Emily's eyes softened with concern as she looked at me. "Levi, you really need to stop putting so much strain on yourself. You should stay back with the one-star mages during battles. I can't bear the thought of something terrible happening to you."
Zoe scoffed, shaking her head. "You're wasting your breath, Emily. Levi would never listen to that. He's always going to throw himself into danger."
I smirked, knowing exactly how this conversation would go. "Thanks for the concern, but I won't be staying back with the one-star mages."
Emily's face fell, her worry evident. "But why not?"
"It's not necessary," I said, "since I'm no longer a one-star mage. I've advanced to two stars."
Their expressions shifted to shock. "What? How is that even possible?" Emily asked, her eyes wide.
I hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. "I'm not entirely sure how it happened," I admitted. "I just know I can feel the two mana rings now."
