The Power of Size Manipulation

"Purple!"

This was the first time Dawn had drawn a purple ability. What made it unusual was that before, whenever he drew an ability, he'd had to figure it out for himself. This time, the moment he drew it, information about the ability flooded into his mind.

[Stand: Beyond Imagination: Dragon Tamer]

When activated, this ability creates a Dragon Egg in its original form. It can absorb most materials and develop into different forms depending on what it absorbs.

The dragon can hatch at any time. After hatching, it grows rapidly and gains the Divine Power of Size Manipulation. Its maximum size is determined by the materials absorbed by the Dragon Egg, but its total mass will not exceed 1,000 kilograms.

"Purple abilities really are extraordinary."

Dawn murmured to himself. He clasped his hands together as if in prayer and shouted, "Dragon Tamer!"

His clasped hands suddenly flew apart, and a dazzling white light burst from between them. As the light faded, an egg-sized, pale object appeared.

The Dragon Egg was pale, its surface covered in scale-like bumps. Inside it, a tiny dragon silhouette swam about, seemingly carefree.

Without the slightest hesitation, Dawn hurled the Dragon Egg at the motorcycle Baby Face had been using to escape.

The Dragon Egg clung tightly to the motorcycle's gas tank. In the blink of an eye, the bike seemed to fade away and vanished as if it had never existed.

Baby Face could take no more. With a terrified shriek, he turned into a mass of tiny cubes and sank into the ground, fleeing blindly into the distance.

The ground broke apart into countless tiny cubes wherever Baby Face passed. Giorno hurried after him. At the same time, the team members in the distance noticed the commotion.

As everyone's attention focused on the scene, the pale Dragon Egg rose into the air and transformed from the inside out into a Metal Dragon Egg. The dragon silhouette inside let out an agitated growl.

ROAR!

A little dragon, about as thick as an arm, burst out of the egg. Its body gleamed silver like metal, while flames seemed to burn beneath its scales, flickering in and out and sending a shiver through the heart.

The little dragon grew as it rode the wind. Its body swelled several times over as it glided through the air, becoming a Metal Long Dragon more than twenty meters long. Since it had hatched early, its total mass was only around 200 to 300 kilograms, leaving its body hollow inside.

Despite its hollow body, it still had formidable fighting strength. The Metal Dragon whipped its tail and lunged forward, swooping toward Baby Face. It opened its metal jaws slightly, revealing a spark plug crackling with electricity in its throat.

BOOM!

Hot oil sprayed out, turning into a blazing column of fire the instant it touched the spark plug. The tremendous impact tore up the ground, and the intense heat roasted Baby Face until he was charred on the outside and tender within. He shrieked in agony.

Baby Face managed only a brief scream before the relentless flames roasted him into a pile of charcoal. He was well and truly dead.

After Baby Face died, Bucciarati and Trish, who had been turned into cubes, returned to their human forms and came back to life.

ROAR—

The Metal Dragon threw its head back and roared, its cry carrying far into the distance. Its long body spiraled upward and soon disappeared into the clouds, growing and shrinking as it went, its head vanishing from sight.

"What happened?!"

The team members rushed over to ask. Giorno glanced at Dawn, then at the faint outline of the dragon in the sky, and could only explain, "Bucciarati and Trish were attacked by an enemy Stand just now. Mr. Dawn stepped in and took care of the enemy."

Everyone looked toward Dawn. Fugo bowed. "Thank you, Mr. Dawn."

But the little plane was completely out of line. He seemed to hear something from above, looked up, and let out a loud cry of surprise.

"Whoa! There's... there's a giant snake in the sky! What a huge snake!"

Fugo punched him on the head and shouted angrily, "That's a dragon, and it's Mr. Dawn's Stand, you idiot Narancia!"

"Huh?! Aren't dragons big lizards with wings? That's obviously a flying snake!"

Fugo couldn't be bothered to argue with him. He punched him again. As the smartest member of the team, he simply couldn't tolerate Narancia's idiotic remarks.

With that settled, Bucciarati's team set out again.

The sky remained thick with dark clouds. The Metal Dragon glided along above them, hidden among the clouds and keeping Dawn safe.

Not long after the team left, the Assassination Squad member White Album arrived, only to find he was too late. He angrily pounded the steering wheel.

With no other choice, White Album called Melone to explain what had happened.

Aboard the train, Melone rocked a test tube in his hand as he spoke on the phone. He was about to create another Baby Face Stand to hunt them down when a snake, its entire body charred black, suddenly darted out.

It was the snake Giorno had created with Golden Experience. He had used it to reanimate Baby Face's remains so it could take care of Baby Face's user.

Melone was caught off guard. The snake bit him, and he fell to the ground convulsing, dying with hatred in his heart.

"Taken care of."

Giorno said as he drove.

Dawn, smoking in the passenger seat, made no comment. He looked ahead. Of the seven members of the Assassination Squad, only two remained, but they were both difficult opponents.

Dawn had given up [Stand: Beyond Imagination: Demon Lord Descends] and chosen Emperor Engine and Dragon Tamer instead. Emperor Engine had little effect on Stand Users, whose mental strength was generally above that of ordinary people—especially those who were highly confident in themselves.

Baby Face and Radish Pesci had been a newly created killing machine and a mama's boy. Both were immature, so the ability had worked on them just as effectively as it did on ordinary people.

But it wouldn't be much use in the battles to come.

Fortunately, he had now drawn [Stand: Beyond Imagination: Dragon Tamer], giving him a reasonably powerful means of attack.

The two people in the car fell silent. Meanwhile, the members of Bucciarati's team on the turtle's back received a message from the Boss.

At the Boss's request, Abbacchio summoned Moody Blues to rewind time. Moody Blues twisted and changed into an old man.

Moody Blues's ability was to rewind time at a location, turning into someone who had been there and reenacting that person's past actions.

After delivering the information, the old man told Bucciarati to take Trish to a certain place. He raised his pistol, about to shoot himself, but suddenly stopped. Staring into empty space, he said without emotion, "Bucciarati, there's one more order."

Everyone exchanged looks, unease and suspicion rising in their hearts.

The old man continued, "Bucciarati, are you planning to betray me?"

Bucciarati's breathing nearly stopped. He instinctively glanced at Giorno, who was driving outside. The two of them had discussed their plans in private and hadn't told anyone else.

"You've been deceived, Bucciarati. To prove your loyalty, kill the man traveling with you. He's an enemy."

The old man's next words made Bucciarati breathe a sigh of relief, but then he changed course again, making Bucciarati's eyes widen.

"Dawn is an enemy?!"

The little plane stared at the old man in surprise. This time, he had learned his lesson and didn't shout.

After speaking, the old man raised the pistol to his temple and pulled the trigger.

The scene of brains splattering vanished, and Moody Blues returned to its original form.

"Bucciarati."

Fugo looked at Bucciarati. He had always been a rational man.

Bucciarati frowned. Even setting aside Dawn's formidable strength, he didn't want to turn against him after all the help Dawn had given them along the way.

After a moment's thought, Bucciarati said slowly, "Mista, take Mr. Dawn with you and go with Giorno to Venice Station to retrieve the disc."

Mista lowered his head slightly, fists clenched. His brows furrowed, and his eyes held a jumble of conflicting emotions.

Sex Pistols hovered in the air in groups of three and five, looking at Mista in confusion.

Bucciarati walked over to Mista. Everyone watched him, some lying on the sofa and others standing upright.

Once he was beside Mista, Bucciarati whispered a few words to him. Mista froze, then nodded at once.

"Leave it to me, Bucciarati."