Shring
Naruto placed the demon sword purgatory on his back before turning to face the still shaken Lin Ming and asked.
"Are you okay?"
Lin Ming who was still frozen in fear snapped back to reality. She looked up Naruto with a startled and frightened gaze. She didn't know what to say. She was complete mess.
"You are safe now." Naruto tried to comfort her when he saw the look in her eyes. He knew that she would probably be traumatized by this event but there was nothing he could do about it.
Lin Ming opened and shut her mouth repeatedly with no words coming out. She body still shivered uncontrollably from the near death experience.
However, before she could think of the proper words to say she saw Naruto standing back to his feet and preparing to leave.
"Wait!" Lin Ming shouted when he saw Naruto about to leave her behind.
Naruto stopped mid step and turned his head slightly to look at her from the corner of his eyes with a questioning gaze. "What is it?"
Lin Ming exhaled in relief when she saw Naruto stop but then she but her lips tightly when she heard Naruto's question.
What should she say? That she is afraid of being alone and didn't want him to leave. Wouldn't that be selfish of her to ask considering that he just saved her life? What should she do?
But she really was afraid. The rate that her heart was beating right now was beyond normal. She feel like her heart would explode at any moment from now.
While Lin Ming was having an internal struggle with herself, Elena who had been silent since she arrived at the alleyway finally spoke up.
"Why don't you let her come along? After all she has just undergone a traumatizing experience" Elena suggested while looking at Lin Ming.
Lin Ming's head whipped up so that the others were afraid that her neck would snap to look at the person standing at the entrance of the alley. Someone that she hadn't noticed before because of her situation. But this person someone became her life line.
Come to think of it she kind of looked like the person that entered the restaurant with Naruto this morning.
Naruto frowned at Elena's words. It wasn't that he had a thing against Lin Ming tagging along but wouldn't that be more trouble than it was worth. What if she found out the situation about Elena's family.
'I don't want to be blamed for letting my client information slip again' Naruto shivered nervously when he thought back to one such event when he accidentally let his client information slip.
He could still remember the scolding he got from lady after that. He had even been grounded. One of the worst moments of his life.
"Are you certain about this Elena? What if she finds out?"
Elena?
Lin Ming looked quizzically at the lady standing in front of the alley with the hoody still obscuring her face. The fear in her heart eased up a little when she remembered a fond memory she had with someone bearing that same name.
Is it really her? or just a mere coincidence?
Elena smiled sadly underneath her hood not that they could see it. "It's nothing. Her parents restaurant is not far from here. And we are heading in that direction. Think of it as a stroll"
"If you say so" Naruto shrugged. He turned back to Lin Ming who was still looking at Elena and said. "Alright let's go"
"HAI!" Lin Ming immediately snapped back to her senses and hurriedly stood to her feet only to immediately fall backwards with a shock expression on her face.
"Hey!"
...
Power Stones!