August couldn't dodge in time. He hadn't expected Graves to attack without warning. The spell whistled and struck his right hand, where he held his wand.
The wand flew from his grasp and bounced to the side.
"You still have much to learn," Graves said, looking at August, who had lost his wand. "You..."
Suddenly, August's mouth curved into an imperceptible smile. As soon as his wand left his hand, he immediately swung it in a downward cutting motion.
Whizz!
A ghostly blue light abruptly appeared on Grindelwald's body, slicing his clothes from shoulder to waist.
At the same time, a large wound opened up from top to bottom, and blood flowed uncontrollably, instantly staining Graves' clothes red.
"Wandless magic?" Graves looked at August with interest, as if he had discovered something even more intriguing.
He himself knew this advanced technique in the magical world, but it wasn't as practical as using a wand. One must remember that his wand was the Elder Wand, one of the Deathly Hallows, and casting spells with it doubled his power.
However, just because he knew how to use it didn't mean anyone could. He was now even more certain that the young wizard before him was a prodigy like himself and Dumbledore.
If he hadn't suddenly felt a warning signal and used a Super Shield, he probably would be cut in two and dead by now.
August shrugged. "I don't think now's the time to discuss this."
The continuous use of magic had consumed a considerable amount of his energy. He didn't mind stalling for time by rambling. In any case, the American Magical Congress would arrive soon after hearing the commotion, and even Grindelwald would be unable to escape under siege by so many Aurors.
"You should have hit me again just now, so I couldn't resist any longer," Graves said with an odd smile.
"[Stupefy]!"
At that moment, Tina's voice suddenly rang out from behind Grindelwald. Newt had told her he could handle the Obscurus himself and that she should quickly go and help Stupefy! him.
Tina didn't know that Graves was Grindelwald. She simply had a hunch that this person had some ulterior motive and wanted to control him, so she chose a stunning spell that wouldn't harm his body.
Had she known that the person in front of her was the Dark Lord who had disturbed the European wizarding world, she probably would have used more powerful spells.
A white light shimmered around Graves, and Tina's spell was countered by a [Shield Charm]. He turned and looked at Tina: "Miss Goldstein, you always appear in inconvenient places."
"Director Graves, what is your purpose?" She had already overheard the conversation between him and August, something a high-ranking official of the Magical Congress wouldn't say.
At that moment, after Newt's persistent efforts, the Obscurus calmed down. The dark smoke slowly condensed, and Credence's figure appeared on the ground.
"Purpose?" Graves shrugged. "As you can see, this Obscurus is wreaking havoc in the city. Look at the Muggles around here. Our existence has been exposed. I'm handling this matter."
Indeed, in the United States, there was no shortage of those who enjoyed excitement and didn't care for their lives. Many ordinary people, initially panicked, seeing that there was no danger, peeked out and saw the few people in the middle of the continent carrying short sticks and able to shoot light balls like wizards.
Even the slower-reacting patrol officers had already arrived, immediately stopping their vehicles and pointing their weapons at them.
The one who appeared to be the leader shouted loudly, "Drop your sticks and put your hands above your heads! Otherwise, we'll shoot!"
"[Levicorpus]!"
Graves attacked suddenly, and the man who appeared to be the chief was suspended in the air as if his legs had been tied. The sudden change startled him, and he screamed loudly, "Shoot! Shoot!"
The other police officers immediately opened fire. In the darkness, flashes of gunfire erupted, and endless bullets headed towards them.
"[Erecto]!" Newt reacted quickly. As soon as the shots rang out, he cast a spell, and the floor tiles instantly flew up, forming a barrier that blocked the bullets.
"[Silencio]!" Graves seemed furious that these Muggles dared to attack him. He immediately waved his wand, and the Muggle, who was still cursing and ordering his subordinates to shoot, could only move his mouth but emit no sound.
At that moment, the Muggle realized that the people in front of him were not circus clowns, but strange individuals with unknown abilities.
"You see, these Muggles are always so ignorant they can't even see I'm saving them," Graves said with a touch of mockery.
"Director, abusing magic on Muggles is illegal!" Tina exclaimed.
"Illegal? For whom do you think these laws exist? Are they for us or for them? Are they meant to protect them?" Grindelwald pointed his wand at his wound. "[Vulnera Sanentur]."
His wound began to heal rapidly, and soon only delicate pink skin remained.
He slowly approached Tina: "Or to protect us?"
His smile held a strange magic, and Tina was momentarily stunned.
"Mr. Graves, that's enough." At that moment, a group of people Apparated. The leader was a dark-skinned woman with a turban. "Aurors, raise the barrier!"
There were about twenty American Aurors. Hearing her words, they all raised their wands, and golden flashes began to glow at their tips.
Immediately, a golden light film barrier rose from the ground, slowly closing in, enclosing them, August, and the others in this hemispherical transparent golden dome.
This barrier not only served to prevent Muggles from causing trouble but also to prevent the people inside from escaping.
The woman in the turban was Seraphina Picquery, the current President of the Magical Congress of the United States of America. She was exceptionally capable and intelligent, and a graduate of Ilvermorny's Horned Serpent house, always highly respected by American wizards.
"President Picquery," Grindelwald bowed slightly. "I was just about to apprehend that Obscurus. These people conspired with the former Auror Tina to cause this chaos. Arrest them quickly."
Indeed, he turned the situation around, being the first to falsely accuse August and the others. Newt was still a fugitive at that moment, and hearing this, he immediately became nervous, but he was more concerned about the Obscurus's plight, Credence.
"He's harmless, he just needs guidance," Newt told them.
"He's harmless, indeed. If you hand him over to me, I guarantee he won't cause such chaos again," Graves said in his usual tone. "I've known this child for a long time, but I didn't know he was an Obscurus."
Credence's recently stabilized emotions stirred again, and his body trembled uncontrollably, on the verge of transforming.
"An Obscurus cannot be separated. This child is beyond saving." Picquery seemed somewhat cold, but she had her own considerations. Such a large Obscurus had never been seen before, and the ruins she had seen along the way made her realize its destructive power was terrifying. She could not allow such an existence to continue; eliminating it now was the best option. "Do it!"
Credence felt the murderous intent of the newcomers, and the Obscurus within him rebelled again, but he discovered he could control his actions.
Immediately, the astonishing Obscurus expanded its body. The wizards present raised their wands, but to their surprise, the Obscurus, as it burst forth, crashed into the ground, tearing open a massive hole that revealed an underground tunnel.