Fate Entwined, Part One

The weather in Suotuo City was lovely that day. The sun shone bright, the flowers bloomed red, and the grass gleamed green. All anyone had to do was run happily onward; they could roam every green hill and never grow old!

Suotuo City lay toward the north of Balak Kingdom, somewhat closer to the Star Dou Great Forest. With its beautiful scenery and well-developed agriculture, it was the kingdom's breadbasket through and through.

One look at the names of the nearby villages said it all. Shrek Academy, where Jodio was, stood in Food-Venerating Village. Then there were Wheat Village, Blessed Barley Village, Cattle Paradise Village, Strong Pig Village, and plenty more. Food clearly wasn't in short supply here. In theory, even if famine struck elsewhere, it could never take hold in this place.

Speaking of which, Jodio couldn't help wanting to complain. If he remembered right, when the original story first introduced Balak, its king was named Kundera. But when it introduced the Heaven Dou Empire, hadn't it said the empire's "king" was named Okura? And that he was Kundera's cousin?

Could Xue Ye's full name be Xue Ye Okura??? Hm. That would make sense. No wonder so few people found his own name, Jodio Joestar, strange.

"We need to check your travel documents before you enter the city. If you don't have any, you can get temporary ones for one silver coin each," a guard at Suotuo City's outer gate told the two children he had stopped.

"Will a letter of recommendation from our academy do?" The black-haired boy took a neatly folded letter from inside his clothes and handed it over.

"Hmm, looks genuine. Go on in." The guard nodded pleasantly after reading it. The letter from Nording Academy should be real; it even bore the headmaster's signature, rather than Grandmaster's. If anything was wrong with it, they could easily check.

"A friendly warning: Suotuo City has its own rules. Soul Masters aren't allowed to bully ordinary people here, or at least not start trouble for no reason. And don't provoke anyone who says they're with 'Passione' or 'the organization.' You'll regret it if you do," the guard added.

"Yeah, yeah, we know! Come on, brother! I'm hungry!"

"All right, all right. Whatever you say."

This boy and girl, this shameless pair of lovebirds, were none other than Tang San and Xiao Wu!

With five years of study behind him, Tang San had officially received Grandmaster's recommendation and was on his way to enroll at Shrek Academy. He didn't know what Shrek was, but Grandmaster was his teacher, and his teacher would never lead him astray. He only needed to go. There was no point worrying about anything else.

"But..." Tang San suddenly thought as they walked.

"Why are Soul Masters under such strict restrictions here? I never heard of anything like this at Nording Academy," Tang San said to Xiao Wu.

"Brother, you focus on the weirdest things. Shouldn't you be thinking about that Passione thing? What a strange name. Whoever came up with it must have terrible taste," Xiao Wu replied with a giggle.

"It is pretty..." Tang San instinctively wanted to agree. Passione was an odd name no matter how he looked at it. And why did its members call it "the organization"? What sort of strange sect was this?

"Hey! You clueless woman! Were you just talking behind the organization's back? I can tell at a glance you're a despicable outsider! You outsiders should be ashamed! Ashamed!"

A young man with an unmistakably JoJo-like air suddenly stepped out from the roadside and pointed at them as he shouted. His manner instantly irritated both Tang San and Xiao Wu. Who was this guy? What business was it of his if they spoke in private?

Tang San felt irritation rising within him. For some reason, ever since he had turned six, bouts of agitation had often come over him, bringing unpleasant thoughts with them. He had no idea why, but he had grown increasingly averse to anything that triggered those feelings. The young man before him was doing exactly that.

"Huh? Mister, are you really going to fight me over something like this?" Xiao Wu was growing restless. After living with Tang San for five years, she could read the tiniest changes in his expression and mood. Hehe, since someone had come looking for trouble, her hands were itching for a fight too.

"Listen up! A person's pride is the most important thing they have. The organization taught us that when someone insults our pride, we hit back hard—until they can't get up, or we can't!" the young man declared through gritted teeth.

"I demand that you apologize for insulting the organization! You owe me an explanation!" he continued sternly.

"I've had enough! Get lost!"

Xiao Wu could no longer restrain her urge to fight. She darted forward, leaped nimbly into the air, then planted one hand on the ground and spun, sweeping both legs into the young man's arm. The blow sent him flying three meters, and he stumbled as he landed!

He didn't fall? Xiao Wu thought in surprise as she rose.

That strength! The young man was even more shocked. He suddenly realized that the two before him might have higher Soul Power Levels than he did! But how was that possible? Geniuses like the boss were few and far between. How could he have run into two so easily?

But I can't back down! The boss gave me something to believe in. The boss gave me the courage to face life without fear! For the organization, I have to fight, even if I lose!

"Come forth! My Stand! Phantom Spider!"

A translucent blue-green spider sprang into view around the young man! Blue-green fuzz appeared on his body, while two spider legs extended from his arms. A single yellow Spirit Ring appeared behind him, making him look utterly ferocious! But...

"You're only a Soul Master~ Watch this!"

Xiao Wu released her Martial Soul, the Soft Bone Rabbit, and nimbly charged again. Waist Bow! In almost an instant, she was in front of him. She raised a leg high and kicked apart his guard, then flipped, twisted at the waist, and swept her leg across in one fluid motion. She didn't even need to throw him to send him flying!

"Uwaaah!"

The young man crashed heavily into a pile of garbage. He felt certain he could never get up again, but faced with an enemy who had trampled his pride, he chose to... stagger back to his feet!

Huff... Huff... She's so strong, the young man thought, shaken.

"D-don't get cocky yet. I have three other brothers... Wind, Thunder, and Lightning. When you run into them... Hehe, they're sure to have all kinds of surprises for you!" Blood ran down the young man's face and from the corner of his mouth as he forced a grin.

"And then... there's our boss. You're finished. The boss will barge in like a kid let loose in your room full of figurines, like a wild boar in your vegetable patch, like a loudmouth rushing to join an argument, and blow you away without breaking a sweat!"

Xiao Wu strode over and delivered one more clean kick. This time, the young man truly could not get up. The kick had been powerful enough to break several ribs by a conservative estimate, and his chest might even have caved in. He lay on the road, utterly defeated. Those injuries would plainly take a while to heal.

[Name: Rain / Martial Soul: Phantom Spider]

[Unable to continue]

"That's what you get for talking big!" Xiao Wu declared proudly.

The pedestrians on the street hurried away at the sight, all steering clear of the area. Nearby shopkeepers hastily pulled down their blinds and hung up signs saying they were temporarily closed, as if avoiding a pair of calamities.

"Come on, Xiao Wu. Let's find a restaurant and have lunch first," Tang San said, taking her hand as they walked. Something felt wrong. What had just happened reminded him of a scene he had not witnessed in a very long time. In his memories, didn't people in the martial world receive this sort of reaction after offending a powerful local faction?

Suotuo City doesn't look safe, Tang San thought.

...To Be Continued

Gao Weis—JoJo! (Sound of a coin dropping) (JoJo Part Five transition music)

Information currently available:

Martial Soul: Phantom Spider (Level 17)

Holder: Rain

Spirit Ring: Yellow

Destructive Power: D, Speed: B, Range: B, Stamina: D, Precision: E, Development Potential: C+

Martial Soul Ability: As its name suggests, it has an advantage in speed and is a standard agility-type Martial Soul. Because it has the usual traits of a spider, it also possesses the potential for poison abilities and can gain poison-based Spirit Skills after hunting venomous Spirit Beasts.

It is a relatively low-tier spider Martial Soul, far inferior to a certain elder-sister pope's Martial Soul and to most powerful spider Martial Souls, such as the Crypt Demon Spider and Man-Faced Demon Spider. Even so, once developed, it can still be quite capable in actual combat.

(Guess which anime character inspired it.)