Chapter 57: [57] Accept It, DIO! My Final Ripple!
Thud...
Baron Zeppeli caught the frozen JOJO to prevent him from shattering on the ground.
Then he looked at Kazuya with an unpleasant expression.
Vaporizing Freezing Technique—
This move was also invented by DIO, vaporizing the moisture within his body to freeze any opponent who touched him.
It might sound highly unscientific, but it was indeed a real ability. Although he had practiced it before, he didn't expect to use it like this.
"That... JOJO," DIO couldn't help but feel a toothache while looking at JOJO. Luckily, it wasn't himself who got caught.
But... Is he really that strong?
He didn't expect him to be this powerful.
Fortunately, his initial attack had traveled underground. However, that was his limit.
His full-power attack not only consumed half of his Ripple but also didn't inflict any significant damage on Kazuya. Furthermore, using the same move a second time was ineffective. His Ripple was not as abundant as JOJO's; he had reached his limit.
Unless... Baron Zeppeli had other preparations, but that seemed impossible.
After all, the person who appeared to be his master was already dead.
"Huff..."
After placing JOJO next to his master, Tonpetty, Baron Zeppeli used the Ripple Breath technique and rushed towards Kazuya.
"Take this, Jerry! Ripple Wild Vortex Dash!"
Crackle...
The next moment, Baron Zeppeli's leg, which had been attacking Kazuya, was frozen.
"Hmm..." Kazuya fell silent for a moment, a fraction of a second that no one noticed, before throwing Baron Zeppeli aside.
Being a boss... it was indeed tough. He had initially wanted to have a second and third round...
Now it seemed like he should forget it. This would be the last time, unless he encountered that kind of person beforehand...
Despite everything, this man had guided him along the path of Ripple, helping him countless times. Even though Baron Zeppeli was unaware of all this now, honestly, he wasn't eager to harm him.
He had thought about it before, and after a brief moment of consideration, he confirmed that he wouldn't change his mind.
Then he threw Baron Zeppeli aside.
"Hmm? What's this—?"
Kazuya suddenly looked towards JOJO, who was nearby. The JOJO who had been completely frozen moments ago had now completely melted the ice. Not only that, his Ripple was more than twice as strong as before!
"I see... so that old man only died just now? His vitality is truly stubborn," Kazuya remarked as he looked at the now truly fallen Tonpetty.
While he was fighting Baron Zeppeli, the old man, who should have died, inexplicably resurrected and gave JOJO all of his life energy. This helped him break free from the ice, heal his injuries, and, more importantly, increase his strength significantly.
"D... DIO..."
"Master Zeppeli..."
Baron Zeppeli, unable to move his legs, gritted his teeth. From just now until now, only DIO had caused some damage to Kazuya. But this was an opportunity—
Although it seemed like he wasn't going to die when the prophecy said he should... It didn't matter now. He believed in DIO's potential to achieve victory!
"DIO—extend your hand!"
"Huh? What?" DIO, who seemed to understand what his master meant, was secretly delighted but pretended not to know.
"Come on, extend your hand!" Baron Zeppeli forcefully pulled DIO's hand, almost coercing him.
Kazuya couldn't help but focus their attention on that side—on Baron Zeppeli.
This was the place where Baron Zeppeli was supposed to die in the original story.
In the original work, he and JOJO arrived at the locked room where he had foreseen they would die.
[Since ancient times, in the room filled with the stench of death, when a child opens the door, in order to free the young lion bound by chains and send it toward the future, you will self-immolate, affecting a cruel death.]
And! Despite remembering all of this, Baron Zeppeli still rushed forward in the presence of everything that satisfied the condition of "Since ancient times, in the room filled with the stench of death, when a child opens the door, in order to free the young lion bound by chains!" Finally, under the condition of being cut in half, he burned away everything, giving all his life energy to JOJO so that he could face the future.
He truly lived up to the man who shouted "The Hymn of Mankind!"
But now, this "The Hymn of Mankind" was entrusting his golden spirit to the dark will! Entrusting it to DIO!
"My ultimate technique, I'm giving it to you! DIO, you must inherit my will."
"Ugh..."
"Ultimate Deep Pass Overdrive."
In that moment, DIO felt a surge of life energy pouring into his body!
Even his clothes tore apart!
"Ahhhh—!" DIO screamed as he endured this power, finally looking at Baron Zeppeli, who had exhausted all of his life energy, falling to the ground.
"Damn... one after another..."
Despite all this, even his "born evil" heart couldn't help but feel a burst of emotion.
But it lasted only for a moment—he quickly suppressed it. His ambition hadn't disappeared, but this didn't prevent one thing: his respect for Baron Zeppeli.
"Tsk... so unsightly," Kazuya muttered.
It seemed that in the face of someone he respected, being a villain was no longer an option. This time... he came here to be masochistic?
Masochism...
Ah, he had had enough!
"Oh oh oh—take this! Jerry! Sunset Orange Overdrive!"
"Oh? I told you before! MUDA MUDA MUDA!!"
"How about adding mine?" DIO said, tearing off his hair. "Ripple Hair Attack."
Swish, swish, swish...
His hair, accompanied by a large amount of Ripple, shot towards Kazuya like needles.
JOJO concentrated all his power into his fists and swung them at Kazuya—
"Tsk..."
Kazuya, despite the situation, covered his hands in ice, with one hand protecting his faces and the other grabbing JOJO's outstretched arm.
Crack, crack, crack...
In an instant, ice spread along JOJO's arm.
And the left hand extended by Kazuya was pierced by DIO's hair, leaving behind small holes burning with Ripple.
"It's not over yet—"
JOJO didn't retract his arm. Instead, he filled his other hand with Ripple and swung it at Kazuya—
"Hmm, not bad, not bad. But... even without hands, I still have feet!"
Saying that, Kazuya kicked JOJO away.
"JOJO—!" DIO shouted. In this situation, he had no confidence in winning! It was better to run. After all, how far could one person chase him? The world was vast, and he could easily evade pursuit!
"DIO—!" JOJO, held by DIO, pulled his arm and said, "I'm sorry... I failed as well... now we can only rely on you, DIO."
"What... are you saying?"
"Please, for my father's sake..." JOJO smiled, "Accept it, DIO! This is my final Ripple!"
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