"What do you think we should do, Lillie?" Anabel turned toward me who was still in the middle as she posed this question. Unable to advance or to retreat, we were at the state of statement. Though everybody gradually began to relax, they were still on the lookout. Nobody could fully relax knowing that they could die at any moment. But it is also given that remaining vigilant all the time could stress one's body, especially given the unbearable situation.

"Why ask me, though?" I was confused by Anabel's question. Wouldn't it be better to ask Looker or Faba, in fact, it would be much better to ask veteran members of UG. I am just a newbie. If anything, this is the first time I am venturing outside to the battle. "I don't even know anything about battle." Yes, in fact, even newbies are more informative than me. I hate to say this but right now, I am nothing but a burden. Teehee... Take care of me, okay...

"But~ aren't you more intelligent than us?"

"Academically, you mean... I know nothing about warfare and such, though... Then again, why does it feels like you're making fun of me?" It doesn't help with how she was grinning from ear to ear. Though I think it is a good thing, considering how much we bonded within so little time. It may be true that the bond can depend on the environment, where the life and death battle happens. That's the scene I have seen in shounen from time and time again. In this matter, we built a bit before everything.

Ahh! I am getting outta topic. If I have to say where to advance, various matters factor to the decision. Like I said before, the opponent may not be who we are thinking and can be a completely different mutant. Though I wouldn't want such development, the chances weren't zero. I mean who would want such a monster to increase in number. The second point is; our chances against the monster. It wouldn't be weird to say that we were outdone within a single moment, no matter how much we were relaxed. No, that isn't right, if anything, saying we were caught off-guard would be nothing but us finding inner comfort. Maybe such false comfort may be what is needed in this situation, we can't hope to lose any more people. I'm not only talking about physical, y'know.

Depending on the situation, a decision could be fatal. It would be more amazing if there was a leader figure here. UG has constantly done their own thing and since, their performance was amazing, and could work in a group without any leadership, well, it goes without saying. Hmm~ leader... Couldn't Looker, Anabel, and Faba play that role perfectly... Their position in their respective place asks them to play such a role...

"Hah, so you were making fun of me all this time." I feel like I have never sighed like this before. For some reason, I feel more tired than before.

"Ahaha~ sorry sorry~ Your reaction was just so cute." She laughed as she apologized to me. Though I doubt she meant it. "Well, I have my own opinion, but I still wanted to know how you would handle the situation. It wouldn't hurt to have two or three outcomes."

"Well, I get what you mean but I think you are asking the wrong person." I thought for a second. Though there were many unsolving issues, if I have to guess then I think it would be better to head back. That's what I told Anabel. Supposedly, if the monster did happen to be different, that means we could assure that our original target still remains at the outskirts. If that was the case, then it wouldn't poses threat to us right now. So, we could handle the situation a bit better. And even if it happened to be the one we were after, then we are still going after it, right?

"Not a bad conclusion. In fact, you came to the same decision as me. But you see-" She came closer to my ear and speak in a low voice so that others wouldn't hear. "I think there is more to the story than we are anticipating."

"What do you mean?" I asked, genuinely confused by her choice of words. I get it that the monster is fast and powerful, and it would be especially bad if it were to make its way toward the checkpoint but her voice didn't seem to be satisfied with just this much explanation. In fact, her words were saying there was more than eyes meet.

"What did you first thought when you didn't saw any mutants in the vicinity?"

"Well, that's-" Just then, a big question mark above my head turned into a light bulb. It was so simple but we overlooked it. No, in fact, it was never questioned bcoz of the previous report. We took all the proof at face value. For example: all the reports mentioned, no we got were about how the monster was seclusive and acted solitarily. How everyone but a single member of the GROUP that comforted the monster got out. Ahh~ I finally got it. I couldn't help but grit my teeth. That monster... That damn mutant was far more intelligent than we anticipated.

Why the hell was there no mutant nearby? Why did the monster attack us so suddenly? The monster's speed was so great that it was able to bypass the sensor function of Mamane's suit, but the monster was in the lens, albeit blur... That's hardly possible considering the monster's speed. It could have easily killed them all before they could take the picture or run away. It wasn't just gunshot, but even other GROUP that managed to comfort the monster before Gunshot.

Of course, it goes without saying gunshot wasn't the only GROUP that comforted the monster. In fact, there is no way such an elite group will go after the monster without hearing about its toughness. And no way, that UG would be involved with just the statement from Gunshot. Though it was Gunshot that managed to get definite proof, there were some GROUPs that said the same thing. While many GROUPs were massacred by the monster without leaving a trace, so two or three GROUPs did manage back alive, albeit only a single member. Because it was such a small number, the fact that only a single member managed back alive completely left our minds. It wouldn't be weird if someone made an opening to have their friends back alive, right? Will power lives within everyone.

It wasn't really a question to be asked but what if, it was the monster that let those survivors run away from it? What if it let them take picture of it? It was like it wanted to draw us outside the veil. It just proved why there were no mutants when we ventured outside the veil. Frankly, it would be the monster attacked other mutants... That's a natural conclusion anyone would reach. After all, mutants are capable of intelligence but not all can mature at the same time. Then what would happen if a single mutant was intelligent enough to use other mutants within its surrounding.

The surrounding areas weren't much disturbing. If the monster did attack other mutants, then their dead bodies and blood would have stained the surrounding. Though there was a sigh of mutants going rampage, there wasn't a hint of major battles happening. Even if the monster ate other mutants... No, that was unthinkable, after all the monster couldn't have swallowed all the mutants as a whole. It was such a simple plan, no, it was a big mistake to our side. We never considered that a mutant could be developed to such an extent.

"It is unthinkable, isn't it?"

"You said it." Anabel's whisper felt like some sort of heavy load. It all makes sense. The monster wanted UG outside the veil so that the Alola would lose some major firepower. Even its sudden attack toward us was the test if it could see us as a threat to advance whatever it was trying to do. It was trying to halt us by providing various aspects that make us come to a certain conclusion and voila, we actually went according to the path that was created for us. If it was inside the veil, we could have a better terrain advantage. We could have pulled back the victory over the monster though I couldn't say the same about the result. I'm sure we would sustain a huge loss but we could have retaliated. But by pulling all the moves, the monster managed to flow the wind of victory toward itself. I don't know about its goal for trying to pull such a move but it doesn't change the fact that-

"We got played by the monster like a puppet doll."

Though we both were whispering, without letting anyone know, someone clapped from the tree as the voice praised us.

"Clap clap clap... Right answer..."

I didn't even have to look at the source. I could tell who that cheerful voice belongs to without even looking.