I Am The Swarm

The Riken’s fourth colony was located on Planet Riven, constructed later than the other three colonies. After the first two colonies were completed, there was considerable debate within the Riken leadership over whether the third colony should be established on Planet Cloud Return or Planet Riven.

Planet Cloud Return, the third planet of the star system, and Planet Riven, the fifth, were equidistant from the Riken homeworld and each had unique advantages.

Ultimately, Planet Cloud Return was chosen due to its relatively lower terraforming difficulty.

The development of three colonies exhausted the Riken’s resources, leaving them unable to expand further for a time. Just as they began to recover and planned to construct a fourth colony, the Swarm emerged.

From that point on, Riken resources were primarily directed towards fleet construction and expanding the first three colonies. The fourth colony’s construction plan was shelved once more.

Following the catastrophic defeat of the expeditionary fleet, the Rikens shifted their focus to building extensive land-based and orbital defensive systems along with supporting power facilities.

Ironically, this situation led to the revival of the fourth colony’s construction plan—not because the Rikens had surplus resources, but due to an urgent need for a supply base in the outer regions of their star system.

Planet Raze and the Twin Star Defensive Zone hosted vast numbers of troops. Supplying these forces entirely from the homeworld proved unsustainable, especially for the more distant Planet Raze. The stretched supply lines resulted in significant resource waste. Even for the Twin Stars, relying on homeworld supplies was only a short-term solution.

Thus, the fourth colony was established on Planet Riven within the Twin Star System. This colony differed significantly from its predecessors as it was primarily designed as a large-scale production base.

The colony’s main output consisted of various essential supplies for the frontlines. Consequently, it had a minimal permanent population—just a few million Rikens—compared to the two hundred million that once inhabited Planet Cloud Return. The contrast was stark.

As predicted by the Riken generals, the Swarm fleet pressed onward toward the system’s star. When passing the system’s second planet, the Swarm dispatched 5,000 Primordial bodies to destroy the few orbital satellites stationed there and secure the planet.

“The Swarm’s adaptability and integration capabilities are truly remarkable.”

The second planet’s proximity to the star resulted in surface temperatures reaching several hundred degrees Celsius. The Rikens had minimal infrastructure on the planet due to the excessive costs of operating in such an environment, deeming it inefficient.

In contrast, the Swarm’s Space Octopuses not only withstood extreme heat but also thrived in the vacuum of near-absolute zero temperatures. Their ability to genetically mutate into a variety of specialized units astonished the Rikens, sparking newfound admiration for biotechnology.

After securing the second planet, the Swarm continued its advance, halting only upon reaching the orbital path of the first planet. Using it as a base, they began constructing a new stronghold.

Given the planet’s immense radiation levels, the Swarm’s new base was expected to surpass the scale of their existing outpost on Planet Izumo in no time.

The First Riken Fleet, which had been tailing the Swarm, stopped its pursuit when the Swarm occupied the second planet.

Continuing further presented several challenges. The intense heat would accelerate wear and tear on their warships, potentially causing critical equipment failures during maximum output.

More pressing was the presence of 5,000 Primordial bodies guarding the second planet. To proceed, the fleet would need to bypass these defenses. If the Swarm’s main force decided to double back, the fleet could find itself caught in a deadly pincer maneuver.

Thus, continuing to shadow the Swarm fleet posed excessive risks. The Swarm’s intent was blatantly clear; they had no reason to disguise their actions. Given that the Rikens could do nothing to halt their advance, further pursuit seemed unnecessary.

“At this rate, we’ll soon lose even the chance to fight a respectable battle,” a concerned Riken officer lamented as the situation unfolded.

“What else can we do? Without sufficient strength, we have no choice but to endure.”

“This helplessness is unbearable.”

“If the Swarm has already signaled their willingness to negotiate a surrender, why haven’t they taken any concrete steps? Are they determined to have both the substance and the appearance, denying us even a shred of dignity? Does having power truly allow one to act without restraint?”

“The saying ‘the weak have no diplomacy’ has never felt more true.”

The Swarm fleet brazenly crossed the Rikens’ three primary defense lines. After establishing their base near the system’s star, they fell silent, quietly consolidating their position. Meanwhile, chaos erupted once more within the Riken civilization.

The situation became particularly volatile when the Swarm’s 20,000-strong Primordial fleet bypassed the Riken homeworld at a distance as close as ten million kilometers, opting not to engage optical cloaking. Many amateur astronomers captured images of the colossal Swarm force using civilian-grade telescopes.

Previously, during combat, the Space Octopuses had relied on optical cloaking, and publicly released photos were limited to colorful spectrographic visuals from military sensors. Though the Swarm’s decision to deactivate cloaking carried ominous implications, the government and military strictly controlled the dissemination of high-resolution images. Few clear, complete images of the Space Octopuses had ever reached the public.

While the populace knew the Swarm was attacking, they had little understanding of the true scale or form of the enemy. This time, however, with no way to control the flood of civilian observation devices, countless images of the Primordial fleet were uploaded online, vividly showcasing the alien force in all its bizarre glory.

For the first time, ordinary Rikens were fully confronted with the terrifying reality of their extraterrestrial adversary. The sheer size of the Swarm force, especially when juxtaposed against the much smaller trailing Riken fleet, was overwhelming.

As the alien fleet passed so close to the homeworld’s defensive line, the Rikens could do nothing but watch anxiously, too afraid to even fire a warning shot lest they provoke an unwanted response.

This powerlessness ignited widespread discontent among the populace. Fear turned to anger, and panic surged anew, surpassing any prior levels of unrest. This time, no external factions were needed to stoke the flames—the visceral imagery alone was enough to drive the masses into hysteria.

The result was pandemonium. Supermarkets and stores were emptied in a matter of hours. Those unable to secure supplies took to the streets in protest, demanding solutions from the government and President Antonio. Their calls for increased supply distribution were not unreasonable, but production required time—a commodity the panicked populace lacked.

Conspiracy theories spread like wildfire. What began as peaceful protests quickly escalated into violent demonstrations. Civilians clashed with law enforcement and began targeting military supply depots, attempting to seize resources by force.

If the chaos continued unchecked, the Rikens risked internal collapse before the Swarm even made a move.

It was at this critical moment that the unthinkable occurred.

“They’re here!”

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