This should have been posted by me in an earlier chapter, but I still don't fully understand the mage system.
You rank up by collecting contribution points. How is that relief to strength? One could be insanely strong but a lazy ass and hence ranked low.
Or one could have rather mediocre strength, but very diligent in collection contribution, and hence ranked (relative) high.
And if it's based on contribution. How did the criminal dark mage climb so high?