Natsui stood up and moved to the partition in the middle of the hot spring to prevent them from seeing his chat history.
As he sat down with his back against the wooden barrier, he looked up at Brock and suddenly asked, "After traveling for so long, is there any girl you like?"
"Of course," although Brock didn't understand why Natsui had brought up this topic, he still said matter-of-factly, "Whether it's Officer Jenny or Nurse Joy, as long as they're beautiful older women, I like them all."
"What about you, Ash?"
The iron-willed straight man Ash quickly shook his head, "I'm going to be a Pokémon Master. I don't need any girl to like!"
"Oh? Is that so?" Misty's gloating voice came from the other side of the hot spring. "I wonder who it was that, when passing by the Pokémon Tech school and seeing a photo of that girl named Giselle, not only blushed but also said she was cute."
"Ah, this..." Ash's expression froze, and he scratched his cheek with his finger. "Did I say something like that?"
Everyone chuckled. Natsui then asked Brock, "Then have you met any girl who likes you?"
"Well..." Brock hesitated for a moment. "No, not really. Why? Why do you ask?"
"No reason," Natsui said, fiddling with his phone with a chuckle. "I was just asking casually."
Brock: ???
Although Natsui hadn't said anything explicit, his tone still made Brock feel somewhat offended.
So the person he's been chatting with is a girl who likes him?
Damn it! Is he being so shameless just because he has someone who likes him!?
This is so infuriating!!
Splash...
At that moment, the sound of water came from behind Natsui. He saw ripples spread out beside him, and in the next second, Misty had swum to the other side of the wooden barrier, leaning back-to-back with him in the same spot.
Only a thin curtain separated the two of them. Natsui could even feel Misty's warm body temperature through the gap.
"By the way..." Misty said softly, "What could Mr. Blaine's riddle be about?"
A thought crossed Natsui's mind, and he had already seen through her. He smiled, "You're so smart, you must have already guessed the answer, right?"
"A great flood above, a great fire below. I think it must be referring to this hot spring," Misty said hesitantly. "Perhaps the gym's battlefield is underneath it. But as for where the mechanism is, I'm still completely clueless."
Actually, Natsui only remembered a vague outline of the Cinnabar Gym. As for the specific details, he had long since forgotten them and naturally couldn't remember where the mechanism was hidden.
But even so, he wasn't in a hurry at all. Instead, he was happy to take it easy and leave this matter entirely to Misty and the others.
Soaking comfortably in the water, Natsui almost fell asleep. However, after a brief moment of tranquility, Misty's anxious shout suddenly came from behind him.
"Togepi! Come back!"
Natsui woke up instantly, but since he didn't know what had happened, he could only ask, "Misty, did something happen?"
Misty said, "It's Togepi being naughty. It ran onto the water spout. Standing so high up, it could easily fall."
On the other side of the wooden barrier, Togepi was standing on a Gyarados-shaped water spout, hopping up and down, having a great time.
Misty stood up, about to go and protect Togepi. However, as it continued to jump, the water spout suddenly sank, as if it had triggered some kind of mechanism!
Click...
In the next second, a large rock next to the hot spring pool slowly moved, revealing a dark hole inside!
But the movement of the rock happened to break the wooden barrier in the hot spring. The barrier instantly collapsed, and Natsui and Misty's eyes met, seeing each other clearly.
At that moment, Misty was wrapped in a bath towel, with much of her skin exposed. The sudden change made her face flush completely red. With a small yelp of 'ah,' she quickly squatted down and ducked into the water.
Fortunately, because Natsui was standing in the middle, and Ash and Brock were distracted by the hole, they didn't notice Misty's predicament at all. By the time they heard Misty's cry and turned to look, all they saw was the top half of Misty's head above the water.
"Huh? Misty, why is your face so red?" Ash asked, puzzled. "You look like a boiled shrimp. But then again, you're such a scaredy-cat, aren't you? It was just the barrier falling, and it scared you like that!"
Misty first glanced shyly at Natsui, then turned to glare at Ash and said with displeasure, "None of your business! What's it to you!?"
"Alright, let's not talk about it anymore," Natsui quickly interrupted them. "It seems this hole must be the secret passage to the real gym. We really have Togepi to thank this time. I never thought that while we were just relaxing in the hot spring, it would accidentally find the hidden switch."
The group went back to the changing rooms one after another, changed into their regular clothes, and a few minutes later, gathered again by the hot spring pool.
After exchanging glances, they entered the hole. The steps under their feet led slowly downwards, seeming to extend all the way into the volcano's interior!
After walking for dozens of meters, the temperature in the cave grew higher and higher. But fortunately, there were burning candles on both sides of the walls for light, so it didn't feel too dark and oppressive.
Finally, they arrived in front of a closed iron door.
Without much thought, Ash went directly to pull the iron doorknob, but the moment he touched it, he was burned by the scorching heat.
"Wow! So hot! So hot!"
Natsui lifted his foot and kicked the iron door open with the sole of his shoe. But before they could see what was beyond the door, a large cloud of white steam had already drifted towards them.
At the same time, a strong smell of sulfur stimulated their nostrils.
When the steam met the circulating air and slowly dissipated, a battlefield suddenly appeared before their eyes!
It was a simple platform suspended over magma by chains, and below the platform was scorching hot lava, bubbling and churning!
Because the temperature was so high, after just standing for a while, their clothes were already soaked with sweat.
Clank, clank, clank, clank!
Just then, as rows of spotlights suddenly turned on, they saw Blaine standing far on the other side of the field, watching them calmly.
"Well, well, I didn't think you'd actually find this place. It seems that today is destined to be a day for a passionate, heated battle!"
"Two battles, actually," Natsui corrected. "Both of us will be challenging you this time, Mr. Blaine!"
"It doesn't matter how many," Blaine smiled. "So, who will be the first to have a three-on-three battle with me?"
Looking at Natsui and seeing no objection, Ash stepped forward first, "Of course, it'll be me!"
And as Ash spoke, Misty, behind him, reminded him.
"Well then, Ash, do your best. But don't forget what you said before. We're waiting for you to get the Volcano Badge in one go!
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