The forest outside of Aspertia City.
"Pidgeotto, any discoveries?" Shouta specifically released Pidgeotto to help search for the gym.
Pidgeotto, possessing the keen eye trait, is well-suited for search tasks.
"Pi!"
Pidgeotto nodded, indicating that it had found the target. It took the lead, with Satoshi and Natsue following.
Soon, they came to a ravine with a single-log bridge. Seeing this bridge, Shouta could tell that Agi didn't want anyone to challenge his gym at all. He wasn't concerned if a trainer would be injured here.
"啾!"
Just as Shouta was about to cross, a spherical Pokémon covered in fur appeared at the end of the single-log bridge.
【LV27 Woobat♀/Elite】
Shouta's eyes widened instantly. The Woobat in front of him, while only possessing Elite potential, had different eyes than a normal Woobat. They were blue compound eyes. The purple fur was also lighter than normal Woobat.
"Golbat, Dark Pulse!" Shouta didn't hesitate, throwing out the Poké Ball.
Bang!
"Da!!"
Golbat's eyes emitted mesmerizing light beams, preventing Woobat from escaping.
Woobat immediately realized the danger and immediately used its Psychic power to bind Golbat. Golbat was prepared and released a piercing sound, disrupting Woobat's focus and preventing it from concentrating on its Psychic power. Then it flapped its wings, creating several air blades that rapidly flew towards Woobat.
Woobat was slow and hit by the air blades. Super effective!
"Keep up the Air Blades."
Golbat unleashed another Air Blade. The merciless wind cut through Woobat, taking away its last ounce of strength.
"Good, it's my turn."
"Go, Poké Ball!"
Shouta threw out the Poké Ball. It left a graceful arc in the air and hit Woobat, capturing it.
The Poké Ball shook on the ground three times and stopped.
That makes two Shiny Pokémon captured.
Shouta walked over to pick up the Poké Ball. The Poké Ball in his hand was teleported away.
"Woobat!"
Just then, a woman dressed in a ninja outfit burst out of the forest.
Shouta recognized her. She was the gym leader of Aspertia, Agi's sister. He couldn't remember her name.
"Who are you?" Before Shouta could ask, Natsue stepped forward and questioned her.
"Who are you guys? Why are you stealing my Woobat." Aya was a proud and arrogant girl. She wouldn't easily bow to outsiders, especially since Shouta had snatched her Shiny Woobat that she had been stalking for so long. She was furious.
"Steal your Woobat? Sister, that Woobat wasn't captured by you just now." Shouta questioned.
If the Woobat was hers, his Poké Ball wouldn't have been able to capture it.
"I've been chasing this Woobat for a long time. If it wasn't for its Run Away ability, it would already be mine." Aya said angrily.
Shouta believed Aya's words, but this Woobat was a wild Pokémon. Of course, it belonged to whoever could capture it. You can't blame others for not being able to capture it.
"You can't blame others for not being able to capture it." Since the other side wanted to take the Pokémon he had captured, Shouta wouldn't give her a good face.
"You...!" Aya was so angry she wanted to bite someone, but seeing that there were two of them, she knew that she wouldn't have an advantage if she really started fighting. So, she came up with an idea.
"How about we have a battle. If you win, the Woobat is yours. If you lose, return the Woobat to me." Aya suggested.
"Do you think I'm stupid? Woobat is already my Pokémon. Why would I use my Pokémon as a bargaining chip." Shouta retorted.
Woobat had been captured by Shouta, and was his Pokémon. Why would he use it as a gambling chip.
"I'm the Aspertia Gym Leader. If you beat me, I'll give you the gym badge." Aya said.
"Are you sure you're the gym leader? I remember that the Aspertia Gym Leader was a man." Shouta questioned.
"That's my brother. My brother is out on business. I'm the acting gym leader now. My name is Aya." Aya lied without a trace of embarrassment.
"No need. I'm here to challenge the Aspertia Gym. As a gym trainer, you can't refuse a trainer's challenge. If I win the gym battle, I'll get the badge anyway. Why do I need to gamble with you." Shouta said.
"You..."
Aya was having a headache.
This little brat is really hard to fool. I have to pull out my secret weapon.
"If you win me, I'll give you a Skill Secret." Aya said.
Skill Secrets were good stuff. They were one of the few items in the Pokémon world that could teach skills. They were very precious because they were consumable items. Once you use them, they're gone.
These Skill Secrets were made from Heart Scales. Heart Scales were amazing things. They could transmit a creature's thoughts, and they could also record skills. It just takes more than one Heart Scale.
In modern times, people made Heart Scales into scroll-like Secret items. That way, they could record a complete skill in the Secret. As long as the Pokémon could learn the skill recorded in the Secret, they could master it. But the effect is only once. After the skill in the Secret is learned, the Secret Scroll is useless and can only be used as a normal scroll to record things.
"Oh, what skill?" Shouta asked.
If the skill in the Secret was good, then this gamble could be taken.
"Poison Jab." Aya said.
Poison Jab!
Poison Jab is a Poison-type Physical Attack skill with a power of 80. Pokémon with antennae or the Poison attribute can learn it.
Moreover, apart from the strongest Sludge Bomb, Poison Jab ranks second. It's a pretty good skill.
"Okay, I agree to this gamble." Shouta agreed to the gamble with Aya. Free skills are free.
"Follow me."
Aya led Shouta through a forest to a spacious area with an ancient building, a Japanese-style old house.
Aspertia Gym is a very old gym, and is said to have existed hundreds of years ago. The old Aspertia Gym was a place for training ninjas.
Entering the gym, Aya brought Satoshi and Natsue to the indoor arena inside the gym. The arena was all made of wood.
Shouta looked at the indoor gym, feeling strange. This arena is not suitable for fighting at all. It's all made of wood. If you send out a Fire-type Pokémon, won't you burn down the gym?
"Shouta, there are other people in the gym." At this time, Natsue reminded him through telepathy.
Shouta was taken aback, remembering that Aya was Agi's sister. The person Natsue was talking about was probably Agi.
"It's okay, they should be just people inside the gym. They don't have any malicious intent." Shouta said.
Seeing Shouta say so, Natsue didn't say anything else. She pretended not to know anything.