Chapter 323: Planet Izumo
The Riken Star System was, after all, the Rikens’ main battlefield, and over the decades, they had installed numerous surveillance devices throughout the system. Even after their defeat and retreat, these surveillance systems could not be cleared out quickly.
The Swarm, meanwhile, made no effort to conceal their movements, leaving the Rikens well-informed about the incoming reinforcements.
In the second Battle for Planet Raze, the Swarm’s Primordial bodies suffered minimal losses. If their numbers continued to grow unchecked, the Rikens’ chances of victory would dwindle further.
The Riken leadership was well aware of this, but they had no effective countermeasures. The three main fleets had sustained heavy losses in the second battle for Planet Raze, losing nearly 20% of their ships, with the remainder requiring extensive repairs.
Even if they included newly constructed vessels, the Rikens could muster fewer than a thousand ships ready for immediate deployment.
This number was theoretically sufficient to intercept the Swarm’s reinforcements, but the risks were enormous, and the cost-benefit ratio was unacceptably low.
To launch a surprise interception, the Rikens would have to bypass Planet Raze, now firmly in Swarm hands and defended by thousands of Primordial bodies.
Moreover, the Swarm’s reinforcements did not move individually. They waited until reaching critical mass before moving as a group. If the Rikens’ interception force were delayed, they risked being caught between the reinforcements and the Swarm forces on Planet Raze.
Such a scenario—being attacked from both sides—could result in the total annihilation of the interception force. For the Rikens, losing a thousand warships would be catastrophic, tantamount to forcing a surrender.