As Newt Scamander approached, Yukina's face tightened with visible anxiety. At that very moment, she suddenly felt someone clasp her left hand tightly.
Turning her head, she saw that it was none other than Wentworth.
Wentworth offered her a bright smile and whispered softly,
"Don't worry, it's going to be all right."
Yukina blushed, her cheeks flushed pink, and she nodded firmly in response.
By then, Newt had reached them. Wentworth quickly stepped forward and asked,
"Mr. Scamander, how is Yukina doing? Is her condition stable?"
Newt eyed Yukina carefully and let out a deep sigh.
"Not good," he said solemnly.
At his words, Wentworth felt a heavy weight sink into his chest. His grip on Yukina's hand tightened instinctively.
But then, he felt her own hands wrap around his. Turning to look, he saw Yukina holding his right hand in both of hers, her smile still unwavering.
Ahem!
A sudden cough from Newt Scamander broke the moment. Yukina's face turned a deeper shade of red as she quickly let go of Wentworth's hands.
Wentworth turned his attention back to Newt and opened his mouth to speak, but Newt beat him to it.
"It's bad, but not the worst it could be. There may still be a way to save her."
Wentworth immediately perked up.
"Mr. Scamander, tell us, what do we need to do? Is there anything you require? Whatever it is, I'll find it for you!"
Newt waved a hand, then turned to Yukina and asked slowly,
"Tell me, have you already begun to control the Obscurus inside you, even if only partially?"
Yukina blinked in surprise, then quickly nodded.
"Yes, Mr. Scamander. In the beginning, whenever the Obscurus flared up inside me, I'd completely lose consciousness."
"But starting around last year, even during its outbursts, I began to remain partially aware. And since this year, I've been able to regulate its release to some extent. However... once I let it out, I can't control what it does, it just rages freely."
Newt nodded, clearly expecting this.
"Exactly as I observed. That means... the Obscurus has begun fusing with your soul."
Wentworth and Yukina exchanged startled glances and blurted out in unison,
"Fusing with her soul?!"
Newt gave a slow, grim nod.
"Yes. After years of research and observation, I've found that when an Obscurus first appears, it exists as a separate entity from its host, like two minds trapped in one body."
"But as the Obscurus grows stronger, its chaotic, destructive energy begins to devour the host's original soul. That is the tragic fate of most Obscurials."
"However," he continued, "there are rare cases, exceptional witches and wizards, whose mental strength, or rather, the strength of their souls, is formidable enough to resist the Obscurus. In these cases, the two begin to fuse."
"And the deeper the fusion, the greater the host's control over the Obscurus. If the fusion becomes complete, the host can wield its power, and unleash magical force of unprecedented scale."
Hearing this, Wentworth quickly asked,
"If a host fully fuses with the Obscurus, does that mean they'll...?"
But before he could finish, Newt cut him off, casting him a sidelong glance and saying irritably,
"I know what you're thinking. But Wentworth, you're still too young. You don't realize that every gift fate offers has already had its price written in the fine print."
"A completely fused Obscurial may indeed become one of the most powerful wizards alive, but it also means their time is limited."
"From the moment their soul begins merging with the Obscurus, each time they use its power, they're burning away a piece of their soul. Tell me, how many souls do you think you have to burn?"
"So, once the fusion is complete, there's only one path left for the Obscurial: a slow, excruciating death."
Wentworth finally understood. At last, he realized that his dream of building an army of Obscurials had utterly collapsed.
He turned toward Yukina, who had remained silent through it all, and asked Newt cautiously,
"Mr. Scamander, then... what about someone like Yukina? What should we do?"
Newt studied Yukina in silence for a few moments before answering,
"From what I've observed, the Obscurus has indeed begun to fuse with her soul, but not completely. That means there's still time. We might still be able to save her."
Wentworth let out a long breath of relief, then looked Newt in the eyes with renewed determination.
"Mr. Scamander, just tell us what to do. We'll do whatever it takes."
Newt gave him a long, unreadable look, then suddenly asked a question Wentworth never expected:
"Wentworth, as the leader of the Alliance... have you ever considered immortality?"
Wentworth blinked, taken aback.
"Mr. Scamander, that's... quite the leap in topic."
Newt seemed to ponder something for a moment, then continued:
"Then let me ask you this, do you know about Horcruxes?"
Wentworth still looked puzzled, but nodded slowly.
Newt narrowed his eyes.
"Have you ever attempted to create one yourself?"
The question startled Wentworth so much he recoiled. He shook his head vehemently, opening his mouth to deny it, to declare that he disdained such dark methods of immortality.
But before he could speak, Newt sighed and shook his head in disappointment.
"You don't even know how to make a Horcrux... and you call yourself the third Dark Lord?"
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