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

After their conversation ended and the familiar's communication shut down, Tokiomi remained motionless for a while. Just now, Kirei's loyal and competent demeanor had soothed his frustrations—the emotional wounds left behind by dealing with Ishtar. So much so that Tokiomi almost didn't want to leave the room and face that troublesome goddess again. But a Tohsaka doesn't hide away. A Tohsaka must remain elegant at all times. With that resolve, he braced himself to be scolded by the foul-mouthed goddess and stepped into the living room with determination.

On the other end of the connection, Kirei Kotomine wore a strange smile as the call ended.

"Who would've thought… That guy actually trusts you so much." A young voice came from behind Kirei—it was his daughter, Caren. The silver-haired girl wore a mischievous grin as she said, "I'd love to see that magician's face when he finds out what his 'trustworthy disciple' is really like."

"When the moment comes—when he thinks victory is in his grasp—only to realize his disciple doesn't follow his orders at all… I imagine his expression will be quite amusing." To her, this whole situation was utterly entertaining. That uptight Tohsaka Tokiomi actually believed in Kotomine Kirei? It seemed neither his teacher nor his father had ever seen through Kirei's true nature. Only her late mother had likely perceived it. And the thought of that made Caren a little irritable.

Just then, little Jack tugged on Caren's hand. "Don't be angry, big sis! Whoever made you upset, we'll go chop them up!" The sight was odd—a silver-haired loli who looked around eight years old calling a silver-haired five-year-old her big sister—but those around them were already used to it.

"…"

Kirei tensed up slightly, his expression turning helpless. Jack was glaring at him like she'd found the culprit who upset Caren. She looked like she could pounce at any moment. Even though he was technically Jack's Master, he was constantly on the receiving end of her threatening stares. Honestly, it was exhausting. Still, the thought of the chaos to unfold that night made his blood stir with excitement. Jack's glare wasn't even worth worrying about.

....

....

While everyone waited with baited breath, the day quickly passed, and night fell. Under the starry sky, a divine chariot surged across the heavens, trailing thunder behind it. It was Rider's Gordius Wheel, and its destination—Tohsaka's estate.

"Ishtar, I've come to bargain!" Rider called out as he arrived, bringing along his Master, Waver Velvet. Though Waver was immature as a mage, Rider liked him immensely—not only for his keen observations but also for his unshakable courage.

Knowing this mission might end in conflict, Rider had initially suggested Waver stay behind. But Waver adamantly refused, saying that hiding on the sidelines couldn't be considered participation. He had joined the Holy Grail War to prove himself—he would not cower now. So, with his brave Master in tow, Rider came seeking an alliance with the goddess. And was promptly met with her response.

"You've got some nerve showing your face here!" Her voice rang out before she even appeared. Moments later, a shower of brilliant, multicolored gems was hurled outward—Ishtar's signature gemstone magic. War broke out in an instant. There was no discussion. No negotiations. No courtesy. But neither Rider nor Tokiomi was surprised. They had anticipated this outcome.

"So… talks have broken down, huh?" Rider let out a hearty laugh. Facing the barrage of gem-powered beams that had previously given him trouble, he showed no fear.

"Soldiers—shield your king!" With a loud command, dozens of armored warriors armed with weapons manifested into the courtyard. They stood between their king and the oncoming storm of magical attacks.

This was the alternate usage of Rider's ultimate Noble Phantasm—Ionioi Hetairoi, the Army of the King. Rather than trapping the enemy inside the Reality Marble, Rider had directly summoned his loyal troops to defend him. Last night, he had refrained from using this ability in order to keep it hidden. But now that battle was inevitable, he had no reason to hold back.

The war had begun. Waver, meanwhile, raised a signal overhead, alerting the nearby Lancer to join the fight. According to their original plan, Iskandar intended to use Ionioi Hetairoi to counter Ishtar's monstrous divine beast—the Bull of Heaven.

So, from the very start of the battle, he deployed his trump card. Rider activated his Ionioi Hetairoi—the Army of the King—and summoned forth tens of thousands of phantasmal soldiers. Like a roaring tide, the army charged toward the goddess in unison.

As expected, the prideful goddess immediately responded by summoning the legendary divine beast—Gugalanna, the Bull of Heaven. Ishtar believed that once the Bull appeared, she would be able to sweep the battlefield clean and eliminate all enemies in one fell swoop.

However, what she didn't expect was that this exact moment was what Iskandar had been waiting for. As soon as the Bull of Heaven emerged, Rider immediately expelled the goddess from within his Reality Marble and brought himself and his Master back into the real world. They reappeared, not in the residential district around the Tohsaka residence, but in Fuyuki's Central Park—a site Rider had deliberately scouted earlier in the day as a potential battlefield.

The sudden shift left Ishtar momentarily stunned. But when she saw the determined look on Rider's face, she quickly realized the situation. Her divine beast was currently sealed within Rider's Reality Marble. However, that containment would only last a few minutes at most before it collapsed. So, there was no need to panic—yet.

"You're probably thinking that I can't possibly defeat you in just a few minutes, so you're not worried at all, are you?" Rider remarked, smiling as he read the look on her face.

"Hmph," Ishtar snorted dismissively, though something clicked in her mind.

According to Tokiomi, Rider had already formed an alliance with Lancer. That meant Lancer could be arriving at any moment to gang up on her. Truth be told, that made her a little anxious. But not overly so. Aside from the Bull of Heaven, she still had other trump cards. However, Karna was a real threat. Even among demigods, he was one of the most exalted heroes. If she was careless, this could end badly.

So, the two stared each other down without a word—Rider wearing his signature confident smile, while Ishtar maintained a mask of haughty calm, her eyes betraying a flicker of unease. Rider was waiting for Lancer to arrive and deliver the finishing blow. Ishtar was trying to stall for time, hoping her divine beast would soon be released.

However, after just fifteen seconds of silence, Ishtar's expression began to change—turning smug and mocking.

"Oh my, Rider," she taunted, "could it be that your dear ally has betrayed you? Where is that Lancer of yours? Why hasn't he arrived?"

Her confidence began to return. If that demigod really were here, she might have reason to be cautious. But with no sign of him, whatever had happened, he clearly wasn't coming. Which meant she only had to deal with Rider.

"Your greatest weapon is sealed away. What are you going to use to fight me now?" she sneered.

Of course, the sealing went both ways—her Bull couldn't move, but neither could Rider's army. And without Ionioi Hetairoi, what did Rider have left? His chariot? Please. That wasn't even on par with a real divine beast!

"..."

Rider began to sweat. Lancer hadn't shown up? That didn't make sense. From what he understood of both Lancer and his Master, betrayal was out of the question—even if Assassin's group had turned coat. Attacking the goddess aligned with their interests, and their strategy should have been foolproof.

Which meant the only possibility was—

BOOM!

A distant peal of thunder exploded across the night sky. The once-clear heavens shifted suddenly, painted in hues of blue and violet. Bolts of lightning rained down like a divine tempest in a direction not far from their position. The moment he saw it, Rider understood. This was no ordinary weather—it was the divine power of a god manipulating the very heavens. That could only mean one thing.

"Looks like Lancer just ran into that god…" Rider muttered, a wry smile tugging at his lips. As the saying goes: man proposes, god disposes. Failing to secure an alliance with the god of war yesterday, Rider had decided to act swiftly tonight in hopes of finishing the fight before that divine being could intervene.

But fate had other plans. That troublesome god just had to show up early—right at the most critical moment—blocking Lancer and ruining everything. Still, even with everything falling apart, Rider didn't lose his fighting spirit.

"Well then, looks like it's just me now!" he declared, fire in his eyes.

Waiting for Lancer to beat the god and come to his aid was no longer an option. If there was any chance of help, it would be after he won and rushed to Lancer's aid instead. After all, that god was far more dangerous than this goddess.

Rather than despair, Rider's fighting spirit burned even brighter. His original plan had been to let Lancer deal with Ishtar, just in case. But who was to say he couldn't defeat her on his own?

There was only one way to find out. Nothing beats trying! With that thought, Iskandar launched his charge. His Master, Waver, feeling the King's determination, responded without hesitation.

"By Command Seal—I order you to win!"

"By Command Seal—I order you to be victorious!"

"By Command Seal—I order you to crush your enemy!"

In one breath, Waver used all three Command Seals, empowering Rider to his absolute limit. "Hahahaha! As expected of the Master I've acknowledged!" Rider roared with laughter as divine energy surged through his body. His chariot, drawn by the thunderous bulls, crackled with brilliant lightning as it sped forward.