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 when I

he only looked

to understand what Shang had

didn't happen,

man said. "You

ability to understand something that is even remotely abnormal? What's

don't know what a Ruiner is,"

"But you-"

I still don't know what a

me what a Ruiner

Shang for a bit longer in confusion,

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

they called Ruiners?"

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

"A weak Tribe dies."

Tribe will turn

trying to become the strongest

is trying to

the barbarian turned silent again as Shang scratched his chin

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.

that means that as soon as you are on the

leader steps down?" Shang asked. He assumed that it was fine for a leader to step down, but he

at Shang

is step down?" he

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

the eyes of the barbarian

said with an

with interest. "Is

"A Ruiner has power."

go back and

"A weakling is worthless!"

eats food but doesn't

weakling brings enemies but doesn't

leave

the angry

called the other

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

"Why?" Shang asked.

was stronger,"

other barbarian be a weakling?" Shang

barbarian looked at Shang again

not stronger," he

but if you were,"

the

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

Shang with furrowed

"I didn't win!"

time in a long while, Shang actually got

hypothetical?!' he thought with frustration. 'It's

as he

that you are

to become

at Shang with furrowed brows, and Shang could even see some anger

you saying you can

"Yes," Shang answered.

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

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

stronger than me?" he asked in

scratched his chin

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