Ben watched as the masked men approached him, but he still sat composed, eating his noodles, as the men leaped into the air ready to slash their swords on him, Ben flew the bowl of noodles and before the men could get to him five of them fell to the ground groaning in pain and now it was remaining four, shocked was an understatement cause the four of them could not believe how a bowl of noodles could render five men cripple on the floor,
Fears were written all over their faces, but they were ready to charge forward, Ben gently stood up, and immediately the men drew back in fear, Ben ignored them and dropped some coins on the table after which he left, still holding the chopsticks in his hand.
Right now he has walked further from the noodles shop and he was not passing by through a lonely ally, Ben wanted to visit a temple he can remember that his father always visit that particular temple back in the days whenever he comes back from his adventures, even after visiting Uncle Dawn, Ben still has not gotten the answer he wanted, he can feel that sometimes is still wrong and that's why he's not going to stop till he gets the clue he's seeking for,
Ben looked at the chopstick in his hand and was about to throw it away when he sensed something wrong, along the lonely ally, both sides were filled with bushes, but he noticed that it was constantly moving more like he's been followed,
One thing Ben noticed while growing up is that he has enhanced senses, unlike other people he can hear things that is far and beyond even the smallest sounds can be noisy to him, he can smell things that ordinary people cannot smell, he can see both physical and beyond, and he can sense dangers from afar, and right now, he can hear whistling of the grasses, he knew he's being followed.
Ben smiled and decided to do something fun so he took off immediately, and just like he expected, the hidden showed themselves, turned out it was those from the noodles shop,
The four men dressed as ninjas charged with their weapons, and all Ben had to do was threw the chopsticks and two men landed on the ground with a loud thud groaning in pains and holding onto their bloody chest, seeing the two injured the remaining two were about to run off when someone jumped down from one of the tall trees shooting arrows at them, and the two of them passed out,
The strange person landed in front of Ben, it was a young guy almost the same age as Ben but unlike Ben, he's smiling and looked free spirited,
"Hey my name is U"
Ben took a glance at him and without saying a word tried to walk away
"Hey, come on at least tell me your name" U pressed further chasing after Ben but he ignored him and kept on walking,
"Come on bro, that's unfair I just literally saved your life right now, at least let me know the name of my debtor"
But instead of replying him, Ben on his earphones,
"Now that's so unfair, it's not a nice thing to do, wait could it be that you're deaf?"
Ben's eyes showed a glint of twitch on hearing that
"I saw that…."
"I saw that….." U pointed accusing hands at Ben,
"Does that mean you're not blind?"
"Damn you're no fun" U sighed as they continued walking together, but unlike Ben U is not the type to keep quiet,
"We have been walking for a long time. Where are we going?" U suddenly asked,
"My business is not yours" Ben mumbled
"Yooooo...you can talk, men I thought you're deaf and dumb"
Ben turned and gave U a deep stare,
"Oops sorry" I smiled and Ben continued walking
"Come on, I thought we were already friends, I saved your life at least let me know where we are going?"
"Damn how do you manage to always say nothing, it's either two or three words you've always been like this"
Immediately he said that, Ben stopped dead on his track and turned to him,
"How did you know I've always been like this?"
"Wait, you don't remember me?" U asked and Ben did not utter a word
"It's me U from the academy"
"Come on it's me the one that was ranked last"
As he said last it flashed through Ben's memory and he remembered other students teasing U for his position back then,
"You?" Ben was surprised
"Hmmm" U smiled, adjusting the bag on his shoulders,
"I've always had love for adventures, my grandpa supported my dreams and that's why I went to the academy, even though I was not a genius like all of you, my grandpa always say that even though I looked like nothing special he can feel that I was gifted, but I guess that was all his guesses I ranked last and I do not dare to go home, I fear I might have disappointed my grandpa and that's why I decided to follow you,
I've always admired how smart and genius you are, I've always wanted to be your friend but I was scared back then, scared you wouldn't talk to me cause of my low IQ so after the academy since I could not go back home I decided to follow you, maybe my life will change someday if I stay with you, I don't want to disappoint my grandpa, he broke his savings to send me to the academy, I can't face him, please let me be your friend"
Ben stared at him with an expression he has never shown before, it was the first time he felt a sudden type of feeling, it was the first time someone is treating him like a friend,
Ben turned and continued walking
"Wait, does that mean you're allowing me to follow you?" I giggled happily, even though Ben did not say a word I already knew that he agreed,
"Yes....!
"Yes….., I finally made a friend!" U jumped in happiness, Ben glanced at him and fur the first time he grinned