Project Italy Cannon was Ayla's ongoing project to create a star-scale electromagnetic cannon.
This superweapon would utilize the Dyson swarm, drawing 72% of its energy for firing high-energy particle beams.
As the saying goes, "Might makes right!"
Ayla fully understood this principle.
From space, this star-scale cannon was a colossal structure—icy blue, 181 kilometers long, 39 kilometers wide, and 42 kilometers high. Despite its lightweight design, it weighed 429 billion tons.
Its initial energy output could reach 20 quintillion tons of TNT (8.4 x 10²⁶ joules)—equivalent to the combined energy output of the two stars over 1.4 seconds.
This was also equivalent to the total energy output of Phase One of the Dyson swarm over 3.4 minutes.
This wasn't much for a Type 1.9 civilization. This level of energy output was insufficient.
Like the Kate civilization's dark matter cannons, the energy utilization efficiency was appallingly low.
But this was to be expected.
Ayla hypothesized that all peak Type 1 civilizations would face this firepower limitation, due to material constraints.
Excessively powerful energy outputs would cause the entire star-scale cannon to collapse.
Upgrading materials required reaching Type 2.
The difference in energy output between Type 1.9 and Type 2 was relatively minor; the true difference lay in the technological advancements, exceeding a tenfold or even hundredfold increase.
This was why Luna was so cautious. The enemy displayed the technological capabilities of a nascent Type 2 civilization.
"Italy Cannon modification complete. Targeting the Long Serpent Sector, coordinates: Alpha Centauri A, 12°6'N, 6h11m08s."
"Charging the main cannon..."
"Activating electromagnetic containment field..."
"Activating auxiliary stabilization field..."
"Initiating electromagnetic dark matter acceleration and cryogenic cooling..."
"Deploying electromagnetic field to isolate the star from cosmic interference..."
"All systems nominal."
"Firing!"
There was no fanfare; the preparation time had been extensive.
This was a precision interstellar strike; even a millimeter of deviation would cause the shot to miss.
This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
Ironically, the energy required to prepare the shot exceeded the energy of the shot itself.
Luna frowned at these figures.
"Still too inefficient."
Ayla's research into strings had been ongoing for over a century, shared with relevant scholars across the federation.
Yet, they were still grasping at straws.
But there was no other way.
She didn't have a system like those in novels. Even if a system provided string theory technology, its implementation would require a complete overhaul of the civilization's industrial base to produce the necessary detection equipment.
Further research and development of various weapons and equipment would then be necessary.
This would take centuries.
Unless a system could magically provide all the necessary technology, which would lead to a lack of understanding.
It's like being given a lithography machine and being able to create chips without understanding the underlying principles—simply following instructions.
Therefore, there are no shortcuts in scientific advancement.
Luna could only rely on Ayla and the collective expertise of the galactic federation.
The Long Serpent Sector was 0.317 light-years from Proxima Centauri.
Eight months later, Luna received images of the Long Serpent Sector after the attack.
The distance was vast.
The lack of energy readings indicated that something had happened.
The data showed the sector had become an energy void. The matter in the Long Serpent Sector hadn't exploded, but rather, had simply vanished.
This significant difference strengthened Luna's resolve to pursue her other plan.
She mobilized the entire galactic federation's military forces.
The galactic federation, reeling from the neutrino-scale organism attack, was in dire need of reinforcements. Luna had anticipated forced conscription, but the response was far greater than expected.
Eight million volunteers on the first day.
Ten million on the second.
This was unlike the Kate civilization's reaction to the tower; they had been isolated and believed the civilization behind the tower was invincible.
Now, however, the Kate felt the support of the vast galactic federation. The enemy no longer seemed so terrifying; they believed they could win.
This was also about revenge.
The plague had caused immense losses.
The Kate and Multi-eyed, influenced by human culture, now experienced a broader range of emotions, including grief that needed to be channeled.
The final conscription yielded 16.1 million Kate soldiers, 3.42 million Multi-eyed soldiers, and 10,000 human soldiers.
While humans were the smallest group, their contribution was proportionally the highest.
These 19.53 million soldiers formed the Federation's first legion—the Valiant Legion.
Named to honor the 2.8 billion souls lost in the incident.
This legion underwent five years of intensive military training, ensuring basic combat readiness.
Ayla also equipped this legion with first-generation powered armor and nanobots to enhance individual soldier capabilities.
Five years later.
The legion's strength had decreased to 11.75 million soldiers.
Each soldier in the Valiant Legion was equipped with a first-generation powered armor suit, 100 billion nanobots, one high-energy dark matter weapon, five antimatter annihilation bombs, and one suicide-style energy backpack.
Every 1 million soldiers formed a fleet; there were 11 fleets in total, all frontline fleets, with no reserve forces.
Each fleet consisted of one 7500-meter flagship, two 4400-meter secondary ship, sixteen 3100-meter battleships, twenty 2000-meter cruisers, fourteen 2800-meter frigates, and twenty-one 2500-meter destroyers—74 ships total.
The Valiant Legion's flagship was a 10,000-meter-long command ship, accompanied by eighteen 2800-meter frigates, for a total fleet strength of 833 ships, with a combined energy output of 7.4 x 10²⁹ joules.
That same year.
The Valiant Legion set sail.
Fueled by vengeance, they set course for the forbidden zone!!
The year was 6779 A.D.
This was the Federation's first interstellar expedition. The enemy's strength was unknown; the soldiers understood the high probability of death, yet none faltered.