I coordinated the strategy with the upgraded Darwin, improving some units with better biomorphs to fulfill specific roles.

We sorted some templates to create units faster, with a slight increase in cost. I wished that Norn will soon upgrade them to spawn some proper Tyranid troops. I guess the fighters will evolve into Gaunts and the collectors into Rippers. Maybe we will have some Spore Mines too.

- "Host, the list of units is ready."

"Okay, Darwin. Show it to me!"

Basic enhanced Units - Tank (Chitin), Close Combat (Pincers), Ranged Hunter (mod. Poison Sting), Scout (Enhanced Senses)

"Good. It might be a weird categorization, but it's the best we have."

I was pretty sure I won't have enough time to waste time in the middle of the fight. This way, I will be able to replenish my units with specific roles to be better adapted to changing situations.

I couldn't level up any biomorphs until Norn wakes up.

Once she comes back and gives us her obnoxious blessing, I will break through to the next step of the evolution to Elite Ripper and work my way to the next level.

I liked how it sounds, and I wanted that title for myself.

* Brrooommm

The cave trembled slightly, reminding me of the battle that was taking place outside this lab. All I could focus on was on surviving, though. "We have to endure..."

I summoned a pair of close combat units that moved to the protection barriers but felt something weird. I had ten improved units, but I still possessed some more mental space.

It was like having eaten a full meal and having some room for desserts.

"Darwin, why do I feel I can summon an additional unit?"

- "It is due to the increase in the support level. It allows better use of your biomorphs and body skills. Right now, your intelligence allows you one extra unit at a very close range."

"So, I can have a sort of extra unit to command?"

- "You can say so, yes. But this unit cannot exceed 15 meters from the synapse body, or it will collapse."

The cave was barely 10 meters long per 8 meters wide so the unit could fight in this area without a problem.

"Good! I'll have a tank at my side then, just as an extra layer of precaution. We could try to give you a body afterward."

Darwin didn't reply, but I felt quite a load of agitation from him. I let it settle down and concentrated on the battle at hand.

As a rough estimation, my units could work within a range of 25 to 30 meters from me. They were able to move even further with some given orders, but will eventually turn feral or even die unless they returned to the synapse control within very few hours. The scouts' enhanced senses allowed them to operate at further distances with limited freedom.

"Okay, let's move the useless troops now, I don't want to lose them in the middle of the fight."

I ordered all of the transporters to go into hiding at the depths of our safe-zone. They then were shut down on a semi-coma state until I could take them back in control.

I summoned a few more units with that liberated mental strain and turned towards a special transporter. It was carrying a particular load of living samples. "I hope we don't have to use them."

The red worms will be our last line of defense if everything else fails.

But liberating them would mean that ruin had likely occurred to the base and our survival options as well.

The newly awakened hunters started to climb the ceiling and hid near the smaller bomb mites.

Our fight composition was two tanks on the shore, protected by rock barriers. Three damagers were also closeby to attack at any good chance and three hunters on the ceiling to shoot projectiles.

I also had two hidden bomb units on the ceiling, just in case things needed an extra kick of corrosive damage.

Lastly, an extra tank was near me. I was at the top of the ground area, protected by these units and several rock barriers.

Soon my army should be able to take down more enemies by themselves, but right now, I had to rely on my strength to take down any significant enemies.

I still hoped that this distribution would prove capable of defending the base for a while before I moved into combat.

On the left side of the cave, the Mantis Queen had put a few of its offsprings, covering one of our flanks, but my units could easily cover that area if we had to divert our attention.

* Cr-craackck!!

The rocks on the entrance keep trembling and falling, as the octopus creature was trying to penetrate our base.

It stopped for a few seconds, and then, the rocks started to being removed with even more speed than before.

Finally, we could see a creature appearing. It was smaller than I expected and seemed to be forced into the cave, more than entering with the determination to kill us.

"Did they used this guy as cannon fodder?"

I was surprised by that action, but we started to launch our attacks at the beast without hesitation.

"Nevermind. Kill it!!" I ordered the ranged fighters to shoot their attacks while I launched my projectiles towards the still hesitating enemy.

The creature's skin managed to repel the weaker projectiles, but a few impacted upon its face through soft tissues, making it roar in pain.

The pain awoke the beast, and it moved forward, using its tentacles to try catching a tank. It failed a couple of times and even got injured by the fighters, but once it managed to grab the shell from the tank, it started pulling towards the water, overpowering my unit.

"Let's kill it quickly!! Darwin! Help me out before more foes enter!"

I used this chance to drop a bomb to the monster. It exploded near its face, badly hurting it and allowing me and the tank unit to drag it outside of the water where the fighters joined in attacking at it.

There, we started attacking at it, and despite losing a limb to one of its attacks, and seeing how the beast bit in half the tank, we chopped at it relentlessly. The beast was desperately trying to go back to the waters, yet my units jumped at it together, not giving it any respite.

The fighters then started to attack its shell with their pincers, creating cracks that I managed to exploit to rip its skull open apart. It then turned into a gory festival of flesh while the octopus kept screaming while being devoured alive by my units.

I was furious with this monster for invading my base and ended up its life with a tail strike that mangled its brains.

As the blood tainted the cave's lake, the Mantis Queen started to clack its claws in distress, and I turned to see what the issue was.

More tentacles appeared from the cave's entrance, creating ripples in the water. "Prepare for the next foe!!" I took a few bites and started to pump my adrenal glands to allow some hormones to kick in.

- "We have several readings! There are at least three lesser enemies!"

A group of octopus broke into the cave, causing more damage to the safety measures I created when digging the cave. Water kept flooding inside this place. I summoned more units to replace the fallen while eating chunks of flesh from the recently killed monster.

"Those units are quite smaller than I expected; it seems that the monster we met has managed to draw some reinforcements here."

- "Host, we need to beware of the monster lurking outside of the cave. The scout displayed a formidable foe."

I nodded and let the two tanks and the rest of the units fight them off while I was busy ingesting biomass.

The new creatures put some pressure on our neighbors as they spread to all fronts. But the mantis defended themselves with fierce strikes.

At the same time, rocks and dust fell from the ceiling as the flower creatures from the forest were digging closer to us. "We're surrounded, Darwin, do you think we can hold on?!"

- "It is highly improbable. I suggest escaping."

I tried recalling the mental map I memorized as exploring the caves and pinpointed the nearest tunnel below our cave. "Can you awake the transporters to dig up a tunnel downwards?! I will go buy us some time!"

As Darwin used two transporters, I had to fight off three enemies with a reduced force while avoiding taking any more damage.

Until we managed to create a path, we had to stand our ground.

The hunters kept shooting at the lesser octopus, and the tanks kept them at bay, holding the damage dealt at them. I took my chance as one of the three lesser beasts was too focused on the mantis to slash at it with my tail, opening a deep wound on its body.

It roared in pain and turned towards me, launching multiple tentacles to trap me. I activated my spores, but it didn't release me despite the damage done to it. Soon, some of my limbs started to crack.

"Aghh!"

In the middle of this fight, the other two lesser octopus managed to catch and pull one tank to the waters, where they began twisting its body and breaking its shell.

I was turning more and more desperate as the creature did not release me, but then, the Queen Mantis moved forward and stroke two swift hits against the lesser monster, damaging it even further and weakening it.

* Clack-Clack!!!

Using that chance, I created another bomb and made it explode at close range of the lesser creature, crippling it and stumbled out of the water.

The entrance trembled again, and another creature managed to enter.

It looked twisted and had a dark aura surrounding it. With just a few glances, I knew it had some traces of corruption on it.

When it arrived, it took no more than a couple of seconds to kill and start devouring the tank that the two lesser creatures had captured.

I looked at it and knew it was bad news. It did not charge madly, and the corruption seemed to have enhanced its strength and trickery.

It remained hidden on the rising waters and moved its tentacles with nimble and unexpected twists to damage or trap any creature at sight. It was a proficient fighter and did not stop fighting even when the hunters tried to shoot at it. The monster soon took a combat unit and pulled it towards the waters.

I created two bombs and moved them forward, letting the lesser monsters capture them. "Bastard... let's see if you do like this!"

Yet the corrupted one noticed something weird and receded. I frowned but activated the explosive creatures, damaging the two beasts and polluting even further the cave's waters.

They had started turning into a green a reddish puddle filled with toxins, poison, and acid, highly dangerous. The Queen Mantis moved its troops to the hill, hiding the injured ones at backlines.

She had to take care of her offspring, but I could regrow my army with enough biomass and energy.

"Okay, change of strategy! They are barely affected by our ranged attacks, and the tanks are being crushed..."

- "Shall we try a swarm tactic?"

"Yes! Let's roll with that. I will leave a tank and a scout at the back. Darwin, defend the transporters and monitor the situation!"

I started creating a living swarm of collectors that began to assault every lesser octopus, tearing small pieces of flesh from them as they were still damaged and confused.

Many of the newly born units were torn apart or crushed, but I kept burning more energy to throw more units, adjusting my strategy.

If I could not hold my position, I would swarm them with units.

As my hunters proved ineffective, I sent them to slumber and created bombs that started to spread more acid on the waters.

I could see the corrupted octopus angered and suffering in silence as the waters were turning deadlier.