"Battle me. If you win, I'll tell you a little secret nobody knows. How about it?"
Blaine grinned, plucked off the toupee on his head, and revealed a shiny bald dome.
Not much hair left—clearly the price of pouring himself into research in his younger years.
"Oh? What kind of secret?"
Grey watched Blaine with interest. He cared a lot about whatever the old man had in mind.
If someone else said it, Grey might not take it to heart.
But this was Blaine.
They say: ignore the elder's words and you'll suffer for it.
In age, experience, and strength alike, Blaine made Grey sit up straight.
Blaine put on a mysterious face. "Let's just say there's a high chance it'll make your trip worthwhile. As for the remaining small chance—well, we'll leave that unsaid."
"In that case, please allow me to learn from you, Gym Leader Blaine."
Grey glanced at the Poké Balls on his belt.
In his current lineup, only Riolu and Ralts hadn't evolved yet.
Blaziken and Breloom weren't exactly "strong"—solidly mid-tier by Kanto Gym standards at best.
Only Annihilape could truly carry a match.
"I want to challenge you too, Gym Leader Blaine! After Grey's done, will you battle me?"
Green seized the moment.
"Oh? You want to challenge this old man as well?"
Blaine stroked his mustaches, smiling. "My Gym isn't like the others. You need at least six badges to qualify. Judging by your look, you've only got three so far, right?"
"Eh?! There's a rule like that?"
Green didn't like it, but hearing how tough Cinnabar Gym was, she could only shelve it.
She'd have to come back after earning six badges.
"All right, let's go."
Blaine took the lead, glancing back now and then.
"Rio?"
Little Riolu tilted its head, eyes curved like a crescent moon, and waved hello.
…
About half an hour later, with Blaine guiding them, Grey and Green arrived at a guesthouse.
"My place is a bit shabby—thanks for understanding."
Blaine adjusted his glasses and led them past the hot-spring area into a cave-like section inside the inn.
He felt around, then pressed a button.
"Ka-dunk…"
Some mechanism triggered: the twin Gyarados fountains flanking the cave stopped spewing water and slid outward.
As they moved, the spring drained in an instant—
Not even a damp patch left behind.
Looking into the cave again, the bare ground now revealed several tiers of steps.
Peering down the front, they saw the staircase drop away into darkness, the layered steps vanishing into a deep shaft. Waves of heat pulsed up from below—like an underworld hand, eager to drag intruders down.
"Gym Leader Blaine, you built your new Gym inside the volcano itself."
Grey took a few steps back. The towering volcano filled his view.
He looked from the cave to the mountain.
No need to think too hard—the Gym was set deep within the volcano.
Only a Fire specialist like Blaine would have the guts to do that.
Anyone else? Good luck opening shop inside a volcano.
"Eh?! Inside the volcano? Wouldn't you just pass out from the heat?"
Green fanned at her face. The heat rolling out at the entrance already had her reeling.
Good thing Cinnabar's been unseasonably cold lately, or she might've fainted on the spot.
"It isn't that bad."
Blaine's tone was light. "I am a Fire-type Gym Leader. This level of heat is nothing to me."
Green didn't fully get it, but nodded.
She tried to follow Grey down, but the heat burst pushed her back the instant she crossed the threshold.
"Forget it. I'll wait in the room."
Green's cheeks were bright red—this time from the heat.
"Hands off anything you shouldn't touch, okay?"
Grey tossed back a reminder and headed into the corridor with Blaine.
"Hey! I've turned over a new leaf!"
Green stamped her foot, left behind.
…
"Gym Leader Grey, if I'm not mistaken, didn't you post something in the group a few days ago?"
Blaine walked ahead, shrugging on a lab coat as he brought up Grey's recent entry into the Gym Leaders' chat.
"Yeah. I posted photos of grabbing Team Rocket members."
Grey nodded lightly—no reason to hide it.
The Gym-only chat was Gym Leaders, with Lance as the admin.
It's just that Lance rarely checked the group.
Otherwise, knowing his personality and status, he'd have @-ed Grey right away with praise.
"Not bad, kid—caught that many Rocket grunts in a few days, and even helped rescue the S.S. Anne."
Wearing the lab coat properly, Blaine glanced sideways at Grey. "I'm curious—if Team Rocket comes for you later, what's your plan?"
"What's done is done. Overthinking it only makes trouble."
Grey shook his phone with a small laugh. "Besides, Rocket runs wild across Kanto. If they really show up, I'll call Lorelei on the spot and hit them from the inside and out."
"That works."
Blaine nodded, then shifted the topic. "If I recall, this should be your dojo's third time entering the Gym elimination tournament, right?"
Since the talk had turned to Gyms—and Grey happened to want to ask about it—he pressed, "Yeah. Why?"
"Then this time, you must beat Sabrina."
Blaine's tone turned grave. "If you lose to her again, the League will revoke your dojo's license to operate as an official Gym. In simple terms—you won't even be allowed to issue badges."
"That strict?!"
Grey frowned. "What if Sabrina and I both make the top eight?"
"Unless you win the championship, one of your Gyms will lose its official status."
"Hm?"
Blaine's words lit a spark in Grey's eyes.
"Tell me more about that championship."
There wasn't much public info about the Gym elimination tournament. Grey only had bits and pieces from Nobuhiko[1] and Sabrina.
The former hadn't even made the top 32.
The latter's mindset was simply: keep fighting forward.
By contrast, a veteran like Blaine knew far more.
"Judging by your face, you've put all your time into training your Pokémon."
Blaine teased him, then explained, "Normally, each city only has one Gym. That's to protect a Gym's growth."
"In the elimination tournament, if you manage to win the championship, you can choose to let another Gym in the same specialty co-exist. In other words, two Gyms in one city."
"However, not many Kanto Gym Leaders meet all the conditions. Ever since Giovanni took up a Gym, winning the championship has only gotten harder."
At Giovanni's name, Blaine sighed and let the subject drop.
Giovanni's reputation echoes across Kanto. Most believe that if he challenges the Elite Four, he might run the table right up to Lance.
"We're here."
In the midst of their talk, they reached the volcano's depths.
Hearing no footsteps behind him, Blaine looked back. "Why'd you stop?"
Grey lifted his head and met Blaine's eyes.
"I'm thinking about how to beat Giovanni."
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[1] Nobuhiko's name in the West is Kiyo, but I prefer his original name, and the first time I mentioned it, I referred to him as Nobuhiko. In case some of you don't recognize his name.