Undefeated in Three Years of Service

"Nickel, listen to me. You are already a true warrior, so you should understand that you carry our planet's future on your shoulders."

"You are the most gifted warrior in our race's history. As long as you remain alive, we still have hope of taking revenge on Thanos and those damned Chitauri."

In space, in the Centaurus Galaxy, on Centauri Prime, which had already been surrounded by Thanos's army.

Inside the royal palace, the King of the Centaurian race solemnly raised the scepter in his hand, the symbol of Centaurian royal authority, and handed it to the young man kneeling on one knee before him.

"Thanos's army has yet to fully assemble. This is our only chance. In thirty minutes, our army will launch our third—and final—attack against Thanos's forces."

"We will do everything we can to create chaos. Nickel, that will be your opportunity. You must lead the young members of our Centaurian race out through the confusion."

"So, Nickel, from this moment on, you are the new king of the Centaurian race."

The brown scepter shone with a light called hope within the magnificent hall. With no way out, the Centaurian race had no choice but to make a painful sacrifice in order to preserve the last spark of hope for their people.

Hooves struck the floor with sharp clops. The young man kneeling on one knee was in tears, yet he never reached out to take the king's scepter.

"Your Majesty..."

Nickel looked up at the king, who remained in the Centaurian race's strongest combat form—half man, half horse. A surge of grief clogged his chest, and though he opened his mouth, he could not utter a complete sentence.

"My child, perhaps this is cruel, but this is war."

"Once war begins, there is only victory or defeat. Unfortunately, this time, we are the defeated side."

"So go and prepare. Prepare to forge a future that belongs to you."

The King of the Centaurian race planted the scepter directly into the palace floor, then turned away without a hint of reluctance. His pounding hooves carried the resolve of one prepared to die as he vanished from the magnificent hall.

Beyond Centauri Prime, aboard the flagship of the Dark Order, Thanos sat upon his throne in golden armor. He looked down at the purple-skinned Centaurian before him with an expression neither sad nor pleased, leaving the Centaurian spy who had come to report the news deeply uneasy.

He did not know whether he had done or said something wrong, which was why Thanos had remained silent for so long.

So he turned a pleading gaze toward Ebony Maw beneath Thanos's throne. It was entirely through Ebony Maw's secret connections that he had managed to contact Thanos.

Ebony Maw shook his head, signaling him not to worry. Thanos had always kept his word. If he said he would spare his family, he would not harm them in the slightest.

"Nickel... I seem to have heard that name before. The most gifted warrior in the history of your Centaurian race, correct?"

Thanos finally broke the silence himself. He did have some impression of this young man named Nickel. After all, the Centaurus Galaxy was now his territory.

"Yes."

"I can grant your request. You may return now. Send your family to our agreed-upon location. Ebony Maw will dispatch someone to escort you and your family to an absolutely safe galaxy."

"...Thank you! Thank you!"

Happiness had come so suddenly that the Centaurian spy could say nothing but thanks.

He had never been part of the pro-war faction. When the Centaurian king had been incited by the Chitauri, he had voiced his opposition.

In his view, the Centaurian race was no longer the powerful people that had once ruled the entire Centaurus Galaxy. Thanos's strength was simply not something the weak Centaurian race could resist.

Unfortunately, the Centaurian king, having believed the lies of the current Chitauri leader, had been dazzled by promises of restoring their former glory. He had refused to listen to any objections and had even stripped him of his political rights for life, branding him a criminal who had obstructed Centauri Prime's development. That was what gave Ebony Maw an opening.

At first, he had been unwilling. But after the army led by the Centaurian king and the Chitauri forces acting as reinforcements had been utterly routed by Thanos's Dark Order on the battlefield of space, he had lost all hope and immediately agreed to serve as an informant for Thanos's forces, helping Thanos sabotage Centauri Prime's Planetary Defense System. The condition was that Thanos guarantee the safe evacuation of him and his family from Centauri Prime.

Making a deal with a tiger was dangerous, but it was clearly better than being reduced to dust in the universe.

"Lord Thanos, what should we do about that Nickel?"

After watching the grateful spy leave, Ebony Maw turned his gaze toward Thanos upon the throne.

According to the spy, the most gifted young man on Centauri Prime had likely obtained a scepter capable of greatly enhancing his strength. Combined with the Centaurian race's unique formation secret art, sending ordinary people to intercept him could easily result in an unexpected failure.

"Beckett will handle this trouble for me." At the mention of his most satisfactory adopted son, an irrepressible smile appeared at the corners of Thanos's eyes.

Hearing that name, Ebony Maw involuntarily shuddered. After bowing to Thanos, he silently returned to his place and said nothing more.

Thirteen years had passed. That seven-year-old brat had now become a feared god of slaughter within Thanos's forces. From the age of ten, Thanos had kept him by his side as he followed him through countless campaigns. At seventeen, he had left Thanos's side and begun leading teams independently, taking charge of the decapitation missions Thanos assigned him.

In three years of service, he had never suffered a defeat.

It was an achievement that drew attention.

In Ebony Maw's database, among the younger generation, only the Asgardian Princess, who had left Odin to lead forces independently and made a name for herself in cosmic warfare, and Hela, who had already awakened her Death Divinity, could compare to him.

Because he had constantly been gathering intelligence on forces throughout the universe, Ebony Maw had become somewhat curious about Beckett and Hela, these two young people who had never been defeated since entering service.

He was curious which of them would be the first to lose their invincible record.

In Ebony Maw's mind, the ideal outcome was undoubtedly for Hela to fall beneath Beckett's feet. However, that was something unlikely to happen for a very long time.

The universe was vast—so vast that, due to their different spheres of activity, the Asgardians, busy conquering the Nine Realms under Odin's command, had no dealings with Thanos's Dark Order.

Thanos's territory, the Dark Citadel.

The door of the long-silent Nutrient Pod opened, and a soaking-wet man stepped out. Behind his muscular, well-defined body, a vivid crimson tail was particularly eye-catching.

"Forty-five days of absorption this time?"

Glancing at the number displayed beside the Nutrient Pod, the man dried himself off and put on the black Battle Suit that had been prepared beforehand.

"His Highness Beckett, Lord Thanos has issued you a new mission."

The blue Tanuki Robot, which had once been as tall as seven-year-old Beckett, now only reached Beckett's knees.

"A new mission?" Having changed clothes, Beckett glanced at Woz, the robotic cat scratching the back of his head with its chubby little hand, then reached out and patted it on the head.

After verification passed, two beams of light shot from the eyes of the now-motionless robotic cat Woz, weaving together into a light screen before Beckett.

"Eliminate the traitor Nickel of Centauri Prime and his accomplices." After reading the message Thanos had sent, Beckett swiped his right hand, and the light screen instantly vanished. The robotic cat Woz returned to normal as well.

"Those idiots on Centauri Prime really think that Chitauri support is enough to challenge Father's position?"

Having already understood the full story, Beckett's eyes carried a trace of disdain.

Moreover, once this internal rebellion was dealt with, based on Beckett's understanding of his adoptive father Thanos, he would likely deal with the Chitauri as well.

As far as Beckett knew, Thanos had long wanted to kill the current Chitauri leader and install a new leader under his control.

"Woz, lock onto the coordinates."

"Understood, His Highness Beckett."

Beckett's warship launched from Thanos's territory and, propelled by its energy systems, sped directly toward the coordinates provided in Thanos's message.