Gold Experience Takes the Stage! Part Three

Ma Hongjun was sent flying by a single blow from the huge creature, shooting away like an arrow from a bow. Oscar nearly broke down. His friend's fate was unknown, and he was just a lousy support soul master. He had never hated his lack of fighting ability more. If only he had a Stand like Boss Jo's!

"Ma Hongjun! He got knocked away just like that! How is that possible?" Oscar looked back at the huge creature, trying to make out what it was. It was a massive grizzly bear. Its eyes were red, foul-smelling drool dripped from its mouth, and it was turning toward him. It was too strong! This was a grizzly bear!

Oscar felt as helpless as Caesar facing the polar bear in Dragon Raja. The difference was that Caesar's record against the polar bear had been an utter disaster, while Oscar genuinely had no chance of beating this grizzly bear. Caesar's Word Spirit was a support ability too, but his physique was many times stronger than Oscar's.

The grizzly bear lunged viciously toward Ma Hongjun, intent on attacking him again. Oscar knew he had to be brave. His plan was simple: summon as many sausages as he could and smear them all over himself!

The smell of meat immediately caught the bear's attention. Seeing that it worked, Oscar kept summoning sausages without hesitation. One after another—he even threw some toward it to draw it away. He had made up his mind. For his friend, his brother, he could die. Even if it bought Ma Hongjun only a few dozen seconds, that would be enough.

A dark blue flame flickered in Oscar's eyes. He quietly reached into his clothes for the Fruit Knife, eased out the blade, and gripped it tight. Jodio had bought it for him to defend himself, saying that if he was ambushed, he should at least slash his attacker once before he died. Oscar had never expected to use it so soon, but now he had no choice.

Come on, you beast. A little closer. Just a little closer. If you bite me, I'm ninety—no, a hundred percent sure I can stab out one of your eyes before I lose my strength! Yeah. I'll leave a scar on your face just like Teacher Zhao's. Oscar glared at it.

"Damn it, little Jo. Stop scaring poor Oscar. Why do you have to take a joke so far?"

Another, even bigger bear—no, Zhao Wuji—stepped out of the nearby grove, barely holding back a laugh. Oscar stood frozen, the fire in his eyes snuffed out. He stared blankly at Ma Hongjun. Someone was already beside him: Teacher Shao Xin. Ma Hongjun was wolfing down the teacher's candy beans.

"I was testing their reactions and combat ability," Jodio said with a smile as he emerged from the trees. Gold Experience floated behind him, following in a JoJo pose. The moment Oscar saw the new Stand, he understood. Boss Jo had been testing them.

"Oh, come on, Boss Jo! Why'd you do that?" Oscar collapsed onto the field ridge. It had scared the hell out of him. He had been ready to die for the chance to land one cut. This was all Boss Jo's fault. Couldn't he have tested them some other way? It wasn't as if they had never fought him two-on-one before.

"Boss Jo's entirely to blame! He has to treat us!" Ma Hongjun declared indignantly, chewing candy beans as he shook his fist.

"I will! I've reached level twenty-one, so of course I will! The surprise attack was my fault. I'm sorry, and I'll definitely treat you both." Jodio laughed. Gold Experience had worked well. So far, its special ability was exactly what he wanted. It was incredibly useful. He really did owe them a treat now, and the two boys had performed well enough to deserve one.

But the look in Oscar's eyes... Jodio thought about it for a moment. He hadn't expected a child barely over nine to have that kind of resolve. There was real promise in him.

"Boss Jo, is that your new ability?" Ma Hongjun asked from where he sat on the ground.

"I call him Gold Experience. He can turn other things into animals or plants, and I can control those living things to a certain extent. It's a pretty good ability. More importantly, once I master it, I might even be able to clone organs someday." Jodio planted his hands on his hips and leaned forward proudly, one leg slightly bent and the other straight.

"Hongjun, we'll need to run a series of experiments next. You'd better get ready," Jodio said, pointing at him.

"What experiments?" Ma Hongjun froze. His instincts told him nothing good would come of this.

"Heh. You'll find out soon enough," Jodio said with a mischievous smile. A chill ran through Ma Hongjun's lower body. His instincts told him he was in trouble.

"A seven-year-old Soul Grandmaster?"

The Spirit Hall clerk stared at the seven-year-old in disbelief. Seven years old? A Soul Grandmaster? Was this kid even human? At seven, the clerk had only been at level eight. There was no comparison.

"That's right. A genius like me deserves a celebration, don't you think, miss?" Jodio said with a grin, his hands on his hips. The clerk's eyes lit up. He was adorable, especially the three doughnut-shaped rolls of hair on his head and the emerald green at the ends.

"Let's see. Jodio Joestar, seven years and four months old. Your last reported Soul Power was level nineteen, about two months ago? And you reported innate level-ten Soul Power the first time. That explains it."

The clerk understood. She had heard of geniuses born with level-ten Soul Power, though she had never met one. But reaching level twenty in just a month and a half? This child would surely reach level thirty before he turned twelve.

"Here are your ten Gold Soul Coins. Keep them safe, and don't let anyone trick you out of them. Where are your parents? Did you come alone?" The clerk finished recording his information, put the coins in a small pouch, and handed it to Jodio with the receipt.

"I came with two classmates." Jodio pointed to the two boys by Spirit Hall's entrance, each of whom had already collected his one Gold Soul Coin.

"See you, miss! Remember my name: Jodio Joestar. One day, you'll be proud you handed me my allowance!" Jodio called as he waved goodbye.

Jodio Joestar? What a strange name. Wouldn't the initials be JoJo? the clerk wondered.

JoJo? Would anyone really have a name like that?

"Boss, now that you've got your money, are you going to compete at the Great Soul Arena?!" Ma Hongjun and Oscar asked excitedly. The Great Soul Arena! Soul master battles! They had to watch!

"Not tonight. We've got plans," Jodio replied, stretching.

"Want to come with me tonight, dress up as Spider-Man, and go around the city helping people?"

"Helping people?" Oscar asked, confused.

"Just helping ordinary people, really. Think of it as an extra nighttime activity. Well, that doesn't quite explain it either. Anyway, we've got plans tonight. Come have a look around with me," Jodio said.

"Once I've fully mastered Gold Experience, I'll probably set up a stall as a doctor. Heh. Oscar, Hongjun, we're going to be rich."

← To Be Continued

Currently available information:

Level 78 Martial Soul: Cat Eagle

Holder: Flender

Soul rings: Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black

Destructive power: B, speed: A, range: C+, stamina: B, precision: C+, growth potential: B

Stand ability: Martial Soul Possession greatly increased his speed and attack power while significantly improving his eyesight (precision). With Martial Soul Avatar, he could transform into a giant Cat Eagle five meters tall, enhancing all his attributes and allowing him to fly more efficiently.

As an outstanding Martial Soul, Flender's Cat Eagle had both a ranged attack (fourth soul skill: Flying Blade) and a close-range defense (sixth soul skill: Bodyguard Defense). His burst power and ability to launch surprise attacks were exceptionally strong, especially at night, when the terrain gave him an additional advantage.

As the source of Soul Power for the three-person Martial Soul Fusion Skill, Flender could unleash tremendous power once the Golden Holy Dragon emerged. His six attributes under the three-person Martial Soul Fusion Skill were currently unknown.