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

Before Karna could even respond, Su Mo broke the silence with a laugh.

"Plotting how to deal with me, right in front of me?"

"Rider, your boldness exceeds even my expectations." He narrowed his eyes playfully. "Or maybe, having given up on victory, you're trying to provoke me into eliminating you quickly, so you can return to the Throne of Heroes in peace?" Though his words were teasing, everyone knew the god before them could end them at a whim.

Su Mo didn't intend to immediately wipe them out. But his stance toward Rider's proposition would influence his behavior moving forward. Even with Ishtar and Karna—two outlier-tier Servants—having already appeared, the Holy Grail War was still nothing more than a fish pond to Su Mo.

A massacre waiting to happen. The moment he finished speaking, even though the tone was lighthearted, Rider stiffened. He wouldn't dare treat a god's response as mere jest. This was a being who held absolute power over life and death. To have any chance at all against him, mistakes couldn't be made.

"I would never dream of provoking the divine, Your Majesty," Rider quickly responded, shaking his head. "But you see, a war without struggle is hardly worth calling a war."

"If we do form an alliance, this Holy Grail War would at least become a little more interesting."

"For someone like you—if we just stood around waiting to be slaughtered, wouldn't that be terribly boring?" With brutal honesty, Rider laid out his thoughts. He had chosen to say all this openly in front of Su Mo because he was gambling on the god's character—on the chance that this war god might appreciate such candor.

If Su Mo didn't immediately retaliate, then their odds of survival might just increase—if only a little. Because no matter how flawless their strategy was, it would all be useless if the war god decided to casually intervene at the wrong moment. That was the kind of threat Su Mo represented. His mere presence could decide the outcome of the entire war.

Hearing Rider's words, Su Mo let out a low chuckle. "From your perspective, if I want this Holy Grail War to be at least somewhat entertaining, I should allow you all to form alliances. That does make sense." Rider and Waver both brightened at the response, a glimmer of hope crossing their faces. And just as they thought they had gained his approval, Su Mo's voice changed—

"However—I refuse."

A playful smirk tugged at Su Mo's lips. "You know what I enjoy the most? Saying 'No' to people who think everything will go according to their plans."

"Besides, I never had any intention of 'enjoying' the Holy Grail War."

"Not to mention... I'm not that foolish war god you're all mistaking me for." The air instantly grew tense as he spoke.

"Why aren't you playing by the rules?!" Rider groaned inwardly, though his grip on his weapon tightened. Both he and Karna were already bracing themselves for the worst, ready to lay down their lives in battle. But before the clash could begin, a sudden cry pierced through the air from above.

"Waaaaaah! So, this is what flying feels like? Amazing! Hahaha!"

Correction—it was a cry, but one of pure excitement. Then came a younger, more childlike voice following close behind: "Mama Iris, I found him!" Everyone instinctively looked skyward. There, they saw an adorable little girl dressed like a magical girl, flying through the air with a silver-haired, red-eyed woman trailing behind her. The unexpected arrivals touched down quickly after spotting the group gathered at the harbor.

The older of the two looked like a refined woman in her late teens, while the younger, childlike girl couldn't have been older than ten. They appeared far more like a pair of mother and daughter—or perhaps sisters—out on a winter vacation rather than combatants.

But anyone who had just witnessed that flight wouldn't dare think of them as normal people. With that kind of aerial speed, they could only be a Servant and Master—or perhaps both mages. Rider stood there, utterly bewildered by the bizarre development. Kayneth, however, recognized the distinct features immediately.

"Silver hair and red eyes... a homunculus from the Einzbern family?"

As one of the Three Founding Families of the Grail War, Kayneth had access to a wealth of intelligence. His deduction was right on the mark. The ones who had just arrived were indeed the Einzbern's Master-Servant pair.

For Irisviel von Einzbern, who had never experienced flight (aside from riding in an airplane), this was a thrilling first. With her childlike sense of wonder, the moment was more exciting than frightening. After touching down, she clung tightly to her Servant like a giddy child.

"Caster, that was incredible! Let's fly again later, okay?"

She was clearly hooked on the sensation. Still, despite her excitement, she remembered to keep her Servant's true name a secret—proof that Irisviel could be quite reliable when it came to important matters. Not that revealing her real name—Illyasviel—would have meant anything to the others anyway.

Hearing her call out to Caster, Rider's eyes immediately lit up. "Caster!" Though he didn't understand why such a young-looking girl would be summoned as a Caster-class Servant, that didn't matter. What mattered was that her aura didn't feel divine. And as long as she wasn't a god, she could be a potential ally.

Against beings like Ishtar and Indra, any non-divine Servant was automatically at a disadvantage. That meant they all shared a common interest—survival—and therefore, a shared front. So, the odds of recruiting her were high. Just as Rider was about to make his pitch and expand his 'Alliance of Humanity' once more...

"Would you be interested in—"

He was cut short.

Right before his eyes, the small, adorably dressed magical girl leapt into Su Mo's arms like a swallow diving into its nest. And with a sweet, delighted voice, she shouted—

"Papa! I finally found you!"

"..."

Rider fell silent.

"..."

Waver could only stare in mute shock.

"..."

Even Okita Souji was speechless.

Irisviel's smile turned a little awkward, though she had fully anticipated this turn of events. And just like the others, Su Mo himself was dumbfounded. A pink loli had just flung herself into his arms and called him Papa. For a moment, he was simply stunned. But as he took a closer look at her outfit, realization finally dawned.

Wait—wasn't this…

"Illya?" He spoke the name aloud, confused. At the sound of her name, the little girl's eyes sparkled with joy. She clung to him even tighter, nuzzling her face against him with excitement.

"I knew it! Mama Iris is such an idiot!"

"I just knew… Papa would remember me!"

She didn't care how or why her father recognized her even though she hadn't been born yet. What mattered was that he did. That alone filled her with joy. Illya was over the moon. Rider, on the other hand, was devastated.

Just when he thought he had found another recruitable Servant, it turned out to be the god's daughter? Was she another goddess-level entity? Maybe not, judging by her aura. But even if she wasn't a goddess, she was still one of his allies. That meant another spot among the Seven Servants was already claimed—another potential ally lost.

This was not good news. Still, now wasn't the time to dwell on it. Seeing Caster cheerfully cuddled up in Su Mo's arms, showering him with affection, Rider took the hint. With perfect timing, he tugged on Waver's sleeve and whispered, "Let's not interrupt the divine father-daughter reunion." And with that, he pulled his Master away at top speed.

Time to make a tactical retreat! Kayneth and Karna were just as shrewd. After Karna offered a respectful farewell, they too turned and departed. In the end, the battlefield at the harbor was left with only the Saber team and the Caster team.

Okita, watching Illya cuddle into the very lap she had just been sitting in and shamelessly acting spoiled, didn't feel like she had been "NTR'd." In her era, monogamy wasn't the societal norm, especially not for those with strength and status. Besides, Illya was just a ten-year-old girl. So, rather than feel jealous—what bothered Okita most was something entirely different.

"Master has a daughter?" Okita Souji blinked blankly at Illya, then at Su Mo, a look of disbelief slowly forming on her face.

"But Master is only sixteen or seventeen at most—how could he possibly have a daughter that big?" In the Type-Moon world, Su Mo was still in his youth. If he truly had a ten-year-old daughter, that would mean… he became a father when he was six or seven?

As that disturbing realization dawned on her, Okita turned a horrified gaze toward Caster's Master—the one Illya had called "Mama Iris."

"You actually seduced Master when he was six or seven?!"

She looked at Irisviel like she had just spotted a criminal who needed to be immediately arrested and made to repent. Sure, a younger version of Master must have been absolutely adorable, but that didn't justify this sort of thing!

"…"

Watching Okita's expression twist in righteous indignation, Irisviel felt her reputation plummet without warning.

"No, I didn't! I didn't do anything!" she protested, flustered and waving her hands in panic. She wanted to shout, "I may look mature, but I'm only nine years old! My daughter's older than I am! I haven't even had my first time yet—that really wasn't me!"

But none of that would come out. In that moment, Irisviel understood the meaning of being wrongfully accused beyond redemption.