Denkōmaru flickered once, then suddenly turned a dark gray.
The Screamer-Killer's sharp blade seized the opportunity, thrusting violently towards Alexander's face.
But, plagued by disease, its movements were far from as swift as before.
Alexander's reaction time, however, was enhanced by that dark sense of death.
He lightly loosened his grip, letting Denkōmaru fall from his hand, then slightly tilted his body.
A Denkōmaru without power was just a toy, completely useless.
The Screamer-Killer's sharp, pus-covered blade grazed Alexander's cheek, leaving a bleeding wound.
Alexander took the chance to raise his fingers, aiming at the Screamer-Killer's two eyes.
"Bang! Bang!"
Air bullets burst forth, striking the Screamer-Killer's eyes with extreme precision, as if the Screamer-Killer had run into Alexander's gun muzzle itself.
The air gun's liquid, which could only stun ordinary people, naturally couldn't cause substantial damage to the Screamer-Killer.
But hitting its eyes still caused a noticeable stutter in its movements.
Alexander seized the opportunity to swing his fist, striking heavily against the Screamer-Killer's blade.
A crisp snapping sound followed, and one of the Screamer-Killer's arms exploded like a balloon, scattering chunks of flesh and orange-yellow pus.
The Screamer-Killer wailed, twisting its body to quickly put distance between itself and Alexander.
Alexander also didn't go in for a prolonged fight.
Instead, he flashed, instantly moving to Marquite's side.
The Screamer-Killer, with one arm broken, also slowly retreated to the genestealer patriarch's side.
The genestealer patriarch had one eye cut off by Marquite, and the Screamer-Killer had one arm destroyed by Alexander.
The Screamer-Killer was also now infected with some kind of supernatural virus, and its movements were becoming slower and slower.
The situation seemed to be sliding in a direction unfavorable to the genestealer patriarch.
Marquite's gaze was fixed on the Screamer-Killer next to the genestealer patriarch.
This Tyranid Behemoth's body was filled with viruses, bacteria, and parasites from Mont's body.
The disease, thus interwoven, was escalating within its body.
Marquite could clearly sense the presence of those diseases within it.
That was his brother, that was the disease from Mont.
The Screamer-Killer was suffering greatly from the disease.
It stared fiercely at Marquite with its wide, inflamed eyes, occasionally letting out a beastly growl.
The Screamer-Killer raised its sole remaining claw on its left side, then—
Swoosh—
The genestealer patriarch swiftly dodged, evading the Screamer-Killer's sudden lunge.
The patriarch stared with its sole remaining eye at the Screamer-Killer, which was continuously letting out painful growls.
It could feel another will vying with it for control of the Screamer-Killer.
Some virus had corrupted the Screamer-Killer's central nervous system, some parasite had infiltrated the Screamer-Killer's spine, and some neurotransmitter secreted by bacteria controlled the Screamer-Killer's nerves.
"Mont left a large number of supernatural viruses in this behemoth's body," Marquite said to Alexander in a low voice.
"I have taken control of it through this."
Alexander nodded slightly.
So this was what Mont had done, helping Marquite cuckold the genestealer patriarch of his Screamer-Killer.
Now the only problem was...
Alexander's gaze shifted to the genestealer patriarch.
This blasphemous parasitic demigod was crouching, adopting a beast-like attacking stance, watching Alexander, Marquite, and the cuckolded Screamer-Killer.
This most vicious and terrifying of the genestealer was indeed cornered by Alexander, Marquite, and Mont.
But it was, after all, the hive mind's spokesman in the hive city, and behind it was a biomass pool nurturing Tyranids.
A cornered dog will jump, a desperate rabbit will bite.
This behemoth indeed seemed to have been enraged by the two of them.
After all, not only did they break into the underground palace, intending to disrupt its plans, but they also took away the Screamer-Killer it had painstakingly cultivated.
The genestealer patriarch let out a sharp growl, then a strong psychic hammer surged towards the two of them.
Alexander concentrated his energy, and the Superpower Hat on his head pointed like a hand, condensing psychic power into a wall, blocking their path.
The psychic hammer and the psychic wall collided in mid-air, creating invisible airwaves and bursts of explosions.
The genestealer patriarch let out a low roar, then charged fiercely towards Alexander and Marquite.
Its enormous body, nearly six meters tall, appeared incredibly imposing when it began its charge, like a biological transport.
Then...
Then, just as it approached Alexander and Marquite, the genestealer turned its head, landing on all six limbs, using both hands and feet, and ran towards the exit of the underground palace like a giant centipede, disappearing in a flash.
".." Alexander watched this scene speechless.
This genestealer patriarch was truly cautious.
As soon as it saw the situation turning unfavorable, it didn't hesitate to abandon the Warp Engine and the biomass pool and run away.
Before Alexander could finish complaining about the genestealer patriarch, Marquite's hand gently patted Alexander's shoulder.
"We saved Ashford from the genestealer," Marquite said with a sincere expression.
"It's all your credit."
Alexander subtly shook off Marquite's hand, stepping back a few paces and saying, "No, no, no, this is all Mont's credit."
"If it weren't for Mont sacrificing himself to corrupt this Screamer-Killer..."
As he spoke, Alexander glanced at the diseased Screamer-Killer beside Marquite.
This Tyranid Behemoth was now corrupted by Nurgle's supernatural virus, becoming a giant monster similar to a plague zombie.
And it was under Marquite's control.
Even though the Screamer-Killer's physical performance was considerably weakened compared to before, it still remained a formidable opponent.
"No, no, no, it's still your credit," Marquite said with a sincere smile on his lips.
"If it weren't for you, we wouldn't even have entered the First District. It's still your credit."
"You saved all of Ashford."
"..Whosever credit it is, there's still one more thing to do."
Alexander smiled, glancing at the Warp Engine at the end of the underground palace.
This Warp Engine was still running; if its operation wasn't stopped, the Great Devourer could still transmit Tyranid gene sequence information to Ashford.
If the genestealer patriarch returned with a large number of genestealer and retook this underground palace, everything they had just done would be in vain.
"Yes, we still need to destroy this Warp Engine..." Marquite murmured.
"That's right, that's right." Alexander smiled and nodded at Marquite.
Strangely, neither of them moved rashly, and the air in the underground palace suddenly became a bit eerie.
They both seemed unwilling to take the first step and turn their backs on the other.
The two exchanged glances.
"Hahahahaha."
"Hahahahaha."
The two looked at each other and laughed, a slightly awkward smile on their faces.
Alexander gently gestured politely: "You first, you first."
"No, no, no, this is all your credit, you should go first, you first." Marquite waved his hands repeatedly, refusing.
"What is all this talk? For Mont's sake, you first, you first." Alexander was not to be outdone.
The two of them maintained a humble demeanor towards each other.
This made the corrupted Screamer-Killer beside them unable to resist extending a claw and scratching its bald head.
"How about we go together?" Marquite suggested with a slight smile.
"Together isn't necessary, you still..." Alexander's words stopped halfway, suddenly pausing.
He felt a sticky sensation on his face.
Alexander couldn't help but reach out and touch it.
He found that the wound he had just sustained from the Screamer-Killer was oozing thick, yellowish pus.