Creating the third mana ring around my core wasn't as difficult as evolving it to the next rank.
Absorbing mana from the surroundings, I kept supplying it to the core, which in return was used to fuel the formation of my third mana ring.
The process was a little slow but easy to execute as within around five minutes, most of the mana ring had already been formed.
I waited for another minute as the ring solidified itself around the mana core, thus increasing the count of the rings to 3.
Gold 3.
I had attained the rank, but for some reason it didn't feel much of an achievement.
While being in the academy, I would now have to cultivate using the normal means itself, as absorbing the essence was all but impossible.
Sigh.
Using the mana rank illusion device, I quickly reduced my rank to Gold 2... creating the difference between the actual and perceived strength.
