Two Weeks

Even without advancing a sublevel or major level, an individual absorbing mana to increase their rank would grow stronger every day. This was because the evolving body was becoming a better version of itself.

Atticus could feel that his strength had increased. For the change to be so visible would mean that he wasn't too far off from reaching the bottleneck to the next rank. Atticus was ecstatic!

He made his way into the water and through the hole he had come from, covering it and marking it so he would be able to locate it later on.

Afterward, he moved slowly towards the surface of the water. Atticus used the water molecules to swim, so he could be as silent as possible.

Bringing his head slowly out of the water, Atticus saw that there was not a single living creature in sight.

'The darkness creatures must have fled, or other beasts came for them.'