The battle in the Underhive was exceptionally fierce. An endless torrent of daemons poured from the cracks in the Warp. The Behemoth's massive body rampaged through the daemonic hordes; nothing could harm it. In this Underhive, at least, it was entirely invincible. Every stamp of its feet ground countless daemons into mush, and its giant scythe-blades sheared through every living thing before it like reaping wheat, snapping them into multiple segments.
Behind the Behemoth, the rest of the Zerg Swarm maintained a relentless ranged bombardment. The dense barrage of fire caused the already sluggish Nurgle daemons to collapse continuously. Control over the large elevators leading down to the Lower Hive was recaptured by the Swarm one by one. Following Alexei's command, the fully armed Aiur Imperial Guard joined the battle from all directions.
The treads of heavy tanks rolled over ground choked with rotting corpses as they advanced deep into the Underhive. Along the way, Firebats and Hellions continuously spewed flames. Swarms of green bottleflies, resembling a black storm, were incinerated into ash by scorching plasma bursts, and even the acid clinging to various surfaces was evaporated by the terrifying heat.
Meanwhile, the Ghosts and the Astartes operated independently from the main force. Their mission was to eliminate high-risk targets flagged by the Overlords and destroy critical structures that had been corrupted by Nurgle.
Caught in a pincer movement between the Aiur Imperial Guard and the Zerg Swarm, the Nurgle daemons' defensive line crumbled step by step. Having lost the leadership of their Greater Daemon, they were powerless to escape their doom.
---
Alexei remained inside the orbital command post in the Upper Hive. The holographic strategic map before him displayed the positions of all the Aiur Imperial Guard regiments. Under his direction, various strategies and tactics were executed seamlessly. The daemons in the Underhive were being rooted out one by one; the rest was simply a matter of time.
Behind him, Heinrich was also keeping busy. Under Alexei's supervision, the entire administrative hierarchy of Leopes was to be reorganized and fully integrated into the Swarm's psionic network to ensure absolute loyalty.
Furthermore, the industrial sectors of the Lower Hive had to be renovated piece by piece. On top of the ruins, structures from Aiur would be progressively erected. Most crucial of all was the reconstruction plan for the Underhive.
As the largest Hive World in this sector, Leopes' massive Underhive possessed immense untapped potential. Whether it was establishing new industrial zones, Swarm breeding grounds, or excavating the layers of refuse accumulated over ten thousand years—which might very well contain relics from the Dark Age of Technology—the possibilities were vast.
"The threat to this world has basically been neutralized. Before long, I can return home to develop smoothly," Alexei muttered. Finally... after ten long years, he finally possessed a sector of his own.
Next, Guilliman would launch the Terran Crusade, enact the Ultima Founding, and begin the Indomitus Crusade that would last for nearly a century. Alexei decided to let his void projection participate in those events while his true body stayed safely at home to grow in power. As long as Aiur didn't initiate any major offenses, the entire Phoenix Sector would have ample time to develop.
Alexei was also planning to ask Guilliman for a few decommissioned Imperial Navy vessels. He would then have Aiur's automated shipyards reverse-engineer and mass-produce them. No matter what, their efficiency would far outstrip the manual forging of the Adeptus Mechanicus. Once Aiur's fleet reached full maturity, it would be time for a total steamroll.
He could not wait to see the sky-darkening fleet of Aiur, operating in tandem with the Zerg Leviathans and the Protoss Golden Armada. While Alexei was lost in thought, an urgent communication via the Swarm's psionic network pulled him back to reality.
It was a message from Brand. Brand had been dispatched to scout the conditions of the surrounding sectors and should have returned to Aiur to refit by now. Why would he send an emergency transmission so suddenly?
Alexei looked puzzled until he heard the contents of the transmission, causing his expression to gradually turn solemn.
> "My Lord, a massive enemy fleet has appeared at Aiur's Mandeville point. The number is close to a hundred ships. The situation is critical."
As expected, the enemy would not let matters slide. The presence of his main force here at Leopes meant that Aiur's defenses were incredibly hollow. The Plague Fleet of Nurgle was bound to seize the opportunity for a sneak attack. However, Alexei had already anticipated this.
"Then let's test it out." His gaze shifted to the interstellar transit technology that far surpassed warp drive engines. Alexei checked the resources required for a wormhole. Biomass was, needless to say, more than sufficient. As for psionic energy, with the combined efforts of the Swarm network and Ally, the conditions were precisely met.
"Then let's begin," Alexei commanded immediately. The Zerg Swarm and the Aiur Imperial Guard in the Underhive shifted from a ferocious offensive to a defensive posture. In any case, the Zerg Creep had already been spread. Once the massive Hives were fully established, they could conclude the Underhive battle just the same. With the Behemoth guarding the area, he had nothing to worry about.
---
Alexei walked out of the orbital command post. Heinrich looked at him with a bewildered expression, but Alexei simply said calmly, "I leave the administration here to you. I will return to check on things. If you fail to handle affairs properly, there will naturally be a better candidate to replace you."
"Understood," Heinrich replied, bowing his head. When he looked up again, Alexei had already boarded a Medivac, heading toward Leopes' secondary continent—a barren, uninhabited wasteland. At the same time, the Leviathans in the sky above the Hive World emitted long, whale-like rumbles, drifting toward the secondary continent alongside the Battlecruisers.
Within the psionic network, Alexei contacted Ally. "I need your help. This time, I need your maximum output."
"Alright," Ally responded instantly without a shred of hesitation. In her mind, this was exactly what she was meant to do.
Simultaneously, on a Swarm world far away in the Aiur system, Zagara received Alexei's message. Instantly, half a planet's worth of the Zerg Swarm was sacrificed. A massive surge of spiritual energy echoed through the void, forming a brief, distinct beacon.
Without a moment's delay, Alexei activated the wormhole ability. In a flash, a second golden sun erupted in the sky above Leopes' secondary continent. It was Ally, unleashing the full extent of her psionic power. Her roars reverberated between heaven and earth; a psionic blast capable of tearing apart planets erupted and was instantly channeled away, creating a colossal rift in the sky. Half of Leopes' heavens were torn open by it.
Ally's roaring grew heavier, and every psionic unit within the Swarm network felt their energy being drained dry. Standing aboard a Battlecruiser, Calder and Ator watched in absolute shock through the viewport as the entrance of a wormhole slowly materialized. They could already faintly see the purple planet on the other side.
With one final, furious roar, the wormhole was fully formed.
"Now is the time! Move out, let us welcome those arrogant enemies!" Following Alexei's order, dozens of Leviathans and all the Battlecruisers surged directly into the wormhole.