Gorilla and Lizard

An invisible transparent barrier stood behind Natalia. Amid a tremendous impact, the girl spun around and stared wide-eyed in shock.

Fortunately, she froze for only a moment before quickly running away. The next second, the armor shattered, and the attacker landed heavily on the ground, opening its mouth in an angry roar.

"Roar!!!"

The blast of air sent Natalia's disheveled bangs flying back. Overwhelmed with shock, she rapidly retreated several more steps.

The attacker was a massive gorilla. Muscles bulged across its shoulders and back, its thick forearms nearly hung to the ground, and its broad nostrils flared now and then with rumbling snorts.

The light that had illuminated the two of them during the battle had long since vanished. Sparse sunlight filtered through gaps between the leaves, providing only the faintest visibility.

In the darkness, apart from its yellow-glowing eyes, the gorilla's entire body looked pitch-black, making it seem powerful and intimidating.

"Confringo!"

Natalia's Wand flashed with dazzling red light, but the enormous gorilla somehow evaded it with a nimble sideways flip, as agile as a mirror image of the two of them moments ago.

The girl's pupils abruptly shrank.

How did a wild animal know to dodge a wizard's spell?

But there was no time to think. The gorilla's fist, carrying a fierce gust of wind, smashed straight at her!

"Impedimenta!"

Harry shouted, and the beast's movements visibly slowed. Natalia seized the chance to leap aside, her heels carving two deep furrows into the ground.

But her chance to catch her breath vanished in an instant. The gorilla lunged at her, slamming down with its palm!

The girl rolled awkwardly across the ground, narrowly escaping.

As Harry ran toward her, he shouted, "Incarcerous! Tarantallegra! Levicorpus! Come at me, you big idiot!"

But the huge creature was unbelievably nimble.