Earth Calendar: 2146.6.7
The outskirts of the Proxima Centauri System.
0.01 light-years from Proxima Centauri.
A fleet drifted toward Proxima Centauri like a ghost.
This was the Human Fleet, which had traveled 4.22 light-years to get here.
Five years earlier, under Zero's control, the Human Fleet had completed its course change and deceleration, then shut down all Hall Thrusters and High-Power Radio Facilities.
Through a series of crafty maneuvers, the entire fleet had taken a short detour, changed direction, and begun coasting toward its destination on inertia alone.
Lü Yongchang had personally designed this approach.
With no way of knowing whether the Proxima Centauri Civilization had observed their fleet's movements, this was undoubtedly the safest way to proceed.
And the most devious.
The war had begun the moment the Human Fleet shut down its engines.
Just as Lü Yongchang had predicted, Proxima Centauri was now in utter chaos.
The reason... was naturally quite simple.
"On the eve of war, I lost track of the enemy fleet."
Five years earlier.
"Tell me, why did that Solar System Fleet disappear right under our noses?!"
The elderly Augustus roared furiously at several observers.
"W-we don't know either," one observer worked up the courage to say quietly. "We still had a lock on them a while ago."
"It happened so suddenly. In the blink of an eye, they vanished from our detection equipment."
"A while ago?!" Augustus grew even angrier. He flared his breathing pores wide, drawing fierce breaths of air. "Exactly how long ago? Give me a straight answer!"
"...A month ago," the observer hastily replied. "Just a month ago, our Radio Telescope could still receive their radio signals."
"A month ago?" Augustus froze at those words.
"Then why am I only hearing about it now?!"
As he spoke, he raised his