The footsteps outside suddenly turned away just as they reached Ash's door. At the same time, Jessie's hushed complaint could be heard.
"Meowth, are you sure it's here? Is the treasure that old guy mentioned really inside this guesthouse?"
"Of course, meow! I overheard that old man called Blaine talking with a staff member. He mentioned something about a secret beneath the hot spring and a true trial of flames, meow!" Meowth's voice carried a smug tone. "They must be hiding something valuable under the hot spring, meow!"
Ash heard everything clearly from behind the door and instantly understood.
Team Rocket had stumbled onto it by accident, mistaking Blaine's metaphor about the Gym for a treasure map.
He quietly opened the door a crack and saw the three members of Team Rocket sneaking toward the outdoor hot spring.
Can't let them mess things up…
Just as Ash was about to step out and stop them, Brock and Misty, awakened by the commotion, also came out of their rooms.
"What's going on, Ash?" Misty asked, rubbing her sleepy eyes.
"It's Team Rocket. They misunderstood something and are heading to the hot spring to cause trouble."
The three of them immediately chased after them. But they were still one step too late.
By the time they reached the outdoor hot spring, Team Rocket had already jumped into the water. Jessie and James were straining to pull at a stone sculpture at the bottom of the spring that seemed to be just decoration.
"Stop!" Ash shouted.
But it was already too late.
With a sharp click, the mechanism activated. The stone sculpture was accidentally pushed down by Team Rocket!
The entire bottom of the hot spring suddenly began to tremble. The water started spinning rapidly as it drained downward, revealing a complex system of gears and rails beneath the pool.
"Waaah!"
"What's happening, meow?!"
The three members of Team Rocket spun helplessly with the swirling water at the bottom of the pool.
Ash and the others were also forced to step back in shock at the sudden change.
The floor of the hot spring slowly opened, revealing a downward passage radiating intense heat. A wave of scorching air rushed toward them, and faintly visible at the end of the tunnel was a fiery red glow.
"This is…" Brock stared at the passage in disbelief.
Ash's eyes sharpened. "Looks like we accidentally found… the entrance to the Cinnabar Gym!"
Without hesitation, he jumped into the passage first, with Misty and Brock following close behind.
The tunnel sloped downward, and the temperature kept rising. The rock walls on both sides gradually turned a deep crimson.
When they passed through the glowing barrier at the end of the tunnel, the sight before them made everyone gasp.
They were standing on a massive platform inside an active volcano!
Below them was a churning lake of lava, and the scorching heat distorted the air itself.
At the center of the platform was a standard battle arena. Surrounding it were bottomless pits of magma, with only several thick iron chains connecting to the opposite side.
This was the true Cinnabar Gym.
"Hahaha!"
That familiar laugh echoed from across the platform.
Blaine stood on the opposite side, still wearing his flamboyant Hawaiian shirt, clapping his hands.
"I never expected you would find this place in such a way. Quite a surprise!"
His gaze swept over Team Rocket, who were clinging miserably to the edge of the platform after nearly falling into the lava. Then he looked at Ash.
"And you in particular, young man. You clearly saw through my identity long ago, yet you still kept your composure. That kind of temperament is rare."
Blaine cleared his throat and asked the final riddle.
"Before we begin the battle, one last question: What is something that you can easily say when you don't know it, but once you know it, you can no longer say it?"
Misty and Brock once again fell into deep thought, while the three members of Team Rocket looked completely baffled.
Ash simply smiled slightly, his gaze falling on Blaine's unusually thick hair.
"A wig."
Blaine froze for a moment, then burst into hearty laughter.
"Hahaha! Good! Good! As expected, I couldn't fool you!"
He reached up and pulled at his hair. The thick wig came off instantly, revealing a shiny bald head.
At the same time, he tore off his Hawaiian shirt, revealing the red Gym Leader uniform underneath. His entire presence instantly became powerful and imposing.
"Allow me to formally introduce myself. I am Blaine, the Gym Leader of Cinnabar Gym!"
His sharp gaze locked onto Ash.
"From the moment you answered the first riddle, I began paying attention to you. You possess not only keen insight and knowledge, but more importantly, patience. You know how to wait for the right moment. You understand the true nature of fire. It is not only violent flames, but also controlled heat and precise mastery."
He strode across the iron chain bridge and took his position on the other side of the battlefield.
"I accept your challenge! The rules are three on three. Only the challenger may switch Pokémon. When one side loses all three Pokémon, the battle ends!"
"Just what I wanted!" Ash stepped forward and took his place on the challenger's side.
Misty and Brock hurriedly dragged the trembling Team Rocket members away from the edge of the platform and into a safe corner so they wouldn't interfere with the battle.
"My first Pokémon is this one!" Blaine threw a Poké Ball. "Ninetales, take the stage!"
An elegant and mysterious Ninetales appeared on the battlefield. Its nine tails swayed like living flames, and its crimson eyes glimmered with intelligence.
Ash thought for a moment before taking out a Poké Ball.
"I choose you, Ponyta!"
A flash of silver light appeared, and the shiny Ponyta Ash had caught in the Safari Zone gracefully stepped onto the field.
Its coat, as pure as moonlight, shimmered with a strange silver glow under the red light of the volcanic lava. Its mane and tail burned like silver flames, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
"Oh wow… it's so beautiful…" Misty couldn't help but gasp.
Blaine also showed interest. "Oh? A rare shiny Pokémon. It seems you truly aren't an ordinary trainer."
"Ponyta, use Stomp!" Ash launched the first attack.
The shiny Ponyta turned into a streak of silver light, charging straight toward Ninetales.
But a blue glow flashed in Ninetales' eyes as a wave of Psychic power instantly spread out, attempting to stop Ponyta's charge.
"Ponyta, jump!" Ash quickly ordered.
Ponyta leapt gracefully into the air, clearing the invisible barrier of Psychic power. Its forelegs came down with tremendous force, aiming directly at Ninetales.
"Ninetales, use Flamethrower!" Blaine countered immediately.
Blazing flames burst from Ninetales' mouth. Ponyta twisted its body nimbly in midair, its silver mane shining within the fire. It narrowly avoided a direct hit, though the aftershock of the flames still brushed against its body.
Yet, to everyone's surprise, Ponyta was not injured. Instead, a faint red glow appeared around its body, and its silver mane seemed to burn even more fiercely.
"That's… the Flash Fire Ability!" Brock shouted excitedly. "Ponyta absorbed the power of the flames!"
A faint smile appeared at the corner of Ash's mouth. This had been part of his plan all along. When he first caught it, Ash had already sensed through his Aura that this shiny Ponyta possessed the Flash Fire Ability, along with a latent Flame Body Ability that had yet to awaken. Its earlier dodge had actually been a carefully calculated trap to lure the opponent in.
"Now's the time, Ponyta!" Ash's voice was filled with confidence. "Show Mr. Blaine how strong you are after absorbing those flames. Use Flame Charge!"
Ponyta neighed loudly as silver flames instantly enveloped its body. The fire burned brighter and hotter than usual, clearly enhanced by Flash Fire. It shot forward like a silver meteor, moving far faster than before as it charged toward Ninetales.
"What?!" Blaine's expression changed. "Ninetales, block it with Psychic!"
But Ponyta, empowered by the absorbed flames, was simply too fast. Ninetales had only just begun to release its Psychic power when Ponyta slammed into it, wrapped in blazing silver fire.
Boom!
It was super effective. Ninetales was sent flying by the impact and crashed heavily onto the ground.
"Ninetales, use Will-O-Wisp!" Blaine tried to regain control of the battle.
Strange purple flames shot from Ninetales' mouth, but Ponyta didn't dodge. Instead, it rushed forward to meet them head on. The moment the ghostly flames touched Ponyta, they were absorbed by the fire surrounding its body and converted into even greater power.
"It's over!" Ash's eyes sharpened. "Ponyta, finish it with Stomp!"
Having absorbed the power of two different flames, Ponyta's forelegs glowed with intense heat as they came crashing down with overwhelming force. The strike landed squarely on Ninetales' head. With a cry of pain, Ninetales finally collapsed.
"Ninetales is unable to battle! Ponyta wins!" announced the guesthouse attendant, temporarily acting as referee.
Blaine recalled Ninetales and looked admiringly at the spirited Ponyta.
"Excellent strategy! You deliberately showed weakness to lure your opponent into using Fire type moves, then turned the tide with Flash Fire. Young man, your battle intelligence truly impresses me."
Ash smiled as he recalled Ponyta, encouraging it through the Poké Ball. "Good work. Take a good rest."
"Now then, my second Pokémon… Rhydon!" Blaine declared.
The heavy Rhydon appeared on the field, each step it took causing the platform to tremble slightly.
Ash sent out another partner. "I choose you, Growlithe!"
The Growlithe that had undergone police training stepped forward with sharp eyes and a steady posture. It looked completely different from before.
"Oh? Growlithe?" Blaine said with interest. "It seems you plan to face me with a team of Fire type Pokémon!"
"Rhydon, use Rock Slide!"
"Growlithe, dodge and use Crunch!"
Growlithe dashed agilely between the falling boulders before lunging forward and biting down on Rhydon's leg.
However, Rhydon's defense was incredibly strong. Crunch only left shallow marks.
"What incredible defense…" Brock remarked.
"Growlithe, don't stop. Use Roar!" Ash suddenly commanded.
Growlithe let out a powerful, intimidating roar that momentarily stunned Rhydon. Taking advantage of the opening, Ash quickly issued another command.
"Now, Flamethrower!"
A burst of blazing fire struck Rhydon. Although it wasn't very effective against a Rock type Pokémon, the intense heat still forced a painful roar from it.
"Rhydon, use Horn Drill!" Blaine ordered.
The drill on Rhydon's horn began spinning at incredible speed as it lunged toward Growlithe. If this move landed, it could end the battle instantly.
"Growlithe, Dig!"
At the critical moment, Growlithe quickly burrowed underground, narrowly avoiding the deadly Horn Drill.
"Use Flamethrower from underground!" Ash gave a bold command.
Several pillars of flame suddenly erupted from the ground beneath Rhydon's feet.
Although the attack wasn't very effective against the Rock type Rhydon, the intense heat and impact still caused it to lose its balance.
"Now, come out and use Take Down!"
Growlithe burst out from the ground and slammed into Rhydon with all its strength.
Already off balance, Rhydon crashed heavily to the ground. After struggling for a moment, it could not get back up.
"Rhydon is unable to battle! Growlithe wins!"
Blaine looked at the calm Growlithe as it returned to Ash's side, the admiration in his eyes growing even stronger.
"To perfectly combine police dog training with Pokémon battling… impressive. Now then, my final Pokémon. Magmar, take the field!"
The tall Magmar appeared on the battlefield. Its powerful claws and the sparks of fire bursting from its mouth revealed the terrifying firepower it possessed.
This was Blaine's ace, and also the opponent Ash had prepared for Charizard.
Ash took a deep breath, recalled Growlithe, and brought out the familiar Poké Ball.
"It's finally your turn…" Ash murmured as his gaze met the partner inside the Poké Ball.
"I choose you, Charizard!"
...