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.

looks like when I have never seen other barbarians

much as he only looked at Shang

seconds, he tried to understand what Shang had just

things that didn't happen, and that confused

you are a barbarian," the man said. "You

ability to understand something that is

what a

"But you-"

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

me what a

longer in confusion, but

to challenge the

called Ruiners?" Shang

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

"A weak Tribe dies."

weak Tribe will turn to

to become the strongest

is trying to destroy the

again as Shang scratched his chin in

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 gets severely

Will he

"Yes," the barbarian answered.

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

it was fine for a

barbarian looked at

is step down?" he

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

the eyes of the barbarian became filled

he said with

"Is a weakling worse

"A Ruiner has power."

go

"A weakling is worthless!"

food but doesn't bring

enemies but doesn't

leave or

the angry barbarian with

other barbarian weakling,"

wind out of his sails, and the barbarian

"Why?" Shang asked.

was

other barbarian

at Shang

am not

but if you were,"

the barbarian answered with furrowed

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

barbarian looked at Shang with furrowed brows

"I didn't win!"

first time in a long while, Shang

understand the principle of a hypothetical?!' he thought with

as he stood

are

to

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

saying you can

"Yes," Shang answered.

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

a bit taller than

me?"

scratched his

as soon as I