The video began to play.
People from different worlds watched the images that appeared with rapt attention.
'Ugh—aaaah!!!'
The first thing on screen was an elderly but muscular man; the instant he appeared, a throwing knife lodged in his neck and blood poured out.
An opening lightning strike—literally.
None of the first four scenes had ever started with someone 'dying' right at the beginning.
'Mr. Joestar?!' x3
Seeing this, Polnareff, Avdol, and Kakyoin Noriaki cried out.
Jotaro said nothing, but his fists clenched in silent fury.
'OMG!' Joseph stared in disbelief—why was he 'killed' at the very start?!
He should have had the best chance against Dio, possessing not only a Stand but also ripple/ripple.
Barring accidents, he could have dealt the fatal blow.
Hermit Purple could conduct ripple/ripple for an attack—nothing special against humans,
but lethally effective against vampires.
One touch and Joseph guaranteed Dio would lose all combat ability, Stand or not.
He had vast experience with vampires and knew how completely ripple/ripple countered them.
Inside Dio's castle, Egypt.
'Hoh, the first to die is that old fossil Joseph?' Dio smiled at the silver knife lodged in Joseph's neck; the old man's death delighted him.
That geezer had brought flies swarming around him, and no matter how many he killed, more came.
Watching Joseph fall felt wonderful.
The video continued.
A 'figure' appeared near the fallen Joseph, ignoring him and staring ahead at Jotaro.
'Old man...'
In the distance, Jotaro—wearing his school uniform—watched in shock and rage, unable to grasp what he saw.
Instinctively he stepped forward.
'Don't... don't come... run... Jotaro...'
Wounded on the ground, Joseph reached out to stop him.
'Stay away... from that guy... keep your distance.'
'Stay... stay away from him...'
As he spoke, purple thorns wrapped in golden ripple/ripple glowed brilliantly in his hand.
Perhaps because its master was fading, the purple vines began to wither.
'We... can't... win...'
With those words Joseph collapsed, the purple thorns crumbling to ash.
Outside the video:
'Hey, hey! You've gotta be kidding—Mr. Joestar!!!' Polnareff could not accept it.
Over the past days he had come to deeply respect Joseph.
Yet half a minute into the video he was dead? Impossible!
They had faced so many Stand users without a single casualty!
'That Dio is so powerful—and so evil.' Avdol drew several ragged breaths, feeling again the night he had nearly fallen under Dio's control,
when he had lost his pride as a fortune-teller and all will to fight.
...
Kakyoin Noriaki said nothing; he had always known defeating Dio would be anything but easy.
He simply hadn't imagined Joseph Joestar would die by Dio's hand.
Demon Slayer World.
Kibutsuji Muzan watched the golden light shining from Joseph's purple thorns.
She frowned; even through the screen she sensed that glow posed a great threat to her.
The same was true of Upper Moon One, Kokushibo.
They quickly reasoned it out:
The only thing that could threaten them so much
was the sun!
The golden light on those purple vines must be a power akin to sunlight,
just like the Demon Slayer Corps' nichirin blades.
'Could that world possess means to counter us demons?'
Muzan pondered.
The video went on.
The blond man with the green heart-shaped headpiece gazed at Jotaro in the distance.
Jotaro stared back.
Neither spoke a word.
But at this moment, everyone watching the video could feel it—those two were about to clash in an all-out war.
Too exciting! Until now the previous four fighters had at least a bit of build-up before the brawl started.
Nothing like this—straight into combat without so much as a word.
Still… they loved it! Plenty of viewers are crazy for this kind of no-nonsense showdown.
Dio looked at the clearly furious Jotaro ahead of him and provoked, "That Kakyoin fellow? I've already dealt with him."
"!!!!!!"
Jotaro's eyes narrowed; the news hit him hard.
"Polnareff must be hiding somewhere—ha~ not that it matters."
Dio obviously didn't care much about Polnareff. Pointing straight at Jotaro he declared, "You're next, Jotaro!"
The camera swung to Jotaro with palpable pressure.
Jotaro glared at Dio, fists clenched in rage. "Bastard! Dio!"
"Ho!" Dio exclaimed, surprised to see Jotaro walking toward him. Spreading his arms mockingly he said, "Coming straight at me? Not running, but marching to your death?"
"Your grandfather Joseph Joestar barely managed to uncover the secret of my Stand, The World—"
"—like a student scrambling to finish the last exam questions, he used every last breath to tell you."
Jotaro kept advancing. "If I don't get in close, how am I supposed to beat you into the ground?"
"Hoho!" Dio laughed, stepping forward as well. "Then by all means, come closer."
The two closed on each other; the air itself felt ready to snap.
...
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