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.

can I know what a barbarian looks like when I have never seen other

barbarian didn't say much as he only looked

tried to understand what Shang had

speaking of things that didn't happen, and that confused

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

frowned. 'Does he truly lack the ability to understand something that is

don't know what a Ruiner is," Shang

"But you-"

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

what

barbarian looked at Shang for a bit longer in confusion,

is someone weak that tries to challenge the Tribe's strongest," the

called Ruiners?" Shang

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

"A weak Tribe dies."

weak Tribe will turn

become the strongest is someone that brings

is trying to

the barbarian turned silent again as Shang scratched his

'So, proclaiming yourself to be the most powerful while not being the most powerful is akin to threatening

if the leader loses? Will he become a

"Yes," the barbarian answered.

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

assumed that it was

barbarian looked at Shang with

is step

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

words, the eyes of

said with

interest. "Is a weakling worse than

"A Ruiner has power."

go

"A weakling is worthless!"

eats food but

weakling brings enemies but

must leave or

the angry

the other

and the barbarian looked away again as he continued

"Why?" Shang asked.

was

if you were, would the other barbarian

looked at Shang again

not stronger," he

you were," Shang

am not stronger," the barbarian answered with

"I 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

Shang with furrowed brows

"I didn't win!"

a long

hypothetical?!' he thought with

as

are

to become

brows, and Shang

you saying you can

"Yes," Shang answered.

eyes, and he slowly stood up from his lying position. He was still injured, but

standing up, he was quite a bit taller than Shang, and he

you are stronger than me?"

scratched his chin in

beaten and disrespected, as soon as