After a brief silence, Carla turned her head toward Ikku.

  "You really did well, Ikku."

  Ikku lowered his head slightly, his expression clouded with doubt.

  "You think so?" he muttered. "I don’t feel like I did much… As soon as our opponent realized Kenny’s Brand was a real threat, he went straight for him. I wasn’t a danger to him… and I wasn’t much help to Kenny either."

  Carla shook her head.

  "You’re wrong, Ikku." She smiled softly. "I watched your fight from start to finish. Your opponent knew you were the biggest threat in close combat. He was probably afraid that you’d adapt too quickly. And with Kenny’s Brand on top of that, things were getting even more complicated for him. That’s why he went for Kenny first because you were the real problem."

  Ikku lifted his head, surprised.

  "You… really think so?"

  "Of course!" Carla reassured him, her smile never fading.

  Her words reignited something inside him. The doubt that had been creeping into his mind slowly faded.

  "Thanks, Carla… You just reminded me of something important."

  Carla tilted her head.

  "Oh? What is it?"

  Ikku reached into his pocket and pulled out a black armband. He slid it onto his wrist with a firm motion.

  "What’s that?" Carla asked, intrigued.

  Ikku stared at the band for a moment before smiling.

  "Just a simple armband… but it carries a huge meaning for me. It’s my 'Eternal Oath'."

  Carla blinked.

  "Your Eternal Oath?"

  "Yeah. Back when I was training with Jack, things kept getting harder every day. There were so many times I wanted to quit. But Jack taught me something important, and you just reminded me of it:

  Failure and setbacks are part of the journey. The ones who reach their goals aren’t the ones who never fall, but the ones who keep moving forward despite their failures."

  He clenched his fist.

  "So, I made a promise on this armband, that I’ll be the one to find the Legendary Jewels and become the greatest hero of all time. That I’ll never give up. No matter how much doubt I feel, I just have to look at this armband to remind myself of that promise. That’s what an Eternal Oath is it’s a vow you make on something you can carry with you every day."

  Carla looked at him with admiration.

  "Wow… That was really inspiring, Ikku."

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  Then, without hesitation, she removed her headband and held it in front of her.

  "Then I’ll do the same."

  Ikku blinked.

  "Huh? What do you mean?"

  Carla took a deep breath.

  "I vow to become a strong woman. I’ll use my power to protect the weak and lock away the criminals who poison this world."

  Ikku grinned.

  "I couldn’t have asked for anything better. We’ll get stronger, together!"

  "Yeah!" Carla nodded, putting her headband back on.

  Ikku mumbled to himself.

  "Stronger…"

  And then, something clicked.

  His mind flashed back to his conversation with Zéno.

  His eyes widened.

  "I got it!" he exclaimed.

  Carla raised an eyebrow.

  "Got what?"

  "My Brand!"

  Carla’s eyes widened in excitement.

  "Really?! What is it?!"

  Ikku smirked.

  "It’s just an idea for now… but when the time comes, I’ll put it to the test."

  Carla laughed.

  "I can’t wait to see it!"

  She was relieved to see Ikku regain his confidence, but just as she was about to ask him something else, he hesitated.

  He lowered his gaze slightly, fidgeting with his armband.

  "Carla… there’s something else I wanted to talk to you about… you know… last time… um… you know, when…"

  Carla’s eyes widened for a moment before her cheeks flushed slightly.

  "Oh… you mean that?" she replied, suddenly feeling a little shy as well.

  She looked away for a second, searching for her words before letting out a quiet sigh.

  "Listen, Ikku… I’m sorry if I was too forward. Maybe I acted too fast…"

  She tightened her grip on her headband before gently putting it back in place.

  "I really like you, Ikku. But…"

  She hesitated.

  "I don’t think I’m ready yet."

  A silence fell between them.

  Ikku opened his mouth slightly but found himself unable to say anything. He hadn’t expected Carla to be so straightforward. Yet, when he looked into her eyes, he realized this wasn’t rejection.

  It was just honesty.

  She wasn’t pushing him away. She was just being real.

  Ikku rubbed the back of his neck before letting out a small smile.

  "I get it…" he said softly.

  Carla looked back up at him, searching his expression.

  "You… you’re not upset?"

  Ikku shook his head.

  "Of course not." He looked at her directly, his smile growing slightly. "If it’s not the right time for you, then it’s not the right time. And that’s fine with me."

  Carla felt a wave of relief wash over her.

  "Thank you, Ikku…" she murmured with a small, grateful smile.

  Ikku shrugged, trying to lighten the mood.

  "But you know, you could’ve told me sooner instead of making me overthink it this whole time."

  Carla laughed and playfully smacked his shoulder.

  "Idiot!"

  Ikku laughed too, and for a brief moment, the weight of everything they had just been through faded away.

  But soon, their serious expressions returned.

  They both knew this was just the beginning.

  The real challenges were still ahead.

  And they had to be ready.

  "Alright, time to focus again," Ikku said, stretching his arms. "We have no idea who might show up next."

  Carla nodded, resuming her guard position.

  The peace of the night was nothing but an illusion.

  The mission continued.