Sword God in a World of Magic

After a while, Shang walked over to the first barbarian that had been beaten up by the group and squatted down.

The barbarian's body was slowly recovering. He didn't have a warrior's body, but as someone at the Peak General Stage, he could still recover with quite some speed.

Right now, the barbarian wasn't moving as he kept lying on the ground in a fetal position.

Blood and dried spit were all over him.

"Why didn't you resist?" Shang asked.

For a while, the barbarian said nothing.

"I'm a Ruiner," the barbarian eventually answered.

Some more seconds of silence.

"Ruiners get beaten."

"Says who?" Shang asked.

This made the barbarian move his head and look at Shang warily.

"It is normal," he said.

"So?" Shang asked. "Does it mean that it's the right thing to do just because it's normal?"

The barbarian looked with confusion at Shang.

"It is known and normal," he said.

"It is how things are."

"This is what life is."

The barbarian turned away from Shang again while saying these things.

"It is your life," Shang said. "You decide what to do with your life."

The barbarian didn't look at Shang, but Shang could see with his Mana Vision that a confused expression appeared on his face.

Apparently, this barbarian had never heard of such a concept.

"I am a Ruiner, and Ruiners get punished," the barbarian repeated.

"What's a Ruiner?" Shang asked.

This piqued the barbarian's interest, and he looked at Shang again.

"You don't know what a Ruiner is?" he asked in shock.

Shang noted the barbarian's reaction. 'The word Ruiner seems to be common knowledge, but instead of doubting my words, he believed me and only asked for confirmation.'

'A normal human would think that I am mocking them. After all, who doesn't know what a Ruiner is?'

'But he believed me.'

'Sadly, it makes sense. The barbarians are raised to follow orders like slaves. The Mages don't want them to think for themselves.'

"I don't know what a Ruiner is," Shang said. "I left my home long ago, and I've been living in the wilderness ever since. I don't know much about how normal barbarians live."

The barbarian's expression became shocked and confused.

"But you are a barbarian," he said.

"How do you not know how a barbarian lives?"

"You are a barbarian. You must know how barbarians live. You are living as a barbarian," he reasoned.

looks like when I

as he only looked at Shang

tried to understand what Shang had just

speaking of things that didn't happen,

you are a barbarian," the man said. "You know how barbarians live. You are

frowned. 'Does he truly lack the ability to understand something that is even remotely abnormal? What's so hard

don't know what a

"But you-"

but I still don't know what a Ruiner is," Shang interrupted

me what a

for a bit longer in confusion, but eventually, he

tries to challenge the Tribe's strongest," the

they called Ruiners?" Shang

makes a strong Tribe," the barbarian explained. "A weak leader makes a

"A weak Tribe dies."

Tribe will turn

weak barbarian trying to become the strongest is

trying to

again as Shang scratched

the most

if the leader loses? Will he become

"Yes," the barbarian answered.

that as soon as you are on the top, it's all or nothing

it was fine for a leader to step down,

barbarian looked at

step

you are still the strongest, but you don't want to lead anymore and give the

these words, the eyes of the barbarian

said with

the reaction with interest. "Is a

"A Ruiner has power."

go

"A weakling is worthless!"

eats food

weakling brings enemies but doesn't fight

leave or

the angry barbarian with

other barbarian weakling,"

took the wind out of his sails, and the barbarian looked away again as he continued lying

"Why?" Shang asked.

was stronger," the

would the other

at Shang again in

am not stronger,"

but if you

not stronger," the barbarian answered with furrowed

"I know that you are not. What I am asking is, theoretically, if you had somehow won. I know that you didn't, but

at Shang with furrowed brows for a

"I didn't win!"

the first time in a

not understand the principle of a hypothetical?!' he thought with frustration. 'It's not even

as he

that you are not stronger than

you want to become

and Shang could even see some anger and disdain in his

saying you can teach me?" he

"Yes," Shang answered.

from his lying position. He was still injured, but he had

quite a bit taller than Shang, and

stronger than me?" he asked in

scratched his chin in

severely beaten and disrespected, as soon as