Looking at the cautious and alert Dio before him, Yang Yun showed not a trace of fear in his brows; instead, a hint of excitement flashed through them.
With a single step forward, his Stand, Star Platinum, separated from his body and charged straight at Dio.
In an instant, to anyone else, the space was completely empty, yet a violent sonic boom suddenly rang out.
Though Dio could not see the Stand either, his instinctive perception made him immediately cross his arms in front of his chest to block.
"Bang!"
Amidst a violent crash, Dio’s body shuddered violently. Then, his eyes split wide open as blood spewed from the corners of his mouth.
He flew backward a full ten meters and didn't stop until he crashed into a load-bearing wall, kicking up a shower of rubble and dust!
Seeing this, everyone around was left gaping, completely at a loss as to what was going on.
Dio was clearly dead—how was he alive again, and why had he been slaughtering people like grass?
And this Second Young Master of the Joestar family hadn't done a thing, so why had Dio gone flying?
Confusing as it was, everyone knew this was not the time to ask questions.
Amidst the pile of shattered debris, Dio staggered to his feet, covered in wounds.
The bones in his chest were turned outward, piercing through flesh and skin, leaving a terribly obvious caved-in indentation.
At the same time, his arms were blown apart, hanging from his shoulders only by bloody muscles and bones that barely held them together.
Dio’s gaze toward Yang Yun was one of shock, confusion, and even sheer bewilderment!
What on earth was going on?
Hadn't he obtained power that surpassed humanity?
Then why was he still afraid, still getting injured, and even wounded to such a state by an enemy he had previously considered helpless?
Could Yang Yun be his destined nemesis?
The only consolation was that this invisible, terrifying force seemed incapable of killing him.
Although he truly looked to be on the verge of death with critical injuries, at the end of his rope, it was merely his flesh being torn apart. As long as he had blood, he could recover in a matter of seconds.
At this thought, a raging fire ignited in Dio's heart once more, and he swept his gaze rapidly around the surroundings.
Judging by the performance just now, Yang Yun's bizarre power seemed incapable of rapid barrages, and its range appeared to be limited to just over ten meters.
As a being who had transcended humanity, he certainly couldn't be that weak; thus, he still had a chance.
As long as his speed was fast enough, he could quickly slaughter everyone else around him, thereby recovering his injuries and increasing his strength.
Once he crossed the distance one by one and got close, he would find an opportunity to kill Yang Yun with a single blow and properly study this bizarre power!
A Stand was the manifestation of human mental energy, so naturally, whatever a Stand saw, its Stand User could see as well.
And as the world's only 6A-stat bare-handed Stand, Star Platinum’s various attributes could be called the pinnacle of humanity!
Destructive Power: A. Speed: A. Range: A. Persistence: A. Precision: A. Developmental Potential: A.
Therefore, under such high precision, Dio's little maneuvers were as clear to Yang Yun as a student's panicky cheating being caught by a proctor.
"Want to recover? Not a chance!"
With a deep voice, Yang Yun manipulated Star Platinum to charge straight at Dio.
Star Platinum’s range was a full twenty meters; though not enough to cover the entire room, it was already more than enough!
"Come on, Dio! Today, let us put an end to this seven-year grudge!"
As Yang Yun let out a roar, Dio also put strength into his feet and lunged straight at the police officer closest to him.
In a mere breath, Dio’s body swept like a gust of wind to the side of that officer.
Right before their eyes, his sharp fingers, like those of a fierce ghost or beast, were about to clamp down on the man's throat.
A wild grin of triumph even appeared on Dio's face.
Yet at that exact moment, Dio abruptly felt a hurricane surge beside him like the roar of an angry dragon.
The next instant, a sensation from the boxing ring years ago flooded back into his mind.
That was the most humiliating moment of his life, and also the most unforgettable pain!
And now, not only was he enduring it once more, but the very same person was inflicting an even greater agony upon him!
From the perspective of ordinary people, Dio inexplicably flew into the air, his body fluttering like a fallen leaf in the wind.
Yet with every breath of wind, Dio’s body grew a fraction more tattered, blood burst forth, and screams echoed endlessly!
From the perspective of a Stand User, however, Dio was caught within a terrifying zone of devastation under the relentless assault of the blindingly fast Star Platinum.
Due to its exaggerated stats, every single punch Star Platinum landed calculated the exact point where the target would land.
Simultaneously, it would teleport to that position to throw another punch, to the point where multiple distinct afterimages even appeared on the scene.
Dio was like a lump of dough inside a twenty-meter mixing bowl, left entirely to the mercy of the baker, with only one goal: to hammer him until he was round and firm!
Looking at Dio, who was barely recognizable as human anymore, Yang Yun gained a new appreciation for the terrifying power of his own Stand, and beating him up felt truly satisfying!
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."
"Buga!"
Following yet another heavy punch, Dio, who had been taking a continuous beating, suddenly let out a strange cry.
The moment he heard the sound, Yang Yun sighed inwardly—what had to come was finally fucking coming after all.
After all, he was not the protagonist of this world, nor did he use Ripple Power, so he fundamentally couldn't damage Dio's core.
Sure enough, the next instant, the struck Dio was sent flying right out of Star Platinum's range.
"You fell for it, Yang Yun!"
"The moment I confirmed I couldn't drain blood, I already thought of a way out, and now this is my path!"
"Just wait! Once I, Dio, have recovered, it will be your time to die!"
Dio shouted frantically as he flew backward, soon soaring out of the estate grounds and crashing into the jungle.
Watching Dio escape into the distance, everyone else looked at Yang Yun in bewilderment: why had he let the guy run away?
To this, Yang Yun offered no explanation, because it was completely meaningless!
Behind Dio stood fate; even if he switched his Stand to The World and rewound time by five seconds, he could only keep him for a moment, not for a lifetime.
Thus, it was better to let him run. In any case, no matter how far Dio ran, he couldn't escape the scope of the plot; subsequent events would unfold regardless.
...
Several days later, early morning.
Inside the Joestar Estate, looking at Erina Joestar who had been brought back, alongside Zeppeli, who was dressed in a pure white tailcoat and a checkered black-and-white top hat,
both Yang Yun and George Joestar—who had recovered his youthful appearance—wore smiles.
Yang Yun smiled because he finally had a way to learn Ripple Power, while George Joestar smiled with relief.
"JOJO, although you have already become a qualified gentleman, I still want to tell you: you must treat this beautiful young lady by your side well!"
"I understand, Father!"
Looking at Erina Joestar, whose face was blushing, and the shy Jonathan, Yang Yun felt a surge of joy in his heart as well.
This first round of protection had finally succeeded!
However, what truly surprised him was actually his Stand, Immortal Tree Emperor.
Previously, he hadn't paid much attention to it, but now it seemed simply like a god-tier Stand!
Originally, he thought that fruit could only cure illnesses and save lives.
But now he knew that this fruit could not only eliminate toxins and pain, but also restore someone's youth, returning them to their prime!
Right now, his father George Joestar was a prime example, having transformed from an elderly man back into a robust man in his thirties!
Now that everything was settled, their only remaining goal was to eliminate Dio.
"I heard you want to learn Sendo Ripple?"
By the stream outside the estate, Zeppeli looked at the Asian-faced youth before him, asking with a mixture of doubt and probing.
"Yes! Will you please teach me?"
"Can you tell me why, peculiar youth?" Zeppeli asked once more.
"To destroy the Stone Mask, and its creator!" Yang Yun said with a resolute expression.
"The creator of the Stone Mask? You actually know about this!"
Hearing Yang Yun say this, Zeppeli looked at him again in sudden surprise.
Ever since their previous meeting, he had already sensed a special power on Yang Yun that ordinary people lacked.
Especially after hearing Jonathan say that Yang Yun had chased away the Vampire Dio bare-handed, he had been filled with amazement and doubt.
Now it seemed the youth before him truly knew some extremely arcane secrets!