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.

barbarian looks like when I have never seen other barbarians

say much as he only looked at

seconds, he tried to understand what Shang

that didn't happen, and that

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

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

know what a Ruiner

"But you-"

don't know what a Ruiner

me what

at Shang for a bit longer in confusion, but eventually,

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

are they called Ruiners?" Shang

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

"A weak Tribe dies."

Tribe will

become the

trying to

silent again as Shang scratched

Shang thought. 'So, proclaiming yourself to be the most powerful while not being the most powerful is akin to threatening the entire Tribe. Because of that, the Ruiner

leader loses? Will he

"Yes," the barbarian answered.

as you are on the top, it's all

steps down?" Shang asked. He assumed that it was fine for

looked at Shang

is step down?" he

when you are still the strongest, but you don't want to lead anymore and give the position to someone else,"

after hearing these words, the eyes of the barbarian became filled with

with an

interest. "Is a weakling

"A Ruiner has power."

Ruiner can go

"A weakling is worthless!"

food but doesn't bring

brings enemies but doesn't fight

leave

the angry barbarian

the other barbarian

and the barbarian looked

"Why?" Shang asked.

thought I was stronger,"

the other barbarian be a weakling?"

at Shang again in

am not

if you

the barbarian answered

if you

with furrowed brows for

"I didn't win!"

in a long while, Shang

guy not understand the principle of a hypothetical?!' he

as

that you are not stronger than

do you want to

furrowed brows, and Shang could even see some anger and

saying you can teach

"Yes," Shang answered.

narrowed his eyes, and he slowly stood up from his lying position. He was still injured, but he had healed enough to stand

quite a bit taller than Shang, and he looked down on

stronger than me?" he asked

scratched his chin in

though he was severely beaten and disrespected, as soon as I even slightly challenged his power,