The unicorn stomped on the ground, leaving hoofprints behind. Each of its steps sent dirt and rocks flying into the air.

    It lowered its head, aiming the longhorn forward like a drill.

    However...

    BAM!

    A loud collision rang out. Contrary to everyone''s expectations, the wooden door remained completely intact. Instead, the unicorn''s horn shattered instantly.

    "What the hell?" The unicorn''s master witnessed the scene, his eyes nearly bursting with rage.

    One had to understand—this was the hero he had summoned, the strongest hero he possessed.

    Even though it was only rank E, its horn could pierce through concrete walls over 20 cm thick.

    But now?

    An ordinary wooden door had destroyed the unicorn''s horn, spilling blood all over the ground.

    The unicorn—no, now it was just a regular horse without a horn—collapsed on the ground, letting out agonized cries.

    "Damn it!" Seeing his hero in such a miserable state, the young man was furious. But simultaneously, he feared Austin would see his incompetence and kick him out of the group.

    One had to know—Austin was like the sun at its peak, and anyone who became his subordinate was guaranteed a bright future.

    "Get lost!" Austin''s voice was icy as he shouted.

    Hearing this, the young man''s face turned red with anger, but he didn''t dare defy Austin. Instead, he vented his fury on the horse lying in a pool of its blood.

    BAM!

    BAM!

    He kicked the horse repeatedly, cursing, "Damn it! I thought your horn was so tough, yet you couldn''t break through a simple wooden door."

    "Useless piece of shit! Why the hell do I even need you? Raising you has been nothing but a waste of my food!"

    "Did you not hear what I said?" Austin''s voice was icy. "Get lost!"

    The young man, terrified, scrambled away in a hurry, abandoning his monster, which was on the verge of being claimed by death.

    "Tsk!" Austin clicked his tongue in frustration. "Useless!"

    He wasn''t a fool—he could tell something abnormal about that door.

    Waving his hand, he ordered, "Climb over the wall! Drag him out here for me!"

    "Yes, Boss!" his subordinates responded in unison.

    Immediately, a group of men controlling various monsters began approaching Noan''s territory.

    However, an invisible barrier stopped them when they tried to touch the surrounding walls.

    "Boss!" Another young man spoke up. "There''s something strange about this place—it feels like an invisible wall is shielding it."

    Austin frowned and walked up to the entrance of the territory, stretching out his hand.

    Just as the subordinate had said, his palm didn''t even reach the physical wall before it collided with an unseen force.

    Austin narrowed his eyes and threw a punch at the invisible barrier.

    BAM!

    The lucky ones had the magma splash onto their limbs or non-vital areas.

    The unlucky ones had it land on their heads, faces, or other critical parts.

    The once-proud invaders, who had arrived brimming with arrogance, fled in panic, screaming in sheer terror.

    Austin, protected by the Magma Lizard, remained unscathed. But his subordinates weren''t as fortunate.

    Seeing the chaos unfold, Austin was driven to the brink of madness. His eyes, bloodshot and frenzied, looked as if they would start bleeding at any moment.

    He hadn''t even caught sight of Noan yet, and his entire force had already been thrown into disarray. His men were retreating, one after another.

    If word of this got out, how could he continue to reign as king in this territory?

    Yet, despite his fury, Austin had no idea how to break through the invisible barrier.

    Not only did it block attacks, but it even had a ''counterattack'' mechanism.

    Grinding his teeth, Austin felt both enraged and humiliated. He had assumed that since Caleb could freely enter and exit Noan''s territory, there was nothing to be wary of.

    But he had been wrong.

    Perhaps Caleb and Noan agreed, allowing him to move in and out so effortlessly.

    Recalling Caleb''s smug attitude when he left, Austin was now sure—Caleb must have known about the protective dome surrounding Noan''s territory. That was why he had acted so arrogantly.

    "You bastard!" Austin cursed, his voice dripping with venom. "Damn it! Caleb, once I''m done dealing with that wretch, you''re next!"

    "If I don''t tear you into a hundred pieces and feed you to my Magma Lizard, then I''m not worthy of being called a man!"

    Watching his subordinates flee, Austin felt no concern.

    Ants, no matter how many, were still just ants.

    If these men died, he could always find new ones.

    Their deaths were of no consequence to him. It was even beneficial—he could wipe out those Lords'' territories and seize whatever resources they left behind.

    What truly mattered was uncovering Noan''s secret.

    If he could obtain it, he would control a stable food supply. Even if the resources in the forest and the river eventually ran dry, he could still thrive.

    Moments later, bodies littered the ground, and many of the monsters the Lords had brought with them had perished under the might of the molten rain.

    At this moment, everyone could see the sheer disparity between an ordinary monster and a Rank D-Peak.

    Just one attack had wiped out every monster and Lord present.

    However, that magma sphere had been launched at Noan''s territory—it wasn''t even aimed at them.

    The outcome would have been far more catastrophic if Austin truly targeted them instead.

    Perched on a high tree branch some distance away, Caleb remained unaffected by the magma.

    Watching Austin''s subordinates burn alive, he was inwardly ecstatic, with a deep sense of satisfaction.

    And yet, simultaneously, an icy fear gripped his heart.

    He hadn''t expected Noan''s territory to be protected by such an unfathomable invisible barrier.

    Once again, Caleb inwardly sighed in relief.

    ''What a stroke of luck. If I had chosen to stand against Noan back then... the one standing there today, burned and humiliated, wouldn''t be Austin—it would be me.''