The group of barbarians walked into the camp with uncertainty.
Shang very quickly noticed that their group was the only one wearing collars. The other barbarians didn't wear any collars whatsoever.
Of course, this resulted in the other barbarians throwing disgusted glances at the new arrivals.
Most of the barbarians stopped training as they gathered into a group to look at the new arrivals.
Subconsciously, this made the barbarians with the collars also gather into one group, and in no time at all the two groups stood opposite of each other.
A tense moment of silence passed.
"Criminals," the tallest barbarian of the other group said with disgust as he stepped forward.
He was over two meters tall, and he carried a gigantic and wide club.
Shang noticed that he was at the Peak General Stage.
'There are no barbarians at the Commander Stage present. I guess this is a standard outpost.'
"You will keep to yourselves," the huge barbarian said. "Criminals stay with criminals."
Most of the barbarians were intimidated by the huge barbarian, but some others grew angry.
"I don't accept orders from you!" a barbarian with a collar shouted as he stepped forward.
He was also at the Peak General Stage.
"Criminals have no right to speak," the tall barbarian said with his deep voice.
But the other barbarian didn't back down. "Weaklings also have no right to speak."
Outrage swept through the gathered group of barbarians.
This criminal had called their leader weak!
The tall barbarian narrowed his eyes at the other barbarian.
Then, he took out his gigantic club and put it to the side.
BOOOM!
The sound of the club hitting the ground reverberated throughout the entire camp.
Its weight was insane!
Then, he stepped forward to look at the other barbarian, who was smaller than him by a bit.
The other barbarian also walked forward, and in no time at all, they were looking into each other's eyes from very close.
"I challenge you for your position," the smaller barbarian said slowly with narrowed eyes.
The taller barbarian only looked back.
"You are overestimating your power. Shameful," he said.
Then, the two of them took a couple of steps back.
Shang watched as the other barbarians moved away from those two.
'I guess such duels are normal in barbarian society.'
Both barbarians lowered their stances as they prepared for combat.
Then, they exploded forward.
They were both very fast, and they reached each other in a moment.
BANG!
The two locked arms, but it became clear which one was more powerful very quickly.
The taller barbarian pushed the other one back, leaving a crevice of dirt behind.
The center of equilibrium of the other barbarian was pushed back, and the taller barbarian towered over him.
Then, the taller barbarian pushed down, and the other one fell to the ground.
At that moment, the group of collarless barbarians cheered loudly.
Their leader had won!
The smaller barbarian on the ground quickly stood up, but his posture was not straight. Like a beaten dog, his back curled, and he walked away from all the other barbarians.
Shang noticed that even his own group was looking at the barbarian with disdain.
'That's interesting,' Shang thought. 'Even though he lost, he is probably still amongst the top three in this group. Most barbarians looking at him with disdain would lose to him.'
'Yet, it seems to be normal to look down on the ones that lost in such a duel. Even though he technically belongs to our group, our group is now also shunning him.'
'This seems to be some sort of social tradition or something with rules attached to it.'
The other group kept shouting and punching their chests like a group of gorillas, and the collared group of barbarians didn't dare to say anything anymore.
"Your strongest man lost," the tall barbarian said to the group of collared barbarians.
The group of collared barbarians didn't answer.
'When did that guy become the strongest of our group?' Shang thought. 'I don't remember any form of competition. Yet, no one in this group is protesting. It's almost like they really accepted him as the strongest.'
"You will remain outside the camp," the tallest barbarian decreed. "Criminals are not welcome here."
Surprisingly, the group of collared barbarians looked fearfully and helplessly at each other.
And then, they left.
They turned around one by one and walked out of the camp.
None of the Mages stopped them. After all, the barbarians were allowed to roam around the Zone. They were only forbidden from leaving the Zone.
Shang watched everyone leave with interest.
"Leave!"
Shang turned around and noticed that he was the last one and that the group of barbarians looked with hostile gazes at him.
Shang calmly looked into the eyes of the tallest barbarian, who looked back.
While the other barbarians were shouting for Shang to leave, the two of them shared a look.
Two seconds passed.
Then, Shang turned around and left the camp as well.
The taller barbarian furrowed his brows, and there was a frown on his face, but the other barbarians kept shouting for them to leave.
Eventually, Shang also left the camp and saw the gathered group of collared barbarians.
Surprisingly, they were currently gathered in a circle, and Shang heard the telltale sounds of kicks.
With Shang's sensitivity to Mana, he could see what was going on.
The gathered group of barbarians was kicking the barbarian that had just lost the duel without mercy.
The barbarian was lying on the ground in the fetal position as the other barbarians kept kicking him.
"Disrespectful!"
"Outsider!"
Several insults were thrown at the barbarian, but there was one word that was spoken the most.
"Ruiner!"
The barbarian on the ground was called Ruiner the most.
'I'm not familiar with that word,' Shang thought.
Shang kept watching the spectacle.
After nearly two minutes, the barbarians stopped kicking the downed barbarian but changed to spitting on him.
Finally, the barbarians walked away from the severely beaten and heavily injured barbarian.
He was bleeding all over, and his body was convulsing.
Surprisingly, he never shouted for help.
He didn't even try to defend himself.
He definitely wasn't weak, and Shang was certain that he could have taken down several other barbarians with him if he wanted.
Yet, he took everything without resistance.
The group of collared barbarians gathered together and began to argue with each other.
Three barbarians were proclaiming that they were the strongest while other barbarians stepped to the side and remained silent.
These three barbarians were all at the Peak General Stage.
A couple of minutes of boasting later, the two of them began to wrestle each other.
They entered into a one-on-one duel and fought the same way the other two barbarians had just fought.
One of the two lost, and the group of barbarians pounced on him and treated him the same way the other barbarian had just been treated.
He was severely beaten and insulted.
Just like the first barbarian, this one didn't resist.
Then, the winner of the duel looked at the barbarian that had also proclaimed to be the strongest.
However, that barbarian only lowered his head.
"I am weaker," he said with a quiet voice.
Surprisingly, Shang didn't see the group of barbarians pounce on that one.
Instead, they remained quiet and looked at the now-officially strongest barbarian.
They were waiting for his judgment.
The new leader looked at the barbarian with his lowered head.
"You can remain," he said.
The other barbarian lowered his head even more and walked back to the group of barbarians, who didn't shun him.
He seamlessly entered the group. It was almost like he had not been the center of attention just now.
After that, the new leader proclaimed that they would be building a village.
Finally, the group of barbarians left the area to search for a good spot for a village.
Shang silently remained on his spot and watched everything with interest while scratching his chin.
'Interesting. I thought they only respected strength, but that isn't entirely the case. Sure, the strongest barbarian gets the most respect, but if someone is second place and tries to usurp the strongest barbarian, they get shunned.'
'The second place is still stronger than everyone else, but they are still attacked by the group.'
Shang glanced at the two heavily injured and spit-riddled men on the ground.
They didn't even have the power to stand up right now.
Shang continued scratching his chin.
