The mage ranking system won't change through the book, but I decided to simplify the concept into known grades. Quick notice, an awakened has yet to be considered a bonfide mage.

Mage ranks according to terminology: 

Novice, Amateur, Apprentice, Sorcerer, High Sorcerer, Wizard, High Wizard, Arcana Lord, and finally the Archmage. 

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The mage rankings and their spell capacities correspond with the aforementioned order. 

A rank-one mage corresponds with the novice ranking, and their spells are similarly limited to rank-one spells. The criteria for advancement remains the same; sufficient mental capacity to perform a spell of a higher rank and/or the successive casting of three spells of the same rank as the mage, without cooldown in between casting. 

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The nodes system won't be discarded after chapter 36, as the number of nodes will define the affixed attributes of a mage's sea of consciousness after achieving rank-three and going beyond. 

Sea of consciousness nodes chart: 

[Rank 3] Apprentice ( 32-nodes)

[Rank 4] Sorcerer ( 64-nodes)

[Rank 5] High Sorcerer (128-nodes)

[Rank 6] Wizard ( 256-nodes)

[Rank 7] High Wizard ( 512-nodes)

[Rank 8] Arcana Lord ( 1,024-nodes)

[Rank 9] Archmage (2,048-nodes)