Many Thanks to Victor Gonzalez, Mozetor, Reed Pace, King Killa, and Lu Dawei for becoming Patrons!♥♥
(｡•̀ᴗ-)✧
_________
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, Ivan's gaze fell on the distant lake.
He felt a brief trance, and then scenes reflected by the lake's shimmering surface came into focus.
At the edge of the golden beach, near the entrance to the woods, a golden giant beast descended from the sky amidst thunder, its target being the young wizard holding a cat.
The scene shifted, and Ivan saw the wind howling across the sky, magical creatures by the lake fleeing in all directions.
On the ruined remains of the forest, a battered and furious giant beast stood roaring.
"Thunderbird?"
The golden creature resembled the Thunderbird from the Fantastic Beasts films, though it was much larger than the one in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
"Uh-oh!"
Ivan jolted out of the vision, realizing he had just experienced a special prophetic state connected to the Thunderbird.
"Fuck—Run!!" Without hesitation, he grabbed Yuumi and sprinted toward the direction of the wardrobe.
Boom!
Thunder echoed overhead, and the previously clear sky was quickly covered by dark clouds.
Just as his vision had foretold, Ivan could hear the cry of a Thunderbird amidst the storm.
"No!"
"The speed difference is too great."
"If this keeps up, I'll be caught before I can leave the secret realm!"
Ivan frowned slightly, sensing that the Thunderbird was getting closer and closer.
Bang!
He abruptly stopped and tightened his grip on his wand.
Faint red lines, like flames, began to spread across the wand, and the shadow of a sleeping Fenix emerged, as if it had sensed the enemy and was ready to fight alongside its master.
"It seems we'll have to fight," Ivan muttered.
He wasn't afraid of combat. While he hadn't mastered many spells, wizard duels didn't have to be overly complicated for him.
Turning around, Ivan aimed his wand at the figure descending from the sky.
Swish!
Without chanting any incantation, Ivan channeled his magic and fired a red-gold magic projectile from the tip of his wand, aiming directly at the approaching beast.
Chi~~
The Thunderbird, illuminated dramatically by flashes of lightning, appeared majestic and fierce. Yet even such a powerful magical creature sensed the imminent threat of death as the magic bullet flew toward it.
With a sudden stop in mid-air, the Thunderbird managed to dodge the incoming attack.
Bang!
A deafening explosion echoed in the distance, and the shockwave swept across the landscape. The magic bullet had struck a distant cliff, blowing away half the mountain in a massive blast.
The sheer destructive power was so overwhelming that even the mighty Thunderbird, the ruler of this magical secret realm, was momentarily stunned.
"Meow?(WTF!?)"
Yuumi, the ragdoll cat, widened her eyes, seemingly stunned by her master's incredible display of power.
Ivan didn't send Yuumi away for safety. He held his wand firmly in his hand, with the Fenix shadow aiding him in controlling the magic coursing through his body. With this control, he no longer had to worry about losing control of his magic.
Gala La~~
Seeing the giant beast momentarily stunned, Ivan didn't pause his attack.
Black mist began pouring out from Ivan's body, and the earth, soil, and surrounding vegetation turned to black ash, as though they had been incinerated.
In an instant, a massive tornado with a radius of tens of meters formed around him.
"Roar!!"
With a wave of his wand, Ivan directed the black storm to transform into writhing dragons, roaring as they surged toward the Thunderbird in the sky, intent on strangling it.
For a moment, the forest near the entrance was swept by the destructive force of Ivan's magic, creating a devastating wave of power that spread in all directions.
Chi~!
However, the Thunderbird's powerful lightning managed to block the terrifying offensive.
The raw power of the black storm was indeed overwhelming, but the Thunderbird's natural magic resistance wasn't weak either. After its storm and lightning weakened Ivan's assault, it was enough to resist the encroaching black mist.
"FUCK OFF!!!"
Ivan roared, his voice echoing as the battle between the two forces reached a stalemate.
Foosh~~
The black mist and thunder continued to clash, and amidst the dim, stormy world, a red and golden light sliced through the sky.
The Fenix soared upward, its wings merging with the boundless black mist, eventually forming a colossal black bird, dozens of meters tall, ablaze with black flames. "Roarrrr!!!"
"!!"
Seeing the black flame phoenix charging toward it, the Thunderbird felt a deep chill of fear, instinctively wanting to flee.
Chi!!!!!
But this giant Thunderbird had ruled over the forest and lake for years, and its pride wouldn't allow it to retreat without a fight!
Without further hesitation, the Thunderbird let out a series of sharp cries and lunged directly at the black flame phoenix.
Bang!
The black flames and golden thunder collided mid-air, and the resulting dazzling white light was so intense that Ivan and Yuumi were forced to shut their eyes.
Ivan could feel the immense pressure coming from the enormous Thunderbird.
Far from panicking, he felt a surge of exhilaration.
"Hoo!"
With a firm press of his wand, Ivan pointed its tip downward.
Chi?
Gradually, with Ivan's seemingly limitless magical power, the black flame Fenix began to overpower the golden Thunderbird, forcing it down toward the vast surface of the lake, all while the great bird let out agonized cries.
Boom!!!
In the next moment, a deafening explosion erupted from the surface of the lake, sending massive waves crashing everywhere.
"Haah!"
Ivan, his mind still racing from the intense battle, finally exhaled as he temporarily repelled the Thunderbird. "The magical power of that Thunderbird is immense."
"Let's not linger here anymore!"
Without paying further attention to the dramatic changes in the secret realm, Ivan picked up Yuumi and dashed toward the exit.
Through his magical sense, Ivan could tell that the Thunderbird wasn't dead.
However, he was certain the creature wouldn't be feeling good after taking such a direct hit.
Moreover, Ivan sensed numerous powerful magical auras in the air, converging from all directions due to the recent battle.
It was clear that the golden Thunderbird wasn't the only powerful magical creature residing in this secret realm.
Bang!
A few minutes later, as the wardrobe door closed again, Ivan and Yuumi collapsed to the ground, leaning against the wardrobe.
"Haah.. Huff.. Haah.."
"This magical secret realm feels incredibly dangerous."
Ivan tried to steady his breathing, still shaken. "That Thunderbird... a magical creature of that magnitude—are there really so many of them?"
In the movie, Newt's Thunderbird was only about 4 meters tall at most.
But compared to the one Ivan had just encountered, it was like comparing a baby to an adult.
Ivan couldn't imagine how disastrous it would be if he were entangled by several creatures of that magnitude.
It's important to remember that the flesh and hide of magical creatures are naturally highly resistant to magic, making them immune to most spells.
Otherwise, how could the Obscurus unleashed by Ivan have been so easily blocked by the Thunderbird?
"It seems that until I possess enough power, I can't venture into that magical secret realm at will...."
With that thought, Ivan stowed away the wardrobe. He then used a cleaning spell to remove the dirt and stains from his clothes before finally lying down on the bed.
After a long day of travel, staying up until midnight, and briefly exploring the secret realm, Ivan was feeling quite exhausted.