The drones detached from Krumzaxl’s mech just before it entered Tephe’s Iridescent breath attack with Krumzaxl screaming in fear and resentment, “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.”

  As soon as his mech touched the Iridescent breath attack, it started to disintegrate similarly to how Drot’s ship had.

  [Handsome3horns (Vinox 2): Damnnnnnnn, White Dragon Tephe’s breath attack disintegrated him.]

  [StealthAssassin9 (Earth): You're right, didn’t the Phoenix Empress say Tephe was too young to do that?]

  [Phoenixempress (Fenix Nest): Could it be because of some new power she has awakened?]

  [Whostolemyduck (Earth): What do you mean? You didn’t explain to us what you were all talking about before.]

  [DeverinianLordMalacoss (Deverinian 9): Because we are not sure what happened either, we have never seen a dragon’s scales shimmer like that when using a breath attack; it normally only happens when they are preparing to enter subspace.]

  [[Ending NDS Mode]]

  After Krumzaxl’s mech disintegrated, everyone ended their attacks, and while Spector Unit 6 reverted back to its normal shape, Tephe’s scales returned to their normal white colour before her body began to shrink and transform back into her humanoid form.

  REDACTED SECTION

  Please read the short story to find out why this section has been redacted. Also, please note that the short story contains a minor plot point that is to come, but no major spoilers.

  SHORT STORY: TEPHE BREAKS THE FOURTH WALL

  Several hours before the start of the UMB Cup, Tephe was sitting in her room in the suite on a holocall to Revi.

  “So Adam’s really competing and he plans to use the Black Knight?” Tephe asked as excitement sparkled in her eyes.

  “Yup, I can’t wait to see and hear everyone's reaction,” Tephe replied while bouncing up and down excitedly.

  “Speaking of Adam, how are things going between you two?” Revi asked curiously.

  Tephe sighed in disappointment before saying, “Not well.”

  “Did something happen?” Revi asked curiously.

  “Tephe nodded sadly before saying,” A reader on RR reported that my mentality is too childlike and I should not be allowed to pursue Adam.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes, now the author has had to remove all the sections that even hint at that.”

  “Oh dear,” Revi replied as she gave her goddaughter a sad look before asking, “What does that mean for future chapters?”

  “I don’t know, but it's likely that any chapter or section that I and, by extension, Maya are part of may appear as redacted.”

  Revi nodded in understanding before saying, “Considering it’s Christmas, the author must be super busy and not have time to think about rewriting yours and Adam’s entire relationship sub-plot, if he even decides to do that at all.”

  “I guess the readers will have to miss any chapters that Maya or I are part of, or at least go read them elsewhere,” Tephe said as tears rolled down her face before adding just before she ended the call, “I have ruined it for all the readers on RR who enjoy the novel.”

  Revi, who sat in her bedroom on Fenix Nest, sighed before asking, “How are you going to fix this, author? Or will you even fix this?”

  END OF REDACTED SECTION

  “Spector, can you come pick us up?” Adam asked.

  [[Affirmative, departing now.]]

  As he waited for Spector to arrive, Adam watched over Tephe in case something happened or until she woke up.

  What no one noticed, however, was that the tips of Tephe’s long white hair had changed to become slightly iridescent.

  ??????

  “Well, that was certainly entertaining,” Aphrodite said with a sultry smile while biting her lip before adding, “I never expected him to go so far as to destroy the jumpgate.”

  “I hope Tephe is ok,” Lorelie said with a look of concern as she stared at the stream feed.

  Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

  “I think she’s just sleeping; she most likely used too much power in her breath attack,” Rowena replied.

  “What even was that breath attack? She started turning iridescent while doing it,” Stacey asked.

  “I’m not exactly sure. I have never heard of a Dragon turning iridescent,” Rowena replied.

  “I guess we will have to ask her about it later,” Stacey said thoughtfully.

  “I’m glad that damn Drot is out of the picture; hopefully, the Bounty Hunter Guild will leave us alone now,” Lorelie stated.

  “Unfortunately, I doubt it,” Rowena said with a sigh before continuing, “Drot mentioned in the open comm channel that Vice Guild Master Rolvarud was interested in Adam’s mech after learning that it has a functioning beam-canceler.”

  “So we can expect trouble from him in the future?” Stacey asked with a frown.

  “Probably, but I doubt it’s anything to worry about for now since the jumpgate has been destroyed. However, it is still something we should keep in mind,” Rowena stated.

  “I can imagine that the Catonians are not going to be happy about him destroying the jumpgate,” Becky said with concern.

  “Yes, the destruction of a jumpgate will severely disrupt travel to other galaxies. Only ships equipped with a subspace drive will be able to travel between galaxies with only a slight delay; those without it will face long journeys that may include periods of stasis.

  This will especially affect trade, not to mention those who came to watch the UMB Cup opening ceremony, though most of the dignitaries of the other races will have ships that do have subspace drives,” Tessa replied.

  “You're right, it’s all the other guests and visitors that will essentially be stranded here until they construct a replacement gate, including me,” Aphrodite replied with a sigh before adding,” people won’t be happy. Although Matriarch Maiya is going to get a lot of complaints, the Catonians can make use of this opportunity to make a lot of credits from those who planned to leave but now can’t. I wonder if she will spot this opportunity and if she can capitalise on it.”

  “Your ship doesn’t have a subspace drive?” Lorelie asked curiously.

  “Not everyone has a boyfriend who somehow found himself a ship capable of subspace travel, though I wouldn't mind having one like that,” Aphrodite replied with a suggestive wink.

  “I’m sure you wouldn’t,” Stacey scoffed.

  ??????

  “Sorry, Sata, but please repeat what you just said as I’m not sure I heard you correctly,” Maiya said.

  “We have lost communication with the jumpgate. The last thing we detected before losing communication was a major powerspike,” Sata replied.

  “Powerspike? You mean it was in use before we lost contact?” Maiya asked.

  “No, the jumpgate was not in use at the time, and the powerspike was far greater than if it were in use,” Sata replied.

  “Then what happened?”

  “According to information on the Universal Subspace Network, the energy spike we received is reminiscent of a jumpgate overload.”

  “Overload?” Maiya asked in shock before adding, “Are you saying our jumpgate just overloaded and exploded?”

  “I am waiting on confirmation, as I have just dispatched a ship to the jumpgate in order to investigate.”

  “I want a report as soon as possible. If the jumpgate has been destroyed, we need to know ASAP so that we can prepare for the inevitable backlash.”

  “Yes, Maiya,” Sata replied, addressing her as Maiya since they were now alone in the box as Director Opealbeard and his assistants had left because the Director needed to close out the opening ceremony with his customary speech.

  “Though this could also be an opportunity now that I think about it,” Maiya mused as she fell into thought before suddenly asking, “What news on Diva Lorelie’s boyfriend, White Dragon Tephe and the Levithen?”

  “Nothing, Maiya. As you know, the camera that was following Spector Unit Six was unable to follow them into subspace, so we don’t know where they are now.”

  “I see.”

  ??????

  Spector Unit 6 continued to float in space while carefully holding Tephe’s unconscious body as Maya kept gently prodding her body with one of its whiskers as if wondering why Tephe wasn’t responding to her.

  As they continued to float there, a crack in space that flashed with lightning suddenly appeared a short distance from them before Spector emerged from the crack, which then closed a moment later.

  [StealthAssassin9 (Earth): Damn, that crack in space with lightning flashing around it is so cool.]

  [HackerSu (Trillion): I’m always shocked that the Adams ship can travel via subspace when it’s only the size of a medium-class ship.]

  [Beinglittleisnotadisadvantage (Strathorp 7): It came here all on its own; that ship's AI is truly advanced.]

  [Whostolemyduck (Earth): Can’t ship AI’s normally fly without human help?]

  [Beinglittleisnotadisadvantage (Strathorp 7): Only to a monitor and support extent. A ship AI’s main responsibility is normally to monitor and maintain the ship’s systems and operation, calculate FLT and subspace routes, and, while it can fly the ship on autopilot, it normally only involves getting the ship from A to B.

  It doesn’t include tasks like takeoffs, landings, combat manoeuvres or anything more advanced than just flying it.]

  [DeverinianLordMalacoss (Deverinian 9): It’s just another way in which the streamers' ship is showing how advanced it is.]

  Adam controlled Spector Unit 6 and had it approach Spector’s landing bay before landing inside it.

  Maya watched the strange object Tephe called a mech fly inside the ship that had just arrived, while carrying Tephe and wanted to follow, but she understood that she would never fit, and so started to circle the ship while trying to think if there was a way she could follow Tephe inside.

  After landing inside Spector, Adam disembarked Spector Unit 6 using his anti-gravity armour and quickly approached Tephe before picking her up and carrying her towards the medical bay.

  Once he reached the medical bay, Adam lay Tephe on one of the medical beds before asking with concern, “So how is she?”

  Rays of light started to run over Tephe’s body as Spector conducted an in-depth medical scan on her.

  [[Scan complete.]]

  [[My initial evaluation way correct, Tephe is just sleeping due to exhaustion.]]

  “That’s good,” Adam said with a sigh of relief.

  [Phoenixempress (Fenix Nest): Thank god she's ok.]

  [NonpareilRaphilia (Aaru): Indeed, whatever she did to make herself turn iridescent must have drained a lot of her energy.]

  [RealOtaku (Earth): Her breath attack was totally awesome, though.]

  [[Catonian Defence Force ship dropping out of FTL.]]

  If you would like to support me and read up to 40 chapters in advance, you can do so on my or . Please check it out.

  Additionally, if you subscribe to for a year, you get 2 months free due to the 16% discount.