man. He cared lovingly for his sister, you could rely on him, and he was incredibly good-looking. It was tricky.

___ _ _ _

One night, after a particularly dangerous raid (both Jinwoo and Igris had to persuade you into), Jinwoo pulled you aside.

“Why him Y/n?” he asked finally, eyes dark with hurt,“He’s a shadow. A fragment of what once was. Hes not real. You can’t—”

“I didn’t choose it Jinwoo,” you interrupted, voice trembling,“I just… felt it. The spark. From the first moment.”

Silence.

And then, a voice — deep and low — cut through the air, “She does not need to explain her heart, my liege.”

Both of you turned. Igris stood a few steps away, shadows curling faintly at his feet. For the first time, Jinwoo’s control wavered, the faint flicker of surprise crossing his face.

“Igris,” he said, tone warning.

But Igris only looked at you. “If I could bleed again,” he said quietly, “I would do so in her name.”

Your breath caught. Jinwoo looked away. A confession was made.

That night, nothing was resolved. But when you closed your eyes, all you could see was the flicker of red light behind Igris’s visor — and the pain in Jinwoo’s dark eyes as he turned away.

You didn’t know what the future would bring. Only that you had somehow found yourself caught between shadow and flame.

___ _ _ _

The days after that night were heavy — the kind of silence that lingered, too dense to breathe through. Jinwoo didn’t mention Igris again. He didn’t mention that night. But the air between you two had changed. When you arrived for the next dungeon analysis session, the familiar ripple of mana that usually announced the arrival of his shadows was gone. No shadows followed him. No crimson knight stood behind you with watchful calm.

Just Jinwoo. And silence.

At first, you didn’t think much of it. Maybe he didn’t need them today. But as the days stretched into a week, the absence became unbearable. You caught yourself glancing at the floor sometimes, expecting to see that dark ripple — expecting that low hum of power that always signaled him.

But it never came. And every time you asked, Jinwoo changed the subject.

“You’ve been quiet,” he said one morning, breaking the monotony of typing reports.

“Just tired, it was a long week you know,” you lied, forcing a smile.

“You don’t need to push yourself,” Jinwoo replied. He knew you good at this point. He said it gently — too gently — and that only made your heart twist harder.

Because part of you thought: maybe you were the reason Igris was gone. Maybe Jinwoo had seen through your heart… and decided to take away the very thing that made it race.

___ _ _ _

That night, back from the dungeon, you walked home alone. The city lights blurred around you, your thoughts chasing themselves in circles. You had wanted to see Igris again. To talk to him, even if he barely spoke back. To feel that quiet warmth that somehow existed even beneath his cold armor. But instead, all you had now was the echo of your own heartbeat — and Jinwoo’s strange, distant kindness.

When you reached your apartment door, you hesitated. You could feel something deep in your chest — a dull ache, the kind that didn’t fade with sleep. You missed him. Not Jinwoo. But Igris.

___ _ _ _

Meanwhile, Jinwoo stood alone in his office, staring at the black pool of shadow under his feet.

“Stay,” he said quietly.

The shadows rippled in acknowledgment — a chorus of silent loyalty. He could sense Igris waiting, patient as always, ready to be summoned. But Jinwoo’s jaw tightened. He remembered the look on your face that night — the way your eyes had softened when Igris touched your hand. The way you looked at him, and not at Jinwoo.

He couldn’t bear it. He told himself it was for your sake — to protect you, to keep the lines between human and shadow clear. But deep down, he knew. He was being selfish.

___ _ _ _

The next morning, you arrived early — earlier than usual. Jinwoo noticed the faint puffiness around your eyes, the quiet way you went through your work. You didn’t hum anymore. You barely spoke. Something in him began to crack. When you accidentally knocked over your mug and apologized in a trembling voice, he realized — it wasn’t fatigue. It was heartache.

And for the first time, he hated himself for what he had done.

That evening, as you sat on the steps outside the Guild building, Jinwoo approached quietly. The air around him was heavy with mana, but softer than usual.

He stopped beside you, his voice low,“I thought I was protecting you.”

You looked up at him, confused,“From what?”

“From something I couldn’t control.” He paused, eyes shadowed, “From him. From how you looked at him.”

You swallowed. The lump in your throat ached,“You mean… Igris?”

He nodded once. “I didn’t want to see you reach for something that can’t hold you back,” he said. “Igris isn’t human. He’s… part of me. A piece of darkness. I thought if I kept him away, maybe—”

“—maybe I’d stop missing him?” you finished quietly.

He flinched. You looked down, voice breaking, “But it’s not just him, Jinwoo. When you keep him away, it feels like you’re the one pulling away from me. Like you don’t want me around at all.”

The silence that followed was sharp. Jinwoo’s heart clenched at the tears forming in your eyes. Without thinking, he whispered — “Arise.”

The shadows stirred like wind across the ground, and from them, a familiar crimson glow flared to life. Igris appeared, kneeling as always — his presence filling the space with quiet strength.

Your breath caught. “Igris…”

He rose slowly, the faint hum of his aura reaching you like a heartbeat. You felt warmth, safety — home. Jinwoo watched you both, something bittersweet flickering behind his eyes.

“I was wrong,” he said finally,“You don’t need to forget him.”

“Jinwoo—,” you said softly.

“He’s yours too,” he said softly,“In his own way.”

You looked between them — the man of shadows and the shadow of a man — and your heart broke in two directions at once.

Because Jinwoo was right. You loved Igris. But the one who had given him life… loved you. And now, none of you could pretend otherwise.

___ _ _ _

The dungeon had been unlike any other. Ancient, echoing, and full of strange, almost sentient mana — like it was watching you. At the center of it, you’d found the fruit. A glowing, obsidian heart pulsing with dark energy.

“Don’t touch it,” Jinwoo had warned, voice sharp. But something about it called to you. Its energy wasn’t hostile — it felt… familiar. Before he could stop you, you’d already taken a bite. The taste was sweet and metallic all at once. Then darkness. You remembered Jinwoo shouting your name — Igris materializing beside him, his sword drawn — before everything went black.

___ _ _ _

You woke up in your apartment hours later, disoriented but alive. Jinwoo had carried you home and left you to rest, though his worried expression lingered in your mind. The fruit’s aftertaste still burned faintly on your tongue. And deep in your chest, something thrummed — a pulse that wasn’t entirely human.

You tried to shake the feeling off as you stepped into the shower. Warm water streamed over your skin, grounding you. For the first time since the dungeon, you let yourself breathe.

Until the lights flickered. And the air grew cold. You froze, turning off the water.

Steam curled in the dim bathroom, thick and heavy — and through it, a shadow began to move across the floor.

“Jinwoo? Are you still here?” you called out, voice trembling.

No response. The shadow deepened — then rose.

Eyes glimmered in the dark. A familiar voice, deep and reverent, spoke your name,“My lady.”

Your heart leapt,“Igris???”

He stepped from the darkness, armor gleaming faintly in the dim light. There was no summoning seal, no command — yet he was here. You clutched the towel tighter around yourself, mind racing. “You— you can’t be here. Jinwoo isnt’t...here.”

“I did not come through him,” he said quietly,“I came… through you.”

The air around you pulsed again — that same dark resonance you’d felt since the dungeon. The shadows beneath your feet stirred in answer to his.

“It seems,” Igris continued, his tone filled with something almost like awe,“the fruit you consumed was no mere relic. It has bound you to the same essence as my liege.”

You stared down at your hands, faint wisps of black mist curling around your fingers,“So… I have shadow energy?”

He nodded once.

“You are not his shadow. Nor his servant. But you now walk among them,” you puzzled the pieces together. The realization hit slowly — the reason you could feel that pulse, the reason Igris could reach you. He wasn’t bound to Jinwoo anymore. Not entirely.

You stepped closer, your reflection trembling in his red visor,“So you can come to me. Anytime.”

“If you allow it,” he said softly, “Your call carries the same weight now as his. It… reaches me.”

A quiet beat passed — heavy with something unspoken.

“Igris,” you whispered, “how do you feel about that?”

He hesitated. Then, slowly — “Free.”

That one word sank deep.

The phone ringing startled you both. Jinwoo’s voice came through the speaker, gentle but wary.

“Y/n? Are you okay? I felt a mana spike. Just wanted to call and hear that you are alrigth,” he said.

You quickly wrapped your robe tighter, heart pounding,“I’m fine! Thanks for the call Jinwoo. I— I think the fruit did something weird, but—”

"I`ll be there in a minute," he simply said. And he was. It helped that he lived in the same building complex as you.

___ _ _ _

Before you could finish drying your hair, it knocked on the door. Jinwoo came in, searching for you. Following the noises to the bathroom. Igris vanished — melting silently back into the floor.

Jinwoo opened the door halfway, eyes dark with concern. He looked around, immediately sensing the lingering mana,“He was here.”

You nodded, unable to meet his gaze,“He said… he came through me. My shadow.”

For a long moment, Jinwoo just stared — processing the impossible. Then, slowly, his expression softened.

“I guess that fruit did more than I thought,” he murmured, “Looks like the shadows… chose you too.”

You looked up, uncertain, “You’re not angry?”

He shook his head, “No. I think… this is how it was meant to be.”

___ _ _ _

Later, when Jinwoo left, you stood by the window, the city stretching out below. The moonlight fell across the floor — and from it, the faintest trace of movement appeared.

A flicker of shadow. A whisper of armor, “You called for me?”

You smiled, “I didn’t have to.”

He stepped closer, the faint hum of his power brushing against your own.

“Then perhaps,” he said softly, “I was simply drawn to you.”

You met his gaze, the faint shimmer of red light glowing beneath his helm — and this time, you didn’t look away.

Because the shadows no longer belonged to Jinwoo alone. They belonged to you. Rather not belonged, he wanted to be near you, at his own free will. For the frist time ever, since he became a shadow...he felt freedom. He was free, to stand not behind his liege, but beside the one his heart had chosen.

___ _ _ _

Sometimes, when Jinwoo sees the flicker of crimson light at your side, he smiles faintly. He understands now — that the darkness he commands was never meant to bind, but to connect.