The Dimensional Codex of Destruction Chapter 28

"This hole... it's Ozone Jackers' ability, isn't it?"

Joseph looked at the perfect circle before him and realized how the hole had been made.

Ozone Jackers could form a spherical vortex by consuming its own body and Stand. This vortex could move freely and would devour anything it touched.

The scene before them clearly showed Ozone Jackers using its Stand ability to dig a hole when the mansion collapsed, creating a diversion for Dio to escape.

"Then what are we waiting for! We can't let that Dio get away!"

With that, Polnareff impulsively moved to jump down, but Joseph stopped him. "Wait! Polnareff! This is a trap!"

"Why do you say that?"

Joseph stared grimly at the hole in the ground. "Ozone Jackers only dug one passage. If we jump down, we'll inevitably follow the path they created. We won't be able to find Ozone Jackers at all. They just need to ambush us along this path, and we'll walk right into their trap."

"Then what do we do! Are we just going to let Dio escape like this!?"

"Don't rush, Polnareff. Of course, we're not going to let that Dio get away!"

On Joseph's arm, Hermit Purple's Ripple-infused electric arcs crackled and swayed. "Since we've found his hiding place, then..."

"Hermit Purple!"

He slammed his hand onto the ground. The dust and rubble from the collapsed building, scattered across the ground, formed a map under a strange power.

On this map, two trembling, moving points of rubble indicated locations.

"This is Dio and Vanilla Ice's position! Let's go!"

Once Dio's location was confirmed, the group immediately pursued.

Kiana let out a shout and was about to follow when a glint of light in the distance caught her attention.

She walked over the rugged ruins and found that the source of the flash was a golden arrow.

"What's something like this doing here?"

Kiana reached out to pick it up, but a sharp sting shot through her fingertip.

"Ouch!"

Just as she was about to check her finger, Kiana noticed, "Huh? Aren't I wearing armor?"

She couldn't see her finger through the armor, so Kiana carefully picked up the arrow. She discovered that only the arrowhead remained. On it was a carving resembling a crawling insect, and on the blade, there were traces of blood.

"This thing can actually penetrate my armor's defense?"

Kiana tested the arrowhead, but it couldn't pierce the armor formed by her Impact Steel.

"That's strange. Oh well, I'll go show it to Qin Mo."

Holding the non-bladed end, Kiana, carrying the arrowhead she found, chased after Qin Mo.

After only two steps, Kiana felt the cumbersome weight of her full armor.

"I should put it away for now, otherwise, it's hard to move."

As Kiana thought this, her armor suddenly transformed. The full body armor covering her entire body changed into vambraces covering her forearms and greaves like boots.

"It can do that?"

With the lighter equipment, Kiana easily caught up to the others.

"Qin Mo, Qin Mo, I found something!"

Joseph was using roadside pebbles to track Dio's location when Kiana caught up and handed him the Arrow.

"An Arrow? Where did you get this?"

Qin Mo recognized the distinctive Arrow immediately. Taking the arrowhead from Kiana's hand, he also noticed the faint bloodstain and quickly asked, "Kiana, were you pricked by this thing!?"

"Yeah, I don't know why, but when I picked it up just now, I was inexplicably pricked. It shouldn't have been able to cut through this armor. Qin Mo, look, I changed my armor into this, pretty amazing, right?"

Chapter 35: The Underground Palace

"Strange, why haven't Dio and the others moved in so long?"

The group was tracking Dio, who was moving underground, but they found that the two of them had been stationary for a long time.

"Could it be a trap?"

It wasn't surprising that Avdol thought this; things that seemed too good to be true usually were.

"Even if it's a trap, we have to go. Everyone be careful."

Although the group was worried it was a trap, none of them intended to back down. However, when they reached the location marked by Hermit Purple, they saw a cave leading underground. The dark entrance seemed to scream "Welcome, foolish mortals."

"It seems Dio had prepared a place like this long ago."

Joseph examined the cave from the outside. It was clear that this cave wasn't newly dug; it had been there for an unknown amount of time. They even saw uncleaned metal objects on the surrounding rocks, suggesting there might have once been an iron door here.

"These marks... were they caused by Ozone Jackers?"

"What should we do, Mr. Joestar?"

"Hmm..."

Looking at the dark cave before him, Joseph pondered for a moment. "Even if we know it's a trap, we have no choice but to enter. It seems Dio has made preparations to deal with us during the day. I'll trouble you, Avdol."

Avdol nodded, and Magician's Red appeared beside him.

Clasping his hands together, a flame with six points was released from Magician's Red's hands.

"What is this?"

Seeing the others looking curiously at this new ability, Avdol didn't hide it. "This flame is a detector. It reacts to the breath of life, the movement of objects, and the energy of Stands."

"Avdol, can you use a few more?"

Qin Mo asked, watching the flame move slowly forward.

"Hm? The detection range of this detector is fifteen meters, so there's no need for too many."

Qin Mo shook his head. "That's not what I mean. Your detector can't detect the hidden Ozone Jackers in the air. The cave is so narrow, it only needs to stay on our path, and we'll run right into it without knowing."

Avdol looked at Qin Mo for a moment. "In that case."

With a snap of his fingers, the flame detector, which was originally only the size of a chandelier, suddenly grew larger, filling the entire cave passage. "Although this will slow us down a bit, it will cover the entire cave."

After confirming there was no danger, the group followed Avdol's flame detector into the cave.

Surprisingly, there were no traps or ambushes along the way.

After walking for ten minutes, they saw a faint light emanating from ahead.

"Finally, the Joestar bloodline."

Beyond the narrow passage was a spacious hall, or perhaps a plaza.

This huge underground space was supported by many stone pillars. At the far end in the center, Dio sat on a luxurious chair, with Vanilla standing behind him like a loyal soldier.

"When I met Jonathan Joestar a hundred years ago, I knew he would be my destined arch-nemesis. And in the end."

He extended his right hand and placed it on his left shoulder. "I destroyed his body, but I also took his flesh."

"The Joestar bloodline is like a piece of dog excrement blocking my path, but in the end, it will still be used by me, Dio!"

"And next, it's your turn."

Vanilla took two steps forward, knelt on one knee, placed his right hand over his left chest, and bowed his head towards Dio. "Lord Dio, you don't need to act personally. I, Vanilla Ice, will bring you victory. I will bring the heads of the Joestar group to you."

"Vanilla..."

Dio's deep and magnetic voice sounded softly. "You are a person with true resolve. I believe you will surely bring me victory, but..."

"The fate of the Joestar family is something that I, Dio, must face. Therefore, Vanilla Ice, eliminate the other troublesome people for me!"

Vanilla Ice stood up, and Ozone Jackers appeared behind him.

"Yes, Lord Dio!"

In the eyes of the others, Ozone Jackers swallowed Vanilla whole, then stuffed its feet into its mouth, followed by its legs, body, until it completely swallowed itself and disappeared entirely before them.

"Ew, that's disgusting."

"It disappeared!"

As the group entered the hall and saw what had just happened, they saw a disappearing line appear on the ground and rush towards them. They immediately reacted, "No! Dodge!"

Whether by design or coincidence, as the group dodged to the sides, Joseph and Jotaro were separated to one side, while the others were separated to the other.

"By Lord Dio's command, I've come to take your lives!"

The upper body of Ozone Jackers appeared in mid-air, blocking the group. On the other side, Dio appeared opposite Jotaro and Joseph as if teleporting.

"This body came from Jonathan Joestar a hundred years ago, and now, his descendant is my enemy!"

"Only the Joestar bloodline, I will absolutely exterminate them all!"

Dio immediately made his hostility clear. Unlike the others, for whatever reason, his hatred for the Joestar family was irreconcilable.

"Aro aro! Dio!"

Jotaro hadn't forgotten the purpose of his trip to Egypt, which was to defeat this monster named Dio. A hundred years of hatred? An enemy of humanity? Jotaro didn't care about these things, but he knew that if he couldn't kill the monster in front of him, his mother would lose her life!

"Hoo hoo, not only did you not run away, but you're walking towards me, Dio?"

Seeing Jotaro walking closer step by step, Dio's lips curled slightly.

"If I don't get closer, how can I beat you down?"

"Then you need to get a little closer."

Dio also walked towards Jotaro.

Although it was difficult, Joseph knew he couldn't directly participate in this battle. He already knew Dio's Stand ability, and compared to it, Joseph couldn't fight head-on.

But he still had his own ways to provide cover from the side.

Dio, at this moment, didn't pay him any mind and continued to walk towards Jotaro.

"ORA!"

Star Platinum suddenly appeared and threw a punch at Dio's head. At the same time, The World blocked it with its left leg, interrupting the attack.

Jotaro's foot faltered, and he saw his pant leg torn and his leg showing some redness and swelling.

"Too slow, too slow. The World is the strongest Stand, its power and speed both exceed your Star Platinum."

He glanced at the shredded pant leg from the recent attack.

"Just as I thought, a Stand of the same type as my Star Platinum. Its range might be limited, but its movements are powerful and precise."

Seeing The World gain the upper hand in their first exchange, Dio crossed his arms. "I want to test how much stronger The World's power is compared to your Star Platinum, though I already know the answer."

"Your idea of testing involves gently caressing your opponent without leaving a single scratch?"

He looked at the torn school uniform pant leg. "It's just a shame about these pants, worth twenty thousand yen."

"Hmph, why are the Joestar family members always so unwilling to admit defeat?"

He spread his hands as if in exasperation. "Fine, I'll accept your boring provocation and play along a few more times."

The World's figure materialized from Dio's body and threw a punch at Star Platinum. After a few exchanges between the two power-type Stands, their speed increased exponentially.

"Are we comparing rapid-fire punches now?"

The gusts of wind generated by the two Stands' clashing fists whipped up a massive storm within the previously still underground space.

"Whoa!!! Is Star Platinum's speed and power really this outrageous?"

On the other side, after a brief skirmish with Ozone Jackers, they too were drawn to the unfolding battle.

Kiana was witnessing Star Platinum unleash its full power for the first time, and the opposing Stand was somehow on par with it.

The notion that Stands were powerful solely due to their unique traits and bizarre abilities was completely overturned.

"Kiana! Watch out!"

Chapter 36: Stands of the Same Type

Just as Kiana was marveling at the astonishing combat prowess on display, a circular, transparent object shot out from the dust kicked up by the underground storm, hurtling in her direction.