[Week 8, you are all undertaking a strategic retreat.]
[Of course, this is just Alpharius's official statement.]
[The terminology was important. Strategic retreat sounded planned, controlled, professional. It suggested tactics and forethought, commanders making calculated decisions.]
[In fact, you all know this is a frantic escape.]
[However, while you can temporarily outmaneuver the Rangda alien slave army with your mobility, you can never completely evade their landing craft.]
[Even if you and Alpharius rack your brains to change your route, reckless Rangda aliens will still descend from the sky and block your way.]
[You had no choice but to roar and charge forward to meet the enemy.]
[During this time, there were those honor guards whose names you didn't even know.]
[The four Lernean Terminators also performed their duties perfectly.]
[After everyone had run out of bolter ammunition, leaving only poison frag grenades to deal with the Slaughth.]
[They began a brutal and bloody battle against the Rangda aliens, relying on their powerful Terminator armor and melee weapons.]
["Hydra Dominatus!" The battle roar from the Terminator of Lerna almost echoed through the heavens.]
[Ultimately, every Lernean Terminator sacrificed their lives and unwavering loyalty for your and Alpharius's escape.]
[However, between you, Omegon, and Alpharius.]
[Because of their long-term camaraderie in battle, they gradually developed a near-perfect, unspoken understanding.]
[This fighting style proved extremely effective once you encountered the Rangda aliens' pursuit and interception again.]
[At this moment, with a cold expression, you casually and swiftly disassembled the pale spear that had just pierced a Rangda alien into two short spears.]
[A thick arm, controlled by Omegon, suddenly caught it.]
[After swiftly traversing mid-air, it forcefully pierced through the pale green shield of another Rangda alien.]
[Omegon did not choose to continue the attack; he manipulated your feet to retreat backward, dodging the fierce counterattack from the Rangda alien.]
[At the same time, Omegon hurled the short spear in his palm towards Alpharius, who had reached the enemy's side.]
[Alpharius, his bronze-faced muscles twitching, raised his arm and caught it, then plunged it into the octopus head of the Rangda alien, spurting out streams of black blood that looked like grease.]
[You took a deep breath.]
[You quickly ran one finger along the raised lines on another short spear.]
[The short spear, still embedded deep in the enemy's skull, was instantly drawn back by an invisible force, reforming into a pale spear in your palm.]
[You, Omegon, and Alpharius relied on this flexible and varied tactical approach to successfully carve out a bloody path piled high with the corpses of the Rangda Xenomorphs.]
[However, just as the two of you arrived at the entrance to the power plant and merely figured out the location of the Aquila shuttle...]
[A terrifying retaliation from the Rangda aliens immediately followed.]
[Twenty-two fully armed Slaughth, carrying terrifyingly powerful special energy weapons, completely blocked the open road leading from the power plant entrance to the landing platform.]
[As long as they continue to stall for time, the Randanian alien slave army will arrive here.]
[Even if you and Alpharius temporarily grew pure white wings, you would still be unable to escape.]
[And you astutely deduced this from the fact that the Slaughth's special energy bombardment showed no sign of diminishing power.]
[The Rangda Empire has given up all hope of capturing the Primarch alive.]
[Perhaps the opposing commander thought that since living Primarchs were unacceptable, corpses would be a barely acceptable alternative.]
[You and Omegon, with Alpharius, have no choice but to fight with everything you have and go all out.]
[You began to use the terrain around the power plant and the few remaining toxin frag grenades to engage in an incredibly difficult struggle with the Slaughth.]
[After several successful raids, Alpharius was hit head-on by a special energy weapon from the Slaughth.]
[If it weren't for the Primarch's powerful regenerative abilities successfully saving his life, and the protection of his power armor, he might have died on the spot.]
[Thanks to Omegon's warning and vigilance, you haven't suffered any serious injuries for the time being.]
[However, the battle-damaged power armor you're wearing, which hasn't been repaired much to begin with, may soon reach the end of its journey.]
[Even the usually durable power backpack occasionally emitted extremely harsh, low-pitched humming sounds, as if it might completely break down at any moment.]
[During a brief truce, you meet with Alpharius, whose face has turned deathly pale.]
[At this moment, you two only have three frag grenades left.]
[Nine Slaughth remain alive.]
[Furthermore, with the continuous deaths of large numbers of Slaughth.]
[This extremely mysterious alien race of the Rangda Empire has also revealed some of its secrets to you.]
[Right under your and Alpharius's extremely wary gaze.]
[Nine Slaughth, clad in black hooded robes, swiftly merged through a mysterious ritual into a gigantic, terrifying worm-like monster.]
[This fused, terrifying worm-like monster, with its enormous, writhing body, emanated faint fluctuations of psionic energy, clearly possessing some kind of powerful mind control ability.]
[You and Alpharius exchanged a glance, and a wry smile involuntarily crept onto your lips.]
[However, Omegon had a different opinion at this point.]
[He muttered to himself, trying to mimic your way of speaking.]
["The Slaughth have chosen to merge into a gigantic monster, which looks incredibly threatening, but it also means they can no longer stop us from reaching the landing platform. As long as someone can hold it off temporarily, the other person can go directly to activate the shuttle!"]
[The logic was sound. One entity, however massive, could only be in one place. The path to the shuttle was clear. Almost clear.]
[Alpharius's head turned, his pale face resolving with sudden understanding. His eyes met yours.]
["Brother, lend me the Spear! I'll hold off the worm monster! If I die, you'll be the sole Primarch of the Alpha Legion, you'll be Alpharius!"]
[You took a deep breath and shook your head slightly towards the other person.]
["To be honest, I don't know how to fly a shuttle, I've never even learned, so please leave this simple combat mission to me..."]
[You, or rather Omegon, gave the pale-faced Alpharius a gentle smile.]
[You grabbed the Pale Spear and the remaining three poison frag grenades without hesitation and rushed out of your hiding place.]
[Your body moved before Alpharius could protest. The pale spear felt right in your hands, familiar weight settling into combat grip. The grenades clinked at your waist.]
[Your voice rang out across the battlefield, words meant for your brother, for yourself, for history.]
["After today, we are all Alpharius!"]
[You smiled, and Omegon smiled with you.]
[For the Emperor. For humanity. For the Legion.]
[Hydra Dominatus.]