The three Elite Four members beside Lorelei were already tempted.
Rare Candy had never been circulated publicly, but its effects were unquestionable. Because of that, every major region had invested heavily in gathering intelligence about it.
After all, even within the same tier, there were clear differences in strength.
The Elite Four were a perfect example.
Some Gym Leaders could reach the level of a quasi-Champion, yet they still fell short of the Elite Four. The difference was not just in training intensity, but in methods, resources, and depth of understanding when it came to raising Pokémon.
"At least eight, huh…"
Lorelei muttered softly before looking at Ash.
"When will you have time? Or… after the Whirl Islands competition ends, how about you come back with me?"
There was a rare hint of impatience in her voice. She clearly wanted to break through as soon as possible.
Among Kanto's Elite Four, Lance and Agatha stood at the top, both already possessing Champion-level strength. Lorelei followed closely behind, with Bruno ranked last.
However, Lorelei knew very well that her advantage against Bruno came mostly from type matchups. Bruno specialized in Fighting- and Rock-type Pokémon, which her Ice-types naturally countered.
Around three in the afternoon, the elimination rounds of the Whirl Islands competition came to an end.
The semifinals were set.
Ash vs. Lorelei.
Kalos Elite Four vs. Chie Aoyama.
The Hoenn Elite Four member had unfortunately been eliminated by Ash in the quarterfinals.
"The semifinals are about to begin! Out of the remaining four trainers, only two will advance to the finals!"
"First, please welcome Ash Ketchum and Lorelei to the battlefield!"
Unlike the League Conference, the Whirl Islands competition did not require field changes, allowing matches to proceed rapidly.
Each battle used only one Pokémon, while the finals allowed two, greatly shortening the duration of the tournament.
"I won't hold back. Don't blame me if your Pokémon get hurt."
Ash adjusted his cap slightly as he spoke calmly.
"I won't ask for mercy either. That Mystic Water… I'm determined to obtain it."
Lorelei's gaze sharpened.
"Go, Jynx!"
Jynx appeared on the battlefield, its presence immediately drawing attention.
An Ice- and Psychic-type Pokémon, and one of Lorelei's strongest partners.
"Croconaw."
With Ash's command, a Poké Ball at his waist opened, releasing a burst of white light.
Croconaw emerged onto the field, instantly triggering cheers from the audience.
Its previous performance had already left a deep impression. Each of its techniques was powerful, showcasing the strength of Ash's self-developed moves. Many trainers couldn't help but feel envious of the advanced techniques he had mastered.
"Jynx, use Psychic!"
Following Lorelei's command, Jynx raised its hands as a blue glow enveloped them.
In an instant, Croconaw's body stiffened.
It had been bound by Psychic and was unable to move.
"As expected of one of the strongest Elite Four members…"
Ash's eyes narrowed slightly.
"That level of psychic power is already close to Champion-tier."
Unlike many quasi-Champion Pokémon that excelled only in specific areas, Lorelei's Jynx had undergone comprehensive training.
Every aspect of its strength was refined.
This made breakthroughs more difficult, but also far more stable.
It was one of the reasons Lorelei remained among the strongest of the Elite Four.
"Break free, then use Water Pulse!"
"Wani!!!"
Croconaw roared as it struggled violently.
A surge of energy erupted from its body as it resisted the psychic restraints.
Ash's Pokémon possessed a natural advantage when facing Psychic-type techniques.
Thanks to his influence and training methods, their mental resistance was far stronger than average, making it significantly harder for Psychic-type moves to fully suppress them.
After breaking free from Psychic, Croconaw suddenly opened its mouth and fired out a thin stream of water.
The attack was incredibly fast, and its power was anything but ordinary.
Water Pulse, as used by Croconaw, had been compressed to the extreme, giving the stream a sharp, piercing quality, almost like a blade cutting through the air.
In terms of power, it had already reached an exceptionally high level.
The thin stream shot forward at high speed, and under Croconaw's control, it twisted and moved like a living water dragon as it targeted Jynx.
"Not good… Jynx, use Ice Beam!"
Sensing the danger, Lorelei immediately reacted.
A sphere of icy energy gathered between Jynx's hands before transforming into a beam of freezing light that shot forward to intercept the incoming attack.
"Boom!"
"Zzzzt!"
"Krrrk!"
"Incredible! Croconaw's compressed Water Pulse has collided head-on with Jynx's Ice Beam!"
"The water stream is freezing over. This situation is turning unfavorable for Ash!"
As the two attacks clashed, Croconaw's Water Pulse was gradually encased in ice, its momentum slowing as it was frozen solid by the Ice Beam.
"That was close…"
Lorelei let out a quiet breath of relief after successfully blocking the attack.
"Hmph… Water Whip."
Before she could fully relax, Ash's calm voice rang out again.
In an instant, Lorelei's expression tightened.
Battling Ash was nothing short of a nightmare.
His unpredictable, self-developed techniques, combined with his Pokémon's overwhelming balance of physical strength, mental resilience, and skill mastery, left almost no exploitable weaknesses.
"Wani!"
Croconaw maintained the clash between Water Pulse and Ice Beam while simultaneously generating two streams of water from its arms.
They extended outward, forming whip-like appendages that lashed toward Jynx at high speed.
"What?! Using another move at the same time?!"
Shock flashed across Lorelei's eyes.
Even from the player stands, the eliminated Hoenn Elite Four member watched intently, clearly stunned by the battle unfolding before her.