I Am The Swarm

The original purpose of the meeting had been to discuss the potential for errors in their intelligence, such as the recent misjudgment of the swarm’s computational capabilities.

However, at some point, a captain diverted the conversation, and the meeting’s agenda completely derailed.

Two hours later, the meeting concluded without yielding any useful results. The blockade plan was to proceed as scheduled, albeit with greater emphasis on evasive maneuvers.

Meanwhile, Hamis temporarily suspended the plan and reported to the Riken Homeworld’s Command Center.

The next day, from a great distance, the swarm detected the Riken fleet’s return.

Taking advantage of their superior range, the Primordial-class bodies altered their course and aimed their electromagnetic cannons at the Riken fleet, launching a preemptive strike.

Today, the swarm employed a new tactic: instead of a full salvo of 8,000 cannons, they opted for grouped fire.

Each group consisted of 1,000 electromagnetic cannons, targeting a specific area for saturation bombardment.

This approach expanded the coverage of their attacks, blocking multiple evasive zones simultaneously, and significantly increased the computational workload for the Riken forces, making evasion more difficult.

To enhance the continuity of their assault, the swarm staggered the firing times of each group, creating a layered and persistent suppressive barrage.

With the disadvantage of being out of effective range, the Riken fleet was forced to endure the swarm’s bombardment as they advanced tens of thousands of kilometers to bring their main cannons into range.

The swarm’s adjusted firing rhythm and tactics greatly disrupted the Riken fleet. Most of their efforts were spent evading the relentless barrage, but the swarm’s new strategy ensured that at any given moment, projectiles threatened the fleet.

Moreover, the Riken fleet’s clear tactical objective—to close in on the Primordial-class bodies and enter their own firing range—was highly apparent. This clarity allowed the swarm to filter out large amounts of extraneous data.

The swarm’s projectiles didn’t need to specifically target the Riken fleet; they merely needed to input the warships’ performance parameters and block all approach vectors toward the Primordial-class bodies.

If the Riken forces wanted to accomplish their tactical objective, they would have to enter the barrage zones. Conversely, avoiding those zones would prevent them from closing in on the swarm forces, rendering their tactical plans ineffective.

In this exchange, the swarm seized the initiative.

The swarm’s tactics put the Riken fleet in an exceptionally difficult position. Within just one hour, seven or eight warships had already been forced out of combat without firing a single shot.

Most critically, the Riken fleet’s progress was meager. They had been maneuvering along a near-linear path for an extended period, yet their effective advance was only a few hundred kilometers.

Considering that they needed to cover tens of thousands of kilometers to reach effective range, this pace was practically equivalent to standing still.

At this rate, by the time they entered their firing range, it was uncertain how much combat strength the fleet would have left.

“We must change our tactics! Our intent is too transparent, and their strategy is exploiting our range disadvantage to the fullest. If this continues, we won’t hold out until planet Raze’s arrival.”

The tactical communication channel of the First Space Fleet was in chaos, with captains and staff officers arguing fiercely. No one wanted their warship forced out of the battlefield without even engaging the enemy—it was a humiliation they couldn’t bear.

“We can’t maintain a clustered formation any longer. We must disperse to increase their computational workload. Only then will we have a chance to break through their firepower blockade,” one captain suggested.

“But that would compromise the coordination of our salvos and the focus on our targets, making it hard to effectively damage the enemy,” another captain countered.

“Fool! Have you forgotten our tactical objective? Our goal is to stall them, to buy time for Raze and the other fleets to arrive—not to annihilate them!” the first captain snapped.

“Juvence is right. Our purpose is to delay them. Sacrifices must be made!”

“Agreed. Only by dispersing can we increase their computational workload and make it easier to close in on them!”

“But dispersing will significantly increase our risk.”

“And do you think we’re not already at risk now?”

“I support a dispersed assault! If we continue like this, the enemy will cross Raze’s orbital path!”

“Agreed!”

“But if we do this, our tactical intent will be exposed. What if the enemy retreats or charges through the firepower blockade?”

This was indeed a concern. The Riken fleet was unaware that the swarm had far more effective intelligence-gathering methods. They still believed it necessary to conceal their tactical intentions under these circumstances. R̃ã𐌽Ȯ₿Εṡ

When two civilizations engage in warfare, there are no incompetent commanders; every move is calculated.

If the Riken fleet resorted to harassing tactics without prioritizing kills, their intent to delay would become blatantly obvious.

The current battlefield was an endless expanse of space, with no traps or ambush points available across its 360-degree open expanse.

Thus, the only conceivable trap was the anticipated arrival of Raze in this area in over ten days.

A strategic shift would cede initiative entirely to the swarm. If the swarm chose not to engage, they could retreat a short distance to regroup and allow Raze to pass—nullifying all of the Riken fleet’s plans.

On the other hand, if the swarm advanced unchecked and crossed the orbital path too soon, the Riken forces would be forced to rely solely on the three fleets for an encirclement.

While the Riken forces were confident that the combined strength of their three fleets could eliminate this swarm unit, the absence of Raze’s ground-based firepower would result in significantly higher casualties.

If the current enemy force was their main force, they could accept these losses and fight to the death. However, based on current intelligence, this was merely the enemy’s vanguard.

To exhaust the three fleets dealing with a vanguard force would leave them vulnerable when the swarm’s main force arrived. At that point, surrender might as well be considered, as the outcome would be virtually the same.

Every argument carried weight, leaving Legion Commander Hamis under tremendous pressure. He could empathize with how General Masai must have felt in similar situations. This wasn’t an internal conflict within their own species—one wrong decision here could doom their entire civilization.

In the end, Hamis made a difficult decision: the fleet would maintain its formation and continue maneuvering against the swarm forces.

Simultaneously, he ordered the data department to calculate all possible routes the swarm might take.

To avoid arousing the suspicion of the swarm commanders, the fleet had no choice but to endure and force their way into the swarm’s barrage zones—a decision that made Hamis’ command experience excruciatingly painful.

Warships continued to sustain hits. Fortunately, due to the distance, it was nearly impossible for multiple projectiles to strike the same warship simultaneously, providing some buffer time.

Those with minor damage underwent emergency repairs, while those with severely impaired mobility were forced to withdraw from the battlefield.

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