Pokémon, Inkaros, my starter Pokémon

Tokito responded politely.

Rika gently shook her head, praising sincerely, "To be honest, if I were to compete against either of you, I'm afraid I wouldn't be a match. Mr. Tokito, your Pokémon are powerful and mysterious, and Ms. Sabrina's psychic abilities are even more unfathomable. However, as the trainer of the Rainbow City Gym, I won't give up easily."

"I know there are quite a few gym leaders who are stronger than me in this competition, so it will be difficult to win in the end. But no matter what, I will try my best to achieve better results, at least to win a few more matches, and to bring some glory to our Yuhong Dojo."

Lijia's attitude was neither humble nor arrogant; she acknowledged the gap while also demonstrating her determination, which gave people a very comfortable feeling.

Both Toki and Sabrina developed a fondness for this gentle yet resilient Grass-type Gym Leader.

"correct."

As if remembering something, Rika gently clasped her hands together, revealing a gentle yet slightly playful smile, and said, "Since we are both trainers from the Kanto region and have met here by chance, why don't we take a picture together? It would be a way to commemorate this exchange match."

"group photo?"

Naz was clearly surprised by the suggestion, as she rarely participates in such activities.

"Yes, come on, come on!"

Without a word, Lijia enthusiastically pulled over the still somewhat stiff Naz, then gestured for Shidou to stand on the other side. She took out her phone, adjusted the angle, and snapped a picture of the three of them.

In the scene, Rika has a gentle smile, Tokito's expression is slightly helpless but smiling, while Naz looks a bit dazed and shy, which is very different from her usual image.

"These photos are great! I'll share them in the museum owners' group right now!"

Lijia looked at the photo and said with great satisfaction, then skillfully operated her phone a few times.

Before Shidou could stop her, Rika had already finished sending the message. She put away her phone, winked at the two of them, smiled, and said, "Well then, I'll go register first~ By the way, Crimson Lotus Island is a famous tourist destination, especially renowned for its hot springs. Since you two are here early, why not enjoy this rare 'two-person time'?"

After saying that, Lijia left the registration area with a smile that seemed to conceal her achievements, leaving Shidou and Nazi staring at each other, the air thick with an even stronger sense of awkwardness and ambiguity.

"Time for two..."

Naz repeated the sentence in a low voice, and the blush that had just faded crept back onto her cheeks.

The two left the arena and headed to the hotel designated by the league for the participating gym leaders.

Along the way, high-pitched cries and the sound of something cutting through the air could be heard from the sky.

Shi Dou and Sabrina looked up and saw a Pidgeot and a Dragonair racing and darting through the clouds at high speed, leaving only two afterimages.

"This combination... without a doubt, is Asahi from Kikyo City and Tsubaki from Ensaku City in the Johto region."

Tokito immediately realized that the elite guild masters from Kanto and Johto were arriving at the volcanic island one after another.

Upon arriving at the inn, the environment was indeed as luxurious as expected, in the style of a traditional Japanese hot spring inn, with a wooden structure, a quiet courtyard, and exquisite and elegant interior decoration.

After the staff confirmed their race pass and "family" information, they led them to a spacious Japanese-style room.

However, an awkward situation arose after entering the room.

A typical Japanese-style room layout, without a bed, only two sets of futons placed side by side on the tatami mats.

Because they were registered as "family members," Natsumi was naturally assigned to the same room as Tokito...

Chapter 98, Super Queen Sabrina, is also quite voluptuous! (1.2 words)

The atmosphere solidified instantly.

Although Naz was extremely embarrassed and her cheeks were flushed, thankfully it was a tatami room with separate bedding, so at least she didn't have to sleep in the same bed... This was probably the only consolation for now.

Shi Dou coughed lightly, awkwardly put his luggage away, trying to break the suffocating silence, and then took out his phone to try and distract himself.

As soon as I opened it, I saw that the icon of the "Love and Affection Quartz Museum Owners" group chat showed 99+ unread messages.

Time Dou Electricity

【Hua Lan's Elegance】: Wow! It's a photo posted by Li Jia, so cute ('▽`) Miss Nazi is also so cute (*^▽^*), completely different from usual.

[Full of Electricity]: Tsk, Tokito, you're pretty quick, aren't you? You've already won over Sabrina? I really underestimated you.

【Rock Solid】: Seems like you're getting along well. The background is the Crimson Arena, right? I didn't expect you guys to be here already? I'm still in Pewter City. But it only takes us two days to get to Crimson Island; I can leave tomorrow and still make it.

【Light Red Shadow】：：

[Ichisei City - Sakaki]: Young people, having plenty of energy is a good thing.

[Kikyo City - Soto]: I just finished a speed contest with Tsubaki and then I saw this. The Time Fighting Gym Leader, wow, amazing! The Psychic Queen took him down just like that. (A Spearow emoji giving a thumbs up)

[Yanmo City - Xiaochun]: Asu, focus on flying! ...However, the photos are indeed well taken. Wishing you a healthy pregnancy!

[Azure City - A-Si]: Hahaha, is this the charm of us fighters?! Keep it up, Brother Shi Dou!

[Kinjiro City - Akane]: Huh?! Really?! Miss Sabrina and Mr. Tokito?! My Milk Tank is shocked!

【Red Lotus Town - Xia Bo】: Hehe, it's so good to be young. Now that you've arrived at Red Lotus Island, remember to soak in the hot springs; they're good for your health.

Scrolling through these comments, some teasing, some offering blessings, and some just watching the drama unfold, and then looking at the photo that Rika had snapped of him, and the superpowered queen next to him who seemed to want to shrink into a corner, Shidou felt as if black lines were sliding down his forehead.

This is... completely inexplicable.

…………

As dusk deepened, the warm lights of the hot spring inn on Crimson Lotus Island illuminated the scene. With the owner's friendly guidance, Tokito and Sabrina settled their luggage.

Seeing these two good-looking, youthful young people, the proprietress smiled slightly and emphasized, "Gentlemen, the outdoor hot spring attached to the room is ready. It's a natural volcanic spring drawn from the back mountain, perfect for relieving fatigue."

"Okay, thank you, Mother-in-law."

Shidou and Nazha politely thanked them.

After packing his simple belongings, Shidou grabbed a towel and headed to the sliding door at the back of the room. The moment he opened the door, a wave of warm steam carrying the scent of sulfur rushed out. It was a meticulously crafted open-air courtyard, where moonlight shone on the steaming rock hot spring pool, creating a tranquil and comfortable atmosphere.

"Phew... It truly lives up to its reputation."

Shidou slid comfortably into the warm spring water, letting the heat envelop his entire body, and couldn't help but let out a satisfied sigh.

Shi Dou leaned against the edge of the pool, closed his eyes, and enjoyed a rare moment of tranquility.

Suddenly, the sound of water rippling gently made him open his eyes. The sliding door was pulled open again, and Naz appeared in the hazy steam.

At this moment, Naz was only wearing a white bathrobe, the belt loosely tied, outlining her breathtakingly beautiful curves. Her wet, long purple hair was slightly messy, sticking to her cheeks and neck, which made her skin look even whiter than snow.

Naz seemed unaware that someone was in the pool, and was carefully stepping onto the stone slabs by the pool with her head down.

Then, at that moment, Naz raised her head.

Eyes facing each other...

Time seemed to freeze at this moment.

Steam drifted slowly between the two, and the moonlight outlined Naza's somewhat bewildered profile. Shi Dou could clearly see water droplets dripping from her wet hair, sliding down her delicate collarbone, and disappearing into the depths of the slightly open neckline of her bathrobe.

There was a silence of about ten seconds, broken only by the soft gurgling of the hot spring water.

"You... what are you doing here..."

Naza's cheeks flushed crimson at a visible speed, whether from the heat of the hot spring or from her current predicament, it was hard to tell. Naza instinctively clutched the collar of her bathrobe, her voice softer than usual, carrying a barely perceptible hint of panic.

Shi Dou also recovered from his initial surprise. Instead of forcing himself to look away from her alluring curves, he kept his gaze fixed on her flushed face, and asked with a hint of mockery:

"Miss Naz, shouldn't I be the one asking that? Why can't you come? And if I remember correctly, I was here first. But you... how did you end up in the men's bathhouse?"

"This...isn't this attached to the room? I thought that these private hot springs...are usually...separate for men and women...but the hotel owner didn't mention that it's...mixed bathing..."

Nazie paused slightly, blinked her amethyst-like eyes, and looked around the private courtyard with some uncertainty, her voice even lower.

As she spoke, Naz's voice grew softer and softer until it was almost inaudible.

When she said the words "mixed bathing," her ears turned bright red.

Seeing her unusually shy demeanor, so different from her usual aloof and detached superpowered queen, Shi Dou couldn't help but find it amusing. He followed her words and laughed, "Oh yeah... that seems to be the case."

Tokito's words only made the already ambiguous atmosphere even more subtle.

Naza stood by the pool, unsure whether to go in or back.

The steam from the hot spring made her dizzy, and Shi Dou's smiling gaze made her heart race. She could feel his gaze sweeping over her body wrapped in a bathrobe, and the feeling wasn't unpleasant. Instead, it was like a feather gently brushing against her heart, bringing a strange shiver.

Finally, Sabrina mustered her courage and carefully stepped into the pool, sitting down on the opposite side furthest from Tokito, burying her body deep in the water with only her head showing.

The warm spring water enveloped their bodies, yet it couldn't dispel the unusual heat on their faces and in their hearts. For a moment, the two were silent, and a silent tension filled the air, an intimacy tinged with a dangerous allure.

The water rippled gently between them, as if conveying indescribable emotions.

After an unknown amount of time, until their skin was slightly wrinkled, the two of them got up from the hot spring one after the other.

Back in the tatami room, Naza used a towel to dry her long, wet hair. The purple strands clung to her smooth neck and cheeks, and water droplets dripped from the ends of her hair, leaving dark water stains on her white bathrobe.

The bathrobe clung tightly to her body due to the moisture, highlighting the superpowered queen's slender waist and graceful back. Under the dim light, she exuded a pure and alluring charm, like a lotus emerging from water, while also carrying a hint of unguarded vulnerability.

Shidou looked at Natsumi, his eyes flickering slightly, but he quickly regained his composure.

The hotel had already laid out two quilts side by side.

They each crawled inside and lay side by side in the darkness, able to clearly hear each other's soft breathing.

"Nazi."

"Ok?"

Nazie tensed up for a moment.

However, the topic Shi Dou talked about next surprised her.

"Satie, speaking of which, what is your dream? To become the strongest psychic? Or the strongest Pokémon trainer?" Tokito asked softly, gazing at the ceiling.

In the darkness, Sabrina was silent for a moment, then spoke softly: "In the past, perhaps that was true. But now... I want to find a balance. To use this power to understand more, to help more people, whether they are humans or Pokémon."

“A wonderful ideal,” Shidou said sincerely. “My spirit and I just want to keep challenging the strong, see a wider world, and perhaps… find our own answers.”

Next, Tokito and Sabrina talked about their respective Pokémon, their travels, gyms, and funny stories from their childhood, as well as their vague hopes for the future.

The conversation was light and natural, as if we had returned to the days when we traveled side by side, and trust and tacit understanding flowed quietly in the night.

"Speaking of which... the way that superpowered queen blushed in the hot spring was actually quite cute."

As the conversation got more interesting, Tokito suddenly turned to the side, looking at Sabrina's blurry silhouette in the darkness from a distance of several tens of centimeters, his tone carrying a familiar teasing tone.

"you……!"

Sabrina was speechless for a moment, her heart, which had just calmed down, racing again. Fortunately, he couldn't see her burning cheeks in the darkness. She wanted to use her superpowers to throw this annoying guy away, but found that her abilities always seemed to fail her in front of him.

"……Go to sleep!"

In the end, Naz just pulled the blanket over herself in embarrassment and annoyance, wrapped herself up tightly, and mumbled a reply.

Shi Dou chuckled softly and stopped teasing her.

Hearing Shi Dou's even breathing, Na Zi's tense nerves gradually relaxed.

The warmth of the hot spring, the lingering feelings of excitement, and the comforting presence beside me all blend together, creating a gentle lullaby.

Listening to the even breathing beside her and feeling the unspoken intimacy, Naz gradually lost consciousness and finally fell into a deep sleep, carrying a lingering shyness and an indescribable sense of security.

As night deepened, I could hear Naz's even and soft breathing beside me; she was clearly fast asleep.

Shi Tou, however, kept his eyes open, staring at the blurry patterns on the ceiling of the tatami room.

He could almost smell a faint fragrance of hair mixed with the sulfur of the hot spring from Naz's side. Involuntarily, he recalled Naz's alluring appearance in the hot spring, wrapped in a bathrobe, her curves fully exposed, her cheeks flushed.

That shy charm, so different from the usually aloof and arrogant Super Queen, was like a feather, constantly tugging at his heartstrings.

Just then, a confident smile appeared on Shi Dou's lips.

When will I be able to completely 'take' Naza?

Once the thought arose, it grew like weeds. Tokito recalled his moments with Sabrina, from their initial clashes as gym leaders to their later tacit understanding and trust, and now to this ambiguous relationship, separated only by a thin veil.

Naza is undoubtedly one of the cutest girls who is most special to him.

Tokito rolled over, facing the blurry outline in Sabrina's direction.

But actually... Tokito knew that these things couldn't be rushed.

Naza's personality is cold on the outside, but she has her own pride and sensitivity inside. Rushing things will only scare her away...

Yes, even the Queen of Incredibles can be frightened by something too powerful.

can only say……

Everything needs to be done gradually~~~

Shi Dou closed his eyes, suppressing the excitement, and slowly drifted off to sleep with a sense of anticipation for the future.

For the next two days, Crimson Lotus Island seemed to transform into a giant honeymoon destination. Like any couple visiting the island, Tokito and Natsumi strolled along the scorching black sand beach, explored the unique volcanic landscape, sampled local specialties like roasted sweet potatoes and onsen eggs at the bustling market, and even released sky lanterns together at night to pray for victory.