Marvel: Starting as a Time Criminal, Stealing Powers

Egypt

Two transport planes and four Quinjets landed at Cairo Airport.

Phil Coulson, Black Widow, Captain America, and more than twenty S.H.I.E.L.D. agents disembarked in a grand formation, bringing with them a large amount of instruments and excavation equipment.

Although the devices were covered in black cloth, some details were still visible at a glance.

Many airport staff and waiting passengers watched the scene unfold with stunned expressions.

A few hours later...

In the desert, over a hundred kilometers outside of Cairo, S.H.I.E.L.D. had established a temporary base.

Heavy excavation machinery was being continuously transported into the area.

In the sky, a gray falcon-shaped statue circled silently—like a predator scouting its prey.

Not long after, it veered off toward the city.

Somewhere in Cairo

In a modest house, an Arab man raised his arm, and the gray falcon landed accurately upon it.

As he turned back, his eyes mirrored those of the falcon—piercing and hawk-like.

This man was a Mutant.

Back in New York — West Hudson, a small town

It was late at night.

A flaming object streaked across the sky like a meteor and landed in front of an old house—transforming into a woman.

She stared blankly at the door for a few seconds, then slowly pushed it open.

A familiar voice echoed from the shadows:

"I knew you'd come back here."

Jean Grey stepped inside and said coldly:

"I thought it would be Charles."

Click.

The dim lights flickered on. Magneto, seated calmly on the sofa, slowly looked up, removed his black flat cap, and smiled faintly.

"He doesn't have time. The Brotherhood is harassing the X-Men, and he had to return to the academy."

"Besides... I don't think he wants to see you."

Jean's expression didn't change. Her face remained calm, unaffected.

"No need for such a clumsy attempt at manipulation. I already left the academy."

Magneto's smile widened.

"Looking for revenge?"

"I heard Scott died because of you. It was… a tragic death."

Jean's calm finally cracked. Her face twisted in pain.

In the next moment, her eyes began to glow with fiery red light.

Her voice trembled with rage:

"Absolutely."

"I will kill that magician!"

Magneto's pupils contracted.

Charles' psychic seal had failed!

This aura—so filled with destruction—it was the same as before!

No wonder she left Xavier's School. That power had clearly reawakened the darkness buried deep within her soul.

But… this was perfect.

Now that clues about Apocalypse had surfaced, they needed a proper vessel for sacrifice.

The power inside Jean's body was ideal.

"Maybe we can work together," Magneto said with a gentle expression.

"That magician… so powerful, yet he's never lifted a finger to help Mutants who live lives worse than death."

"Clearly, he sides with the lowly humans!"

"Poor Charles still naively believes he's some kind of savior..."

"But in truth, he's the enemy of all Mutants. If we want to survive on this planet, we must destroy him."

The flame-like energy in Jean's eyes surged even more violently. Her voice turned ice-cold:

"Then we'll kill him tomorrow!"

"Once we wipe out S.H.I.E.L.D., he'll have no choice but to show up!"

Magneto, startled by her impulsiveness, quickly tried to calm her:

"Don't rush. If we're going to take out this enemy, we have to do it properly—with a clean, decisive strike."

"If we fail, we won't get another chance!"

Jean scoffed.

"The Brotherhood Mutants are garbage anyway. Who cares if they're wiped out!"

"Absolutely."

A new voice suddenly joined the conversation.

On the stairs, a woman in a deep crimson jacket with flowing burgundy hair slowly descended.

She smiled gently at Jean.

"The next person we're looking for is a Mutant named Apocalypse. He's existed for over 5,000 years... the ancestor of all Mutants."

"His power is unmatched—and he's sealed beneath Cairo."

Jean narrowed her eyes, her gaze filled with flame:

"Who are you?"

The woman smiled calmly:

"You can call me Wanda."

"Wanda Maximoff."

Three days later.

At the excavation site, Captain America and Black Widow were growing more and more astonished.

Beneath the desert sands lay an enormous, ancient pyramid—unlike any they'd ever seen.

Although partially collapsed, there was no record of such a structure in any part of Egyptian history.

It was both awe-inspiring and deeply mysterious.

The two agents felt a new sense of respect and awe toward Russell.

Just then, a loud rumble echoed from underground.

Phil Coulson's voice came through the comms:

"The passage is clear. The main chamber's door is open... Wait, that's strange. This doesn't look like a tomb entrance. It's more like the front gate of a palace."

"Are you all ready? According to the plan, only eight of you will be going in."

That's right—only eight specially-selected agents would enter, all equipped with enchanted rune armor provided by Russell.

Since Russell had requested S.H.I.E.L.D.'s assistance, he wasn't about to let them walk into danger as cannon fodder.

The rune armor, normally invisible, could activate in critical moments to absorb significant damage.

So far, everything had gone smoothly…

Captain America and Black Widow soon led the other agents to the base beneath the buried pyramid.

There, they found a blue-gray mummified corpse pinned under a massive slab of stone.

After using special equipment to lift the slab, everyone was quietly astonished.

The body beneath wasn't injured at all—it was completely intact.

Clearly, the man hadn't been killed by the stone.

Still, the agents had been briefed beforehand to avoid asking unnecessary questions, and no one dared to speak.

The body was quickly transported out.

Outside the base, everything remained calm. There was no sign of external interference or attack.

A few minutes later, a heavily modified, sealed transport truck rolled toward Cairo Airport.

Black Widow was driving.

Halfway through the journey, Captain America, seated beside her, finally exhaled in relief.

"Looks like Mr. Russell's plan worked out," he said.

"No one's come to intercept us."

He chuckled, tapping his chest lightly.

"And hey, I get a free magic armor out of this without even having to fight. Big win."

Although it looked like he was wearing nothing unusual, the golden enchanted armor Russell gave them earlier was still silently active—its glow now dimmed.

The armor automatically defended against fatal attacks, required no maintenance, and had no known weaknesses.

It was incredible tech. Even Hawkeye would be jealous.

Suddenly, Black Widow frowned.

"Do you hear that?" she asked.

Despite the truck's engine noise, there was a faint rattling—metallic and irregular.

Captain America listened closely and muttered in confusion:

"Sounds like... loose bolts?"

"And it's getting louder..."

He reached for the window to check the exterior, but before he could react, a shadow appeared in the headlights.

It was a man—old, imposing, wearing a hat—and his presence exuded dominance.

Black Widow's expression changed instantly.

She slammed her foot on the accelerator, aiming to ram through.

But despite the engine roaring, the truck didn't move an inch.

The next moment, the entire vehicle began disassembling, piece by piece, as if torn apart by invisible hands.

Within seconds, the truck lay scattered across the ground.

Captain America and the other eight agents were left lying on the desert floor—dazed and exposed.

Magneto ignored them completely, walking calmly toward the metal containment box.

The agents scrambled to respond, but before they could act, a fiery meteor blazed across the sky and smashed into the earth beside them.

From the flames emerged a woman, who raised her arms. A wave of energy burst outward, flinging all eight agents back like ragdolls.

From within the twisted remains of the truck, the metal containment box groaned.

Then, a terrible screeching echoed as the box's metal shell was peeled open by invisible magnetic forces, revealing the body inside.

Jean Grey stepped forward and examined the corpse, her eyes narrowing.

"He's not dead," she murmured.

"I can feel it—there's still life inside."

"But how do we wake him?"

Magneto gave her a meaningful look.

"Try using your energy—see if it activates him."

According to Wanda, this ancient Mutant could absorb all forms of Mutant energy.

That was how he had become so powerful.

Without hesitation, Jean raised her hand, and a surge of fiery psychic energy erupted from her palm, engulfing the mummy.

The patterns on the corpse began to glow. Its shriveled flesh started to regenerate. Muscles expanded. Blood vessels pulsed.

The heart started to beat again.

Seconds later, a pair of black-and-white eyes snapped open.

Jean instinctively tried to withdraw her hand—but she couldn't.

The man before her was absorbing her energy, uncontrollably.

Magneto smiled faintly and spoke:

"Apocalypse, do you like the gift I prepared to welcome you back?"

Jean's eyes widened with fury.

"You tricked me, Magneto!"

With a furious scream, she prepared to unleash her mental powers and obliterate him.

But Apocalypse merely exhaled sharply—and the energy draw intensified.

Jean cried out as her body was lifted off the ground, glowing like a bonfire.

Apocalypse looked toward Magneto, clearly satisfied.

"Good."

"You shall receive my gift—become the first of my Horsemen, and gain true Mutant power!"

Magneto didn't care about divine gifts. He only wanted one thing—Mutant supremacy.

He was just about to explain the state of the modern world and the plight of Mutants when Apocalypse's expression suddenly changed.

Panic.

Cracks began to form on Apocalypse's skin, like porcelain shattering.

The ancient Mutant—once believed to be immortal—looked at Jean in horror and screamed:

"No!"

"This… this isn't Mutant power!"

"What are you?!"

Even Magneto, usually composed, sensed something was terribly wrong.

Why was Apocalypse breaking apart?

Jean Grey was undoubtedly a Mutant—or so they thought.

Then, a smooth, mocking voice echoed through the desert.

"Of course it's not Mutant power."

From the shadows, Wanda Maximoff emerged, wearing a mischievous smile.

She looked at Apocalypse with cold amusement and said:

"You foolish creature… did you think you could absorb the Phoenix Force?"

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