Underground Beauty to Survey Corps - Attack on Titan

#16 The Female Titan

Moments later, a blue flare was fired to signal for retreat. "Looks like it's over." noted Gunther before turning to the rest. "Back to the horses! Prepare to retreat!"

"You heard the man." said Oluo while getting up. "Let's go see what the bastard inside that thing looks like.

"Will we really find out who it is?" asked Eren while checking his gas tank, ensuring that he would have enough gas on the way back.

"All thanks to you." praised Petra, which only confused him as he said he didn't do much. She then clarified, "You had faith in us. This is the result of our choice to believe in us back then. Making the right choice isn't easy."

"Hey, don't pamper him, Petra." scoffed Oluo, placing both hands on his waist. "What did he even do, anyway? He was pathetic. He just kept whining. Well, coming back alive from your first excursion is a pretty good start. But it doesn't count until the mission's over. Listen up, kiddo! The expedition lasts until you're at home in bed."

'What is he try to achieve?' questioned Orabelle with a raised brow.

Once everyone was prepared, everyone used their vertical maneuvering equipment to return home, each with drawn swords. While in air, Eld turned around and shouted, "Oluo! Petra! You guys pissed your pants and cried on your first mission. You're all grown up now!"

Eren and Orabelle looked at him with wide eyes; and Petra let out a scream. "Don't say that!" she scolded, clearly embarrassed that he brought it up. "What if he and Orabelle stop respecting me, Eld?!"

"It really happened?" questioned the latter with surprise, looking at her over her shoulder.

"Sure did." replied the said man. "And for the record, I didn't."

"Idiot!" yelled Oluo. "I've killed more of them than you! I've got more skills, stupid!"

"Your kill count isn't what makes a soldier." countered Eld.

"Shut up, idiot!" scolded the embarrassed man.

"Petra." called Eren. "Does that mean you sprayed it everywhere in mid-air?"

'What kind of question is that?' questioned Orabelle with an impassive expression.

"Shut up!" yelled Gunther from the front. "Do you think you're on a picnic? We're outside the Walls! I didn't piss my pants either."

'What will he gain from that, though?' thought the girl.

The group then noticed a green signal flare coming from the right. "Oh, that must be the signal from Captain Levi." said Gunther. "We'll rendezvous with the Captain! Cut the chatter until we get back." He stopped on a tree branch to fire a green flare before heading towards that direction. All of a sudden, the group noticed a figure with their hood up flying alongside them. Gunther thought it was the Squad Captain, but upon closer inspection, it wasn't him. "Who are you?!"

The figure didn't say anything as they flew towards him and sliced him across the chest, cutting his wire as well. "G-Gunther!" yelled Eren, who was just as confused and shocked as the others.

"Eren!" called Orabelle. "Keep moving with the seniors! I will check on him!" With the group moving forward as the soldiers tried to keep him away from the culprit, she turned back around and went towards him. But it was too late. Gunther was left dangling by the single wire motionless. Orabelle narrowed her eyes before directing her glare towards where the killer had left. 'So it is not just Titans we would have to fight, huh?' she thought. Firing her wires, she rushed towards where the squad and the culprit had went.

'I knew I had a bad feeling about this.' she thought. The more she tried to put the pieces together, the more uneasy she felt about the current situation. 'Back then, even though the Titans managed to break through Trost's gate, they did not even try for the inner gate. And when Eren sealed the gate, they let him. It could mean that they now have a bigger concern; something more important to them than breaching the walls, something unexpected that happened - Eren's transformation into a Titan. That means someone was there when they saw Eren transform, and that person is the Titan.' Her glared intensified, for the answer was right in front of her eyes. 'I know who you are, Female Titan.'