With both Raticate and Dusclops defeated, Kalia gained the upper hand as her opponent had only one Pokemon left, leaving little chance for a comeback.
Seeing Ninetales endure the pain from Curse, Kalia promptly switched it out for rest, bringing in Grovyle. Cameron also replaced with their final Pokemon.
However, facing Lian and Grovyle's combined assault, Cameron's last Ground-type Golem was completely overwhelmed. The Grass-type quadruple weakness against Golem allowed Grovyle to deliver devastating damage with just one Giga Drain move.
Under the Gravity Field, Golem held significant advantages; a single Earthquake could instantly eliminate Charizard and Ninetales. Unfortunately, Golem's slow speed proved its downfall, allowing Lian and Grovyle to defeat it swiftly without giving time to execute Earthquake.
Honestly, Cameron's Pokemon were quite impressive, and Dusclops' Gravity moves greatly enhanced Golem and Raticate's capabilities.
But they met their match in Kalia.
Having defeated Cameron, Kalia advanced smoothly into the top sixteen. Now, she only needed to overcome the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals.
Kalia's victory over Cameron marked the first time a beginner trainer defeated a mid-level trainer. The gap between these two tiers was significant, with mid-level trainers typically emerging victorious.
Kalia's win instilled hope among the beginner trainers, suggesting she might even reach the finals unexpectedly.
Back at the spectator seats, Julian expressed his admiration, saying, "Kalia, you're truly amazing! Even mid-level trainers can't stand against you."
Julian understood the strength of mid-level trainers, so witnessing Kalia defeat one was genuinely surprising. He realized that Kalia was far stronger than he had anticipated. If she could already beat a mid-level trainer now, it seemed likely that she would soon earn Rockcliff City's Fighting Badge.
Considering he hadn't yet obtained the Fire-type Gym badge, while Kalia was on the verge of becoming a mid-level trainer, highlighted a stark contrast between their progress.
Kalia smiled modestly and replied, "I still have a long way to go before reaching mid-level trainer status. Moreover, this is a double battle competition, and most opponents here are newly promoted mid-level trainers. Against true mid-level trainers, I wouldn't stand a chance."
Despite her self-doubt, Kalia's skills had indeed reached those of a mid-level Trainer; all she lacked were enough badges and the official mid-level Trainer certification.
In terms of combat prowess, Kalia was undoubtedly considered a mid-level Trainer, as evidenced by her effortless victory over Cameron, who already held that rank.
Just having a Raticate capable of swift movement under Gravity Field showcased a challenge insurmountable for most beginner Trainers. If not for Ninetales' timely Protect move earlier, Charizard might have been defeated directly by Raticate.
Without her strongest Pokémon, Charizard, Kalia would likely have been easily overwhelmed by Cameron, leaving no chance for victory.
As the tournament progressed, the top sixteen competitors gradually emerged. To Kalia's surprise, Julian unexpectedly made it into this elite group, which caught many off guard.
Initially, with his barely passing score of sixty points, most expected him to be swiftly eliminated. However, during his first match, Charmeleon surprisingly evolved, turning defeat into victory and securing a spot among the top thirty-two contestants.
Surprisingly, he won again in the subsequent round. Crucially, his opponent specialized in Steel-type Pokémon, making them highly vulnerable to Charizard's Heat Wave attack.
Even Julian seemed bewildered, realizing he had unexpectedly advanced to the top sixteen out of one hundred participants.
Kalia was once again taken aback. Honestly, before the match began, she didn't have high hopes for Julian, considering he only had two truly competitive Pokémon: Ursaring and Charizard. Tyrogue essentially played a minor role.
Yet, with this limited lineup, he managed to reach the top sixteen. Luck undoubtedly played a significant part, along with some skill, but anyone observant could see that Julian's fortune was exceptional, having faced a Trainer specializing in Steel-type Pokémon.
"I can't believe I made it to the top sixteen," Julian murmured to himself as he approached Kalia.
Making it this far meant that in the upcoming battles, Julian was highly likely to encounter mid-level Trainers. Advancing to the top eight would require more than just luck; sheer skill would be essential.
With the top sixteen selected, today's competition drew to a close. The double battle rounds were scheduled to continue tomorrow.
***
Later that afternoon, in Totem City.
"Kalia, do you have any plans for tonight?" Julian asked as they exited the Combat Hall together.
"Plans? Practical training perhaps?" Kalia responded, puzzled. Her usual activities included practical training or reading and exercising.
"That's not what I meant. How about we visit the ancient museum? It has fascinating artifacts from bygone eras. Doesn't it sound intriguing to you?" Julian suggested. The ancient museum was renowned in the Sebas region, housing numerous mysterious relics from the past, such as Pokemon fossils and enigmatic artwork.
Kalia indeed had an interest in history and often read historical books. Ancient societies were primitive yet teeming with various Pokemon, filled with unknown mysteries.
"Why don't we grab dinner first? Afterward, let's head to the museum together. What do you think?" Kalia nodded but preferred to eat before exploring, feeling quite hungry.
Following their meal, the duo set off for Totem City's famous ancient museum and entered its premises.
The museum charged an admission fee, but it wasn't expensive. After paying, Julian and Kalia entered.
Julian curiously scanned the entire museum. The interior decor was impressive, with numerous display cases showcasing various ancient artifacts for visitors to observe at a glance.
The ancient museum already had many patrons exploring its exhibits. The first floor, spacious and expansive, primarily featured Pokemon fossils - those that could no longer be revived, hence their presence on display.
"What kind of Pokemon is this?" Julian examined a gray fossil, unable to discern the species from appearance alone. However, a label nearby indicated it as a Kabuto fossil, accompanied by historical details and information about Kabuto.
"Ah, so it's a Kabuto." Reading the label, Julian realized with understanding. Several ancient Pokemon still existed today, though most were brought back through revival machines.
Kabuto was one such Pokemon revived using these machines. In fact, the League had specifically bred a group of Kabutos, some of which even evolved further.
Kalia also meticulously examined these ancient artifacts. Some she recognized instantly from book descriptions, while others were unfamiliar, requiring her to rely on the labels for understanding.
"What's this?" Kalia gazed at an object displayed within a case. It appeared to be a fossil, round in shape, and intriguingly, from her angle, she seemed to catch a hint of red reflection.
The reflection was subtle; if not for Kalia's keen observational skills, it might have gone unnoticed. As she walked past, there indeed was a faint reddish glow.
However, when Kalia looked again, the red reflection had vanished. She scrutinized the circular fossil closely, feeling as though something mysterious lay hidden beneath its surface.
Despite any hidden secrets, Kalia couldn't intervene; these were ancient museum artifacts, strictly prohibited from being bought or sold. The only option was purchasing tickets to view them.
It wasn't feasible for Kalia to satisfy her curiosity by forcibly taking the fossil, nor would she ever consider such an action.