Outside the stage, the conversation among the spectators continued in a heated manner. What had been predicted to be only a small skirmish transformed into a huge eye opening battle. Most of the children here were nowhere near Mwana and Maji 1’s level and had learned a lot today.

“Your friend is not out of the sticks yet especially in a clash of elements. His opponent has 3 advantages over him. First, Majimaji’s water element counters Mwana’s fire element. As for the thunder element, it finds no victory over water. Majimaji can simply use his water as a channel to direct it away.”

One of the scouts was explaining the battle situation to Cheza and Mwana’s other friends and classmates. While the children could barely see the events on the stage, these scouts’ eyes were barely hindered.

“Majimaji’s other benefit is his Stacked Elemental power.”

“Stacked Elemental Power. Everyone is mentioning it but what exactly is it?” Another child around Jana’s age could not help but ask.

“To put it simply, someone with Stacked Elemental Power can utilize almost twice as much elemental power as everyone else at the cost of their stamina. Usually even if someone’s bloodline element affinity and natural elemental affinity are matched, the person will not have Stacked Power. Their elemental power will phase and mix together in one metaphorical tank. This is called Phased Elemental Power. With this type of power, one has almost twice the elemental power of the same kind which means their stamina and endurance increases.”

“However, with stacked elemental power, the two affinities do not mix. So when someone like Majimaji uses a water attribute spell that would consume 2 units of elemental power, the spell will draw power from his natural affinity and bloodline affinity separately thus spending 4 units of power. This is unlike someone with phased power, who would only spend 2 units since his affinities are in the same tank. In the end it is a question of attacking power vs. stamina and endurance.”

“What about Majimaji’s third advantage that you mentioned?”

“This is related to the concept of ‘Elemental Affinity born out of Organs’ though it is not as watertight as other theories. It almost borders on pseudoscience.”

As Umeme explained to Kia, Cheza, and the other children, Majimaji had intentionally aimed for Mwana’s head with his Club Fist earlier in the match. This was to not only disorient him but to also disrupt his natural elements.

In the Zika world, there was a major theory that the elements were born out of different organs. These were:

Lightning - Brain (fast thinkers) Fire - Heart (stronger force) Wind - Lungs (greater lung capacity) Water - Kidneys (better vitality) Earth - Liver (increased endurance)

Even among ordinary people, it was said that one’s strengths and personality could be inferred based on their elemental affinity. This belief was very similar to Astrology.

According to this theory, if the organs corresponding to one’s affinity were injured, then you would lose control over your element temporarily creating a weakness during battle. Indeed in this fight, Mwana’s lightning element did not seem as impressive as before.

“Is this theory really true? I always thought it was bullshit. Even my parents say it is pure nonsense.” One of the kids could not help but ask.

Umeme continued explaining, “Who knows whether it is true or not. However, I can say that there is some merit to it. Take people with lightning affinity for example, even if they do not become warriors they can become great scholars and mathematicians. This is already a proven statistical fact. Some of the greatest scholars throughout history were of the lightning affinity. Considering how rare lightning is as an affinity, this could not be a mere coincidence.”

“As for water, ehem, well they are said to have more virility than the ordinary person. They usually litter kids everywhere.”

“Hey, hey that sounds biased.” Another scout could not help but exclaim. It was clear that this guy had a water element affinity. Indeed the ‘Elements born from Organs’ concept was very similar to Astrology including how personality traits were assigned based on things one had no control over.

“As for fire, these people excel in physically straining jobs as their hearts are sturdier and their blood flow is more robust.”

Back on the fighting stage, the elemental exchange continued. Majimaji unleashed water element attacks which Mwana resisted with his ‘skin like bark’. Mwana stood firm amongst the waves like a tall tree in the middle of the forest. This was the defensive technique known as the [Millennium Wood] technique.

Majimaji had not expected Mwana’s wood element energy to be so strong. While his water attacks countered Mwana’s fire affinity, they had a reduced effect on the Millennium Wood technique as water usually nourishes wood.

“Mwana, it is over.”

After Majimaji made this declaration, he settled down and even the rampant energy on the stage disappeared. Majimaji was like a calm pond. Clearly a storm was brewing within him. Just like Mwana, Maji 1 had his own trump cards

“Hydra Tsunami of Spears!”

Seeing the wave of violent spears of water shooting towards him, Mwana was finally left with no choice but to use the power he had been hiding.

As the audience looked at Majimaji’s attack in awe, some could not help but exclaim. “Does he have infinite natural energy? How could he launch one powerful attack after another?”

However, they had not even finished being awed by Majimaji before something even more shocking occurred: a trembling in the depths of their souls! Despite the darkness on the stage, everyone felt their souls flicker for a moment.

“No way! Did I sense wrong? Who would have thought Mwana already achieved that level. It seems his spiritual power already rose to the fourth stage! No wonder he dared to step on the fighting platform.”

Indeed to defend himself against the tsunami of spears, Mwana knew that basic and elementary defensive techniques like the [Millennium Wood technique] and [Golden Statue technique] were useless. He could only activate his Spirit Energy Shrouding revealing to everyone that he had already stepped into the fourth level of the Spirit Sense Novice Realm.

With the armor of spiritual energy around him, Mwana was able to withstand his opponent’s attack.

“No wonder Mwana dared to challenge Majimaji. The 4th level of physical training vs. the 4th level of spiritual training! Suddenly, the fight does not seem as mismatched as before.”

“Indeed Mwana hid himself too deeply.”

Hearing such conversations amused Mwana greatly. After all, he had not really hidden anything. However, the spectators made this assumption because they did not know that Mwana only reached the 4th level in the last 3 days all the way from the 2nd level! Even if he told them the truth they would not believe him since this level of advancement speed was almost unheard of.

Majimaji could not afford to be shocked by the revelation of Mwana’s power as he launched himself towards Mwana at extremely fast speeds.

“Hydro Lance!”

As his attack reached Mwana who seemed blind and clueless, Majimaji thought to himself, ‘While the fact that Mwana reached the fourth level of Spiritual Training is shocking, he still cannot see me in the darkness. This is my Domain!’

Majimaji’s Hydro Lance inched closer to Mwana’s spiritual barrier seeming as if it would break through in the next instant. The entire time Mwana retained a clueless look on his face as if he could not see where Maji 1’s attack was coming from within the sphere of darkness. ’ Mwana, this is my victory! I have won.’

As Maji 1 was preemptively celebrating his victory, he suddenly noticed that Mwana’s eyes which were previously unfocused were looking right at him. Mwana had a plastic grin plastered on his face that sent shivers through Maji 1’s body. ‘He can see me?!’

The lance went right past Mwana’s shoulder as he calmly sidestepped it. While this attack was very fast, Mwana had long anticipated it through his Dragon Mirror Eye that let him see in the darkness. Maji 1 had attacked at very high speed so even after Mwana evaded his attack, his body kept moving forward due to the momentum causing Mwana to end up behind him. ‘He got me!’ Maji 1 could not help but lament.

It was too late for Maji 1 now. Mwana unleashed a kick at Maji 1’s buttocks causing the latter to yelp in pain and humiliation. This attack launched Majimaji high into the air greatly disorienting him. ’I am finished!’

Mwana easily caught up to his opponent mid-air and landed a Concave Fist to Maji 1’s back launching him out of the fighting stage like a canon ball. With a loud boom, Maji 1 fell into the crowd of spectators. Mwana had even made sure to punch him towards where Majimaji’s cousins and fans were standing.

With Majimaji defeated, the sphere of darkness finally receded and the sun once again shone on the victor. At the center of the fighting stage, Mwana did his best to maintain an aloof yet heroic pose as the morning sun enhanced his shining silhouette.

“I cannot believe Majimaji lost!”

“Indeed, but he lost because of his assumptions about Mwana’s affinity. He also fell for a pretty standard fake out.” As expected, the commentary was back again.