Wanda, Candidate for the Supreme Mage Corps (Please Keep Reading)

In Russell's plans, there were three candidates for the Supreme Mage Corps, ranked in order.

Doctor Strange, Stephen Strange.

Mage Iron Man, Tony Stark.

Scarlet Witch, Wanda Maximoff.

Russell had originally thought that, with his sharp Perception of Energy Flow and his gift for learning nearly any spell after a single look, guiding the three of them into becoming powerful mages would be effortless.

But reality was different. Because their Casting Methods differed, his teaching ability might be a tiny bit worse than expected.

Moreover, provoked by the White-Bearded Ancient One of Earth-616 and coupled with Russell's rapid growth, the Bald Ancient One had developed the desire to retire even earlier.

She wanted to retire, set aside the burden of being Sorcerer Supreme, and devote herself to cultivation.

That meant Stephen's rank would have to drop.

Russell had neither the patience to wait for him nor the ability to teach and accelerate his growth.

As for Tony, the path of combining magic with armor was one he had to walk himself. Russell could not help him much in the short term.

Unless he was willing to become Tony's tool and part-time lab rat, helping him conduct experiments.

Wanda's rank rose to first place.

She had been a potential Witch since birth, capable of unconsciously casting spells from time to time as a child.

All he needed was to find the Mind Stone, use it to awaken the Chaos Magic hidden within her since birth, then guide her in mastering that Chaos Magic.

And a powerful mage would be born.

It was truly time-saving, worry-free, and effortless.

But the Mind Stone should be with Thanos right now, shouldn't it?

The universe was so vast. Where was he supposed to look?

If he could not find the Mind Stone, he would find Wanda first.

He would bring her back to Kamar-Taj to study. When she awakened Chaos Magic in the future, she would be able to master it more quickly.

If he remembered correctly,

In the movie version, Wanda's parents were Oleg Maximoff and Irina Maximoff, and she had a twin brother named Pietro Masicmoff.

When they were young, their neighbors were attacked by local rebels using Stark Industries weapons. Wanda's family was caught up in it, and both of her parents died.

Because a Stark Industries missile failed to explode, Wanda and her brother survived. However, they became orphans at a young age and wandered from place to place.

Later, the twins joined Hydra.

Then she should still be in Sokovia now, right?

He wondered whether she had joined Hydra yet.

"Mage, I'm heading out. Call me when it's time for Thor's Coronation Ceremony."

After informing The Ancient One, Russell opened a Portal, stepped through it, and vanished from where he stood.

"Eh, Russell left. Check the time. How long did he stay this time?"

"From midnight yesterday until ten this morning. Twenty-two hours. A new record."

A Portal opened in the jungle, and Russell stepped out from it.

Sokovia was a small, landlocked Eastern European nation, mountainous, barren, and unstable.

After World War II, Hydra members had hidden within the country and established secret bases.

As he recalled what he knew about Sokovia, Russell released his Spiritual Energy, enveloping the small nation.

If there was a secret base, it was most likely Hydra's.

If Wanda had already joined Hydra, he would take her and her brother, Quicksilver Pietro Masicmoff, away together.

If Wanda had not joined Hydra yet, Russell would at most search the area around Sokovia.

If he still could not find her, he could only ask Tony for help. Tony still owed him for saving his life.

Just as Russell had prepared several backup plans, things went unexpectedly smoothly.

"Hmm?"

Russell's Spiritual Energy swept over a location, and he suddenly felt something sting it.

The disturbance was extremely slight. If he had not been focused, Russell might not have noticed it.

But Russell was searching for someone right now, so his attention was naturally highly concentrated.

"Found her."

Russell looked over.

At this time, Wanda and Pietro had not yet joined Hydra. On the contrary, they were being hunted by Hydra agents.

"I don't like the hero-saves-beauty trope."

With a silent sigh, Russell still decided to act.

Although he disliked this sort of hero-saves-beauty scenario, he had to admit that the atmosphere was right.

"Wanda, quick, this way."

Pietro spotted a narrow path that seemed unguarded. He hurriedly grabbed Wanda and ran in that direction.

Hydra's target was not Wanda and Pietro alone, but the entire town—there were not enough experimental materials anymore.

After passing through the path and climbing over a wall, Wanda and Pietro successfully escaped the town.

As long as they entered the forest ahead and hid for a while...

"Stop!"

Just as the siblings rejoiced at their imminent escape, a shout shattered their hopes.

The voice had not come from the town behind them, but from ahead.

They had run straight into the enemy's main force!

Wanda and Pietro instinctively moved closer together, watching the scene before them warily.

A squad of fully armed soldiers carrying guns slowly emerged from the forest.

Apparently hearing the commotion, another squad of soldiers from the town behind them was also closing in.

"Hands on your heads! Crouch down!"

The shout rang out again.

The harsh, brutal voice carried a force Wanda and Pietro could not refuse.

The most primitive kind of force—violence!

"Heh."

Just as Wanda and Pietro fell into despair and prepared to give up resisting, a soft laugh rang out.

It was not loud, yet everyone present heard it with perfect clarity.

It was as though it had sounded right beside their ears.

A tall Portal, flickering with golden sparks and spinning rapidly, opened before Wanda.

Russell, dressed in mage robes and wearing a hood, slowly stepped out.

"Open fire!"

With a fierce shout, gunfire erupted.

Rat-a-tat-tat!

Flames spat from the muzzles as bullets shot out at Supersonic Speed, too fast for the naked eye to see.

Yet Wanda and Pietro saw them clearly.

As the bullets flew through the air, they suddenly slowed.

Then they froze in midair.

Russell slowly raised his right hand as though preparing to snap his fingers. Once everyone's eyes had gathered on him—

Snap!

With a Finger Snap, the ground suddenly churned like an earth dragon turning over, swallowing and burying the Hydra soldiers.

Then it returned to calm, as though nothing had ever happened.

Wanda and Pietro stared blankly at the unfamiliar mage before them.

The desperate situation they had faced had been resolved by the mage with a mere snap of his fingers.

Yet they did not understand.

Why had this unfamiliar mage suddenly appeared and saved them?

"Want to learn?"

Russell's voice rang out, filled with unfathomable mystery.

Wanda and Pietro looked at each other. Their voices were slow and uncertain. "Yes! Can we... learn?"

"You want to learn? Then I'll teach you."

Russell's tone was calm.

The next second, the Mirror Dimension expanded and enveloped all three of them.

Whoosh!

Like a spaceship suddenly launching, it carried the three rapidly beyond the universe, traveling between the Multiverse, witnessing the Infinite Dimensions and countless Wonders and Strange Sights within it.

Russell could not help Wanda much with the actual practice of spells.

But he understood how to kindle Wanda's interest in and desire for learning magic.

Those two things were the best teachers.

Therefore, Russell equaled the best teacher.

Thanks to reader 20220327230005106 for the Monthly Pass.