Pokémon: Start with an Admiral Crab!

"That... Master Xia Bo..."

"——I haven't captured any powerful Pokémon in the Kanto region yet... so please go easy on me!"

After much hesitation and fear of embarrassment, Xiao Feng still explained awkwardly.

"I see... Then - wait until Yao's battle is over, and then decide whether to challenge him!"

Xia Bo did not force the other party, and very understandingly chose to let Xiaofeng make her own decision.

"Okay! Thank you very much!"

Xiao Feng gratefully took a few quick steps to catch up with Xia Bo.

"Wow, uncle, there is such a big hot spring pool in your backyard!"

Following Xia Bo through the front hall, Wang Yao saw the hot spring pool in the backyard of Xia Bo's house.

"It's because the hot spring hotel business is so prosperous..."

"If no one challenges the gym next time... I'm ready to close it!"

Xia Bo sighed and said.

Although he is in a semi-retired state, he still has a passionate heart... If it weren't for the lack of popularity of the Red Lotus Gym, he would not have chosen to close the gym and run a hot spring B&B instead.

"I think it's great... If I can own a hot spring hotel, it's okay to retire at this age."

Wang Yao put his hands behind his head, looking nonchalant.

"Hey... it's too inhumane of you to say that!"

Xiao Feng looked at Wang Yao with some resentment.

"Grandpa seems to miss his old gym!"

Xiao Feng warned Wang Yao not to talk nonsense.

"What! I'm a grandfather? I'm only fifty-eight years old! I'm still very young!"

Xia Bo felt a little hurt by the way Xiao Feng addressed him.

"So you're already fifty-eight years old... Professor Oak is only fifty-two this year, but his grandson Xiao Mao is already nine years old!"

Wang Yao exclaimed.

"I really can't tell... I think you're younger than Professor Oak from your appearance."

Wang Yao looked at Xia Bo again.

It seemed that the blond wig on his head made him look younger.

"Hey... Comparing me to Da Mu - I don't understand whether you are praising me or insulting me..."

Xia Bo pondered for a long time and finally felt that Wang Yao was probably complimenting himself on looking younger than his actual age.

"Anyway...if you still have time after the battle, I welcome you to relax in the hot spring pool in my backyard..."

"Anyway, we haven't officially opened yet...you can stay as long as you want!"

Xia Bo waved his hand and walked towards a stone fountain in the shape of a Gyarados beside the hot spring pool.

Ka——! Kaka!

As Xia Bo pressed the stone Gyarados's head, a hidden portal on the rock wall opened.

"Wow! It's a hidden door!"

Xiao Feng thinks this design looks very cool.

"How about it! This is something I designed carefully!"

Xia Bo showed the two the gym's opening mechanism with some pride.

"It's a great idea...but if you want to turn this place into a hot spring residence...what if someone accidentally touches it?"

Wang Yao stroked his chin and thought.

"I have already considered what you said - look there!"

Xia Bo pointed to an iron box hanging on the wall of the house and said.

"As long as you turn off the main switch there, this Gyarados statue won't be triggered."

"That's really thoughtful... I'm speechless."

Wang Yao spread his hands, thinking that Xia Bo's arrangement was very reasonable.

"Let's go! Below is the newly built Red Lotus Gym Battleground."

Xia Bo led a few people into the hidden stone door and down the stairs.

At the end of the stairs is a large, tightly closed iron door.

"Be careful when you get here... because this iron door is very hot."

Xia Bo took out a pair of oven gloves from his arms, put them on, and opened the large iron door deep in the tunnel.

“I feel like it’s not that cool anymore…”

Xiao Feng covered his eyes with his hands and looked at the pair of baking gloves that Xia Bo took out, feeling a sense of disillusionment.

"Little girl, there's nothing I can do if you say that..."

"...After all, behind this iron door is a real magma pool!"

As Xia Bo opened the iron gate, a wave of heat instantly swept across everyone.

"Please look... This is the New Guren Gym! A fire-type gym built on magma!"

Xia Bo was very satisfied with this high-end-looking battle venue.

The entire battlefield was opened up using the natural space inside the crater, with the four corners of the battlefield suspended in the air by four thick iron chains.

There is no protection around the venue, even where the trainers stand, and there is boiling magma below!

"Wow……"

Xiao Feng and Wang Yao both exclaimed in surprise.

To be honest... in the entire Kanto region, even the most famous Golden Gym and the most powerful Tokiwa Gym...

In terms of the spectacular scene, it is indeed far inferior to the Honglian Gym which is built directly on the crater!

The danger level during the battle is also the same...

"Great! I can't wait!"

Wang Yao took out the Poké Ball. This kind of battle above the magma is really full of manly romance!

The two sides quickly took their positions on both sides of the field.

“Even though they know it’s fake… people are still flocking to buy it! What is it?”

Before the battle began, Xia Bo suddenly raised a finger and asked seriously.

"——You really love guessing riddles!"

Xiao Feng didn't expect that this little old man was quite funny.

"..."

Wang Yao knew the answer, but he didn't dare to say it out loud.

"The answer is revealed - it's a wig! Unfortunately no one guessed it right!"

After waiting for a few seconds, seeing no one answering, Xia Bo took off his heavy golden wig, revealing his bald head and a circle of white hair around it.

“It’s really hot…”

Xia Bo took off his wig and wiped the sweat off his forehead.

If it weren't for the high temperature inside the volcano, he would be reluctant to take off his wig.

"So that's how it is... It's so hard to guess! Hehe... Hehe..."

Seeing Xia Bo take off his wig, Wang Yao suddenly realized.

"Is it really that difficult to guess? I guess I'll have to use a different riddle next time..."

Xia Bo muttered.

"Then! The competition officially begins!"

After the jokes ended, Xia Bo's tone became more serious.

"Now that you've done your homework... have you decided which Pokémon you'll be sending out for this three-on-three match?"

As the owner of the gym, Xia Bo was supposed to explain the rules of the competition... but as an old man approaching retirement, there were no rules for him to follow.

[It turns out that only three are needed...]

Wang Yao thought it was the same as the badge count, with five Pokémon as the requirement...

"Of course!"

Wang Yao adjusted the positions of several Poké Balls that were going to be used in battle.

"The battle begins!"

"Then, my number one contestant! It's decided to be you - Kyuubi!"

Xia Bo threw out a Poké Ball.