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


    Ultimately, Cloud Return was chosen due to its rtively 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 nned 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 n was shelved once more.


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


    Ironically, this situation led to the revival of the fourth colony’s construction n—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.


    Thus, the fourth colony was established on Riven within the Twin Star System. This colony differed significantly from its predecessors as it was primarily designed as arge-scale production base.The colony’s main output consisted of various essential supplies for the frontlines. Consequently, it had a minimal permanent poption—just a few million Rikenspared to the two hundred million that once inhabited 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, the Swarm dispatched 5,000 Primordial bodies to destroy the few orbital satellites stationed there and secure the.


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


    The second’s proximity to the star resulted in surface temperatures reaching several hundred degrees Celsius. The Rikens had minimal infrastructure on the 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 gically mutate into a variety of specialized units astonished the Rikens, sparking newfound admiration for biotechnology.


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


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


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


    Continuing further presented several challenges. The intense heat would elerate 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. 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 tantly 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 officermented 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 particrly vtile 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, duringbat, 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,plete images of the Space Octopuses had ever reached the public.


    While the popce 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 popce. Fear turned to anger, and panic surged anew, surpassing any prior levels of unrest. This time, no external factions were needed to stoke the mes—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—amodity the panicked popcecked.


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


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


    It was at this critical moment that the unthinkable urred.


    “They’re here!”