Ordinary Mystic Water can at most increase the power of Water-type moves by around 20% to 30%, but the one in Ash Ketchum's hand could boost them by nearly 50%. The difference was not just numerical, it was on an entirely different level.
"Aooo…" Even Suicune could feel the benefits of the item. Unfortunately, for a Legendary Pokémon that had already mastered the laws of water, the effect was negligible. At most, it served as an elegant ornament, like a beautiful necklace.
"This thing is basically useless for you. Right… how are the others doing now? Is Charizard adapting well?"
As he spoke, Ash rode on Suicune's back, dashing toward the outskirts of the venue.
"Oh~"
"I see… that's good. They can't afford to slack off. Compared to the older generation of Champion-level Pokémon, they're still very young. That means their potential is far greater."
Using Aura to understand Suicune's thoughts, Ash smiled in satisfaction. Even within the Dream Forest, his main team continued training daily to stabilize and refine their strength. That kind of discipline was exactly what he wanted to see.
"Ash, over here!"
Just as he reached the edge of the celebration grounds, Sabrina called out, waving at him from a short distance away.
"What are you all doing here? Don't tell me you actually came for this boring celebration."
Ash frowned slightly as he approached. To him, the entire event was nothing more than noise and wasted time.
"Of course we did. This is Fire Island. There are plenty of foods here you can't find anywhere else."
Sabrina immediately saw through his excuse. This was far from the first time Ash had tried to dodge going around with her.
"So this is Suicune… it's even more beautiful up close."
Lorelei stepped forward and gently placed her hand on Suicune's neck. Normally, Suicune would never allow such contact, but perhaps because of Ash, it did not resist.
"It's almost noon. After lunch, we're heading to Yellow Rock Island. I've got something to take care of."
Ash spoke calmly. What he referred to was naturally the matter concerning Lugia.
"Fine. Then let's eat here. There are a lot of snacks you won't find anywhere else."
Sabrina pointed toward the bustling food stalls lining both sides of the street.
"Ash, there's something I'd like to discuss with you. I'm hoping we can cooperate… if you're willing."
At that moment, Siebold, who had just returned from the Pokémon Center, walked over and spoke.
"Sure. You probably have something to say as well. Let's talk together."
Ash nodded, then glanced toward Chie Aoyama.
The group soon gathered at a popular food stall. After ordering several local specialties, Siebold finally got straight to the point.
"Ash, I heard about the Rare Candy you mentioned before. I've made some inquiries."
"If possible, could you help refine some for me? Of course, I'll provide all the materials."
His goal was clear, the Rare Candy.
For trainers at the King or quasi-Champion level, this item was incredibly valuable, especially for those who trained their Pokémon in a balanced, all-around manner. While this method produced exceptionally powerful Pokémon, their growth speed was significantly slower.
The real difficulty came during breakthroughs.
Take Blaine as an example. Although his Pokémon had reached Champion level, most of them only excelled in one or two areas.
This kind of focused training made breakthroughs easier, but it also created clear weaknesses.
In contrast, trainers like Lorelei pursued comprehensive development, strength, speed, technique, mental power, and proficiency were all trained evenly.
However, that balance came at a cost.
To break through, every single aspect had to reach the required threshold simultaneously. That was the true difficulty of advancing through comprehensive training.
"Is it from the Kalos region? I didn't expect news of the Rare Candy to reach you. Even in Kanto and Johto, very few people know about it. After all, even as the creator, I can't mass-produce something like this."
Ash Ketchum was genuinely surprised. He hadn't expected information about such an unconventional item to spread all the way to Kalos. Then again, something that defied normal training limits was bound to attract attention sooner or later.
"Of course. You might not realize how valuable Rare Candy is because of your own strength, but for people like us at the Elite Four or near-Champion level, this is a rare opportunity."
Looking at Ash, who was clearly much younger than him, Siebold couldn't help but feel that the title of "genius" he once took pride in had become insignificant.
"What I want to say is the same as Siebold. I'm willing to provide the materials as well."
Standing nearby, Bonnie added her request without hesitation.
"Alright. If that's all, I don't mind. Same condition as Lorelei, I'll take half of the finished product. As long as you can gather the materials."
Ash nodded casually, then added,
"Just so you understand the difficulty, in over half a year, Lorelei only managed to collect three complete sets of materials."
He had no intention of refusing them. Cooperation like this only benefited him as well.
For Siebold and the others, Rare Candy represented a possible breakthrough, a chance to push past their limits.
But for Ash, it was nothing more than a future reward, something he could use for his subordinates or disciples.
More importantly, the effect of Rare Candy was nearly useless at the Champion level.
If someone believed they could defeat him using only Champion-level Pokémon enhanced by Rare Candy, then their thinking was far too naive.
Even among Pokémon of the same level, there were vast differences in strength. With his uniquely developed techniques and battle mastery, Ash's advantage was overwhelming, making him nearly unbeatable in direct combat.