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Time flew by, and before they knew it, half a month had passed.
For Kalia, the Exchange Competition proved highly beneficial. It showcased her strength, officially placing her at the mid-level Trainer tier, aside from not yet passing the assessment.
Kalia remained confident about acing the mid-level evaluation. However, she was concerned about Combusken's slow progress; having been with her for only a short time, rapidly developing its abilities posed a challenge.
Given Kalia's current skill level, facing formidable opponents meant Combusken rarely got opportunities to participate in battles.
To accelerate Combusken's growth, Kalia decided to dedicate focused training sessions exclusively for it.
During this half-month period, Kalia consistently trained Combusken while temporarily releasing Charizard and the others into a wild area near Rockcliff City, allowing them to fend for themselves.
Half a month may seem brief, but for Combusken, it was invaluable—the rare chance to train intensively with Kalia undivided attention.
In the future, Combusken would need to train alongside Charizard against much stronger adversaries, unlike these past two weeks when Kalia purposely sought out evenly matched Pokemon for specialized training tailored to Combusken's needs.
During these two weeks, Lian, along with Sceptile and Ninetales, ventured into the wild areas near Rockcliff City. Honestly, the Pokemon here were not particularly strong; few wild Pokemon possess exceptional power.
Unless they were dominant regional bosses, those few would be exceptionally powerful. However, compared to trained Pokemon by Trainers, wild Pokemon generally lagged significantly behind.
Wild Pokemon lack specialized training, at most having slightly more aggressive spirit than their trained counterparts. Often, wild Pokemon bear numerous battle scars due to the harsh environment.
In the wilderness, there is no Pokémon Center for healing injuries; they must rely solely on their innate recovery abilities. A severe wound could easily prove fatal, leading wild Pokemon to develop a heightened ferocity and formidable presence.
Unfortunately, this had little effect on Lian. If it weren't for his urgency to level up quickly, he would have preferred going straight to bed after each day's battles, based solely on combat ratings alone.
The opponents were simply too weak. In the vicinity of Rockcliff City, few Pokemon possessed significant strength, typically capping around Level 40, suitable for battles involving Ninetales and Sceptile. However, for Lian, a single Flamethrower was usually enough to instantly defeat them.
After half a month, Kalia returned with her significantly grown Combusken. Although it was not yet close to evolving, it wouldn't be long.
The progress of Combusken was substantial, becoming much stronger compared to its state two weeks ago. It had also mastered several Fire-type and Fighting-type moves, such as Brick Break, thanks to its impressive Fighting-type talent.
Additionally, Combusken's utilization of the Acceleration Ability improved considerably, allowing it to effectively boost its speed within a short period.
With only another half-month left before the exam, Kalia decided that for the remaining time, Combusken would learn combat techniques from Sceptile. While Combusken's natural talent might not match Sceptile's, its Acceleration Ability could compensate, serving as a unique advantage.
By harnessing the Acceleration Ability, Combusken's speed could continually increase. Once it masters combat techniques and maintains consistent growth, its battle prowess could potentially rival or even surpass Sceptile's.
As Pokemon training continued, Kalia focused on preparing for the upcoming examination. She felt confident about acing the written portion.
For Kalia, the final practical combat assessment posed no issue. The Middle-Class Trainer Assessment required only three primary Pokemon; hence, Combusken was not included.
Without Combusken as a weak link, Kalia's remaining three Pokémon had sufficient strength to face any opponent and emerge victorious most of the time.
The only concern for Kalia was the proficiency test. This evaluation focused on the Trainer's abilities rather than their Pokemon's prowess.
While the written exam assessed a Trainer's knowledge reserve, the proficiency test examined their practical skills, such as fostering bonds with Pokemon or enabling them to quickly master moves.
Kalia had limited insight into the proficiency test, making it the aspect she felt least confident about. She would have to rely on her instincts during the examination.
However, Kalia believed that based on her performance in the written and combat assessments, she should easily pass and become a mid-level trainer. The question was merely about achieving an excellent grade, but passing was well within reach.
With less than two days until the assessment, Kalia had already registered early, now eagerly awaiting its commencement.
A significant number of Trainers were participating in this assessment, as Rockcliff City itself had many mid-level trainers. Those who obtained the Fighting Badge typically started preparing for the evaluation immediately.
Mark, like Kalia, was also set to participate in the Middle-Class Trainer Assessment. His strength wasn't lacking either; he had earned six badges, meeting the eligibility criteria.
"The assessment is just two days away," Mark said nervously at the Pokémon Center. The Middle-Class Trainer Assessment was notoriously difficult, with many Trainers getting stuck at this stage.
Moreover, these assessments weren't held frequently - only once every three months. If one failed, they would have to wait another three months for the next attempt, providing only four chances per year.
"Kalia, with your strong abilities, you shouldn't worry much about the practical combat test. What's most bothersome is the written exam; it's the toughest part," Mark remarked, turning towards Kalia.
Undeniably, the written exam was the most challenging aspect. Many Trainers lacked patience for academic learning, finding the dry study far less engaging than battling with their Pokémon. The battlefield was where most Trainers preferred to spend their time.
Many Trainers lacked interest in studying and relied on last-minute cramming, resulting in poor performance during the written exam portion. With subpar results in just one more section, they would fail outright.
Kalia didn't know what to say; she had diligently studied for the assessment. Having a Gym Leader father provided her with excellent education from a young age, although not comparable to the Pokemon Academy's curriculum, it laid a strong foundation for her knowledge base.
For most ordinary Trainers at thirteen or fourteen years old, their focus is typically on play rather than academics. This lack of dedication contributes significantly to the scarcity of mid-level trainers.
"Don't worry, even if you struggle with the written test, performing well in the other two sections should still ensure your pass," Kalia reassured Mark.
While this was true, historically, only a handful managed to become mid-level Trainers each time due to stringent standards. Even though passing was the minimum requirement, achieving that threshold proved challenging for many.
However, Kalia believed Mark excelled in practical combat and demonstrated impressive skills; his weakness might be the written exam, a common shortfall among numerous Trainers.