I Am The Swarm

Before the second wave of bombardment, the Rikens had learned from their earlier losses and made subtle adjustments to their detection systems. The fleet focused its attention on the rear of the Swarm’s second wave, keeping a close watch on the over 100 Primordial Space Octopuses stationed there.

Thus, when these massive units began charging energy for their next attack, the fleet received an immediate evasive order.

However, the Riken warships that had been severely damaged in the first round of bombardment either lost mobility or could only move sluggishly.

In wars between civilizations, mercy is a rarity.

Rather than wounding ten fingers, it’s better to sever one entirely—a principle Luo Wen had drilled into his Blades countless times.

As a result, these crippled warships were given special attention in the second round of strikes.

One heavily damaged ship was utterly destroyed, its energy core detonating and turning the vessel into a shower of debris. The shrapnel sprayed in all directions, colliding with nearby ships and disrupting ongoing rescue operations. The Rikens drifting in space from the first attack faced an even bleaker fate.

The scene became a grim spectacle.

More small rescue craft were deployed to assist, but before they could reach the field, the third wave of bombardment arrived.

The Rikens, still reeling, finally adjusted their tactics. They redirected their main guns to target the 100 Primordial Octopuses at long range. These massive units were so far away that only the main guns could reach them.

However, this redirection of firepower allowed other Primordial Octopuses to breach the firepower net more easily. Their enormous size let them withstand multiple hits from the secondary turrets before going down.

The third layer of defense—space torpedoes—was now noticeably thinner. Unlike energy weapons, torpedoes required physical reloading, and many launchers were still in the process of being rearmed.

The fourth defensive line of fighter craft remained embroiled in skirmishes with the remnants of the first wave of octopuses.

By the time the 400 Primordial Octopuses broke through the fourth line, dozens of them still retained mobility. They were joined by hundreds of mature and over 5,000 larval bodies.

The mature bodies, many armed with electromagnetic railguns, began closing the distance while targeting the Riken fleet’s main and secondary turrets.

The larval bodies, lacking ranged attack capabilities, rushed toward the fleet, acting as both a distraction and a screen.

The Riken fire-control system prioritized the larger Primordial and mature octopuses, leaving minimal firepower to deal with the larval bodies. At just 10 meters in length, these small and agile units were difficult to lock onto, zipping through space with unpredictable trajectories.

Exploiting this oversight, the larval bodies effortlessly reached the Riken fleet.

Now, the battle entered a phase of close-quarters combat.

At this critical juncture, the Rikens activated their fifth line of defense.

Numerous multi-barreled close-in weapon systems (CIWS) mounted on the warships sprang to life. These weapons, designed for short-range defense, could fire tens of thousands of rounds per minute, creating a dense curtain of fire.

While the CIWS lacked power and had a short effective range, they were perfect for dealing with the larval bodies.

The resulting barrage lit up the void with streaks of light, and for the first time since the battle began, the Swarm suffered notable casualties.

Several larval bodies, unable to evade the wall of fire, were shredded into pulp. Being small creatures with limited fungal colonies, these units had no chance of recovery. ȓ₳₦ồβÊⱾ

Even so, their remains could still be absorbed by other octopuses, accelerating growth and regeneration.

The CIWS system relied on AI to predict flight paths and project a lethal trajectory in front of its targets. This approach worked well against less agile mechanical units.

However, after some initial losses, the larval bodies adapted. They began zigzagging erratically, rendering their movements unpredictable.

Once they adopted this new strategy, their casualties plummeted.

Though the CIWS network continued firing ceaselessly, it achieved diminishing results.

The larval bodies sought out gaps in the firepower and, after several maneuvers, successfully breached the defenses, landing directly on the warships.

While the larval bodies lacked the weaponry to penetrate the ships’ heavy armor, they quickly proved their utility. Some swarmed the exposed turrets, ripping apart smaller installations like point-defense cannons through brute force.

Against the heavily armored main and secondary turrets, the larval bodies employed a different strategy: burrowing directly into the cannon barrels.

Being soft-bodied creatures, squeezing through tight spaces was a trivial task. Once inside, their presence caused catastrophic backfires when energy was discharged, disabling the turrets entirely.

Although the larval bodies were annihilated in the process, the exchange was entirely in the Swarm’s favor.

Recognizing the threat, General Masai issued an emergency order to prioritize defending the turrets. The CIWS systems were redirected to focus on the turrets instead of creating a firepower net. Since the main and secondary turrets were immune to CIWS fire, friendly fire was not a concern.

However, this shift in priorities made the overall CIWS network more porous, allowing more octopuses to slip through.

While the turrets gained some protection, the CIWS units themselves became vulnerable. Their relatively weak armor made them easy targets for the larger larval bodies, which dismantled them piece by piece.

By targeting the rotating bases of the CIWS units, the larval bodies quickly rendered the weapons inoperable. Without the ability to adjust their firing angles, the CIWS units became non-threatening.

Meanwhile, other larval bodies took a more audacious approach. They infiltrated the wreckage of destroyed Riken warships, blending in with the rescue operations in an attempt to sneak aboard intact vessels.

Despite the Rikens’ efforts to shut down hangar bay doors, some larval bodies managed to slip inside before the closures.

Inside the ships, these “small” creatures from space became towering giants.

Capable of tearing apart CIWS units, these larval bodies were unstoppable against the unarmed Riken crew.

Most of the personnel in the hangars were engineers wielding repair tools, wholly unprepared for combat. The once-secure rear areas of the ship were suddenly transformed into front-line battle zones.

Chaos erupted as the larval bodies crushed several crew members before reinforcements arrived. The surviving crew fled in terror, colliding with armed soldiers rushing to contain the threat.

The resulting scene was one of pure pandemonium.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!