At the same time, in a clearing in the depths of the forest, the two wizards were looking at their leader after setting up their protective spells.
"Mr. Grindelwald, the circle you need is ready."
"Good! You've done well…" Grindelwald said appreciatively, stepping forward to pat them on the shoulder, then turned back to the captured Thunderbird.
After being beaten up, the Thunderbird was no longer as arrogant as before. It looked very miserable, with a long wound extending from its chest to its left wing. Crimson blood kept seeping out of the wound, dyeing its tail feathers golden-red.
In order to prevent the Thunderbird from escaping, wizards used Transfiguration to create several large chains that bound the Thunderbird tightly. Together with the Weakening Charm and the protective spells that were placed around it, the Thunderbird could barely move, let alone escape.
"There's no time to lose," Grindelwald said. "Get ready. We'll start now."
The four wizards looked at each other, then cast an Armor Charm on themselves and cautiously retreated to a far corner.
"Go ahead and vent your anger. Show me what you've got…" Grindelwald gazed at the giant Thunderbird in front of him, gently waving his wand to remove the Weakening Charm he had placed on it.
Regaining its ability to move, the Thunderbird glared venomously at Grindelwald, its golden eyes filled with rage. It raised its six wings high in the air and let out a piercing shriek. As its magic flowed, dozens of thick bolts of lightning fell from the sky!
The flashes of lightning gathered together and created a violent thunderstorm, the shock wave sweeping out in all directions with a loud roar, the dangerous and swift lightning spreading like a spider web.
The four well-prepared wizards were inevitably affected, and their Shield Charms shattered almost instantly under the force of nature.
Fortunately, the protective spells that had been set up in advance worked. Strong magical barriers rose from the ground like four walls isolating the area from the thunderstorm.
Seeing that the last of their defences had not been breached, the wizards breathed a sigh of relief, then looked at the figure in the middle of the storm with concern and admiration.
Grindelwald's body glowed with magical fluorescence, and as the lightning entered his body, it quickly fell silent. His cloak, which looked like it was made of silk, became even more magical, isolating him from the terrible heat caused by the thunderstorm.
Grindelwald stood quietly in the middle of the thunderstorm, searching for the hidden spatial node. Under the influence of such a terrible thunderstorm, some deeply hidden traces of magic would be revealed.
"Not hard enough!" Grindelwald said as his eyes flew open and he pointed his Elder Wand at the Thunderbird.
"Crucio ~ (heart-wrenching)"
The Thunderbird cried out in pain as bolts of lightning fell from the dark clouds, triggering thunderclaps. The flickering arcs of lightning became more concentrated, and tiny cracks appeared on the otherwise solid barrier of magic.
The four wizards hiding at the periphery felt their scalps go numb, and they subconsciously took a few steps back, praying that the magical barrier would stabilize.
Grindelwald's lips curled into a smile. As the thunderstorm intensified, he could clearly feel the point of connection between the two spaces…
At that moment, Grindelwald raised his Elder Wand and accurately stabbed it at the node. As if piercing a bubble, ripples spread out in all directions, and before long, a passage about three meters wide and high appeared before everyone's eyes.
The terrifying electric arcs gradually died down, and the continuous lightning strikes weakened the already injured Thunderbird. More importantly, it had discovered that its various tricks were ineffective against the wizard in front of it, and had been used by him to achieve its goal.
The magical barrier around them shattered, and the wizards cautiously gathered around Grindelwald to ask him for further instructions.
"Stay here and make sure no one else comes in," Grindelwald said without preamble as he strode into the dark passageway.
He was going to the residence and burial ground of a master alchemist. There must be all kinds of dangerous magical traps inside, so there was no need to lose people for no reason.
After Grindelwald's departure, the tunnel, which had been temporarily created and was unstable, slowly closed.
… .
"What is Grindelwald trying to do with such a terrible thunderstorm?" Ivan muttered to himself as he watched the lightning fall from the sky in the dense forest hundreds of meters away.
He didn't think the captured Thunderbird could have resisted Grindelwald so fiercely, so it had to be intentional!
Or rather, the other party captured the Thunderbird to create this thunderstorm!
Ivan thought to himself as he picked up speed again. With all the commotion up ahead, he didn't need to smell the blood in the air to know where the Thunderbird was.
However, the closer he got, the more familiar the woods seemed to him. He seemed to have been here before…
As Ivan pondered this, the four wizards in front of him appeared…
Grindelwald did not appear to be present, and Ivan was able to confirm this information at first glance, although he could not be certain whether Grindelwald had left or whether it was a trap…
Remembering the thunderstorm and seeing the dismal scene of the front being plowed over by lightning and shock waves, Ivan soon determined that it was probably not a trap, otherwise there would be no need for all the fuss.
During the delay, Rolf came up behind them, keeping low in the trees. He glanced at the four nearby wizards and said, "I'll take two each!"
"No need! Just hide…" Ivan refused Rolfe's help, leaping out of his hiding place as he spoke.
The cheetah's speed was already astonishing, and with the enhancement of its magic, one could only see an afterimage. The nearest wizard did not even have time to react before he was sent flying.
"Enemy attack, Wizard!"
Those who had followed Grindelwald were naturally elites, and although the attack only lasted for an instant, some of them immediately noticed that something was wrong. A normal cheetah would never have been able to move that fast, let alone send a human flying with a single swipe of its paw.
Therefore, there is only one possibility. The attacker was an Animagus…