DIO on the Run

With Epitaph active, Qin Mo foresaw the trajectory of the attack. He shoved Kiana aside, then erased the 0.5 seconds during which Ozone Jackers passed through his body.

By the time everyone reacted, the circular void in the air had already reached the other side.

Thanks to the dust kicked up into the air, Ozone Jackers, which had originally been impossible to detect, revealed its movements. It continuously devoured everything around it, including the dust in the air.

But even though they could see it, there was nothing they could do. Ozone Jackers was just such an unfair Stand. As long as it kept hiding inside itself, it was absolutely invincible.

No material or Stand ability could touch it.

That was also why Qin Mo had switched his character card back to the long-unused Diavolo. The point of time erasure and Epitaph was not their offensive power, but their ability to see the future and erase time to change it.

Just as Diavolo had said, as long as he saw through every trap, he would never fail.

"Hey! Qin Mo! Think of something! This guy's ability is way too invincible. Even Avdol's flames can't do anything to him."

Silver Chariot stood on guard nearby with a broken sword in hand. At first, Polnareff had refused to believe it and insisted on stabbing the enemy with his sword. The result was that part of its blade was devoured.

"That's right! My Stand, Ozone Jackers, is something you can never defeat!"

After moving some distance away from the group, Ozone Jackers's user appeared in midair. Vanilla's face emerged from within its enormous mouth.

Although he was invincible inside Ozone Jackers, he could not observe the outside world at all from within it. Furthermore, there was no oxygen inside Ozone Jackers, so Vanilla Ice had to stick his head out every so often to observe the situation and breathe. No matter how good his physique was, it would not help.

After all, Ozone Jackers, like Silver Chariot, was a sightless Stand. That gave this nearly invincible Stand a weakness.

"I'll grind every last one of you to dust within the dark space of Vanilla Ice! You actually dare dream of defeating Lord Dio? Let me, Vanilla Ice, correct your arrogant delusions."

Ozone Jackers shut its mouth again and hid its body within the void.

He had also realized that the smoke and dust in the air could expose his position. Therefore, he would absolutely not reveal himself within anyone else's attack range.

"Ahhh! What dark space? Let this lady show you Killer Queen!"

The group had been constantly dodging Ozone Jackers's attacks, and after several rounds, Kiana finally could not take it anymore.

"Don't, Kiana!"

Before Qin Mo could stop her, Killer Queen had already raised its right hand toward Ozone Jackers.

Buzz!

"Ah! My hand!"

Killer Queen's hand vanished into the dark space, and Kiana's hand was severed and sent flying as though something had cut it off.

Killer Queen worked by using the eraser-like object on its right hand to erase space, so the prerequisite was making contact with its right hand.

Ozone Jackers, on the other hand, created a devouring space around itself after devouring its own body.

The devouring space could not be destroyed, but Killer Queen's hand could.

"Kiana!"

Fortunately, Qin Mo pulled Kiana back at the critical moment. Mei immediately ran over and used Crazy Diamond to reattach Kiana's severed hand.

Luckily, Stands were merely manifestations of spiritual energy. Although the injuries were reflected onto the user, the physical body did not vanish out of thin air. It was barely within Crazy Diamond's ability to repair.

"I see. You can even repair injuries inflicted by Ozone Jackers? It seems I need to deal with you first."

Vanilla watched Mei treat Kiana from afar without any intention of stopping her, but he had also set his sights on Mei, who had been providing cover from the side.

"Qin Mo! Hurry up and think of something!"

"A way..."

Qin Mo looked up in Vanilla's direction. "Vanilla, you're the only Stand user under Dio still left here in Egypt, aren't you?"

"What will you do if Dio is killed?"

Vanilla's eyes widened in an instant. "You bastard! Do you know what you're saying?!"

"Dio's people would never—"

Just as Vanilla was enraged by Qin Mo's words, the battle on the other side suddenly changed.

Time rewound to more than ten seconds earlier.

In the contest of strength and speed between Star Platinum and The World, Dio played a little trick. The World suddenly changed moves and caught Star Platinum off guard.

Fortunately, the altered strike was not heavy, amounting to nothing more than a minor injury.

"Sure enough, whether it's strength or precision, my The World is superior. Hmm, I'm satisfied. Now I'll finish you all in one go!"

"To finish you all, I still need to use The World's true ability!"

"The World! Stop time!"

An imperceptible ripple erupted in an instant. In Dio's eyes, everything in the world turned black and white. Even the dust stirred up by the force of their punches froze in midair.

"With this, the Joestar bloodline will end at my hands."

The World raised its right hand and chopped down at Star Platinum's neck. "Die, Jotaro!"

But in that instant, Star Platinum suddenly turned and dodged The World's attack. At the same time, its right fist smashed viciously into The World's chest.

"Nani?!"

Dio stared at the hole that had appeared in his own chest in sync with The World's injury, his face twisted in fury.

About half a year ago...

While testing his Stand's strength and speed, Dio had accidentally awakened the ability to stop time.

At the time, he realized that this was proof of his uniqueness.

Unlike other Stands, which could only affect a certain range, The World's power could affect the entire world!

It did not stop time within a limited area. It was the power to completely rule over the world!

This utterly motionless space was a world belonging to Dio alone. It was a world no outside force could invade, proof that Dio stood above all people, all Stand users, and all life!

The World, having fully mastered the power of time, was as refreshing and exhilarating as sunlight shining into darkness.

But!

At this moment, the proof of his uniqueness had been overturned!

And!

Why did it have to be him?

Why did it have to be Joestar blood?

Dio's original Stand had been Hermit Purple, just like Joseph's. He had also used that power to "recruit" many Stand users for the gods.

As he gradually began taking control of Jonathan's body, however, he obtained a new Stand: The World!

Hermit Purple's energy had been devoured by The World, which grew like mistletoe feeding on the nutrients of its host.

For a time, he had believed that Hermit Purple came from Jonathan's body, while The World was a Stand that belonged to Dio alone.

But he had never expected it!

Another Stand with the same ability would emerge from the Joestar bloodline, and even its type was exactly the same!

In an instant—just one instant—Dio was severely wounded by Jotaro.

Although luring Dio in for a surprise attack had prevented him from striking Dio's head, Star Platinum could move for more than just that instant.

Ever since learning Dio's Stand ability and Star Platinum's hidden power, Jotaro had secretly trained nonstop. He had never actively used that ability.

Only when fighting The Hanged Man had he used the moment Dio happened to stop time to defeat it.

Fortunately, Dio frequently activated his ability every day to practice and become thoroughly familiar with The World's powers. Meanwhile, Jotaro had also been secretly practicing throughout the journey. The time Star Platinum could move within stopped time had already reached three seconds.

He had been able to do that ever since setting foot in India.

But no matter how much more he practiced afterward, the duration could not be increased.

Jotaro realized that this might be the limit he could reach as a human in a short period of time. A Stand's energy was the energy of the human spirit, but without a major emotional upheaval, there was a limit to the power a Stand could display.

Dio's duration was far longer than his. Jotaro understood that competing in endurance against a vampire was unwise, so he had endured, concealed his strength, and waited for this very moment!

After piercing through The World's chest, Star Platinum did not even pull out its fist. Instead, it directly threw its left fist at The World's head.

The World raised its leg, and its knee collided with Star Platinum's fist.

Dio felt his right kneecap shatter completely. Borrowing the force of the impact, he pulled The World's body free from Star Platinum's fist and escaped Star Platinum's attack range.

And at that moment...

Jotaro's time to move had run out. After flying backward for one second, stopped time ended as well.

The Fleeing Dio

From Vanilla's perspective on the other side, he could not see anything that had happened during the stopped time. He only saw Dio, who had originally held the advantage, suddenly flying backward covered in blood. Judging from the strange angle of his right leg, it was not hard to tell that Dio's right leg had also suffered severe damage.

"See? Do you still think your Lord Dio is invincible?"

Qin Mo had known from the beginning that Jotaro was waiting—waiting for the instant Dio let down his guard. And the instant Dio relaxed was the instant he activated his ability.

At that instant, Star Platinum would definitely seize the opportunity.

"Damn you, Jotaro!"

Seeing this, Vanilla could no longer spare any attention to stopping Qin Mo and the others. His upper body emerged directly from Ozone Jackers's huge mouth, and he drove Ozone Jackers, which had likewise only revealed its upper body, toward the direction Dio had flown.

Since his purpose was rescue rather than attack, he could only maintain this form. After all, Ozone Jackers's attacks did not distinguish between friend and foe.

"Armor, off!"

However, Jotaro was not the only one who had been watching for an opening.

Before Vanilla could react, a silver-white figure appeared beside him.

"What?!"

Vanilla stared in shock at Silver Chariot, which had reached his side. He had never expected Silver Chariot to be so fast after removing its armor, nor for its range to be so great.

Though he had been focused on rescuing his lord, if he died himself, rescuing Dio would be nothing but a joke. Thus, Vanilla had always remained outside everyone else's attack range. Avdol could attack from afar, but his speed was not fast. At Ozone Jackers's full flying speed, it could completely evade him.

So Jotaro was far from the only one who had hidden his strength.

A barrage of thrusts continuously pierced bloody holes through Vanilla's body. Vanilla quickly tried to retreat back into his dark space.

"No! It's too fast!"

If he only wanted to protect himself, Vanilla had countless methods. But what he sought at this moment was not his own survival!

"For Lord Dio!"

Ozone Jackers directly extended its hand toward Silver Chariot. After paying the price of being stabbed several times in succession, Ozone Jackers forcibly grabbed Silver Chariot's arm.

"Nani?! You bastard! Are you trying to get yourself killed?!"

"But even so, with your current injuries, you won't live much longer!"

Polnareff had not expected Vanilla to possess such resolve. If Vanilla had focused solely on fleeing, he could have survived. Polnareff had also attacked without restraint, desperately trying to kill him before he escaped.

Yet Vanilla was willing to suffer fatal injuries just to grab Silver Chariot.

"But it's useless!"

Polnareff could already see the others rushing toward Ozone Jackers. Silver Chariot's greatest purpose was not to kill the enemy, but to buy time!

"A mere fatal wound is nothing! I don't have time to care about this little pain! I will save Lord Dio!"

Vanilla also noticed the others closing in.

"Avdol can't attack because of Silver Chariot. Silver Chariot's defense is far weaker than my Ozone Jackers. Emerald Splash needs another second to hit me. The others need two or maybe three seconds to reach me... It's enough..."

Calculating silently, Vanilla looked toward where Dio had fallen. Ozone Jackers leaned its head forward, and the Stand's speed erupted completely. Several Emerald Splashes struck its back, but it did not waver in the slightest from the attack and continued charging forward.

Silver Chariot was a Stand specialized in speed, so its strength was utterly incomparable to Ozone Jackers's. With its movements restricted, it had no way to dodge Ozone Jackers's desperate strike.

"Aahhh!"