Chapter 308: The Defensive Array
Over the years, the Riken have dedicated considerable effort to countering the Swarm’s electromagnetic railguns.
They had acquired an advanced starship from an unknown civilization and reverse-engineered many of its technologies. This high vantage point allowed them to refine several foundational theories.
Since the expeditionary fleet’s defeat, the Riken spent decades developing countermeasures. However, most of these were experimental prototypes and hadn’t yet reached the stage of equipping their regular forces.
During the reconstruction of Planet Raze, however, the Riken introduced a new type of defensive installation.
Surrounding the ground-based cannons were structures that rivaled them in size. These buildings were semi-spherical, resembling inverted bowls embedded into the ground.
At the top of the semi-spheres lay peculiar structures composed of special metals and transparent crystalline materials. These buildings lacked any familiar cannon barrels, leaving their purpose a mystery.
As the Swarm’s dense barrage of electromagnetic projectiles approached, they seemed unstoppable, cutting through everything like an invincible sword. The Riken warships scrambled to evade, unwilling to stand in their path.
However, when the projectiles crossed Planet Raze’s near-orbit, closing to within just over a thousand kilometers of their ground targets, something unexpected happened.
From the tops of the semi-spherical buildings, fine red beams of light suddenly shot out of the crystalline structures.