"Forget it," Haunter was clearly uninterested, shaking its head in refusal. "It's too weak. It's no match for me at all."
"Too weak? You dare say my Crobat is too weak!?" Unexpectedly, this comment directly provoked Janine. She shouted, "Hey, you talking Haunter over there! You may be unique, but don't you dare underestimate my Pokémon! Do you dare to come up here and have a match with it!?"
Haunter was completely unmoved. It even made a funny face at Janine and stuck out its large tongue, "Bleh! I'm not coming up, what are you gonna do about it!? Bleh, bleh, bleh!"
Seeing Janine fuming with rage, Natsui quickly tried to smooth things over.
"Ah, sorry, my Haunter just has this kind of personality. Ms. Janine, please don't take it personally!"
However, knowing Haunter was unwilling to battle, and looking at Crobat's pig-like face, Natsui thought for a moment, then threw a Poké Ball and sent out Jolteon.
"Jolteon, this battle is up to you!"
In his memory, Crobat possessed extreme speed, and among his Pokémon, only Jolteon could currently match it.
Furthermore, the Electric type had a type advantage against the Flying type, so sending out Jolteon was indeed a good choice.
On the other side, seeing Jolteon, Janine's brow furrowed. She had thought Natsui would actually send out that annoying Haunter!
"A Jolteon, is it? But it doesn't matter. No matter who the opponent is, my Crobat will teach a good lesson to anyone who dares to look down on us!"
Once both Pokémon were ready, Janine launched an attack directly.
"Crobat, use Air Cutter!"
As one of Crobat's pairs of wings suddenly flapped, several transparent, crescent-shaped blades formed from high-pressure air slashed down towards Jolteon.
"Jolteon, dodge it quickly!"
Hearing Natsui's command, Jolteon used its agile steps to perfectly evade the attack just before it landed. At the same time, it rustled the fur on its body and launched a counterattack.
Rows of Pin Missiles, like steel needles, shot towards Crobat!
Crobat flapped its wings and likewise dodged the sweeping attack.
After this simple exchange, both of them understood that with their mutual high speed, it was impossible to land a hit and cause any effective damage with long-range attacks alone.
With that thought, Janine immediately changed her strategy, "Crobat, use Cross Poison!!"
Crobat circled twice and dived down, its clawed front wings glowing with a faint green light as it slashed towards Jolteon.
Faced with the aggressive attack, Natsui did not choose to evade.
"Jolteon, Thundershock it!"
By now, Crobat had already closed in. Electricity flowed around Jolteon's body, and it then unleashed a Thundershock that hit Crobat. But even so, Crobat endured the pain and viciously slashed at Jolteon with its poison claws!
This time, although it looked like they had traded blows and both were injured, with Electric being super effective against Flying, it was Crobat that took more damage!
As Crobat flew back up, Janine continued to shout, "Crobat! Use Poison Fang!"
Natsui waved his hand and similarly said, "Jolteon, don't lose to it! Use Thunder Fang!"
The two Pokémon, one with poison dripping from its mouth, the other crackling with electricity, had only their most primitive battle instincts left as they opened their mouths wide and clashed!
Biting, biting, and more biting!
With Crobat's gaping maw and Jolteon's low growls, the two Pokémon's claws grappled with each other as they bit down on one another's bodies!
In just a few breaths, Crobat was covered in wounds, and Jolteon had also sustained several injuries. But what happened next was unexpected: both of them were simultaneously afflicted with a status condition!
First was Jolteon. Its body was invaded by venom, which instantly spread throughout its system. Even its face had turned a faint green!
Next was Crobat. It was paralyzed by the electric current, unable to move for a moment, completely defenseless!
Seeing this, Natsui commanded, "Jolteon, finish it with one last blow! Use Discharge!!"
Jolteon's needle-like fur stood on end. The electrons in its body gathered frantically, releasing a dazzling burst of electricity!
BZZZZZT!!
This time, Crobat took the full force of the damage and fainted, completely losing its ability to battle!
"I lost..."
Janine sighed in frustration, took out a Poké Ball, and recalled her Crobat.
Nodding at her, Natsui took out an Antidote, walked over to Jolteon, and fed it to him.
"You fought well," he said, stroking Jolteon's forehead. Seeing its complexion improve and the poison seemingly fade, he recalled it into its Poké Ball as well.
"Well then, as we agreed before," Janine said, clearing the path. "Since you've defeated me, please go through this door and continue forward."
After speaking, before Natsui could reply, she vanished through the door in a flash.
"Honestly, why is doing a Gym battle so troublesome?"
Although he complained, Natsui still proceeded with Haunter and Kirlia, passing through the wooden door.
Behind the door was a staircase. When he walked up the stairs and reached the second floor, he found another long corridor before him.
Sunlight streamed in through the transom windows on the side, brightly illuminating the hallway.
"Although it looks safe," Haunter said, spinning around and clicking its tongue, "I bet there's still some kind of trap here. You'd better be careful."
He took a dozen or so steps forward, but nothing happened. However, the more peaceful it was, the more cautious he became.
Sure enough, after walking a few more meters, his arm seemed to suddenly hit an invisible wall!
This invisible wall completely blocked the path ahead. Although it was transparent, the sunlight reflecting off it still gave off a faint white shimmer.
Natsui carefully felt along the edge of the wall with his hand. It was cold and smooth to the touch. When he knocked on it gently, it made a 'thump-thump' sound. It was clearly a thick, transparent glass wall!
Haunter's body passed back and forth through the wall. To it, which had no physical form, this wall was like nothing at all.
"How about it? Want me to break it?"
Natsui shook his head. An idea struck him, and he turned back the way he came. However, when he reached the top of the stairs, he found that an invisible wall had appeared there at some point as well!
Now, the paths both in front and behind him were blocked. He was completely trapped in the corridor!
But at this, Natsui actually smiled.
He vaguely remembered that when he watched the anime, Ash had encountered this very trap when he challenged the Fuchsia Gym.
And as for what comes next after this trap...
Natsui walked to the side of the long corridor, to the wooden wall with the transom window, lifted his right leg, and kicked it with all his might!