You finished Solo Leveling, the withdrawal is real, and now you need another series with that exact dopamine hit: a hero who starts weak, gains a game-like power, and grows unstoppably strong. Good news — the "leveling" and "system" subgenre is huge, and 2026 is spoiled for choice. Here are the 15 best manhwa like Solo Leveling, picked for the same power-fantasy thrill, with official reading links for every single one.
The closest matches
- 1. Solo Max-Level Newbie — The most Solo Leveling-like title on this list, right down to the name. When the game tower he alone finished merges with reality, a washed-up streamer becomes the only person with a complete walkthrough.
- 2. Omniscient Reader — Apocalyptic scenarios, a protagonist who always knows the next move, and escalating world-ending stakes. Same studio art pedigree, same "he knows something we don't" rush.
- 3. The Advanced Player of the Tutorial Tower — Twelve years trapped in a monster tower turns an ordinary player into a walking calamity. Pure overpowered-hero catharsis.
- 4. Second Life Ranker — A vengeful brother climbs an otherworldly tower using his twin's diary as a cheat sheet. Darker than Solo Leveling, with the same ruthless momentum.
- 5. Player Who Returned 10,000 Years Later — Ten thousand years clawing through hell, then back to Earth on gate-invasion day. Maximum "everyone underestimates him" energy.
If you loved the leveling system
- 6. The Gamer — The purest "my life is now an RPG" story. The hero literally sees levels, stats, and quest windows over the real world.
- 7. Hardcore Leveling Warrior — A fallen number-one gamer claws his way back from level 1. Heavy on rankings, skills, and comebacks.
- 8. Reality Quest — A bullied errand boy gets a quest window that pays out real combat skill. School-fight stakes, Solo Leveling progression loop.
- 9. Infinite Leveling: Murim — The leveling system transplanted into a martial-arts world, with a soldier grinding his way from cannon fodder to legend.
- 10. +99 Reinforced Wooden Stick — The funniest take on the genre: one absurdly over-enhanced starter weapon versus the entire game.
If you loved the hunters-and-gates world
- 11. Mythic Item Obtained — The unluckiest hunter alive finally catches one impossible break. Gates, raids, ranking boards — the full Solo Leveling ecosystem.
- 12. The Lone Necromancer — When the world becomes a survival game, one student draws the necromancer class and builds an army of the dead. Shadow-army energy, anyone?
- 13. Han Daesung, Back From Hell — Demons pour through gates; the one man who spent decades butchering them in hell comes home. Brutal and satisfying.
If you loved the steady power climb
- 14. The Beginning After the End — Less of a literal "system," but the steady, satisfying power progression and second-chance growth are right there.
- 15. Overgeared — A hopeless gamer lands a legendary blacksmith class and grinds his way to world-shaking power. The slowest burn on this list, and the most rewarding.
Honorable mentions
Eleceed (hidden-power hero, great humor), Nano Machine (sci-fi power-up in a martial-arts world), and Teenage Mercenary (overpowered returnee, modern setting) all scratch adjacent itches. Browse the System genre for dozens more.
How we picked these
We matched on the three things that make Solo Leveling addictive: a visible power-progression loop (levels, skills, ranks), a protagonist who starts underestimated, and high-stakes action with slick art. Every pick above hits at least two of the three.
Read them officially
Every title links to its NEXORY page, which points only to licensed platforms — WEBTOON, Tapas, and Tappytoon. Create a free NEXORY account to track your progress through all 15 and rate them as you go. (As an Amazon Associate, NEXORY earns from qualifying purchases.)
Still hungry? Check out our guide to the best regression manhwa — there's huge overlap with the leveling crowd, and you'll find your next binge there.
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