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.

"How can I know what a barbarian looks like when I have

didn't say much as he only looked at Shang with

several seconds, he tried to

things that didn't happen,

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

frowned. 'Does he truly lack the ability to understand something that is even remotely abnormal? What's

a Ruiner is," Shang

"But you-"

but I still don't know what

me what

barbarian looked at Shang for a bit longer in confusion, but eventually, he looked away

is someone weak that tries to challenge the

are they called

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

"A weak Tribe dies."

will

trying to become the strongest

to

that, the barbarian turned silent again

while not being the most powerful is akin to threatening the entire Tribe. Because of that, the

if the leader loses? Will he become a

"Yes," the barbarian answered.

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

the leader steps down?" Shang asked. He assumed that it

at Shang with

is step down?"

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

words, the eyes of the

with

noted the reaction with interest. "Is

"A Ruiner has power."

go

"A weakling is worthless!"

weakling eats food but

brings enemies but

leave

angry barbarian

other barbarian weakling,"

barbarian looked away again as he continued

"Why?" Shang asked.

was stronger,"

were, would the other barbarian

barbarian looked at Shang again

am not stronger,"

but if you

not stronger," the barbarian

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

barbarian looked at Shang with furrowed brows

"I didn't win!"

a long

not understand the principle of a hypothetical?!' he

Shang said as he stood

know that you are

want to become stronger

Shang with furrowed brows, and Shang could even see

you saying you can

"Yes," Shang answered.

lying

taller than

say you are stronger than me?"

his chin in

soon as I even slightly challenged his power, he got