Ivan slowly moved forward and blocked the entrance to Nurmengard. His gaze lingered on the Elder Wand in Grindelwald's hand for a moment before he questioned him.
"So you're ready to break out? Grindelwald? Or are you going to move to a more comfortable cell?"
"A prison break?" Grindelwald's lips curled into a smile. "That's true, but I'm afraid I'm not the only one in a cage. The entire wizarding community is just another prison."
"It shows that the world is sick and deformed, and I… intend to correct it!" Grindelwald said casually.
"Correct?" Ivan's eyes narrowed.
"A lion need not fear a flock of sheep, and Muggles have ruled the world long enough, bringing only more violence and injustice, and allowing lesser men to take power and wealth… Only a wizard can remake this rotten world!" Grindelwald replied in a low, hoarse voice.
"And create new wars and injustices?" Ivan said mockingly, interrupting Grindelwald. "A wizard is no different from a Muggle except in the ability to use magic, and I'm afraid wizards miss none of the Muggle mistakes…"
Wizards were never as exceptional as Grindelwald claimed, nor were they a noble race, something that the Ministry of Magic, led by Fudge, could not have been more impressed with.
"I see that failure fifty years ago did not teach you much about Muggle rule…" Ivan sneered.
Grindelwald ignored Ivan's sarcastic comment and said bluntly, "So I need more preparation and more help!"
"That includes you, of course, Harls!" Grindelwald said earnestly to Ivan.
Ivan was taken aback. He had not expected Grindelwald to try to win him over before the war.
"You and I are both extraordinarily powerful wizards, and fighting each other will only weaken us, not to mention the fact that we both have similar ideas, don't you think? The inevitable conflict between wizards and Muggles will break out one day, and rather than having a Muggle at the helm, it would be better if you and I started it together!" Grindelwald said in a high-pitched voice, then reached out and looked at Ivan.
"Come, Hales, for the future of the wizarding world, and for wizards to live openly in every corner of it, all fellow wizards must stick together and contribute… A few grudges can be put aside for now, and remember that Muggles are our true enemies."
Grindelwald's voice echoed through Newmengardry, and after a long silence, Yvonne said playfully, "If that's the case, why don't we do it the other way around? You'll work for me, and we can try all kinds of policies in the Pre-British world, and then spread them across the wizarding community, in my own way, of course!"
Grindelwald had made his point, so he had to give him a chance…
"So you are prepared to refuse my offer?" Grindelwald's face darkened. "Then it seems we have nothing to discuss."
"I thought you'd understand from the start that we're never on the same page," Ivan said casually.
Their previous conversation on the top floor of the tower had shown him how dangerous Grindelwald's ideas were, and Ivan had never expected them to coexist peacefully.
Their ill-concealed hostility caused the atmosphere to grow tense. Without warning, Ivan made the first move, sending white fireballs the size of human heads hurtling towards Grindelwald.
With a gentle wave of his wand, a dark blue wall of fire appeared in front of him. The two strange flames collided, and a series of violent explosions sounded.
The rolling air billow lifted Grindelwald's robe, and Winky the house-elf ducked under a solid wall, only half her head visible as she watched the fight nervously.
Ivan vanished in a flash of flame, reappearing behind Grindelwald and flicking his wand. A green beam of light shot from the tip of the wand.
Grindelwald did not anticipate Ivan's ability to Disapparate in Newmengard, but he was able to detect the subtle magical fluctuations in the space-jump and narrowly avoid the fatal blow.
Grindelwald was angered by his near-death experience with an underage brat, and his eyes flashed fiercely. He shook his wand with all his might, and the ghostly blue flames instantly transformed into a long whip that whipped toward Ivan.
Ivan tried to conjure a round shield, but it was easily broken, so he had to Disapparate again.
Grindelwald's magic-enhanced wand gave him an advantage in both offense and defense, and his various charms were more than doubled in power.
Ivan, however, was not worried; the power of a spell was never the deciding factor in a battle.
After dodging a Death Curse by transforming into flames, the ethereal white mist gradually floated out of Ivan's wand and condensed into a unicorn.
After not being able to show her face for a long time, Cecilia happily circled Ivan twice before stepping on the light mist and letting out arrogant neighs as she charged towards Grindelwald.
Grindelwald struck out several spells, but they passed through the Unicorn's Shadow.
Realizing how difficult this spell was, Grindelwald raised his blackened, nearly unconscious left hand and drew his wand across his palm.
Black blood instantly splattered everywhere, but before it hit the ground, the black blood scattered like bullets under the guidance of magic.
The illusory Unicorn Shadow was hit by the black blood bead and was not spared. Bloody holes were corroded all over its body.
Ivan pointed his wand and pulled a stone tablet to his side, blocking the rest of the blood. He then looked at the half-crippled Unicorn's Shadow and frowned.
Though he did not expect Cecilia to take care of Grindelwald, he did not expect her to wound the Unicorn's Shadow so easily.
Grindelwald unexpectedly did not pursue the matter, but lowered his wand and said, "I hope you will give me another answer when we next meet…"
"I'm afraid it won't be so easy to leave now…" Ivan raised his eyebrows and waved his hand, causing the white flames to swell and form a circle around them.