Regarding Natsui's attitude, the old man didn't mind. He just stared at him and asked, "About that riddle with the wig just now, did you figure something out?"
Natsui smiled, "I heard that the Cinnabar Gym Leader, Blaine, is a passionate riddle-loving old... erm... man. And because he went bald in his early years, he likes to wear a wig. Also, the gym is property of the League. Although it has now become a hot spring, besides the Gym Leader himself, I really can't think of anyone else who would have the authority to renovate it."
"How clever!" Seeing his identity had been exposed, the old man admitted it freely. "That's right, I am Blaine, the Gym Leader of the Cinnabar Gym!"
As he spoke, his tone shifted, and he said with some embarrassment, "As for the balding you mentioned, that's purely a rumor, don't go spreading it around. It's just because the weather on Cinnabar Island is too hot, so I shaved my head."
Blaine's explanation sounded a bit weak and deliberate. Not just Natsui, but even Misty and Brock could tell he was trying to cover something up.
Among those present, it seemed only Ash believed his words. He took a step forward and said excitedly, "So you're Blaine! Mr. Blaine, I'm Ash from Pallet Town, and I've come specifically to challenge you!"
"Ahem, I'd advise you to give up," Blaine shook his head and pointed behind him. "The gym has already become an inn. I'm no longer a Gym Leader. If you want to get a badge, you should go to other towns."
"Huh?" Ash was extremely stunned. "It really became an inn? How could this happen!?"
Blaine crossed his arms and said with a helpless expression, "Blame the hot springs that were discovered a few years ago. Since then, the entire town has become a resort destination. And I got really tired of those trainers who came with a tourist mindset, who were weak but challenged me just for the sake of it. So, I simply turned the gym into an inn and refused them."
Hearing the reason, Ash said loudly, "Don't lump us in with those people! We've been training and traveling with the Pokémon League as our goal. We're not some half-baked challengers!"
"That's right," Natsui also said. "Mr. Blaine, it's impossible to send us away with just a few words. We won't rest until we get the Volcano Badge."
Hearing their statements, Blaine seriously sized up Natsui and Ash. Although he looked surprised, it seemed he ultimately acknowledged them.
"Alright, if you insist, I can agree to battle you. But before that, you'll have to find the real location of the gym yourselves!"
"The real location of the gym?" Misty looked at the inn at the foot of the volcano, converted from the gym, and asked in surprise, "You mean the gym isn't here?"
"Of course it's inside the inn," Blaine smiled. "But finding it won't be easy. You'll have to solve the corresponding mechanisms to find its exact location!"
With that, Blaine led Natsui and the others into the inn.
As a building converted from a gym, the inn was quite large. The front part had a restaurant and guest rooms for visitors, while the back part was an open-air hot spring.
Entering the lobby, Blaine turned to face them, "I offer free accommodation and food here. You can even use the hot springs in the back as you please. But for now, please listen carefully to my clue."
They all nodded in unison, "Please tell us."
Blaine clasped his hands behind his back and said slowly, "A great flood above, a great fire below."
Ash was completely confused, "Huh? That's it?"
"That's right, it's that simple," Blaine laughed. "Since you've all heard it clearly, then, please feel free to do as you wish."
After giving his instructions, Blaine paid them no more mind and turned to leave.
When he was far away, Brock turned back to the others, frowning in thought, "A great flood above, a great fire below. What does that mean? Is it some kind of disaster movie?"
Misty glanced at Natsui. Seeing he had no intention of participating, she couldn't help but say, "Literally speaking, it should refer to something related to fire and water."
At this point, her tone changed, and she said with great interest, "But didn't Blaine just say that they offer free food and hot springs here? Why don't we go rest first! Once we've regained our energy, we can look for that mechanism."
"That's true!" Even though he knew Misty's suggestion was purely for pleasure, Brock still agreed wholeheartedly. "We've been traveling for so long, a dip in the hot springs would really relieve our fatigue!"
For once, everyone was in agreement. They wasted no more time and headed straight for the inn's restaurant.
In a room full of traditional Japanese style, Natsui and the others knelt on tatami mats. Not long after, several middle-aged cooks brought them their lunch.
Being near the sea, the dishes here were mostly sashimi, sushi, and miso soup. The variety was rich, and when the table was filled, Natsui tried each one and found that every single dish was delicious.
And seeing that Natsui was an adult, one of the cooks even brought him a bottle of sake!
He took a small sip, and the faint aroma of alcohol filled his mouth.
At the side, compared to Natsui's relatively elegant way of eating, Ash and Brock were like a whirlwind, stuffing food into their mouths with lightning-fast speed. Even Misty, at this moment, completely disregarded her girlish image.
When everyone was full, Misty patted her slightly bulging belly with a look of complete satisfaction.
"Compared to our usual camping, this is simply paradise!"
After the meal, everyone walked around the inn, looking for any suspicious places.
It was only then that they discovered that, unlike the other crowded inns in Cinnabar Town, Blaine's inn had no other guests besides them!
It seemed that because he disliked ordinary tourists, he hadn't fully opened the place to the public. Only people like them, who had earned Blaine's approval, would be invited inside.
Natsui smiled, "It's a good thing he's a Gym Leader. Otherwise, with his business methods, the inn would have to close down in a few days."
After digesting for a bit, they went to the bathroom, changed into yukatas, and went to the open-air hot spring behind the inn.
Although it was called an open-air hot spring, it wasn't the mixed-gender bathing type. In the middle of the spring, a long fence and curtain separated the two areas.
The spring water was warm and comfortable. When Natsui entered the pool, not only did most of his fatigue disappear, but it also felt as if all the pores on his body had opened up in an instant.
Just then, his phone, placed on the side, chimed with a message alert. Natsui picked it up and saw that it was another message from the girl.
And from the words, the girl completely avoided mentioning the past, only sharing some trivial daily happenings with him.
She's really going through a lot for this...
His heart softened, and Natsui casually replied to the message.
On the other side, Brock saw him constantly typing and kindly reminded him, "You've been on your phone a lot since last night. But staring at the screen for so long will be bad for your eyes, you know!
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