Action manhwas have some of the most bizarre settings and stories in the digital comic space; most main characters possess insane, cheat-like abilities or memories of their previous lives. Korean manhwas and Webtoons are a personal safe-haven for me. I prefer stories about strong MCs with an unyielding personality; an unbreakable force that makes everyone bow in fear or awe.
My digital comic adventure began during my school days with Masashi Kishimoto’s manga series, “Naruto.” With each year, the thrust of wanting more grew deeper, to the point I scavenged any digital comic I could put my hands on.
Recently, I even read most of the “Courting Death” type Chinese Manhua, but the lack of storytelling and plot was a massive turnoff. My search for ruthless and calculative manhwa MCs made me go through an immense catalogue, and here I’ve brought a few of the best ones for you.
The Heavenly Demon Cannot Live a Normal Life: Roman Dimitri
The Heavenly Demon Cannot Live a Normal Life is written by San Cheon (Sancheon) and Zaino, with art by Altoran. Baek Joong-Hyuk, the ‘Heavenly Demon’ of the Murim world, gets isekai’d into another world with knights and mages. He suddenly wakes up as Roman Dimitri, a baron’s son with no skills and an extremely bad reputation.
The manhwa’s first chapter directly jumps into action by showcasing his intolerance for anarchy as he slaughters the notorious Blood Fang members with nothing but a small stick. He embraces the identity of Roman Dimitri and embarks on the journey to establish his foothold in the Kairo kingdom.
Roman remains steadfast in his resolve, facing every adversary with calm defiance. He doesn’t hesitate to slap aristocrats in front of their own people. His USP is unwavering power, dominance, and care for his people. By the time you catch up to the latest chapters, Roman builds his name across the world for having enough prowess to fight an entire army alone.
If you want an MC that goes straight for the kill, he will feed your hunger. The side characters have their own stories and development. Unlike other manhwas, Roman’s army carries out the commands without question, wielding their powers boldly even when he’s not around.
Eternally Regressing Knight: Encrid
What would you do if you were stuck on the day you are killed, repeatedly getting sliced open by your foe? This is the premise of Eternally Regressing Knight, written by Soul Pung with Leean as illustrator.
Encrid is a squad leader who aims to be a Knight but gets killed on the first few pages. He then wakes up again the same day as if nothing happened, and the entire day repeats till he gets killed again. He doesn’t have any special power; the loop continues till he figures out a way to survive. The plot might remind you of the film Edge of Tomorrow, but that’s the only similarity.
Encrid starts to use his death as a tool for training, it is kill or be killed. His will to learn and live grows even more with each death. You start rooting for him and are always curious about how he will overcome his new wall. Since the manhwa is based on a time loop during wartime, there is plenty of action in each chapter, as well as the mystery of his death loops.
Devil Returns to School Days: Kim Hyun‑sung
Nobody likes bullies or to be bullied; The Devil Returns to School Days is all about payback and revenge. Written by San Cheon and illustrated by Siwon, the manhwa’s MC is Kim Hyun‑sung, a victim of bullying.
Students in his school severely bullied him and then pushed him down the building. Kim became a vegetative patient; he could listen and see but couldn’t react or move. Throughout those years, he went through hell as his grandmother and brother suffered. Then, suddenly, after 10 years, he mysteriously returns to the day he was bullied for the first time. After that, it is an interesting tale of self-development and revenge.
Kim attacks and keeps on pounding without holding back. He calculates every move, uses anything he can as a weapon, and he never backs down. Kim Hyun-sung becomes an ultimate weapon of destruction with the 10 years’ worth of future news he got during his vegetative state. You will see him dominate the school and later challenge the main culprit, Golden Circle, which comprises elite figures.
The Return of the Crazy Demon: Yi Zaha
The Return of the Crazy Demon is a through-and-through Murim manhwa. It starts with Yi Zaha swallowing the Heavenly Pearl as he jumps off a cliff. He reincarnates years back to the days he was called Yi Zaha, an errand boy at an Inn. After that, it is all battles and climbing back to the top of the Murim.
Yi Zaha doesn’t walk a righteous path but a ruthless climb. He manipulates alliances, dismantles sect politics, and crushes opponents with overwhelming martial prowess. He is sharp-tongued, brutally honest, and doesn’t chase honor or justice. Yi Zaha takes advantage of his future foresight and refuses to follow Murim’s moral codes. You’ll laugh at the silly dialogues and awe at his martial skills; he’s mad but not crazy.
Myst, Might, Mayhem: Mok Gyeongwoon
Myst, Might, Mayhem manhwa comes as one of the fan-favorites in the unhinged MCs genre. Mok Gyeongwoon is Choen Ma, the forefather of the Nano Machine’s MC, Cheon Yeo‑Woon. The lore aligns since the writer of both manhwas is the same, Hanjoong Wolya. Mok Gyeongwoon’s true nature comes after his grandfather is sliced in two.
Since his face is identical to The Great Mok Sword Manor’s third young master, he gets to be a stand-in for the young master. The first move he makes is killing the real young master; the manhwa is so unhinged that killing people brings joy to his true nature. Mok Gyeongwoon becomes a master planner and a formidable martial artist with time.
He kills for his personal goals without hesitation, even laughing and smiling as they succumb to the injuries. He is sly, cunning, menacing, and easily blackmails others to fulfill his ideas. He seeks revenge for his grandfather and possesses a thrill for power and murder. At a point, you start wondering if he is a protagonist or antagonist of the story.
Other Ruthless MC Recommendations
Here are some other manhwas with ruthless MCs:
- Boss In School
- Sword Master on the Roof
- Legend of the Northern Blade
- Reaper of the Drifting Moon
- I Am the Fated Villain
- Poison Dragon Asura