This was the Overmind's first battle against a native Warhammer 40K faction.
The strength range of Orks varied greatly. They could recycle enemy scrap technology into crude but functional weapons. However, the Orks on this planet had no such equipment and were still stuck at the level of stone clubs and wooden cudgels.
For the Overmind, this was good news.
"Low-tech Orks are manageable. I can keep the casualty ratio under control."
The wing-like organs on the Zerglings' backs spread out as they rushed toward the mushroom fields at even greater speed. At the same time, the Overmind began hatching the next batch of units—Roaches.
"Damn, not enough resources. Otherwise I'd be pumping out Ultralisks right now!"
As if Ultralisks didn't require time to hatch.
Zerglings were the most common Zerg unit because they were cheap and hatched quickly.
Ultralisks, on the other hand, were among the strongest units, with exponentially longer incubation times. They weren't something you could just spam.
Meanwhile, the Zerglings had already clashed with the Orks.
Even with primitive weapons, Orks possessed terrifying physical strength. One swing could smash a leaping Zergling in half. Their thin chitin simply couldn't withstand such brute force.
But during the brief opening after a swing, another Zergling lunged in—then a third, a fourth, a fifth. Four Zerglings surrounded a single Ork, tearing and clawing. Sharp talons pierced its body and even ripped off its head.
"Winners, drag the biomass back! If you're empty, fill the gap!"
The Overmind calmly directed the battlefield. He avoided direct confrontation and prepared for a war of attrition.
As soon as one Zergling withdrew with a corpse, another filled its place.
Some Zerglings even shamelessly attacked the mushrooms themselves, dragging away the massive growths.
This infuriated the Ork Boss.
He strode forward, shoved aside his underlings, and picked up two stone axes from the ground.
Each axe looked oversized in a normal Ork's hands, yet he wielded one in each hand and charged ahead.
Very Orky. Very Khorne-like.
"WAAAGH———!!!"
Despite being stone tools, one swing split a Zergling in half. The chitin was like paper, as if the axe carried a disintegration field.
The Overmind wasn't surprised.
"Damn… the WAAAGH field is stacking?"
Orks possessed a special ability known as the WAAAGH Field—a kind of area buff. When enough Orks gathered, strange, almost magical effects occurred.
For example, ramshackle vehicles with high failure rates suddenly stopped breaking down. Dull weapons became unnaturally sharp.
Put simply:
If enough Orks believed, "I fink dis choppa can cut a tank," then it actually could.
The more Orks within the field, the stronger it became.
Today it was cutting Zerglings. Tomorrow, it might cut Ultralisks.
With the Boss on the field, the Orks fought as if on stimulants. Their morale surged.
He himself was terrifyingly tough. Zergling claws only left shallow wounds on his skin, while the next second, a Zergling would be smashed into pulp.
Thanks to their plant-like biology, the older an Ork became, the stronger its body grew. Some bosses could even tank chainswords briefly—no exaggeration.
"Tch. Afraid of you? It's just one Boss, not a whole squad. No WAAAGHBoss either. Watch this."
In the rear of the Zergling swarm, a large group suddenly stopped running. They curled up and rapidly transformed back into cocoons.
StarCraft fans would be shouting now.
"Banelings! More Banelings!"
When the first cocoon burst, a new Zerg unit appeared.
Name: Baneling
Length: 2–4 meters
Role: Ground demolition unit
Armament: Explosive impact
Description: Banelings are not hatched directly from larvae but mutated from living Zerglings. They possess only one attack method: charging at enemies and detonating, splashing lethal, superheated acid in all directions.
What appeared was a bloated creature with an enormous abdomen. It had lost the agile structure of a Zergling and become swollen and foul-smelling.
Green fumes seeped from its body. Its belly looked ready to burst at any moment, filled with churning sacs of corrosive acid.
Even Protoss High Templars couldn't withstand more than three Baneling explosions.
And within seconds, hundreds had formed.
This was actually modest. With enough resources, the Overmind could cover the entire plain with them.
"Charge!"
At his command, the Banelings moved toward the mushroom fields.
"Wait… crawling? Aren't Banelings supposed to roll? Do I still need upgrades?"
If upgrades weren't needed, units like Abathur wouldn't exist.
The Zerg were constantly evolving, absorbing superior DNA from countless species—anyone who played StarCraft II knew that.
Even the primal Zerg had evolved through mutual devouring.
"BANELINGS ROLL! ROLL OUT!"
Perhaps responding to his will, the Banelings figured it out without evolving.
They curled up, using their round bellies as the main body, switching from crawling to rolling. Their speed multiplied, nearly matching Zerglings.
The Ork Boss was still hacking away, unaware of the new threat.
After felling another Zergling, a Baneling rolled right in front of him. He swung his axe—splitting it open.
At the same time, it detonated.
Green acid splashed across several meters, coating the ground, mushrooms, and the Boss himself.
"AAAAARGH——!"
He screamed in agony as the explosion and corrosion tore into him.
The Overmind gave him no chance.
A second Baneling rolled in.
Another blast.
This time, his axe was blown away. His body, drenched in acid, corroded rapidly.
He collapsed, completely defeated.