Gabrielle looked back and forth between Jax, Hikaru, Liana, and Iritscen, her expression determined. "Alright then. Bring it on. You think you can handle me? I'll show you what these gauntlets can REALLY do."

  She got into a combat stance, her eyes fixed on Jax and the others. Jax cracked his knuckles, mirroring Gabrielle's actions, while the other IOTA members got into ready positions as well. "Game on then. Let's see what you're made of.”

  Gabrielle dashed forward, closing the distance between her and Jax rapidly. She swung her fist at him with incredible speed and force, the gauntlet gleaming with magic power.

  Jax, his reflexes sharp, quickly stepped to the side, dodging the punch with millimeters to spare. He retaliated with a quick jab to Gabrielle's side, but she swiftly countered, her reflexes just as fast as Jax's. She jabbed him dozens of times in under a second, her punching speed increasing as she became familiar with the feeling of using her gauntlets again.

  Jax, surprised by Gabrielle's enhanced speed, tried to distance himself, but Gabrielle was on him in an instant, closing the gap between them again. Using her gauntlets, she unleashed a barrage of rapid-fire blows, each hit sending shockwaves through the air. Jax barely managed to dodge and parry the attacks, blocking with his arms and ducking low.

  He attempted to counterattack, but Gabrielle's speed was too much. She seamlessly weaved through his attacks and continued with her own relentless assault.

  Hikaru, using their spacial prowess, created a barrier around Gabrielle, freezing her in place.

  Gabrielle, taken aback by the sudden barrier, found herself frozen mid-attack. She tried to move but found herself unable to budge an inch. She looked around furiously, her expression a mix of surprise and frustration.

  Jax, noticing Gabrielle's predicament, took advantage of the moment to regroup with his team. "Nicely done, Hikaru." He turned to Iritscen next. "Mate, have ya made concoctions that can paralyze this lass?”

  Iritscen, having been quietly observing the fight, nodded at Jax's question. "I have, actually. I've concocted a paralysis potion specifically for this situation." He rummaged through his bag, pulling out a small vial filled with a dark liquid.

  Jax took the vial from Iritscen's hand and held it up, examining its contents. "Perfect," he said with a smirk. "Let's see how our Miss Speedy here reacts to this, yeah?”

  Gabrielle watched as Jax held up the vial, feeling a sense of unease. She had seen and experienced all kinds of magical concoctions and potions, and she wasn't sure what to expect from this one.

  "You think I'll just let you use that on me?" she yelled defiantly, still struggling to free herself from the spatial barrier.

  Jax chuckled, still holding the vial above his head. "Oh, I don't think you have much of a choice, buddy ol' pal," he replied smugly.

  Hikaru, maintaining the barrier, smirked as well, enjoying Gabrielle's struggle. "Looks like you're trapped in more ways than one, darling."

  Iritscen chimed in again. "That potion should take effect almost instantly. It's been designed with a high concentration of paralyzing agents. It should leave you completely incapacitated for a good while."

  Liana then jumped onto Gabrielle's chest, the android cat-girl's feet pressing down on her upper torso as she looked down at the constricted brawler underneath her. "And then, we will decimate you, nya~”

  Gabrielle clenched her teeth, the situation proving to be more challenging than she thought. She was trapped in a barrier and now had a smug, android cat-girl standing on her chest, the weight making her even more helpless.

  "Get off, you damn cat...!!" she grunted at Liana, trying to find any leeway to escape. But her efforts were in vain - she was completely immobilized, unable to break free from either the barrier or the android's weight.

  "Don't bother struggling, honey. You're nyot going anywhere, nya~" Liana taunted, the smug expression on her face growing wider.

  "If you 'nya' one more time," Gabrielle hissed, her fists tensed as she gritted her teeth, "...Then I'll snatch out your fucking larynx."

  Liana chuckled, clearly enjoying the power dynamics at play. She pressed her feet down harder on Gabrielle's chest, the android's weight eliciting a groan of discomfort from the trapped fighter.

  Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

  "Oh, I'd like to see you try, darling. You're powerless in this situation. You may talk tough, but you're trapped beneath me, unable to move a muscle. I could do anything I want to you right nyow." The ship-girl's voice was laced with a hint of arrogance.

  Gabrielle's eyes narrowed, filled with anger and humiliation. She knew that Liana was right - she was powerless in this situation, trapped by the barrier and the android's weight, unable to move or escape.

  Her fists clenched tighter, her frustration and helplessness seeping through. She wanted nothing more than to break free and punch that arrogant smirk off Liana's face. But for now, she had no choice but to endure the mockery.

  Jax, watching the scene unfold before him, took another step towards Gabrielle, uncapping the vial in his hand as he did so. "Looks like you're all outta options, eh?" he said mockingly.

  "Shut up you cocky little rat." Gabrielle yelled, gritting her teeth. But she couldn't help but tense up as Jax drew closer with the vial. She had no idea what kind of potion it contained, but it didn't matter - she knew it wasn't anything good. Her anxiety and helplessness were building, but she tried her best to hide it behind a facade of defiance.

  "Come on then, do it already, pussy." she hissed, challenging him.

  "Heh, I got your 'pussy' right here, mate," Jax called back as he patted Liana's shoulder, the cat-girl smirking down at Gabrielle after Jax's joke.

  "Oooh, good one!" Liana chuckled, enjoying the banter between Jax and Gabrielle. She maintained her position, keeping the brawler pinned under her feet. The android's weight, coupled with the immobilizing nature of the space barrier, ensured that Gabrielle was completely helpless.

  Meanwhile, Elara, Ciel, and the others, who were quietly observing from afar, were watching the unfolding scene with a mixture of curiosity and anticipation, waiting to see what Jax would do with the vial.

  Jax chuckled in response, his tone tinged with smugness. "Thanks, Liana. Glad someone here appreciates my sense of humor," he said, his eyes still fixed on Gabrielle.

  He then stepped closer to Gabrielle, the vial in his hand. "You know, I've dealt with many feisty, defiant types like you before. But every time, they all end up in the same position: helpless and at my mercy."

  He then took a syringe and injected Iritscen's paralysis serum into Gabrielle's right arm.

  Gabrielle tried to use Fortify to tense up her skin into being tough as steel, but Hikaru's spacial barrier negated any aura flow, much to her inconvenience. Her eyes widened as the needle pierced her arm, the cold liquid from the syringe entering her body. She felt a strange sensation spreading through her right arm, her muscles stiffening and seizing up as the paralysis serum took effect. Her fingers that were previously grasping at every bit of power they had left went limp, leaving her completely helpless.

  Her defiant expression shifted to one of rage as she realized that she couldn't move or fight back anymore. Her heart rate quickened, and she struggled in vain against the paralysis. But with Gabrielle handled, a new issue slowly arose...

  The Cabal members made it back to the scene, now ready to fight everyone present.

  "Missed us?" Brittany taunted, her scissor blades drawn, ready for battle.

  Jax chuckled at Brittany's remark, not intimidated in the slightest. "Can't say we did. But now that you're here, party's just getting started."

  He looked back at Gabrielle, who was still struggling in vain against the effects of the paralysis serum. "See what I meant, darlin'? You're all talk, no bite when you can't move a muscle."

  Jax then glanced at Liana, who was still perched on Gabrielle's chest. "Ya done playin' around, cat girl? 'Cause now we got her little friends to handle instead.”

  Liana chuckled at Jax's comment, enjoying the power dynamics at play. "Just playing with my food, Jax," she replied, giving Gabrielle's chest a final press with her feet enough to leave an impression, as if marking her territory. She then stepped off of Gabrielle, who was now completely immobilized.

  "Nyow that the feisty brawler's taken care of, we have bigger problems on our hands, nya~" Liana said, fixing her gaze towards the arriving Cabal members.

  The Cabal members stared at the IOTA crew, sizing up their opponents. "You won't get away with this," Danemon calmly declared, his arms crossed as he stared down Jax and the others.

  Jax laughed at Danemon's words, his confidence unwavering. "That so, mate? And who's gonna stop us, huh?”

  Danemon's expression didn't falter, his eyes narrowing slightly as he spoke. "I am."

  Jax chuckled once more, taking a step forward. "Oh, really? You think you can handle all of us, big guy? You and what army, eh?"

  The other Cabal members stepped up, some of their auras already flared up for battle.

  "THIS army," Chelsea shot back with a smirk that was smug enough to match Liana's, twirling her huge gear around her wrist before grabbing it tightly.

  Jax chuckled at Chelsea's display of confidence, clearly amused by the Cabal's arrogance. "That's cute, love. But I've dealt with tougher opposition than a bunch of overgrown toys."

  Liana joined in, raising an eyebrow at Chelsea. "Yeah, don't overestimate your chances, doll. Our team's got the skills and experience to put you in your place.”

  Jax chuckled at Chelsea's display of confidence, clearly amused by the Cabal's arrogance. "That's cute, love. But I've dealt with tougher opposition than a bunch of overgrown toys."

  Liana joined in, raising an eyebrow at Chelsea as her tail swished behind her with amusement. "Yeah, don't overestimate your chances. Our team's got the skills and experience to put you in your place, nya.”

  Chelsea smirked back at Liana, unfazed by her arrogance. "I don't underestimate anyone, cat girl," she said, brandishing her gear in a challenging manner. "You may think you have what it takes, but we're not going down without a fight."

  Meanwhile, Cassie unfroze, realizing that her companions were ready for action with the others. Eager to jump in, she instantly teleported to their side without a second thought, eager for a challenge. The rest of the Cabal members were prepared for battle, all in their fighting stances, ready to strike at the first sign of aggression…