Marvel: Starting as a Time Criminal, Stealing Powers

Not bad.

"I haven't done this for half a month—my hands are still a bit rusty."

Russell nodded in satisfaction. With a casual motion, both the scepter and the Tesseract flew into his hands.

Tony glanced at Loki, who was still stuck to the wall, swallowed nervously, and asked cautiously:

"Sorcerer Supreme... won't this affect the future?"

Russell tightened his fingers slightly, easily crushing the outer shell of the Tesseract.

He casually blew the fragments from his palm, picked up the glowing blue gem, and examined it before speaking:

"It's fine. This timeline is already a branched one—it won't affect the main future."

Tony's eyelids twitched. He didn't dare ask more questions.

Since this guy said it wouldn't matter, then it didn't.

Although Captain America didn't fully understand what a "time branch" was, he clearly understood what it meant to crush the Tesseract.

No need to ask—just trust the big guy!

Bruce Banner, growing more agitated, looked like he wanted to punch Loki himself.

Next, Russell took out the Mind Stone. Using a spell taught by the Ancient One, he created a micro space pocket and stored both Infinity Stones inside.

He then turned to Tony and said:

"Give me the coordinates for the Power Stone. Let's get there one minute earlier than them."

Tony thought for a moment, then provided the location and timeline—Planet Morag, 2014.

Since this powerful being was willing to help, it was best to collect both the Power Stone and the Soul Stone together to minimize any errors.

Thor was familiar with Asgard, so that mission should be safe.

Morag, 2014.

As they stepped through the glowing orange portal, Tony looked around at the unfamiliar alien landscape and once again felt a deep sense of shock.

The time machine he had built himself was troublesome, dangerous, and required Pym Particles.

Compared to that, this was just a palm-sized artifact that could open time-space portals—outrageously efficient.

Captain America looked around and respectfully said:

"Sorcerer Supreme, this is where the Power Stone should be. According to Nebula's records, it's inside a temple not far from here."

Russell nodded and snapped his fingers.

Suddenly, in front of Banner, Tony, and Steve, a metal orb appeared out of thin air—the Orb that contained the Power Stone.

The three of them were still in shock at how effortlessly this was done when a strange red flame suddenly ignited and burned violently on the orb.

In just a few seconds, the Orb—whose lock mechanism Nebula had once described as extremely complicated—melted into molten metal.

Banner's scalp went numb. He instinctively stepped back.

Even in Hulk form, he felt that he wouldn't be able to withstand that kind of heat—the tingling sensation in his skin told him that much.

Tony also shrank his neck. He doubted his nano-armor could resist that kind of heat.

As the last bit of metal liquefied, the glowing Power Stone floated in midair.

Russell didn't touch it—not because of energy corrosion, but because direct contact might trigger another time branch.

Instead, he stored it in his micro pocket dimension.

Right at that moment, light flashed in the air, and several familiar figures materialized.

It was Nebula, War Machine (Rhodey), Hawkeye, and Black Widow.

They were visibly stunned to see Tony, Steve, and Banner already on Morag—and even more surprised by their respectful attitude toward the unfamiliar young man standing with them.

"This is the Sorcerer Supreme of Kamar-Taj," Banner quickly stepped forward to explain, afraid someone might say or do something reckless.

He then explained that acquiring the Soul Stone required a sacrifice.

Hawkeye and Black Widow exchanged a glance, and both saw the fear in each other's eyes.

No words were needed—if Tony and the others hadn't stopped them, one of them would've surely died.

"Thank you... magician."

The two sincerely thanked Russell.

However, Nebula looked deeply troubled. She realized that in the original timeline, Thanos had sacrificed Gamora.

And yet... she couldn't understand how that made sense, because Thanos truly loved Gamora.

This emotional shock resonated with the version of Nebula still in Sanctuary II, and suddenly she froze in place, her eyes projecting the current scene in real time.

Thanos squinted at the projection and listened to the Earthlings discussing how failing to acquire the Soul Stone meant the future couldn't be salvaged.

He immediately caught on.

His face darkened, and his tone turned cold:

"I succeeded in the future… and yet these pathetic losers still refuse to accept their fate."

"Looks like leaving half of them alive was too merciful. This time, I will—"

Before he could finish, the young man in the projection suddenly looked straight at him.

Was it an illusion?

Had the man just coincidentally looked at future-Nebula's eyes?

But in the very next second, the young man raised a hand and made a throat-slitting gesture toward Thanos.

Thanos's expression darkened.

It wasn't an illusion.

The other party not only knew he was watching—but had directly threatened him.

Ebony Maw, who was standing off to the side, wore a blank expression—but his heart was pounding.

He couldn't comprehend how the other party had done it!

That gaze—it felt as though it had pierced through space to look directly at him.

And as a telekinetic, his spirit was violently trembling. It felt like he was dying!

Thanos snorted coldly.

Looking at the Nebula that was currently locked in synchronization, a cruel expression appeared on his face.

On Planet Morag

Black Widow and the others were confused by why Russell suddenly made a threatening gesture toward Nebula.

As someone who had fought through thick and thin with her, Tony quickly tried to explain, "She might look robotic, but she's one of the good guys now."

But Nebula understood. Her face changed dramatically, and she shouted urgently:

"Go!"

"It's Thanos—he must've seen this place through the other version of me!"

The expressions of everyone else immediately changed.

They all knew just how terrifying Thanos was. Even without the Infinity Stones, he was already a formidable opponent.

Banner felt it more than anyone—after all, Hulk had been thoroughly beaten down by Thanos' fists!

Tony suddenly thought of something. He looked at Russell and asked cautiously:

"Sorcerer Supreme… are we retreating?"

Russell smiled faintly.

"Retreat?"

"I came to this branched timeline to collect the gems—not to return them."

"Why would I let him go?"

Nebula spoke anxiously:

"You don't understand how powerful he is!"

Russell gently patted her on the shoulder, then shook his head.

"No, kid. You don't understand how powerful I am."

Nebula was about to reply when she suddenly looked up.

The others followed her gaze and saw a hexagonal space-jump portal open in the sky, revealing the deep blackness of outer space beyond.

The next second, a small, orange-red flight device zipped out of the portal.

"Is that Thanos' warship?" Hawkeye asked, confused.

"No!" Nebula's expression turned grim. "That's just the scout."

Before she finished speaking, the portal burst with dazzling energy and lightning—then violently tore apart as a massive, minister-class warship, several thousand meters wide, forced its way through.

Rhodey's jaw dropped.

"Damn… I really should've brought Scott along. This is what a real big guy looks like. It's massive—and terrifying."

In space...

Star-Lord, piloting the Milano, was already anxious about someone else discovering the Power Stone's location.

Suddenly, a sharp alarm blared on the ship.

A giant shadow loomed behind him. He spun around—and screamed.

"F**k! That's the Dark Order's warship!"

"Yondu! You sold me out again!"

He scrambled to escape, but the surrounding space was too unstable. The Milano couldn't maintain flight control and was about to be crushed by the warship closing in behind.

"I'm dead…" Star-Lord muttered, despair spreading across his face.

Then—snap!

He heard a snap of fingers.

Before he could even grasp what happened, the space around him shimmered.

He saw his own ship get struck—and explode.

Then the sky spun.

He looked down and found himself seated on the ground. The servant girl he had "borrowed" from the Collector lay beside him, also confused.

"What... just happened?"

He had no idea.

But Hawkeye and Black Widow had seen it all clearly.

The man called the Sorcerer Supreme had casually snapped his fingers—and in a flash, both Star-Lord and the girl had teleported right in front of them.

Star-Lord wailed in frustration:

"My ship! That thing cost me three million Nova Coins!"

Hawkeye and Black Widow exchanged looks—shock and disbelief written on both faces.

He teleported them instantly from that distance?

What kind of power was this!?

Nebula never took her eyes off the massive warship looming overhead.

The deep-rooted fear of Thanos resurfaced in her mind once again.

She screamed:

"Run!"

"Return to the future immediately! Or we'll lose our chance forever!"

But just as she finished, her body froze.

A low, cold voice echoed from the comms system:

"Why won't you just live peacefully?"

"You were the lucky half. You should be grateful for my mercy... not seeking your own death."

"Ebony Maw. Kill them."

Upon hearing this, Nebula suddenly broke free from her frozen state and warned sharply:

"Ebony Maw is Thanos's most powerful telekinetic. He once wiped out a tribe of 2,000 people on Planet Alsophila. Be careful—he can manipulate objects from unexpected angles!"

Hawkeye and Black Widow immediately entered battle mode.

Tony and the others quietly stepped back.

Suddenly, a pillar of blue light descended from the warship above.

When it vanished, an ugly, hairless alien figure stood where it had landed—Ebony Maw.

Nebula instantly began calculating strategies—but something felt wrong.

This didn't feel like the Ebony Maw she knew.

Why did this one seem so timid? His posture was slouched, his expression fearful—and he looked like he might cry any second.

Black Widow and Hawkeye shot confused glances at Nebula.

She looked just as baffled, muttering:

"I don't know either."

"The Ebony Maw I knew… he was ruthless. Cold. A killer. I always kept my distance from him."

"But this one… why does he look like he's about to cry?"

Hearing this, Tony cautiously glanced at Russell's back.

A wild theory formed in his mind… but it made no logical sense.

And then—it happened.

Ebony Maw, who had been sent to kill them… suddenly let out a panicked scream and turned to run.

He bolted toward a nearby cliff—and in full view of everyone—jumped off, howling, "Aaaahhh!"

Even Star-Lord stopped sobbing about his ship, staring in shock.

"Did… did he forget his parachute?" he blurted.

Nebula glared at him. "You're still as stupid as ever."

"He's obviously terrified!"

If she had been confused before, she wasn't anymore.

When Ebony Maw jumped off that cliff—it was clear.

He hadn't dared to disobey Thanos's command… but he feared Russell even more.

But why?

Russell didn't know either.

He calmly reached out his hand—5.8 grab—and clenched his fingers.

Ebony Maw was instantly snatched from midair and pulled back, caught by the throat.

Nebula's pupils shrank as Russell asked curiously:

"Are you afraid of me?"

"Why?"

Nebula's jaw dropped.

Ebony Maw trembled like a leaf in the wind, his voice warping in fear:

"I… I can sense the breath of death."

"My spirit is screaming—my instincts are terrified."

"As if… as if you've already killed me."

"Jumping off the cliff was my only chance at survival…"

Nebula's eyes widened in disbelief.

The great Ebony Maw, Thanos's most terrifying telekinetic, was so afraid of Russell that he'd rather jump off a cliff than face him!?

What kind of power was this?

Russell looked disappointed.

With a flick, he crushed Ebony Maw's neck and tossed the corpse aside.

He had thought the guy might know some time-related secrets—but in the end, he was still just a weakling.

Moments later, he felt the familiar signal of a successful plunder.

After fusion, his telekinesis had increased by 10%.

"Not bad," Russell muttered. "Better than nothing."

Nebula stared at the corpse blankly.

That was Thanos's right-hand man… crushed like a bug.

Ebony Maw didn't even try to resist.

What kind of oppressive force was this?

Hawkeye and Black Widow were equally stunned. Only now were they starting to grasp the full weight of what Tony and the others had already seen.

Then—Russell slowly raised his hand.

His fingers curled toward the sky, aiming at the massive warship overhead.

In an instant, an overwhelming aura of dread swept through everyone present.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks to [Kheiven Dhaiti] for joining my Patreon page!🎉Your support means the world to me. 🙏

You can visit my Patreon page:

Patreon.com/PhoeniXcel

I upload 2 chapters daily on Patreon!

There are 80+ advanced chapters available for you to read.

Your support would be greatly appreciated.