Annihilation ×2

The call was from Li Qing.

Yesterday, Li Qing single-handedly tore through Yoshikage Kira's disguise and personally drove him into a corner.

However, when he heard that this powerful foe was calling, Yoshikage Kira did not seem nervous at all.

"Wait a minute." He didn't even give Li Qing a chance to speak, and said calmly as if he were dealing with an ordinary friend, "Wait for me to find a more convenient place to talk."

Without saying a word, Yoshikage Kira put his phone in his pocket and left his workstation, avoiding the watchful eyes of his colleagues.

Kame Yu Department Store has a large number of employees, making it a crowded and confusing place.

He walked with practiced ease, concealing his imposing manner, until he exited the Kame Yu Department Store and finally stopped on the sidewalk outside.

"Hello?" Yoshikage Kira finally put the phone back to his ear.

But this now seems somewhat superfluous.

Because only then did he realize that Li Qing was standing at the entrance of Kame Yu Department Store, holding a mobile phone, not far from him.

"I was originally planning to make a phone call to scare you into running away."

"Otherwise, the department store is so crowded, it's really a little inconvenient."

"However, I didn't expect you to come to me of your own accord."

Li Qing, radiating murderous intent, pressed himself against Yoshikage Kira.

But Yoshikage Kira's reaction was so calm that it was unsettling:

"I just don't like making personal calls at the office, so I go outside."

"It's just a small habit, nothing serious."

He smiled as he put his phone back in his pocket, his gaze calmly fixed on Li Qing.

"This guy isn't afraid at all."

"How about this?"

Li Qing tentatively added another layer of pressure to Yoshikage Kira:

"Everyone come out, this guy is our target!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Giorno, Giorno, Josuke Higashikata Jotaro, Polnareff —the same group that had thrashed Yoshikage Kira yesterday—emerged from the shadows and appeared on stage.

The scene looked exactly the same as yesterday, and Yoshikage Kira seemed to be in dire straits once again.

But his demeanor remained as calm as ever.

"It's you guys again."

"Li Qing should have woken up around 8 o'clock too, right? It's only 8:59 now."

"It's really not easy to find me so quickly, in less than an hour."

"Again?" Giorno and the others frowned. "Do we know each other?"

As he spoke, Josuke Higashikata, who was most unable to keep a secret, specifically looked at Li Qing:

"Mr. Li Qing, is this the enemy you're talking about?"

"Why won't you tell us who he is? What exactly did he do?"

Josuke Higashikata was, after all, a kind-hearted high school student who had never killed anyone.

Li Qing had no memory of the time rewind he experienced—for him and others, the experience before Bites the Dust was triggered was as if it had never happened.

Now that Li Qing has suddenly asked him to come out and fight someone together, but hasn't told him who the person is, Josuke finds it hard to accept.

"Oh, I see."

Li Qing remained silent and did not answer.

Yoshikage Kira, however, gave a meaningful smile:

"They didn't reveal my identity at all, but instead directly summoned their companions to attack me."

"It seems you already understand how 'Bites the Dust' is triggered, Li Qing."

In other words...

Yoshikage Kira's gaze was so sharp it seemed to see right through Li Qing's soul:

"You should have already experienced time travel."

"I could vaguely sense that as well."

Li Qing's expression changed slightly.

He was initially troubled by Yoshikage Kira's keen perception, but then he suddenly realized something:

"Should be? I vaguely sensed it?"

"Using such uncertain language, could it be..."

"Even Yoshikage Kira himself didn't have time to recall his past memories. Am I the only 'bomb carrier' in the whole world who can remain unaffected?"

Li Qing was initially surprised, but later realized that it did indeed make some sense:

In Digitization Mode, he is a perpetual motion machine with unlimited endurance.

If Yoshikage Kira himself also retains his memories, then as long as he keeps blowing people up to trigger time rewind, he'll probably annoy him to death.

Such a fantastical idea involuntarily surfaced in Li Qing's mind.

But Yoshikage Kira's confident, even mocking voice quickly brought him back to reality:

"Since you've triggered Bites the Dust, you must have already killed someone."

"Let me think. You can't just tell any random person about me when you knew nothing about Bites the Dust at the beginning."

"So, you must have told this news to your most trusted companion."

Speaking in a language no one else could understand, Yoshikage Kira's malicious gaze lightly swept over Giorno and the others:

"Perhaps the people you killed are here."

"You..." Li Qing's expression was not good.

Yesterday, Yoshikage Kira was the one who was passive, embarrassed, and full of flaws in front of him, but now the situation has been completely reversed.

Now, Li Qing is the one whose inner thoughts have been completely seen through.

Seeing Li Qing's current performance, Yoshikage Kira immediately understood the situation:

"It seems you haven't yet discovered the true power of Bites the Dust."

"This should only be your first time experiencing Bites the Dust."

"Then let me tell you."

"Of course, you would have found out sooner or later even if I didn't tell you:"

"The Bites the Dust starts at 8:00 this morning, which means that no matter how many times you trigger the time travel, you can only go back to 8:00 this morning at the earliest."

"Therefore, you can only start your activities between 8:00 and 8:20."

"It's unlikely to be any later, since intelligence work and travel can take a lot of time."

Yoshikage Kira glanced down at his watch, his smile growing even more blatant:

"And it is now 8:59:51."

"In other words, Li Qing is not far from the time when you last triggered Bites the Dust."

"If we're lucky, we might just see the true power of Bites the Dust here soon."

Upon hearing this, Li Qing immediately had a very bad premonition:

"True Power"

"Is Bites the Dust just about time travel?"

Yoshikage Kira gave the answer directly in his cold voice:

"Li Qing, are you treating Bites the Dust like a game where you can rewind at will?"

"Hehe, don't be too naive, and don't underestimate the favor that fate has shown me!"

Li Qing's unease grew stronger.

But Yoshikage Kira's words were so heavy they made it hard to breathe:

"You should definitely give it a try:"

"Now, casually smash a teapot, and look back later when time has rewound:"

"Even if you don't do anything this time, that teapot will be destroyed at the same time and in the same way."

"Because when it was destroyed 'the morning before,' its fate of destruction was already written on it!"

"Things fall into place naturally! That's 'destiny'!"

At this point, Li Qing's heart skipped a beat:

The teapot that was broken the previous morning is destined to be destroyed again after time is reversed.

The fate of destruction can never be changed.

If the teapot is like this, what about the person?

Li Qing was horrified.

He didn't have time to do much more.

Time had quietly slipped to 9:00, the time when Giorno and the others had been blown to ashes the previous morning.

Now that time has been rewound, let's say it was 9 a. m.

"Giorno!!"

Li Qing cried out in utter horror:

At the very moment the clock struck 9 o'clock, he sensed that familiar explosive impact.

Giorno, Jotaro, Josuke Higashikata, Polnareff

They were all caught in the deathly vortex of that extreme heat, leaving not even ashes behind.

This time, Li Qing clearly did not reveal Yoshikage Kira's identity, did not trigger Bites the Dust, and did not trigger time rewind.

But the explosion still occurred at the same time, on the same target.

Li Qing personally witnessed his companions being wiped out for the second time, but there was still nothing he could do.

The scorching wind, born from his best friend's life, instantly engulfed him, igniting his long-suppressed anger. "Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi, Kage!"

"Ha ha ha ha."

Yoshikage Kira, however, was laughing so hard he could barely stand up straight:

"Total annihilation. Total annihilation?"

"Li Qing, you really can't control your mouth."

"He actually wiped out all his comrades in one go? Hahahaha!"

Li Qing's clenched fists crackled with each clenched fist, his well-defined muscles brimming with boundless power.

He experienced that kind of pain of life and death twice in a row!

He now desperately wants to kill, to kill Yoshikage Kira, to avenge his comrades who have died twice.

But Yoshikage Kira continued to provoke him with that reckless tone:

"Now you understand, Li Qing."

"Talking badly about people behind their backs will get you punished, hahaha."

Come on, come on!

Everyone else is dead.

If you make another move against me now, it will all be over.

Excitement gleamed in Yoshikage Kira's eyes.

Li Qing was also provoked into a frenzied state, his anger reaching its peak, almost unable to contain himself as he unleashed his destructive power.

But, in that final moment, a sliver of clarity returned to his mind:

"Calm down, something's wrong!"

"That bastard is clearly trying to provoke me into attacking him!"

Li Qing's rationality once again prevailed.

He actually discovered the hidden problem in Bites the Dust a long time ago:

That is, it has only shown the ability to prevent Li Qing from exposing Kira's identity, but it has not yet shown the ability to protect Kira from Li Qing's harm.

Based on various circumstances, it can be inferred that this Bites the Dust must have some effect of limiting Li Qing's ability to attack his main body.

Otherwise, this invincible ability would have a fatal flaw and completely lose its meaning.

"You can't attack, no matter how much you hate them."

"This is definitely a trap!"

Li Qing gritted his teeth and swallowed back the hatred in his heart.

Painful bloodshot veins obscured the grayish-white shadows, and his lifeless eyes now appeared eerily crimson.

"Yoshikage Kira, you just wait—"

"No matter how many times I try, no matter how many times I have to start over, I will make you die in the most painful way!"

Yoshikage Kira wasn't panicked at all, just a little disappointed:

"He actually managed to control his anger at losing a close friend."

"You're really something, Li Qing."

"But."

A smile reappeared on his lips:

"What's the point of all this?"

With Bites the Dust protecting him, no matter how many times Li Qing tries, it won't affect his life.

In the end, Li Qing will either break down and give up after countless rewinds, or fail and die in one attempt.

Yoshikage Kira wouldn't even remember any of this.

He would only remember the time when Li Qing finally failed and perished; in his final memory, Li Qing would only be a pitiful worm crawling at his feet.

Then, Yoshikage Kira could finally live a truly ordinary and happy life.

"Go ahead and try it if you want."

"Please do your best."

Yoshikage Kira ignored Li Qing as if he were invisible and turned back to the company.

After taking two steps, he suddenly stopped.

That sincere yet mocking voice pierced Li Qing's heart like a sharp blade:

"By the way, Mr. Li Qing, please wait a few minutes before 'loading the save'."

"I still have a document to process."