The moment the group of poachers appeared, a dozen of them reversed their wands and forcefully plunged the tips into the ground.
"Dissociatio Terrae!"
Lucien reacted the fastest. The arcing electricity still clinging to his wand had not yet faded when fresh magic surged forth.
"Transverse Octopartite."
Dozens of lances formed from condensed light and shot out in all directions in an instant.
The poachers had not expected such an aggressive opening and hastily cast defensive spells.
It had to be said that, as desperadoes who had engaged in illegal activities and survived countless dangers for years, each of them reacted extremely quickly.
Protective charms flared one after another, and some particularly skilled individuals even helped block attacks for their companions.
Only a few unlucky ones, unable to dodge in time, were pierced by the light lances. Even so, they avoided vital points and were still able to fight.
Newt's response was also swift. He had sensed something amiss the moment Lucien attacked and had already unlatched his briefcase.
Now, seeing a group that clearly looked like poachers, Newt did not hesitate at all and flipped the case open.
Several magical creatures burst out, but they had not yet fully formed a defensive perimeter around the three of them.
The magic cast by the poachers acting in concert had already taken effect.
Cracks suddenly split open across the ground, precisely separating Lucien from the other two.
In the next instant, dark barriers rose up from the cracks in the ground.
Newt stared at the barrier, his brows knitting tightly.
"Boundaries?"
His gaze swept over the dozen or so people around him. Newt, usually gentle and friendly, now had unmistakable anger in his eyes.
With a flick of his wand, arcane runes shot into the briefcase.
Immediately afterward, five Nifflers, a Chimera, a Horned Serpent, and more emerged from the case. Ignoring the poachers for the moment, Newt aimed his wand at the dark barrier and began to decipher it.
He believed the young wizards were capable of dealing with these enemies, but his greatest concern right now was Lucien's safety.
Lucien was still just a young wizard who had only been at school for a year. No matter how talented he was, facing a group of vicious desperadoes like this, his practical experience was undoubtedly lacking.
Newt silently prayed that the magical creatures he had released earlier could protect the child for the time being, and that everything would be resolved once he dispelled the barrier.
...
On the other side.
Lucien was surrounded and shielded by an Occamy.
It was the first to have flown out of Newt's case, and it had now grown thicker than a large tree, coiled protectively as it watched the surrounding wizards with vigilance.
Lucien patted the Occamy wrapped around him, and it let out a soft hiss.
Lucien understood the meaning of its sound: "Don't be afraid."
A faint smile curved Lucien's lips.
"Please move aside. I'm afraid I might hurt you."
For some reason, the Occamy instinctively obeyed Lucien's words, arching its body and allowing him to step out of its protective coil.
At that moment, Lucien spotted a brown-haired man beside the large rock.
The man was casting healing magic on the woman lying on the ground.
That's right—the woman. Her entire body was as dark as her hair.
Earlier, Lucien had briefly captured the spider's magical circuit behind the rock with his Eye of Peering Magic.
She had likely been startled by the passing roadrunner, which exposed her magic.
Thanks to Scabbers' contribution, Lucien was now far more familiar with the magical circuits of Animagi.
As expected, the spider had transformed back into a witch.
Lucien merely glanced toward the large rock, then casually pointed his wand at the surrounding stones and trees.
The glow of Transfiguration flared instantly.
Aidan, among the poachers, saw this scene, and for some reason, his heart sank.
Before today's operation, Aidan had already felt an ominous twitch in his chest.
Now, seeing Shirley fail and suffer such severe magical backlash, Aidan felt even more uneasy.
Although Aidan's strength was not particularly outstanding, his instinct for sensing danger was exceptional, often allowing him to avoid disaster.
That was also an important reason he held a place within the team.
In truth, Aidan now wanted to make a strategic retreat, but after seeing Shirley's dire condition, he knew it was already impossible.
Not only because they had gone too far to turn back—the arrow had already left the bow—but also because the plan could not be abandoned halfway.
There was another crucial reason as well. Aidan's gaze toward Alistair grew complicated.
Their leader was a fool driven by love.
"Kid!"
Alistair roared as he sprang to his feet, eyes wide as he glared at Lucien.
But in the very next second, a chilling sensation washed over him, instantly sobering him up.
A dozen blood-red blades shot straight toward his chest, abdomen, and face. Alistair instinctively swung his wand, casting a powerful Shield Charm in an instant.
Clang, clang, clang—!!
Clear, ringing sounds echoed through the air, yet the tune sent a shiver down Alistair's spine.
That boy looked so young, yet his attacks were so decisive.
The other poachers also discarded their mocking attitudes and grew wary of Lucien.
Because besides the blood blades aimed at Alistair, the others were also suffering attacks to varying degrees.
"Seize him! He must be Newt's grandson—then Newt will have no choice but to comply!"
Alistair shouted the order, rallying morale while making what seemed like the most reasonable judgment.
A child who could be with Newt Scamander had to be someone of special status. If they could capture him alive, it would certainly force Newt to hesitate.
Immediately afterward, Expelliarmus, binding spells, slowing charms, and other non-lethal curses shot toward Lucien in a steady stream.
For a moment, magical lights of every color flared, kicking up clouds of dust.
Bang!
A loud gunshot rang out, catching the poachers completely off guard.
Perhaps it was an American habit, but some wizards were particularly fond of firearms—especially desperadoes like these, who often carried a pistol or two for emergencies.
"Which bastard fired that shot? I said I wanted him alive!"
"Roar!"
A dragon's roar, heavy with oppressive force, thundered into the poachers' ears.
Then, scorching dragonfire blew away the dust, revealing the young boy's figure.
A dragon, a Horned Serpent, a Cat-Leopard, an Acromantula.
Seeing these magical creatures suddenly appear, alarm bells rang loudly in the hearts of the surrounding poachers.
If they were ordinary magical creatures, that would be one thing, but the ones before them were all genuinely dangerous beings.
Which of these species didn't have a few deaths to their name?
The poachers had no idea where these magical creatures had come from, but they all realised they were in deep trouble. How were they supposed to capture that young wizard alive now?
Those with sharp eyes also noticed that the young wizard was holding a… revolver?
Was he the one who fired that shot just now?!
"Soren!"
Aidan cried out when he saw one of his closest companions lying in a pool of blood.
The poacher's legs had been severed, but he didn't scream—he had already passed out from the pain.
Lucien looked at the magical creatures before him.
Hmm. Not bad~
His Transfiguration of magical creatures had become more proficient. The casting speed was faster, and the number he could maintain had increased as well.
Suddenly thinking of something, Lucien took out a black-and-gold gourd, opened the lid, and said,
"Norbert, come out and get some practice too."
________
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