"What is that?"
The vampires looked up at the sky, their bloodthirsty eyes reflecting Cloud Dragon's fearsome visage.
"Dawn, can your Stand really get that big?"
Dio glanced over and couldn't help asking. Regardless of its combat abilities, just looking at its size, even he couldn't say he was sure to win.
"It's only been three days. Give me more time to let Cloud Dragon recover, and I'll blow your mind."
Dawn dodged a vampire's sneak attack, then used the momentum to kick him to the ground.
Diavolo, in Dawn's mind, broke into a cold sweat and frantically messaged him to stop taking risks and play it safe.
"Diavolo, you're reckless when you should be cautious and cautious when you should be reckless. That's why you were always destined to fail."
Dawn opened his mind and handed Diavolo partial control. Diavolo said nothing, simply summoned his Stand and pushed King Crimson to its limits.
King Crimson swung its fists until they smoked, splattering blood everywhere. Every so often, it erased time and slaughtered its way through the enemy ranks.
High above, the coiling dragon lowered its head. Dawn clambered up using all four limbs and watched the brutal battlefield below.
"Dawn, you finally understand my way of surviving."
Diavolo breathed a sigh of relief, but Dawn only looked confused and said, "What are you talking about? I'm about to unleash my big move."
With that, he made Cloud Dragon release a massive amount of ice crystals. Its recently restored body rapidly shrank again.
In no time, the entire square was filled with cold mist and ice crystals.
"Dio, stay right where you are."
Dawn shouted as the icy air and crystals surged, creating countless miniature whirlwinds that spun at high speed around the vampires.
Cloud Dragon spat out most of Notorious Big, keeping only a small portion inside itself.
Notorious Big eagerly pounced. Its crimson body split into countless pieces, clinging like a leech; once it latched on, there was no escaping it.
The biting wind, mixed with ice crystals, danced across the square as the crimson monsters clawed and snapped at their prey.
The survivors began to flee. The crimson monsters pursued anything that moved, surging toward every corner of the city.
"What an amazing Stand. Mr. Dawn, might I ask—"
Hewitt hadn't finished speaking when Dawn cut him off.
"No."
Hewitt pressed his cane lightly against the ground, a trace of displeasure rising within him.
"Interrupting someone while they're speaking is very impoli—"
"I have no desire to speak with a hypocrite."
Dawn dug a finger into his ear, deliberately wearing an impatient expression.
Hewitt's face darkened. With a whoosh, he lunged toward Dio.
"Hey, hey! I'm the one who interrupted you. What are you going after Dio for?"
Dawn continued taunting him, but Hewitt didn't respond. He simply kept charging toward Dio.
The crimson monsters pounced on Hewitt, but he paid them no mind, letting them devour his flesh as he focused solely on reaching Dio.
Throughout it all, Hewitt's Stand kept scattering golden sand, negating the outcome of his death.
Seeing this, Dawn maneuvered Cloud Dragon over to Joestar and quickly untied him.
"Hewitt's ability is bizarre. Dio's nearing the end of his life. Go help him, quickly."
Joestar looked at the young man before him, and a sudden, bloodthirsty craving welled up inside him.
"I will. The most important thing right now is getting you out of the city."
Seeing Joestar's eyes begin to redden, Dawn couldn't help frowning.
"You'd better calm down, Joestar."
Joestar abruptly shook his head, his face twisted into a grimace. He even had a peculiar rhythm to it. Dawn thought he should have some background music playing right now; it would make the whole thing much cooler.
BOOM!!!
A tremendous explosion came from within the city. Notorious Big had gathered together and was rampaging, destroying and harvesting anything that moved—every living thing in its path.
"With all that noise, I hope it doesn't draw Kars here."
Dawn put aside his playful mood, preparing to finish Hewitt off quickly.
"Kars? Where's Kars?!"
Joestar stopped his hypnotic head-shaking, his eyes clearing.
"Joestar, I'll have Cloud Dragon take you away. Dabi will probably be waiting for you outside the city. Probably? That guy vanishes as soon as a fight starts."
Dawn jumped off Cloud Dragon, pushed off with both legs, and raced toward Hewitt.
"You're not running away. You're coming straight at me instead."
Hewitt was confronting Dio. When he saw Dawn approach, he leaped back to get away, but Dio seized the opportunity and stopped time in an instant.
"THE WORLD!"
Dio closed in and drove a Ripple-charged fist into Hewitt's chest, using its vibrations to destroy his internal organs.
Then he stepped past Hewitt and moved in on the Hourglass Stand, unleashing another barrage of blows as he roared furiously.
"Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda!"
The instant time resumed, Hewitt screamed as he was sent flying. A punch had caved in his chest, nearly splitting his body in two. He crashed hard into an unfinished building, raising a cloud of dust. For a long while, there was no sign of him.
The Hourglass Stand had also been gravely damaged. Cracks covered its body, and golden sand trickled through them, with most of it spilling out in an instant.
Dawn blinked. He thought he'd figured out Hewitt's weakness.
"Don't get cocky... You touched me just now, didn't you?"
Hewitt struggled to his feet, his face battered and crooked. He forcefully set his bones back into place, trying to speed up his recovery.
"Dawn, I'm leaving the rest to you."
Dio looked back at Dawn. Deep wrinkles had appeared at the corners of his eyes, and the muscles all over his body had withered. He looked every bit like a man of a hundred years.
Dawn handed over the Stone Mask he'd prepared in advance, then gave Dio a thumbs-up and grinned. "I've figured it out. As long as I don't touch the enemy directly, he can't steal my lifespan. Leave him to me."
Dio nodded and took the Stone Mask, remaining where he was. A flicker of inner conflict passed through his eyes.
"You fledgling! You think someone like you can defeat me? My life force is endless—I'll never run out of it!"
Hewitt's injuries had healed completely. Hearing Dawn's words, he felt utterly humiliated and flew into a rage.
"Your Stand isn't even here. What are you going to fight me with? Your laughable convictions, or your meaningless resolve?"
Hewitt shot forward and slashed open the artery in his wrist. Scalding blood gushed out.
A powerful Ripple enveloped it, shaping it into a whip that lashed viciously toward Dawn.
The blood carried the power of the Ripple. With Dawn's physical constitution, even a single drop would kill him on the spot.
"When did I ever say I only had one Stand?"
Dawn's words were astonishing. Though Diavolo in his mind didn't want to take the risk, he had no choice but to act.
"King Crimson!"
Diavolo activated Epitaph and saw the whip pass through him.
"Fate favors us."
Diavolo murmured to himself. Time Erasure took effect. The whip passed through his body without causing the slightest injury.
Diavolo drew Anubis God and slashed. Carrying the strength and speed Dio had at his peak, the blade took Hewitt's head in a single strike.
Diavolo slid the sword back into its sheath.
The Hourglass Stand slowly dropped a grain of golden sand. Hewitt's headless corpse staggered to its feet.
"I... am immortal. Even the gods can do nothing to me."
Hewitt picked up his head and pressed it back onto his neck, glaring at Dawn through gritted teeth.
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