Ultimate Fear

Dio's smile froze along with the moment when time seemed to slow down.

Seeing Li Qing's face full of passion and fighting spirit, even a ghost would know that something was wrong.

But where did things go wrong?

The truly terrifying part is this:

Even with Dio's intelligence, he couldn't see what he had just overlooked.

Li Qing smiled gently and, in that seemingly frozen moment, gave the answer:

"Haven't you figured it out yet?"

"So this is Giorno's 'escape route'!"

"Do you recognize the direction from which you sent Giorno flying?"

"For you, as a stand-in, are all directions the same?"

Upon hearing this, Dio's expression immediately froze:

"What? Could it be..."

He turned his head to look in the direction Giorno had just flown off to:

That was his true form, in the direction Willy was.

After being sent flying by the heavy punches of "The World", Giorno endured the unprecedented pain and used Gold Experience to fine-tune his flight trajectory in mid-air.

Finally, Giorno landed at Willy's feet with a narrow escape and perfect accuracy.

"Willy. Is your real target Willy?"

"That's impossible!"

"Dio" said in disbelief:

"Giorno has already been severely injured by me, he definitely doesn't have the strength to hurt Willy who has been turned into a vampire!"

"No harm is needed," Li Qing replied calmly. "Just 'touch'."

"Have you forgotten? Willy, your true self can't control the object your Stand transforms into!"

"No, it's still impossible."

Despite having a vague sense that something was wrong, Dio still couldn't believe Li Qing's explanation:

"I only appeared because of Giorno's memories."

"What he subconsciously fears is 'Dio,' an instinct deeply rooted in his brain that will never change easily!"

"Even if Giorno touches Willy, I will still exist!"

"Etc."

As he spoke, he finally realized something was wrong.

The phantom named "Dio" now displayed the same observational abilities replicated in the original, recalling someone he had been ignoring from the very beginning:

Bucciarati

That's right, it's Bucciarati, who has already been beaten to the point of near death by him.

When they first set the trap for him, it was Li Qing, Giorno, Bucciarati who gathered together to plot it.

Li Qing was the most perceptive among them, was probably the architect of the plan and the key to seeing through his fear of sunlight.

Giorno, who can turn his rearview mirror into an animal to hide, is the core of this light project.

So

What role did Bucciarati play in this project?

Was he just standing there to get beaten up for nothing?

No, something's not right.

Dio clenched his Riot Games tightly, and a bead of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

Li Qing stared intently at "Dio" with his grayish-white pupils, as if trying to see through the fear deep within him that he was unwilling to acknowledge.

"Bucciarati, his abilities are the final insurance for this plan!"

"Back when you were over there brutally beating Fugo, the three of us were gathered together making plans."

Li Qing raised his left hand, revealing a very small and discreet zipper around the middle finger of his left hand:

"I've already had Bucciarati use his Steel Chain Fingers."

"I swapped my left middle finger with Giorno's left middle finger!"

The Steel Chain Fingers have amazing abilities.

The body parts that were cut off with a zipper still maintain a spatial connection with the original body.

In other words, right now.

On Giorno's left hand, there are fingers belonging to Li Qing.

If he touches Willy with that finger, then the person who actually touches Willy is not Giorno, but Li Qing.

"Do you understand?"

"I just pretended to be desperate to lower your guard and make you careless."

"Giorno rushed over to help me block him, but he was deliberately adjusting his position so that you Riot Games punch him in the direction he wanted to go!"

"That's right."

Li Qing turned to the side and pointed with his finger at Giorno, who had already reached Willy's side:

"This is the 'escape route' Giorno chose to make me touch Willy!"

"Aaaaaah!!!"

"Dio" let out a furious roar that bordered on madness.

Although he called himself "Dio", he was not Dio after all.

In fact, he knew deep down that he was just a substitute, a substitute who had luckily gained power and wisdom.

If Willy is touched by someone who isn't afraid of Dio, he will lose this unprecedented sense of existence and revert to being a muddle-headed, weak, and powerless piece of trash.

This is worse than killing him.

"Dio," no, his real name should be "My Cowardly Self."

Finally, fear was revealed:

"Don't want!!!"

He wanted to use teleportation, he wanted to use time stop, he wanted to do everything he could to stop what was about to happen.

But it was all too late.

The outcome could be decided in a split second.

Even as Li Qing was explaining everything to him, Giorno had already landed precisely in front of Willy and extended his left hand, which had Li Qing's finger on it.

Willy was completely unaware.

He felt no fear whatsoever at the critically injured and dying Giorno, nor did he summon his Stand to teleport back and finish him off.

Even Willy, who had only recently become a vampire, was deeply tempted by the strange blood scent emanating from Giorno, to the point that he couldn't resist the urge to drink his blood.

For the vampire Willy at this moment, Giorno's blood, spitting out in his severe injuries, was the tonic he had been longing for.

Giorno didn't even have to put in any effort; he rushed at him with red eyes.

Then

Giorno touched Willy.

Li Qing also touched Willy.

"Don't want!!!"

The phantom who called himself "Dio" left behind only this wail.

As a "gamer," even after witnessing Dio's power firsthand, Li Qing felt no fear whatsoever towards Dio.

There is nothing in this world that can frighten him.

So, the phantom of "Dio" eventually disappeared.

That tall, imposing, and intimidating blond man is no more, and Willy's double has once again uncontrollably changed.

Immediately afterwards

"Ah!"

Li Qing let out a piercing scream.

Even when "Dio" still existed, he had never shown such a terrified expression.

An unstoppable and irresistible fear crept into my heart.

The black demon, which seemed to have crawled out of the abyss of hell, sent shivers down his spine.

"There's a cockroach!!"

Li Qing instinctively stomped down.

The crisp sound of insect shells cracking under his feet, the incredibly clear yet indescribably disgusting sensation, all surged up from the soles of his feet at that moment, instantly striking his fragile and powerless soul.

"Don't come near me! Aaaaaah!"

Li Qing used his Golden Bell Shield technique with a backhand, instantly sending him flying more than ten meters away.