I'm ever in awe of how crazy HARDCORE LEVELING WARRIOR has become with each passing episode. Kim Se-hun has done a splendid job in blending together a heady mix of unrelated paradigms to create a work unlike any other. He has this amazing habit of containing his excitement within the lines of his drawings. Combine all of that with a vast and intricate plot design, and one might have something close to what makes this webtoon exceptional.
Having now inserted himself into his own story Se-hun continues to up the ante with his characters, and plot. We're now closely acquainted with the events of HLW leading up to the dissolution of Zara Guild under the guidance of Armes. It was tragic for everyone to learn of her death from Master Swordsman, but the fact that Sad Smile and Giga benefited the most from her decision to capsize the guild is something that our hero continues to contend with. Its with a languid bit of writing that Se-hun brings those early events into an elaborate full circle; HLW has to pay his bills in order to remain breathing in the Real and his payment has to be made in Lucid Adventure to a dealer located in Cobalt Castle. If not for the inherent dangers present to his journey the sheer coincidence of the situation might almost be considered laughable. As it is, things are far from comedic in these two chapters. In fact, these two chapters see a significant up tick in combat, mechanics, and visual resolution. Were it up to me, my personal character placed into a work of fiction of my own making would certainly hit glorious heights the likes of which MCs only dream. Se-hun turns that dream of overpowered authorship into a reality in these two chapters. Superior strength, combat capabilities, skills, and even sharper artistry mark the mysterious old man avatar of Se-hun as an amazing new character. Add to that his sudden quest request, and without too much effort our author has effectively installed himself into the very fabric of the world that he created. His arrival has certainly left HLW at a complete loss for words particularly when he starts swinging around the Sword of Seven Truths. A pretty impressive feat to add to the mysterious old man's rapidly growing list of accolades when you consider that the sword is bonded to HLW and in theory should be completely inaccessible to anyone except him. Even with the focus shifted back to HLW in the later of these two chapters, the author's avatar retains a level of importance in bringing the plot forward. Given his selfish nature there was a fairly slim chance that the protagonist had any intention of solving the undead problem surrounding Cobalt Castle, but again Se-hun has managed to pull him willingly back into the thick of it. The interaction is clever enough its way because of how the author-character relationship works. After all, who better to leverage personality traits than the author who wrote them down in the first place? This is especially vital in driving HLW to enter Cobalt Castle because he isn't the type to do anything for the love of others. In truth the ability to have empathy for others is a factor that often makes protagonists who they are. At a basic level protagonists have a tendency to care profoundly about others. This inevitably allows them to tap into and access power far beyond their general capability. HLW goes completely against the grain of more average heroes in this regards to this, and yet we join him as he begins to uncover his empathy. It is a subtle difference that strikes profoundly at the heart of what makes a hero what they are under the belief that empathy is not something inherent to humans. In fact, Se-hun's writing appears to indicate that emotional attachments to others requires significant development and teaching in order to acquire. The paradigm is an interesting one, and the manhwa does a spectacular job of selling it to readers more attuned to traditional archetypes. HARDCORE LEVELING WARRIOR tends to avoid direct confrontations with us. Instead, small tidbits and hints are dropped allowing for a range of potential scenarios to circulate. Only in the more recent chapters has Kim Se-hun attempted to explain a small fraction of what has lead our heroes up to current events. These chapters tend to be filled with profound insights about the plot, and the direction it may be heading. The last two chapters, however, are much more self contained despite their connection to chapters past. Having already given us details about what to expect from HARDCORE LEVELING WARRIOR's presumed end game, Se-hun places an advanced focus on his own avatar, and the development of HLW himself. Having now slipped into Cobalt Castle, our hero is set to face down the machinations of both Giga and Sad Smile. The next two chapters are sure to be just as exciting as the last! Written By: ALAN "VIENNA" SINGH
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