Chapter 4: I Will Become the Strongest Warrior in the Universe

The discussion about ideals gradually faded with time. To call it a discussion would be generous—Thanos was merely instilling his own philosophy into his adopted son, Lothar.

At just three years old, Lothar was still ignorant of what constituted a lofty ideal. His understanding of the universe's vast knowledge was far from complete, leaving him confined to the Sanctuary. His perception of the outside world was entirely shaped by Thanos' teachings.

Fortunately, Lothar never found this routine dull. Each day was filled with study and training, and when Thanos returned, they would spar and converse, strengthening the bond between father and son. The tangible improvement in his strength filled Lothar with joy. By the time he reached seven years old, driven by Thanos' teachings and the burning vengeance in his heart, Lothar had already cemented his dream—to become the strongest warrior in the universe.

Only by becoming the strongest could he help his adoptive father fulfill his grand vision. And only by becoming the strongest could he find and kill Frieza—the tyrant who had slaughtered his mother.

In Lothar's mind, Frieza was simply hiding.

At six years old, when Lothar began thinking independently, he searched through Thanos' Universal Chronicles without finding any mention of Planet Vegeta or the galactic emperor Frieza. The absence of Planet Vegeta made sense—after all, Frieza had destroyed it—but the lack of any record of the so-called galactic emperor puzzled him.

Lothar, unaware of the concept of the multiverse and never having been taught it by Thanos, concluded that something must have happened to Frieza—something that had driven him into obscurity.

Deep down, Lothar didn't want Frieza to be dead—not unless he killed him with his own hands.

As the child gazed at the magnificent stars above the Sanctuary, Frieza's cruel grin flashed before his eyes. Exhausted from battle, Lothar felt a renewed surge of strength, pushing him to his feet in his duel against Ebony Maw.

"Lothar, still not giving up?" Ebony Maw's frail frame stood calmly as he watched the boy rise again, his eyes flickering with admiration and surprise.

It was the first time Ebony Maw had sparred with Lothar at Thanos' command. The seven-year-old had shattered all his expectations. He should have collapsed long ago, yet time and again, the boy defied the limits of theory—breaking through his own boundaries.

"If you can't kill him, beat him to death."

That was the advice Thanos had given Ebony Maw before the match. But now, Ebony Maw feared that if he pushed too hard, even using half his strength might accidentally kill the boy.

Lothar's combat potential was staggering—far beyond anything Ebony Maw had imagined. At seven, he surpassed the entire Black Order in raw talent. He thought back to what he and the others were doing at seven—probably playing in the dirt on their home planets.

"Why is it you this year?"

Lothar wiped the blood from his mouth, steadying his wavering body. His sharp gaze fixed on Ebony Maw, who stood with one hand behind his back, making no further moves.

Every previous year, Thanos had personally returned to test Lothar's progress. This year, he'd sent Ebony Maw—his most obsequious servant, in Lothar's eyes.

With the battle over, Lothar couldn't hide his curiosity.

"Your combat talent is remarkable," Ebony Maw said slowly, manipulating shards of shattered stone in his palm with telekinesis. "But precisely because of that, you need to experience different fighting styles, understand?"

After seven years of exclusive training under Thanos, Lothar had grown accustomed to facing only his adoptive father. That cycle had to break. He needed to face all manner of foes—monsters and demons with diverse abilities.

Ebony Maw. Corvus Glaive. Proxima Midnight. Cull Obsidian. The entire Black Order would be pitted against Lothar in the coming year—along with countless other warriors from Thanos' legion.

In Thanos' eyes, Lothar was finally old enough to step beyond the protective circle of paternal care into the wider battlefield. With the infinite resources at his disposal, Thanos could craft an unparalleled training environment—one so privileged that even Ebony Maw sometimes felt jealous.

They, too, called Thanos "Father," but none of them had ever been favored like Lothar. An entire army of elites, devoted solely to the boy's growth—such indulgence once seemed like madness to Ebony Maw.

But now, he understood. Thanos was raising a future conqueror—a potential ruler of the universe. The golden aura that flickered across Lothar's body during his earlier outburst had etched itself into Ebony Maw's mind. It was faint, fleeting—but its power was undeniable.

He couldn't grasp what that shimmering light signified or why it vanished so quickly. But one thing was clear—Lothar's potential rivaled, if not surpassed, that of Hela, Odin's prodigy daughter, who had already joined Asgard's armies in conquest at the age of ten.

"In the coming year, you'll fight countless battles against foes with strange powers," Ebony Maw said, crushing the stone into a perfect sphere. "They will help you grow faster... or they will kill you."

"This is only the beginning of your path to becoming the strongest warrior in the universe. Are you afraid, Lothar?"

He extended the stone sphere toward the boy, his gaze heavy with meaning.

Lothar's face was smeared with dirt and blood, but his eyes burned with unwavering determination.

"I will become the strongest warrior in the universe. That goal will never change—never."

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

Want to read ahead of schedule?

Join here for advance chapters: PATREON.COM / PRIMALDEMON