Multiverse: Becoming a Giant of Light, Godslayer from the Start

As Su Mo made the decision to bring the Holy Grail War to a close…

At the Tohsaka residence, Tokiomi Tohsaka was in the middle of a lengthy and difficult attempt to persuade his Servant. His Servant, Ishtar, had abandoned her usual glamorous goddess form and reverted to her younger self—Elementary School Rin. With small tiger fangs peeking out, Ishtar glared daggers at Tokiomi, her aura blazing with fury.

"Are you stupid?!" she snapped. "You want me to ally with that muscle-brained idiot who doesn't even know the name of a goddess?! Are you trying to die?!"

Ishtar couldn't believe what she was hearing. That this clueless man in front of her—her own Master, no less—wanted her to team up with Rider, who had dared to mock a goddess's name. She had half a mind to smite him just for the suggestion. Allying with someone like that? Out of the question. If she had to choose, she'd sooner side with that man named Su Mo. At least he knew the name of a goddess…

Wait, no!

That guy's insults toward her had been even worse than Rider's! If she ran into Su Mo again, she'd kill him on the spot! Form an alliance? Ridiculous. A proud goddess had no need to ally with anyone. She could carry the whole war by herself.

…Probably.

Tokiomi massaged his temples. This was exactly the reaction he'd anticipated, and yet he had to keep trying.

"Oh noble goddess, I beseech you—please hear me out."

"That man known as Su Mo… his true identity may very well be none other than Indra, King of the Gods."

"Against such an opponent, forging alliances is simply wise strategy."

"If you could set aside your grudge, even temporarily, and work together with Rider, your chances of victory would increase tremendously."

Rider's bold declaration in front of the other Servants was no reckless gamble. Even if it risked provoking Su Mo, the potential gains were significant. Everyone present had heard Rider's wish:

—To gather all the Servants and stand united against the god.

And that wish resonated with every other Master involved in this war.

Even Tokiomi, Ishtar's Master, was in agreement. Su Mo's overwhelming power and hidden identity had shaken him to his core. He couldn't even say for certain if the goddess he had summoned could defeat such a foe.

If they could combine the strength of a demigod like Lancer with that of others, perhaps they could eliminate Su Mo before things spiralled out of control. With this in mind, Tokiomi had already instructed Kirei Kotomine to formally join Rider's alliance. He had hoped to persuade Ishtar to follow suit. But as things stood now… that didn't seem very likely.

Now that he only had a single Command Seal left, it was impossible for him to restrain this capricious and wilful goddess. As expected, in the face of Tohsaka Tokiomi's attempts to reason with her, Ishtar was utterly dismissive.

"Are you questioning this goddess?"

"A fool like you dares to question the great and noble me?"

"So, what if that guy is Indra? I haven't even used my trump card yet!"

"That Su Mo—if you hadn't interrupted me yesterday, I would've dealt with him already!"

Hearing this, Tokiomi covered his face in frustration. It wasn't that he was unwilling to believe Ishtar—but rather, her expression was far too guilty when she said it. Her voice clearly lacked conviction, as if she was forcing herself to sound confident. It was obvious she was just being stubborn after realizing she couldn't win.

"..."

Tokiomi sighed once more, gazing at Ishtar with exasperation.

"Goddess Ishtar, this isn't about whether you want to ally with others anymore."

"It's about the fact that if you don't, they're going to come for you next."

This, too, was intel gathered by Kirei Kotomine after infiltrating Rider's alliance. Rider did, in fact, hope to form an alliance with the goddess. Though she had attacked him before, he was magnanimous enough to let bygones be bygones. However, judging by Ishtar's attitude, she didn't seem like the type who could be reasoned with. As such, Rider had little hope of winning her over.

So, they had made a decision. If Ishtar refused the alliance, they would strike first. If she could not be recruited, she would be eliminated. Better to remove a potential threat and use the opportunity to test their team's coordination. This urgency was what drove Tokiomi's desperate persuasion. If Rider's alliance regarded them as enemies, then whether or not Ishtar could defeat them, the result would only be mutual destruction. And if that happened, what would be left to challenge Su Mo?

Yet in response to Tokiomi's earnest pleading, the proud goddess merely said:

"Mere mortals dare challenge a goddess?"

"Hmph! Let them witness the terror of the Queen of Heaven!"

"Don't worry, you idiot—I'll solo their entire team!"

Hearing this, there was no way Tokiomi could be at ease. But he couldn't change the goddess's mind either. He could only shake his head and sigh. What sin did I commit to deserve this?

....

....

After an unpleasant meeting with the goddess, Tokiomi returned to his room and activated his connection with his familiar. Seeing Kirei's face on the screen, Tokiomi allowed himself a rare moment of comfort.

"Thank goodness you're there. Without your help, this Holy Grail War would've been a disaster." He had long anticipated that the goddess wouldn't listen. So, when he learned Rider sought to form an alliance, he immediately ordered Kirei to infiltrate their camp. And now it was paying off. Not only had they acquired intel, but Kirei was in position to influence events. Yet Kirei, ever humble, shook his head.

"If not for your foresight, Master Tohsaka, I would never have thought to join Rider's alliance. Unfortunately, it's been a day, and no other Servants have joined yet. For now, the alliance only includes the three of us."

As he reported the situation, Kirei found it puzzling. There were seven Servants in this war. Archer, Ishtar, belonged to Tokiomi. Rider, Assassin, and Lancer had already allied to challenge the divine. Saber and Caster were with the god Indra—Su Mo. Only Berserker remained unaccounted for. Under normal circumstances, any Master who saw a god descend as they had yesterday should've jumped at the opportunity to join Rider's alliance. Yet even after waiting the entire day, Berserker had yet to make a move.

What was that Master thinking? Did they distrust the alliance? Or perhaps overestimate their own strength? Or were they just waiting to reap the benefits at the end? Tokiomi also found it odd but had no time to dwell on it.

"Set Berserker aside for now. Has Rider's alliance decided to make a move against us?"

"Yes," Kirei nodded. "According to their plan, Rider will come alone tonight to your residence for a gesture of good faith. I'll be nearby with Assassin, ready to intervene if anything goes wrong. Lancer will be stationed further out, ready to engage."

"If negotiations go well, we'll form an alliance. But if they break down, Rider will launch a pre-emptive strike... and Lancer will finish off the goddess." There was no doubt—Kirei was the perfect double agent. Or perhaps Rider's alliance trusted him so much they didn't even bother hiding their plans. Either way, Kirei had full knowledge of the operation, and passed everything to Tokiomi without omission.

The plan itself was elegant and effective. Rider would serve as the righteous front-line force, Lancer as the ambusher, Assassin as the wild card. A coordinated, overwhelming pressure. Against such tactics, even Ishtar might fall. And if she did, it would spell disaster for Tokiomi's side. But now that he knew the plan, Tokiomi wasn't anxious. On the contrary, he smiled.

"Well done, Kirei! With you on my side, everything becomes easier."

"Rider's strategy is flawless—layered and precise. But I doubt he ever suspected that you were mine from the start."

"And that blind spot… is our key to victory."

Tokiomi felt completely secure. No matter how brilliant Rider was, he could never predict that Assassin was a spy. And with that, they could flip the board in one stroke.

Hearing his Master's confident tone, Kirei asked seriously:

"So what are your orders, Master Tohsaka? Shall I have Assassin assassinate Rider?"

He looked the part of the loyal subordinate. Tokiomi considered for a moment, then shook his head.

"Rider isn't an ordinary Heroic Spirit. A direct assassination may not work."

"Let him fight the goddess first. At the most critical moment of battle—when he's fully focused—that's when Assassin should strike. That's when our odds will be highest."

"Yes, Master," Kirei nodded in acknowledgment.

Then he asked another question…

"What about Lancer?" Tohsaka Tokiomi had already calculated everything in advance.

"Once Rider is dealt with, we can take his place and form an alliance with Lancer. After all, our target is the same—Su Mo. I doubt Lancer's Master will hold a grudge over what happens to Rider."

"Besides, although Goddess Ishtar despises Rider, she doesn't have any strong opinions about Lancer. So as long as Rider is eliminated, there's a high chance we'll be able to join forces with Lancer."

Truth be told, it was a solid plan. Kotomine Kirei agreed after hearing it. "Understood. I'll go make preparations with Assassin immediately."

"Good." Seeing Kirei so obedient and efficient brought Tokiomi great satisfaction. In times like these, having a dependable disciple really made all the difference. Compared to the arrogant and uncontrollable Ishtar, Kirei was a breath of fresh air. Everything about him seemed reassuring. Before cutting off the communication, Tokiomi called out to him again.

"Kirei, wait a moment."

"Yes?" Kirei paused and looked curiously at Tokiomi.

Tokiomi pulled out a boxed gift from a drawer. "I was originally planning to give you this sword as a graduation gift when you formally stepped into the world of magecraft. But since the current situation doesn't allow us to meet in person…"

"I'll deliver it to you myself after the Holy Grail War is over."

The sword in his hand was none other than the Azoth Sword—a traditional gift given to commemorate a mage's coming of age or successful studies. Seeing the sword, Kirei's eyes narrowed slightly, then he immediately offered a respectful thank-you. The master and disciple exchanged warm words, a picture of perfect harmony.