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.

"How can I know what a barbarian looks like when I

didn't say much as he only looked at Shang

tried to understand what

didn't happen, and

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

to understand something that is

what a Ruiner is,"

"But you-"

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

what a

longer in confusion, but eventually, he looked away

tries to challenge the Tribe's strongest," the barbarian

are they called

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

"A weak Tribe dies."

will turn to

barbarian trying to become the strongest is someone that brings

to destroy

again as Shang scratched

most powerful

if the leader loses? Will he

"Yes," the barbarian answered.

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

He assumed that it was fine for a leader

barbarian looked at

step down?"

to lead anymore

hearing these words, the eyes of the barbarian became filled

he said with

interest. "Is

"A Ruiner has power."

Ruiner can go

"A weakling is worthless!"

food

brings enemies but doesn't fight

must leave or

the angry

other barbarian weakling,"

the barbarian looked away again as he continued

"Why?" Shang asked.

thought I was

the other barbarian be a weakling?" Shang

barbarian looked at Shang

not

if you

the barbarian answered

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

with

"I didn't win!"

the first time in a

hypothetical?!' he thought with

as he stood

know that you are not stronger than

you want to become

brows, and Shang could even see some anger and disdain in his

can teach me?" he

"Yes," Shang answered.

lying position. He was

quite a bit taller than Shang, and he

stronger than me?" he

his

though he was severely beaten and disrespected, as soon as I even