I Am The Swarm

In close combat with the Space Octopuses, the humanoid advantages of the mechs were completely negated. First, how could a metal mech, no matter how flexible, compare to the soft, pliable body of a Space Octopus? Second, while the mechs had only two arms, the Space Octopuses had at least eight tentacles, and without joints, their tentacles were far more agile.

Thus, in this close-quarters grappling match, the mechs were utterly outclassed.

However, the mechs weren’t entirely defenseless. Multiple compartments on their bodies opened, revealing high-speed rotating saw blades. The mature and larval bodies clinging to the mechs were caught off guard, and chunks of flesh flew everywhere.

The mature bodies fared slightly better, but the smaller larval bodies were instantly torn open by the high-speed gears. For most creatures, such severe injuries would be fatal.

But the Space Octopuses, based on the fungal carpet template, could still struggle even in this state. For some reason, the Swarm seemed to know exactly where to strike in their first encounter with the mechs—the cockpit.

The Space Octopus extended two tentacles, gripping the mech’s head and twisting. The mech, designed to closely mimic the human form, had inherited the fragility of the human neck.

Even with the size difference, the larval body, crackling with electricity, gradually exceeded the critical threshold. Finally, the mech’s head, along with the cockpit, was torn off.

The neck now sparked with electricity, and black smoke billowed from the exposed circuits. However, the mech wasn’t a human body. Losing its head and pilot was significant, but it didn’t completely disable the machine.

Detecting the emergency, the auxiliary AI took temporary control of the mech. The mech twisted its body, the powerful output causing sparks to fly from its waist and leg joints. With a sudden jerk, the joints were forcibly broken.

Unstable energy seeped through the mech’s metal seams. Everything happened in an instant. The Space Octopus, already severely injured by the high-speed gears, had lost much of its control over its body. Even if it struggled, the effect would be minimal.

But the Space Octopus didn’t try to escape. As cannon fodder, their purpose was to sacrifice themselves. In the final moments before the mech’s energy core exploded, the Space Octopus pulled the detached mech head close, wrapping several tentacles around it. With a burst of electricity, the mech’s head was crushed inward.

At that moment, the mech’s energy core reached its limit and exploded, engulfing the Space Octopus in flames and debris.

This was just one snapshot of the battle. If the larval Space Octopuses were this difficult to deal with, the mature bodies and Primordial Bodies were even worse. The Daibo Civilization’s plan to use mechs against the Space Octopuses was off to a rocky start.

However, the sheer numerical disparity worked in their favor. The few Primordial Bodies that had breached the defenses could only carry a limited number of mature and larval bodies, while the Daibo mechs numbered in the tens of thousands.

Perhaps thanks to the realism of the virtual training, the mech pilots quickly regained their composure after the initial panic. They weren’t as devastated by the loss of their comrades as one might expect.

They soon regained control of the battlefield, and their coordination began to show. The mature and larval Space Octopuses found it increasingly difficult to engage in one-on-one duels.

The pilots’ tactics also became more brutal. For example, when a teammate was entangled by a Space Octopus, they wouldn’t hesitate to attack with their blades.

As long as the mech’s head remained intact, the body was just a collection of mechanical parts. A civilization that controlled dozens of star systems had no shortage of such resources.

Soon, the mature and larval Space Octopuses were systematically eliminated. While the new tactics increased the rate of mech losses, pilot casualties dropped significantly.

As the pilots grew more familiar with the Space Octopuses’ fighting style, they learned to anticipate and avoid certain attacks. When they couldn’t, their teammates stepped in to help.

However, the Space Octopuses’ electromagnetic propulsion was sometimes too fast, especially when they were fully powered and crackling with electricity. These attacks, with their subtle warnings, still managed to take out a few pilots.

Despite this, the Daibo Civilization was satisfied with the results. After all, these were only the first-generation mechs. With the data from this battle, they could undoubtedly improve the design.

After the mature and larval Space Octopuses were wiped out, the few remaining Primordial Bodies, though formidable, couldn’t turn the tide. With coordinated efforts, the mech pilots managed to sever all the Primordial Bodies’ tentacles, though at the cost of several mechs being destroyed.

Without their tentacles, the Primordial Bodies’ combat effectiveness plummeted, and they were soon dismantled by the Daibo mechs.

While other sectors of the defensive line had quickly dealt with the invading Space Octopuses, the prolonged battle on the Daibo front stood out.

The Swarm, with its keen observation, noticed this disparity. During the fourth wave of attacks, they significantly increased the number of Primordial Bodies targeting the Daibo Civilization.

With the Daibo forces drawing most of the fire, the other civilizations were more than happy to take a backseat.

By the time the survivors of the third wave of Primordial Body projectiles made it through the debris field, they were quickly eliminated. Even on the Daibo front, the battle time decreased as the pilots gained experience.

However, during the fourth, fifth, and sixth waves, the number of Primordial Body projectiles targeting the Daibo front increased dramatically. The survivors that made it through the debris field grew from a few to hundreds, then thousands.

The increase in Primordial Bodies meant a geometric rise in the number of mature and larval bodies. With greater numbers, the Space Octopuses’ combat tactics became more sophisticated.

They began to divide the battlefield, creating one-on-one opportunities and preventing enemy reinforcements. All the Space Octopuses, regardless of size, moved as one. Compared to the Swarm’s coordination, the Daibo pilots’ earlier confidence in their teamwork seemed naive.

The growing number of Space Octopuses triggered a chain reaction. The Daibo Civilization could no longer eliminate all the Space Octopuses before the next wave of Primordial Body projectiles arrived. This led to an exponential increase in Space Octopus numbers, making them increasingly difficult to eradicate.

In contrast, the number of Daibo mechs was rapidly dwindling. While their tactics reduced pilot casualties, they were too costly in terms of mech losses.

Nearly 30% of the damaged mechs were destroyed by their own side.

As the situation rapidly deteriorated, the Daibo Civilization had no choice but to intensify their interception efforts. The main and secondary cannons, which had previously been underutilized, now fired at full capacity.