The sun sets below the horizon, leaving the green plains bathed in twilight.

Kane stood on the palisade and reviewed his strengthened defense lines. The mixed teams of barbarians and village guards stood shoulder to shoulder along the eastern ridge, looking far more coordinated than the night before.

Everyone held their weapons with newfound confidence, chatting quietly while they waited for the sun to disappear entirely.

Greta leaned against the railing next to him while Gina stood silently at her side.

"Tonight should be much easier," Kane told them, pointing toward the open field where the new traps were laid out perfectly.

"The waves are usually smaller on the second night, but the worms are a bit smarter. They will try to find a way around the spikes. Just tell your people to stay sharp and hold the line."

"They are ready," Greta replied, tracing a finger along the edge of the wood.

"You trained them very well today. Let’s see if your little strategy holds up under actual pressure."

’It’ll hold up fine,’ Kane thought, scanning the trap line with calculating eyes.

’I bought enough gear from the shop to stop a small army, and my men actually know how to use it now.’

The first signs of movement came an hour later.

Thora stood near the western gate with her eyes closed tightly, pressing her foot flat against the dirt.

"Five creatures moving in fast," Thora called out clearly, pointing toward a small cluster of trees.

"They are trying to flank the right side near the old storage shed."

The coordinated defense sprang into action before the monsters even breached the surface.

A worm burst from the soil, but Sira was already waiting on the nearby thatched roof.

Her bowstring snapped loudly, sending a flare arrow straight into the creature’s open mouth.

The beast shrieked and thrashed until Brak led a squad of spearmen forward to finish it off with a series of brutal thrusts.

The barbarians and the villagers moved together seamlessly, trapping two more worms in the reinforced nets and stabbing them until they stopped moving entirely.

Kane fought on the front line, but he did not need to go all out tonight.

He swung his battleaxe casually, severing a worm’s head while a local guard protected his flank with a shield. The villagers cheered loudly from the walls as they successfully repelled the swift attack.

Respect for the new warlord grew visibly among the local fighters because they were actually winning without suffering a single casualty.

’Too easy. Something’s wrong.’

Just as the cheering reached its peak, the ground trembled beneath their feet with terrifying intensity.

It was not the subtle vibration of a normal Sand Dweller. The soil cracked wide open near the center of the eastern defense line, throwing dirt high into the night sky.

A [Rank A] Sand Devourer erupted from the deep hole. It was a monstrosity, easily three times the size of a regular worm, covered in a hardened hide that looked like overlapping stone plates.

Its circular mouth was lined with multiple rows of rotating, razor-sharp teeth. The beast did not hesitate for a second.

It swept its huge head sideways and immediately swallowed two screaming village guards whole, smashing right through the barricades as if they were made of fragile paper.

[Boss Encounter: Rank A Sand Devourer]

[Level 45 Elite]

’Well, fuck,’ Kane thought, adjusting his grip on his twin battleaxes while taking a step back.

’Normal attacks are just going to bounce right off that armor plating.’

Kane sprinted across the ruined grass while the giant beast roared. The monster reared back, preparing to crush Brak and his terrified squad under its huge body.

"Get the fuck out," Kane shouted, throwing his right axe high into the air.

The iron blade spun rapidly and lodged itself firmly into a softer gap between the monster’s armor plates.

Kane gripped the iron chain secured to the handle and pulled himself off the ground, swinging his body like a pendulum.

He slammed his foot against the worm’s tough hide and drove his second axe higher up the beast’s side, then used the weapons like climbing hooks, jumping and pulling himself up the monster’s towering body like a man scaling a ladder.

Gina’s eyes widened on the wall. "What the hell is he doing?!"

The Devourer thrashed around, trying to shake the annoying human off its back. Kane reached the top near its head and prepared to drive both blades straight into its skull.

Before he could strike, the beast suddenly twisted its neck backward with unnatural speed.

Its jaws snapped open, and it swallowed Kane whole in one terrifying gulp.

A collective horrified gasp rose from the defenders.

"Chief," Thora screamed, her eyes wide with horror as she dropped to her knees.

Sira panicked on the roof.

"No..."

She drew her bow rapidly, firing arrow after arrow desperately into the monster’s mouth, but the shafts just bounced harmlessly off its teeth.

Brak roared in pure fury, charging forward with his spear raised high to avenge his fallen leader.

Up on the wall, Greta was frozen in shock.

Gina gripped her spear tightly, her face turning pale as she watched the monster swallow the warlord.

"He’s... gone?" Gina whispered, unable to believe the seemingly invincible man was just eaten alive.

Inside the beast’s stomach, Kane was engulfed in an acidic slime.

The digestive fluids immediately started burning his skin and eating away at his armor. That pain was searing, but his absurdly high Vitality stat kept his health bar from instantly dropping to zero.

[Warning: Acid Damage Taken]

[HP dropping!]

[-1HP]

[-1HP]

[-1HP]

’This is disgusting,’ Kane thought, coughing as the acidic fumes burned his lungs.

"You think this is enough to kill me, you oversized cunt?"

Kane activated his Berserker Rage, feeling a sudden surge of power flood his burning muscles.

He gripped his twin axes tight and started hacking wildly at the unprotected internal tissue surrounding him.

Slash! Slash! Slash!

The beast outside began to shriek in agony, thrashing around the village square and smashing houses as Kane destroyed it from the inside out.

Kane gathered all his remaining strength and drove both axes straight into the stomach wall.

He planted his foot against the slippery flesh and pulled with everything he had. The tissue finally gave way with a sickening tear.

With a roar, he ripped a massive hole through the beast’s side and burst out in a gory explosion of blood, guts, and acid, and landed hard on the grass, covered head to toe in slime and acidic burns, but he was very much alive.

The wounded Devourer collapsed onto the dirt, barely twitching as its life drained away through the gaping hole in its side.

He let out a savage roar that shook the battlefield.

Kane calmly walked over to the beast’s head, raised his battleaxe, and delivered the finishing blow, splitting its skull open.

Swoosh.

[Rank A Boss Defeated: Sand Devourer]

[Level Up!]

[Level Up!]

[Berserker Rage has leveled up!]

[Berserker Rage → Level 2 (Bloodlust)]

[Effect: When activated, your Strength and Vitality increase by 40%. Pain resistance greatly improved. You enter a primal state where damage taken fuels your fury. Duration increased]

[New Passive Skill Unlocked: Body Enhancement]

[All physical stats receive a permanent +8 bonus]

[Title Acquired: Gut Ripper]

The battlefield fell totally silent for a long moment.

Everyone just stared at the blood-soaked warlord standing over the dead monstrosity. Then, a single villager started cheering.

Brak joined in, raising his spear high into the air. Within seconds, the entire settlement erupted into deafening cheers.

The barbarians and the locals celebrated their impossible victory together, entirely united under Kane’s brutal leadership.

Brak raised his spear high and roared at the top of his lungs:

"THAT’S OUR CHIEF! THE MAN WHO KILLS FROM THE INSIDE!" A grizzled village guard dropped his pitchfork and shouted hoarsely:

"HE’S A FUCKING MONSTER, SLAYER!"

Women and men alike started cheering wildly.

"HE CUT HIS WAY OUT OF ITS FUCKING STOMACH!"

A busty village milf near the wall screamed with pure excitement:

"I’LL LET YOU FUCK ME ANYTIME YOU WANT, CHIEF!"