The Brutalisk's size was truly staggering. When the monster stood fully upright, it reached a height of over 40 meters.
Within the Tyranid Swarm, only the Hierophant Bio-titan possessed a physique that could rival it. However, it was already too late to produce a Hierophant, especially with the sheer number of Ultralisks on the battlefield; herds of Ultralisks were more than capable of tearing a Bio-titan to shreds the moment it appeared.
The Norn Queen could only watch helplessly as the Zerg Swarm invaded the Bio-ships, systematically destroying one vessel of the Great Devourer after another.
"It's over," the Swarm Overmind said coldly.
Looking at the nearly one-sided battle, the Norn Queen's true body let out a piercing shriek. The roar seemed to penetrate the vacuum of space, transmitting directly into the interior of the Craftworld.
Her arms braced against the container housing her body; this Norn Queen was so enraged that she intended to crawl out and fight the Zerg Swarm personally.
The Hive Ship—this ancient vessel—crashed madly toward the Craftworld, ruthlessly smashing any Eldar ships in its path with its massive ramming prow. Even a concentrated volley of bright lances from the Craftworld could hardly slow this ancient and gargantuan organism.
"Stop it!!!"
"Lady Melina, we can't stop it!"
"This is bad!!!"
The massive Hive Ship slammed into the Craftworld. The resulting boom sent tremors through every sector of the world-ship. Two Norn Emissaries descended to the battlefield carrying the Norn Queen's fury, and the Norn Queen herself, acting as the ultimate synapse creature, stepped onto the field.
To be honest, for a master of strategy and evolution like a Norn Queen to be driven to join the fray personally, the Zerg Swarm's tactical play was indeed too "dirty." Whatever move the Tyranids made, the Zerg countered it perfectly; anyone would have their mental state shattered by such frustration.
However, this was also related to this particular Norn Queen's personality. Any other Norn Queen might have chosen to flee or retreat, conquering nearby planets first to engage in a war of attrition. A Norn Queen personally entering the battlefield was likely a unique occurrence in the multiverse. It was essentially the equivalent of Abathur running to the front lines to slap people with his tiny hands, or Archmagos Belisarius Cawl raising his staff—though the latter actually happens, as Cawl is classified as a monstrous unit on the tabletop.
Whether driven by anger or temperament, this Norn Queen entered the fray. Her massive frame rivaled that of a Norn Emissary, and her bloated form still possessed fearsome combat power.
"Wait a minute, is that the Norn Queen?"
The Overmind spotted the Norn Queen behind the Emissaries and was somewhat shocked. A commander personally taking the field? This was truly absurd.
Farseer Melina of Yelank hadn't expected the Norn Queen to reveal herself either, but she immediately realized this was a golden opportunity.
"If we kill the Norn Queen, the entire Tyranid fleet will collapse! There will never be a better chance than this!"
Indeed, the thought of a Norn Queen on the front lines was madness. Perhaps she really had been driven insane by the Zerg Swarm.
The Norn Emissaries perfectly executed their duties as personal assassins. Several Ultralisks charged toward the Norn Queen, but the two Emissaries remained calm. When the Ultralisks reached them, the Emissaries' bodies eerily passed right through the charging beasts.
"Huh???" The Overmind was stunned.
He had forgotten that Norn Emissaries possess powerful psionic abilities. They can turn invisible or phase through solid objects, allowing fast-moving units to pass through their bodies harmlessly.
The Ultralisks' backs were completely exposed. Before they could turn around, the Emissaries' claws pierced through their bodies from behind. The brain-like structures on the Emissaries' heads glowed with psionic light as energy flooded into the Ultralisks, shredding their internal organs.
The combat prowess shown by these two Norn Emissaries was not inferior to that of the Norn Assimilator.
"Overmind, do you need me to step in?" Kerrigan asked.
"No, don't be in a hurry, my daughter."
The Overmind wasn't in a rush to end it; instead, he wanted to test the limit of the Brutalisk's power.
Just as a Norn Emissary pulled its claws from an Ultralisk, it was enveloped by a massive shadow. Turning around, it saw the Brutalisk's gargantuan frame and a swinging claw closing in. The Emissary leaped instantly, dodging the lethal strike, and countered by stabbing its claws into the Brutalisk's hide.
The Brutalisk roared in pain and sprayed a stream of acid. This time, the Emissary couldn't dodge in time and was hit. Its body began to dissolve visibly, and it was forced to kick off the Brutalisk to create distance. However, as soon as it landed, several massive bone spikes shot out from the Brutalisk's body, impaling the Emissary and dealing significant damage.
The Brutalisk's versatility in both melee and ranged combat was indeed superior to that of an Ultralisk. The Emissary yanked the spikes out as its wounds began to heal, but the Brutalisk's regeneration was even faster.
Seeing the spikes on the Brutalisk regenerating, the Emissary charged again. Those spikes were more dangerous to the Emissary than the Brutalisk's claws. The second Emissary tried to help but was pinned down by a herd of Ultralisks.
The Norn Emissary slid beneath the Brutalisk, carving two horrific gashes into its underbelly with its razor-sharp claws. The Brutalisk retaliated by swinging its high-arched tail like a heavy mace, smashing the Emissary into a nearby spire.
The Brutalisk lunged into the structure. As the Emissary stood up, it was slammed deeper into the building by the Brutalisk's charge. Dust and debris obscured the two titans. One could only see flashes of claws through the haze, accompanied by the splashing of ichor and endless screeches.
Finally, as the sounds of battle subsided, a victor emerged.
The Norn Emissary walked out of the dust, covered in wounds and leaking vital fluids. Much of its once-pristine chitinous armor had been torn away, leaving it looking battered. But it had won. It held the Brutalisk's head in its claws, raising it high like a trophy while letting out a world-shaking roar.
"Well fought. It seems one Norn Emissary is greater than one Brutalisk. Well, I didn't really expect a Brutalisk to win a duel against a killer of that caliber," the Overmind remarked.
Then, a Viper in the sky fired its proboscis, wrapping the heavily wounded Norn Emissary in a tight bind. The Emissary tried to use its psionic power to escape, but found it couldn't break the Viper's "Abduct" ability. The Vipers, after all, possess a degree of psionic power themselves—not much, but enough to suppress a dying Norn Emissary.
"Get over here!"
The exhausted Norn Emissary was yanked violently toward the Zerg positions. Its fate thereafter required no explanation.