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

Seeing the divine spear now in Su Mo's hand, Karna finally understood why the man had insisted on drawing out his strongest attack. It made sense now—Su Mo had lost his control over the Authority of Thunder, and needed a proper replacement. That was why he required the god-slaying spear, a weapon once gifted by Indra himself.

"So that's why the lightning didn't feel right… It wasn't Indra's Authority at all."

Only now did Karna realize the truth. When he first saw Su Mo unleash divine lightning, he hadn't recognized it as power belonging to Indra. Even the latest displays felt different from the god's techniques he'd once known. Now it was clear. The lightning Su Mo had been using thus far didn't originate from Indra. But the implications of that realization only made him shudder. If Su Mo wasn't using Indra's lightning… yet still commanded such terrifying power… how many other Authorities did this so-called Indra possess?

O Thunder Emperor, just how many identities do you have?!

"This feels… good," Su Mo said, casually swinging Vasavi Shakti in his hand.

The power coursing through it now was far stronger than it had been in Karna's hands. At Su Mo's level, the more mana one poured into a Noble Phantasm, the stronger the resulting effect. Even Vasavi Shakti was no exception. Fortunately, he wasn't a proper Lancer-class Servant. Otherwise, he might suffer from the class's usual luck debuffs. Karna himself had once boasted an A+ in Luck.

With those idle thoughts passing through his mind, Su Mo spun the spear with a flourish and leveled its point at Karna. "Before you return to the Throne of Heroes… any last words?" To Su Mo, the spear was merely a pleasant surprise. He hadn't forgotten his real purpose for the night—bringing the Holy Grail War to an end. Karna, now spent and out of options, gave a small shake of his head.

"Even with three Command Seals used, I couldn't make you take a single step."

"A defeat like this… I have no regrets."

"But before I return to the Throne, I ask one thing—only one."

He turned his eyes to Kenneth. Even if his Master didn't understand the heart of a hero, Karna still considered him a good person.

"Oh? You want me to spare your Master?"

Su Mo immediately understood.

"Exactly. I humbly ask that you grant this insignificant request." Karna bowed his head deeply in genuine sincerity.

"No problem," Su Mo answered without hesitation. "Seeing as I got the god-slaying spear out of it, I've no reason to refuse you."

"Then… I thank you, Great One." Karna bowed once more in gratitude. And then, without further delay, the golden spear pierced through his heart. Just as his soul began being pulled into the Lesser Grail, Karna heard Su Mo's final words.

"Your father raised a fine son." It was praise from the Thunder Emperor himself—Indra.

"Thank you… my lord," Karna whispered. For once, his normally stoic face broke into a true, heartfelt smile. Su Mo hadn't praised Surya, Karna's divine father. He had praised Karna's adoptive father—the humble charioteer whom society had mocked, but whom Karna revered above all others. Just a common man… and yet he had raised a son worthy of divine praise. For Karna, that alone was worth dying for.

So, this… this was the mercy of the King of Gods. And in that moment, Karna finally understood it. Smiling with fulfilment, he faded away completely. After Karna's departure, Su Mo turned his gaze on Kenneth.

"As per my agreement with him, I won't harm you."

"But that's only if you don't try to stand in my way."

"What's your answer?"

After all, once a Servant was defeated, the Master became irrelevant. Masters were tools for summoning Servants in the Holy Grail War—nothing more. Letting Kenneth live didn't matter to Su Mo, as long as he didn't cause trouble. As for Kenneth—after witnessing the might of a god—he had long abandoned any thought of defiance. So, when Su Mo asked the question, he bowed at once.

"Lord Su Mo, I wouldn't dare oppose you."

"This life of mine was a gift from Karna. I won't waste it. I hereby withdraw from the Holy Grail War."

All his pride as a magus, all his dignity as the head of a noble house—none of it mattered in the presence of divinity. Having lived through this mythic clash, Kenneth had gained some measure of wisdom. At the very least, he would never again look down upon the Holy Grail War.

"A wise choice," Su Mo said with a smile. Su Mo gave a simple nod. He didn't say anything more and turned to leave at a relaxed pace, his footsteps unhurried. Behind him, Kenneth remained in a deep bow, drenched in cold sweat, not daring to lift his head until Su Mo was gone.

...

...

While Su Mo and Karna were engaged in battle, elsewhere, another confrontation was nearing its end. Not far away, the battle between the King of Conquerors and the goddess Ishtar had reached its climax.

Even without Gugalanna, the Bull of Heaven, Ishtar remained a goddess. She wasn't someone a mere human could hope to defeat—not even someone like the King of Conquerors.

"An Gal Ta Ki Gal Šè: Kindling of Venus that Shook the Mountains!"

Her Anti-Fortress Noble Phantasm, ranked A++, was unleashed.

Using Venus as a conceptual projectile, she loaded it into Maanna—the Ark of Heaven—and fired. The attack resembled a meteor crashing down from space, instantly overwhelming the battlefield. The divine chariot of the King of Conquerors stood no chance under such divine might. Even after being reinforced with three Command Seals, he was swiftly suppressed. Just before defeat, he managed to leap from the divine chariot with his Master in his arms. And thus, he was forced to directly face the goddess herself.

Iskandar, lacking both his Noble Phantasm and outstanding martial skill, now stood alone. Facing a goddess who, though also lacking her trump card, still possessed devastating jewel magic—the outcome was obvious.

"Rider, do you have any last words?" Ishtar tossed a handful of gemstones into the air, confident in her victory. Yet, even faced with certain doom, the King of Conquerors did not despair. His Reality Marble would only last about thirty more seconds, but he refused to give in.

"Hahaha! A battle isn't over until the last moment!"

He laughed heartily, his spirit unbroken. Ishtar merely scoffed at his stubbornness.

"Now that Lancer's been restrained, what do you have left to fight me with?" Her tone was mocking. But in response, the King of Conquerors only offered a sly grin.

"Did I ever say my only ally was Lancer?"

"…What?!"

Ishtar's expression shifted. Alarm bells rang in her mind. Only then did she notice something strange—the surrounding area had grown hazy under the night sky. A white mist had crept in, silently enveloping the battlefield.

"This fog is poisonous!"

Though Ishtar had A-rank Magic Resistance and wasn't bothered by the toxin, she still sensed something ominous.

"A mist… appearing at night… someone is moving under cover…"

She wasn't a fool. The moment she assessed the situation, she realized this fog had to be the work of a Servant.

"An Assassin…" Her tone became cautious. Then, from the fog, came the giggle of a child.

"Pretty big sister, are you my mommy?" Ishtar raised her chin proudly at the voice.

"Hmph! At least your taste is decent."

"But I think your eyes need washing!"

"This goddess is a youthful maiden, how could I possibly have a child?!" Countless gods in the heavens had pursued her. But with Ishtar's standards, not a single one had caught her interest. Though she held the domain of love, right now she was still in her playful, mischief-seeking phase. The sprout of true affection had yet to bloom.

"…So you're denying it?"

"You don't want Jack? You're abandoning Jack?!" The little girl's voice suddenly turned dark and sinister. From within the mist, killing intent began to stir. But Ishtar scoffed at the presence.

"An Assassin, daring to act up in front of a goddess!"

"Looks like I've been underestimated."

Even a Heroic Spirit like the King of Conquerors couldn't defeat her without his trump card. What could a mere Assassin possibly do? With clear disdain, Ishtar hurled several gemstone lasers into the mist. Though they didn't hit the target, they blasted away part of the fog. Just as she prepared to fly skyward to escape the haze, she suddenly sensed a dreadful presence.

"Not good!" The danger was immediate and overwhelming. But Jack didn't give her a chance to react.

"Maria the Ripper!"

Noble Phantasm, unleashed.