Thanos put his helmet back on, ignoring the fallen bodies of Ebony Maw and Obsidian.
At that moment, his eyes burned not with fear, but with a searing, unstoppable fire!
A low voice echoed through the cabin:
"How naive."
"You, young Aesir, are cursed with knowledge just like me!"
"Then you must understand how strong I've become after a thousand years of life!"
With those words, Thanos crushed the alloy ground beneath his feet and charged toward Russell like a cannonball.
Russell's mind surged, and his telekinesis exploded into action.
Thor suddenly felt as though he were encased in invisible amber—his body completely frozen, unable to move.
But in his field of vision, he saw Thanos roar as a purple gem on his gauntlet flared to life. Purple energy surged outward, spreading through his body.
Thanos ignored any resistance and leapt toward Russell, closing the distance in just a few strides.
"Die!" Thanos roared, unleashing a punch that created a sonic boom as it cut through the air.
Russell knew that telekinesis alone wouldn't tear apart a Titan's body, so he used it to create resistance.
But what Thanos did next took him by surprise.
The Mad Titan had used the Power Gem to enhance his strength, channeling it directly into his body for a devastating attack.
It was clear: Thanos wasn't as confident as he seemed. The ease with which Russell had dispatched Ebony Maw and Obsidian had shaken the Dark Titan.
But Russell didn't underestimate the punch powered by the gem.
Despite his own enhanced strength and Aesir blood, he knew a direct hit from the Power Gem was something to respect.
He quickly formed a plan. He crossed his hands in front of him, flipped them, and pushed forward.
Golden lines flickered into existence, forming a shimmering shield.
Seraphim Shield!
Boom!
The magic shield collapsed instantly, shattered by Thanos' punch before it even had time to hold.
But that brief moment was enough.
Using his telekinesis, Russell shifted his body to the side, dodging the attack. Blood poured from his hand and coalesced into a blade of molten lava, which he swung toward Thanos' neck.
Thor watched in horror. If the strike were aimed at him, he knew he wouldn't be able to dodge it and would have to rely on his body to block it.
But in the next moment, he saw Thanos twist his body with unnatural speed, dodging the blow and kicking Russell aside.
Bang!
The kick shattered the alloy wall, revealing the circuits inside, sparks flying everywhere.
Russell, however, ignored gravity and crouched mid-air, effortlessly dodging the attacks with his spider sense.
He looked down at Thanos, grinning.
"Thirty-six seconds left!"
As his words rang out, a green light flared in his eyes. The shadow beneath Thanos' feet seemed to come alive, splitting into more than a dozen dark, writhing tentacles that wrapped around the Mad Titan's legs.
Thor's eyes widened in disbelief. He recognized this magic.
Phantom Magic!
How could this person wield it with such mastery? This was beyond even Loki's capabilities!
Thanos scoffed, glancing down at the tendrils.
"It's just weak magic!" he declared.
With a grunt of effort, he twisted his legs, shattering the shadowy tentacles as they returned to their original forms.
But Russell smiled, unfazed.
He extended his hands, summoning two flaming swords, and leaped down to strike.
Thanos, grimacing, met the attack head-on.
"A mage dares to fight me in close combat?" he sneered.
He didn't retreat but instead powered up his gauntlet, purple energy flooding the air as he blasted upward with all his might.
But then, Thanos' expression froze.
The fist meant to destroy a spaceship penetrated through his opponent's body like a phantom, turning into a green light that dissipated into the air. At the same time, a voice sounded from behind him, cold and taunting:
"You're right. Why should I, a mage, fight you in close combat?"
"The shadow magic was just a distraction."
Thanos' eyes widened in shock as he turned to retaliate. But before he could react, his arm froze in mid-air, paralyzed by an unseen force.
A chilling hand plunged into his skull, sinking deep.
Cassandra, if she were here, would never have been able to perform such an act. The destructive energy of the Power Gem would have corroded her palm before she could even touch him. But Russell, thanks to his Aesir bloodline, was immune to that energy.
Without hesitation, he pulled Thanos' consciousness into the spiritual realm.
Thor watched, his scalp prickling at the sight. He couldn't even fathom what it would feel like to have a hand thrust into his brain.
Then, the unimaginable happened.
In less than a second, Thanos' eyes snapped shut, and his body crumpled to the floor.
Thor felt like he had witnessed a childhood story come to life, one of the dark wizards his mother used to warn him about.
Russell stood over the fallen titan, staring at his now lifeless body. He had killed Thanos' consciousness in the spiritual world.
What he didn't expect was the immense strength that lay within the Titan, which had required significant effort to overcome.
Minutes had passed in the spiritual realm, though in reality, only a fraction of a second had passed.
"Fifteen seconds left."
"Thanos, you lose."
With those words, Russell summoned the Sword of Vishanti, plunging it into the Titan's skull.
He then shot a thread of magic silk to claim the Infinity Gauntlet, wrapping it around his hand.
At that moment, something caught his attention. He pulled out the Time Tablet and activated it.
The timeline was branching rapidly, and a red warning flashed before his eyes.
Russell frowned. Was the anomaly caused by Thanos' death, or by taking the Time Gem itself?
No time to worry about it now.
Three seconds later, he heard the successful plunder notification. Without hesitation, he opened a portal to the Time and Space Gate.
Before he left, he glanced at Thor.
"For the Aesir's sake, my advice is to leave immediately…"
"As for whether you listen to it, that's up to you."
With a flick of his wrist, he opened a portal to Kamar-Taj and stepped through. The gate closed behind him.
Thor stood, bewildered, unable to comprehend what had just transpired.
Then, the portal, still shimmering with golden sparks, suddenly turned blue.
A woman stepped through, looking at the scene before her.
"Well, what a bright bald head," Thor muttered without thinking.
The newcomer glanced at Thanos' body, her expression turning grim.
"What a mess..."
Meanwhile, in the void, Russell stared at the closed Time and Space Gate, feeling a twinge of confusion.
He could've sworn he saw the portal flicker blue just as he left, and he thought he saw a bald head.
It looked like the Ancient One. But wasn't she dead by now?
His intention had been to stir up trouble for the TVA, but now something felt off.
Russell didn't care, though. In fact, he welcomed the chaos.
The TVA and Kang the Conqueror were about to face a massive headache.
He casually dropped the Infinity Gauntlet and began reviewing the spoils of his actions.
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Added 'All the Powers Russell has Till Ch 45' Auxiliary chapter do check it out.