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.

frowned. "How can I know what a barbarian looks like

didn't say much as he only

to understand what

didn't happen, and that

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

that is even remotely abnormal? What's so hard to understand

a Ruiner is,"

"But you-"

what a Ruiner is," Shang interrupted

tell me what

looked at Shang for a bit longer

tries to challenge the Tribe's

are they called Ruiners?"

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

"A weak Tribe dies."

will turn

barbarian trying to become the strongest is someone that

is trying to destroy

silent again as Shang

be the most powerful while not being the most powerful is akin to threatening the entire Tribe.

loses? Will he

"Yes," the barbarian answered.

that means that as soon as you are on the top, it's all

that it was fine for a leader to step down, but

looked at Shang

step down?" he

want to lead anymore and give the position to someone else," Shang

eyes

with an angry

the reaction with interest. "Is a

"A Ruiner has power."

can go

"A weakling is worthless!"

eats food but doesn't

brings enemies

leave or

the angry barbarian with

called the other barbarian weakling," Shang

out of his sails, and the barbarian looked away again as he

"Why?" Shang asked.

was stronger," the barbarian

if you were, would the other barbarian be

barbarian looked at

am not stronger," he

you were,"

not stronger," the barbarian answered

you are not. What I am asking is, theoretically, if you had somehow won. I know that

with furrowed brows for a

"I didn't win!"

first time in a long while, Shang

a hypothetical?!' he thought with

Shang said as he stood

are not stronger than

want to become stronger

Shang could even see some anger and

saying you can teach me?"

"Yes," Shang answered.

up from his lying position.

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

me?" he asked in

his chin in

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