Solo Leveling Reading Order: Novel, Webtoon, Side Stories & Ragnarok

The simplest reading order is: original Solo Leveling → side stories → Solo Leveling: Ragnarok.

Spoiler level: Very low. This guide covers reading order and publication formats, not major plot events or the ending.

Tapas service update — checked October 25, 2026: Tapas has announced closure on March 31, 2027. New Ink acquisition stopped on October 1, 2026, and its FAQ says previously unlocked content will become inaccessible after closure. Tapas links in this guide identify existing licensed editions. For a new read, check the format-specific options below: the original novel, original comic, and sequel don’t all have the same alternatives.

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If you’ve finished the Solo Leveling anime—or you’re just getting started with the series—the number of versions can be confusing.

There’s a Korean web novel, a full-color webtoon, side stories, and a sequel called Solo Leveling: Ragnarok. English readers also have collected book editions whose volume numbers don’t match the digital episode numbers.

You don’t have to read them all. The trick is keeping each edition’s numbering separate.

Solo Leveling Reading Order at a Glance

Solo Leveling reading order in three steps

Step	Read	What to know
1	Original novel or webtoon	English books: novel Volumes 1–8; comic main story Volumes 1–13
2	Side stories / epilogue	Comic Volumes 14–15; digital readers continue into their platform’s side-story episodes
3	Solo Leveling: Ragnarok	A separately numbered sequel; choose its novel or comic and begin at the start

This is a story order, not a list of everything you must buy.

The original web novel and webtoon are different versions of the same central story. You don’t need to finish one before starting the other.

Step 1: Read the Original Solo Leveling

Solo Leveling began as a Korean web novel written by Chugong. It was later adapted into a webtoon by h-goon, with the main series illustrated by DUBU of REDICE STUDIO.

Both versions follow Sung Jinwoo, but they offer different reading experiences.

Option A: Start with the novel

Choose the novel if you prefer prose and enjoy imagining the action without illustrations guiding every moment.

Wondering whether the prose version suits you? My Solo Leveling web novel review discusses its compulsive progression, shadow-based powers, and the supporting cast I wanted more of. The review includes light ability spoilers.

For English prose, start with Yen Press’s Volume 1 (novel). The original English novel is published as Volumes 1–8, with a collected omnibus edition also available.

If you prefer a serialized digital edition, WebNovel lists Solo Leveling (Only I Level Up), credited to Chugong with a D&C Media licensing notice. Check that specific listing for chapter access and payment or regional restrictions; its chapter numbers aren’t book-volume numbers.

The Tapas novel listing identifies an existing licensed digital edition, subject to the service-closure limits noted above.

Start with Volume 1 or the opening digital chapter, and follow the novel in its published order.

Option B: Start with the webtoon

Choose the webtoon if you prefer full-color illustrations and action presented through vertical scrolling.

For the official English digital comic, I’d start by checking Tappytoon. If you prefer collected comic books, Yen Press lists the volumes with paperback and digital options. The existing Tapas comic listing remains a source for that edition, subject to the service limits above.

The webtoon is complete, including additional material after the main storyline.

If you’re reading digitally, continue through the main episodes before moving into the special or epilogue episodes listed by your platform.

Reading both can be interesting if you want to compare the original prose with its comic adaptation. But it’s an optional comparison, not a required step in the reading order.

Step 2: Read the Side Stories After the Main Ending

The side stories belong after the original story’s ending.

They are additional material within the original Solo Leveling series, not the separately titled Ragnarok sequel.

For digital comic readers, the easiest approach is to continue into the special or epilogue episodes provided by the official platform.

On Tappytoon’s English comic edition, the main story ends at Episode 179: Finale. Continue with Epilogue 1 through Epilogue 21: Finale before moving to Ragnarok. These are Tappytoon’s episode labels, not novel chapters or collected-book numbers. Check access on the platform before unlocking episodes.

English book ranges in the summary table and Tappytoon episode labels rechecked: October 27, 2026.

For English print comic readers, the order is particularly clear.

English comic volumes: Where the side stories begin

Yen Press organizes the original comic edition this way:

Original Solo Leveling English comic volumes and their contents

Volumes	Content
1–13	Main story
14 — Side Stories 1	Additional stories
15 — Side Stories 2	Further concluding material

So, if you’ve finished comic Volume 13, the next books in that edition are Volumes 14 and 15, not Ragnarok.

The novel and comic editions don’t share the same volume numbering. If you’re reading the prose version, follow the contents of your novel edition rather than using the comic’s volume numbers.

Do you have to read the side stories?

They’re best read before Ragnarok if you want the fullest transition from the original series into its sequel.

But they shouldn’t be mistaken for an entirely new main storyline.

You also don’t need a detailed summary of their events beforehand. Simply continue reading the official material after the main ending.

Step 3: Move On to Solo Leveling: Ragnarok

Once you’ve completed the original story and its additional material, you can move into Solo Leveling: Ragnarok.

Ragnarok is a sequel. It’s not a remake of the original webtoon or another title for the side stories.

The sequel shifts attention to the next generation, with Sung Suho as its central character.

The original Solo Leveling novel was written by Chugong, while the Ragnarok novel was written by Daul. Its webtoon adaptation credits JIN for the artwork and Brix for the adaptation.

As with the original series, you can choose your preferred format.

For a reader’s perspective before choosing, my Ragnarok web novel review discusses inherited expectations and the leveling rhythm. My Ragnarok webtoon review adds impressions of the JIN-illustrated material’s action panels, expressions, and scrolling pace. Both reviews discuss the sequel’s opening family premise, so leave them until you’re comfortable learning that detail about the original story’s future.

Ragnarok novel: The Tapas listing identifies an existing licensed English prose edition by Daul, subject to the closure limits above. Ize Press also announced a separate Ragnarok novel edition. As of October 25, 2026, I couldn’t confirm its release date or an already available replacement reading route through the official sources checked for this update. I’d check the publisher’s latest details before planning around that edition.

Ragnarok webtoon: Tappytoon offers the English digital comic, and Ize Press publishes collected comic volumes with paperback and digital options. These comic books are separate from the announced prose novel. The existing Tapas comic edition is subject to the same service limits.

Tapas lists its English Ragnarok novel as complete, but that catalog status doesn’t remove the service’s access limits. The webtoon follows its own serialization schedule; check its current listing rather than assuming weekly new episodes. The two formats may not cover the same amount of story at a given time.

A useful rule: Ragnarok novel and Ragnarok webtoon are two formats of the sequel—not two sequels you must read consecutively.

Why the English Volume Numbers Can Be Confusing

The original novel and webtoon were created for serialized digital reading. English print editions collect that material into numbered books.

A digital episode, a prose chapter, and a collected comic volume aren’t interchangeable units.

How to follow each Solo Leveling English edition

Edition	How to follow it
Original English novel	Volumes 1–8
Original English comic	Volumes 1–13 for the main story, then 14–15 for side stories
Ragnarok novel	Follow the specific prose edition’s order; check release and access status before starting
Ragnarok comic	Follow its separately numbered episodes or book volumes

If you finish novel Volume 8, comic Volume 9 is not the next installment of the prose series. It belongs to the comic adaptation of the original story.

And if you finish comic Volume 15, look for the separate Solo Leveling: Ragnarok series rather than treating it as Volume 16.

This is why it’s worth checking both the series title and the format when shopping for English editions.

For official volume lists, visit Yen Press — Solo Leveling Novels, Solo Leveling Comics, or Ragnarok Comics.

What If You’ve Already Watched the Anime?

The anime adapts the original story; it isn’t an extra reading-order step.

If you want to experience DUBU’s artwork and the pacing of the Korean digital comic, start the webtoon from the beginning. Recognizing the plot won’t make its presentation identical to the anime.

If your goal is to continue beyond the animated material, be careful with unofficial episode-to-chapter lists.

Adaptations can reorganize or expand scenes, and episode labels can differ between services. A safer approach is to check the official platform’s chapter list and read slightly before the point where you stopped watching.

For the creative differences between the two formats, see Solo Leveling Webtoon vs. Anime: 5 Key Differences.

Where to Read Solo Leveling Officially

For a new read, I’d check these official English options first, keeping prose and comics separate.

Original Solo Leveling

• Novel Books — Yen Press
• Digital Novel — WebNovel — the licensed Solo Leveling (Only I Level Up) listing; check chapter access separately.
• Webtoon — Tappytoon
• Comic Books — Yen Press

Solo Leveling: Ragnarok

• Webtoon — Tappytoon
• Comic Books — Ize Press
• Prose Novel Announcement — Ize Press — an announced edition; current release and replacement access weren’t confirmed in the sources checked above.

Existing Tapas editions — catalog references with the closure limits above: original novel, original comic, Ragnarok novel, and Ragnarok comic. A visible catalog entry doesn’t guarantee that a new reader can unlock the whole series or keep access after closure.

Access, pricing, and availability may vary by region. Check the platform’s current listing before purchasing or unlocking episodes.

The Reading Order to Remember

Before buying the next book, check both the series title and the format. Yen Press’s original novel runs through Volume 8; the comic’s main story runs through Volume 13, followed by Side Stories in Volumes 14–15. For the sequel, look for Solo Leveling: Ragnarok and start with its first chapter, episode, or volume.

For a broader introduction, visit the Solo Leveling Hub. If you’re deciding whether to start with the comic, the Solo Leveling Webtoon Review can help.

Edition and reading-access information checked: October 25, 2026.