I Am The Swarm

On the front lines, while some losses were inevitable, as the swarm’s casualties mounted and its firepower density decreased, the Daqi Fleet could actively adjust its positioning. They rotated different sections of reactive armor to face the attacks, just as they had done earlier.

However, due to an oversight in intelligence, the fleet was now forced to endure the swarm’s electromagnetic railguns with their vulnerable rear sections. This drove the egotistical and conceited Prince Diallo into a frenzy.

“Huff… huff… huff…” He forcibly took several deep breaths to calm his frustrated mind, regaining his composure and intelligence. “Deploy half of the drones behind us to block the railgun fire! Everyone, accelerate and disengage!”

Although drones were ineffective against high-penetration energy cannons, they could still withstand the physical impacts of electromagnetic projectiles.

While fragile as paper against electromagnetic railguns, unlike energy beams, the projectiles could have their trajectories altered. Even a deviation as small as 0.001 millimeters during impact could result in significant misalignment over hundreds of thousands of kilometers, potentially veering them far from their original targets.

Blue arcs of electricity crackled as the railguns discharged their first volley.

The Daqi Fleet had been retreating continuously, but since the forward thrusters lacked the power of the main engines, they could only open protective panels for brief intervals between salvos. Efficiency was poor, and after all this time, they had managed to retreat less than 100,000 kilometers.

At such a range, even though the electromagnetic projectiles traveled several times slower than energy beams, their vast numbers rendered this irrelevant. Within just ten seconds—let alone the full two minutes required—the Daqi Fleet had no room to maneuver effectively, particularly as they were in the process of turning, reducing their mobility to its lowest point.

Fortunately, the Daqi drones had already been deployed. A dense swarm of over 500,000 drones formed an impenetrable barrier between the swarm and the fleet.

In the pitch-black expanse of space, fireballs bloomed as drones were shredded, their debris slightly altering the trajectories of the projectiles. Yet the railguns’ kinetic energy remained nearly undiminished, and the electromagnetic projectiles continued to tear through other drones.

The debris from these impacts scattered in all directions, causing additional damage. The massive drone swarm lost 60% of its numbers to the swarm’s first synchronized volley.

As the barrage ended, only a handful of a dozen or so warships were struck by the electromagnetic projectiles, demonstrating the drones’ exceptional performance. Moreover, the shattered remains of the 300,000 drones now formed a barrier in the battlefield’s center, ensuring they would continue to play a role in the swarm’s next attack.

“Launch all remaining Crimson Kiss missiles!” Prince Diallo commanded. His solemn expression, paired with his cracked, dark-red skin, made him appear even more menacing.

The Daqi Fleet consisted of warships of various models, with the smallest vessels, approximately 1,600 meters long, being the most numerous. Each carried eight Crimson Kiss missiles. Larger warships, with more interior space, carried proportionally more missiles.

For instance, Prince Diallo’s flagship and its two escort ships each carried sixteen Crimson Kisses.

At the battle’s onset, two volleys of these super-missiles had been launched, with each warship firing four missiles per volley. The smaller warships had exhausted their stockpiles, while the larger ships still retained a small supply—around 500 missiles across the fleet.

Following Prince Diallo’s orders, the Daqi warships opened their missile silos. The missiles emerged and streaked into the void, trailing plumes of white smoke.

Despite the battlefield being cluttered with debris, the Crimson Kiss missiles were equipped with seeker radars and advanced propulsion systems. Their AI could easily calculate new trajectories, allowing them to maneuver around obstacles effortlessly.

Even if some were struck by small debris particles, their robust defenses ensured minimal impact on their operation.

The 500-plus Crimson Kisses deftly navigated through the debris-filled center of the battlefield, heading toward the swarm’s ground-based electromagnetic railguns on Izumo.

Prince Diallo issued the missile launch order immediately after the recent barrage because electromagnetic railguns require significant time to recharge. By exploiting this interval, even if the missiles traveled slower, they would have enough time to strike their targets before the railguns could finish recharging.

Without interception from the railguns, if the missiles reached their designated positions and detonated, the payload—over 10,000 tactical nuclear warheads—could severely cripple the swarm’s ground facilities.

However, the swarm would not sit idle. The moment the Crimson Kisses were ejected from their launchers, the ever-watchful swarm detected them.

Simultaneously, tens of thousands of Laser-Eye Bugs ascended into the skies. Originally designed to intercept electromagnetic projectiles, these bugs now formed a new defensive line.

Initially, they refrained from attacking the Crimson Kisses directly. First, the missiles were still distant. Second, their laser power was insufficient to penetrate the missile bodies in a short amount of time.

Once the missile bays burst open, the tactical nuclear warheads, aided by their multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRV) systems, reassigned targets. With their rear thrusters igniting, they scattered in all directions. Simultaneously, tens of thousands of crimson laser beams streaked across the sky.

The number of Laser-Eye Bugs outnumbered the nuclear warheads at least twofold, ensuring each warhead was targeted by at least two bugs.

The lasers quickly burned through the missile casings. With these precision weapons, even minor damage to the fire-control systems, propulsion engines, or detonation mechanisms rendered them largely ineffective.

“Damn it! Detonate them remotely!” Diallo, frustrated by his thwarted plan, issued the command. The order was swiftly transmitted, and the tactical nuclear warheads exploded one after another.

The sky lit up with miniature suns as the brilliant nuclear explosions radiated light and heat. Unfortunately, these were “clean” nukes, modified for secondary detonation, which produced no radiation. Otherwise, leaving a radiation field behind would have been highly advantageous against the swarm.

Many warheads with damaged detonation or communication systems failed to detonate remotely. These would later be salvaged by the swarm as “ingredients.”

Although the nukes didn’t destroy the swarm’s ground facilities, they managed to disable optical observation equipment. Additionally, each warhead acted as a large EMP device.

If the swarm had been a predominantly mechanical civilization, such a massive, close-range nuclear detonation might have caused more widespread disruption. Even so, the swarm’s radar systems suffered significant interference.

Despite the radar disruption, the intelligent entities adjusted the railguns’ firing angles based on their experience. The second volley was launched shortly after the nuclear explosions subsided.

Although the Daqi species relied heavily on mechanical technology, their distance from the nuclear explosions, combined with their advanced protective measures, mitigated the effects. Apart from losing their optical systems, they were otherwise unaffected.

The drone swarm repositioned itself, reinforcing areas where the wreckage barrier was thinnest.

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