The discussions about ideals gradually ceased as time went on. To call them discussions was a stretch; it was merely Thanos instilling his own unique philosophy into his adoptive son, Beckett.
At only three years old, Beckett was naturally innocent and ignorant, hardly understanding what lofty ideals were. Furthermore, due to his incomplete knowledge of the universe's vast information, he couldn't go anywhere. His daily activities were confined to the Sanctuary, and his understanding of the outside world depended entirely on Thanos's teachings...
Fortunately, Beckett himself didn't find it tedious. He spent his days studying and training in the Sanctuary, and upon Thanos's return, they would spar and chat to deepen their father-son bond. His days were quite fulfilling.
Beckett was delighted by his visibly improving strength. As he grew older, driven by Thanos and the revenge he harbored in his heart, the seven-year-old Beckett had already firmly set his sights on becoming the strongest in the universe.
Only by becoming the strongest warrior in the universe could he maximally assist his adoptive father, Thanos, in achieving his grand ideal. And only by becoming the strongest warrior in the universe could he find Frieza, who had hidden himself away somewhere, and kill him.
Yes, Beckett firmly believed Frieza was in hiding.
At the age of six, Beckett, who had begun to develop independent thought, found no records of Planet Vegeta or the Cosmic Emperor Frieza in the "Universal History" given to him by Thanos. He could understand the absence of Planet Vegeta's records, as it had already been destroyed by Frieza. However, after searching through all of Thanos's books, he found no mention of Frieza, whom his mother had referred to as the Cosmic Emperor.
Young Beckett's mind had no concept of the multiverse, and Thanos had no habit of explaining such concepts to a child. Therefore, Beckett concluded that something must have happened to Frieza, causing him to disappear from the universe.
Psychologically, Beckett did not wish for Frieza to die at this moment, or rather, he didn't want Frieza to die at anyone else's hands.
Frieza, who had killed his mother, could only die by his own hand.
Gazing at the magnificent starry sky above the Sanctuary, the image of Frieza's arrogant, sneering face reappeared before young Beckett's eyes. His weary body suddenly surged with new strength, supporting him so he wouldn't fall during his fight with Ebony Maw.
"Beckett, are you still not giving up?" Ebony Maw, with his slender physique, looked at the child who insisted on getting up from the ground, his eyes filled with admiration and surprise.
This was the first time he had fought Beckett under Thanos's orders. This seven-year-old boy had truly shaken Ebony Maw. He should have fallen long ago, yet that young body repeatedly broke through theoretical limits, shattering Ebony Maw's preconceived notions about Beckett.
If it can't be killed, beat it to death.
This was the conclusion Ebony Maw had drawn from Thanos's earlier words. However, in the current situation, Ebony Maw genuinely feared that if he exerted too much force, using even five percent of his strength, he might completely pin Beckett to death in this desolate wilderness of the Sanctuary.
From his initial two percent to the current four percent, Beckett's combat prowess at the mere age of seven left Ebony Maw in awe.
He truly was Thanos's most valued adopted son. This combat talent alone was enough to instantly surpass everyone in Thanos's army. He wondered what they were all doing at seven years old.
They were all still playing in the mud on their respective planets.
"Why is it you this year?"
After steadying his staggering body, Beckett wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, looked up at Ebony Maw, who stood with one hand behind his back and clearly had no intention of continuing the fight, and finally voiced his confusion.
Every previous year, Thanos himself would return to assess Beckett and simultaneously enhance their father-son bond. But this year, it was Ebony Maw, the man Beckett considered Thanos's most sycophantic subordinate.
They had started fighting immediately, leaving Beckett no chance to ask. Now that the assessment was over, Beckett naturally couldn't hide his confusion.
"Beckett, your combat talent is exceptional. But precisely because of that, you need to experience more combat styles, understand?" Ebony Maw held a piece of shattered rock in his hand, manipulating it with his mind as he spoke slowly, as if afraid Beckett wouldn't understand.
Having been personally tutored by Thanos for seven years, Beckett had grown accustomed to fighting only him. Now, he needed to break free from the monotony of a single opponent and start encountering various demons and monsters with diverse abilities.
Ebony Maw, Corvus Glaive, Proxima Midnight, and even Cull Obsidian – Thanos's Black Order were destined to face Beckett in battle. Not to mention the other extraordinary individuals in Thanos's army, who would all join Thanos's plan to train Beckett over the next year.
Thanos considered the seven-year-old Beckett to have grown a little. It was time for him to step out of the circle of affection his father had drawn for him and enter a new battlefield. The resources Thanos possessed were beyond the reach of ordinary people, allowing him to create an exceptionally superior growth environment for Beckett—so superior that even Ebony Maw sometimes felt envious.
They also called Thanos "father," but the level of importance they received was nowhere near Beckett's. Using an entire legion of powerhouses to foster Beckett's growth was, in Ebony Maw's previous view, simply insane pampering. He wasn't sure if Thanos had gone mad after the incident on Titan.
But now, he understood. Thanos was doing everything in his power to cultivate a potential future overlord. The potential within this child was unfathomable. Especially when Beckett had roared in anger before, a faint golden light had appeared on his body. Although weak, the power of that moment was deeply etched in Ebony Maw's memory.
Ebony Maw didn't know what that golden light flickering on Beckett's body meant, nor why it had vanished without a trace after only a few seconds. But he knew that Beckett, the Son of Thanos, possessed combat talent that was absolutely no less than that of Princess Hela, who, at only ten years old, was already being kept by Odin's side and fighting alongside the Asgardian army. He might even surpass her.
"Over the next year, you will participate in many battles and encounter many individuals with peculiar abilities. These people will help you grow faster. Of course, you might also die."
"And to become the strongest warrior in the universe, this is just the beginning. What do you say, Beckett, are you scared?" Ebony Maw, having molded the stone in his hand into a sphere, extended his hand towards Beckett, his gaze full of meaning directed at the dust-covered Beckett, whose eyes, however, were exceptionally resolute.
"My goal to become the strongest warrior in the universe will never change, never."
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