Nara's mood lifted the moment Ivor confirmed the tunic fit. The tension in his shoulders eased, and quiet pride replaced the worry that had been sitting on his face.
"Good," he said, already reaching for the bag again. "Now for the things I actually planned for your next… operation."
He crouched and pulled out a dagger in a dark sheath.
The sheath was matte black with a shallow groove running along one side, designed so the thumb could guide the draw quickly. When Nara slid the dagger free, the blade caught the light of the forest.
It was slender and straight, a little over ten inches long, with a narrow triangular profile that tapered to a needle-like point. The steel had a dark gray finish, almost charcoal in color, polished just enough to keep its edge clean but dull enough not to flash in sunlight. It was not made for hacking. Every part of it spoke of precision.
