Gradually nearing the large ship, the distance of several dozen meters allowed Kai Adler to clearly see the figures on deck. There were five people now—the silver-haired man who had attacked them at the restaurant had rejoined the group.
"Aren't those the people from the restaurant?"
Hermione, seated beside him, had naturally spotted the tall figures with their distinctive appearances.
"Yeah," Kai replied casually, steering the raft to veer away from the vessel.
Captain Leonhardt had mentioned that many people had died aboard the plane those individuals were on—and paired with their violent encounter at the Berlin restaurant, it was obvious they were dangerous.
They had already been linked to a downed aircraft… if they decided to sink a ship next, Kai wanted no part of it.
Hermione's safety took precedence over everything else.
"Ah! Danger!"
Hermione's sudden exclamation made him turn his head instantly. She had drawn her wand, though she hadn't cast a spell—yet. Her gaze flicked to Kai for guidance.
Following her line of sight, Kai saw the confrontation: the five individuals faced a man who appeared to be the ship's captain, and floating mid-air behind him was a struggling girl.
The girl was dressed in old overalls, her tangled hair whipping about her face as she writhed, suspended as though gripped by invisible hands.
"She's a civilian," Kai muttered.
His tone was low as he grabbed Hermione's hand. With a surge of his Black Magic, a hidden layer of reality peeled back before their eyes.
Where ordinary vision showed nothing, they now saw the monstrous truth: a towering, blue, exoskeletal creature stood there—its limbs ridged with scales, its mask hideously contorted with four glassy eyes. Fins jutted from its back and legs, its form inhuman and grotesque.
"Ugh, revolting," Hermione grimaced. "Is that… another Stand?"
Her wand hand twitched, itching to unleash a fiery Incendio, but she held back. Hermione was brave, but not reckless. Five against one—it was impossible to say who was right or wrong at first glance.
Still, neither of them had saintly tendencies. Watching the brawl unfold from a distance suited them just fine.
But the situation turned quickly.
Realizing he couldn't overpower all five opponents, the Captain's Stand hurled itself—and the captive girl—overboard into the sea.
But the tall, dark-haired man confronting him wasn't about to let him escape. A split-second later, a radiant figure materialized beside him, gleaming purple and brimming with power. With calculated precision, the man's Stand—Star Platinum—arrived at the enemy's position ahead of the blue creature.
Under the Captain's horrified gaze, Star Platinum delivered a devastating punch. The blue Stand's skull visibly caved in, the captive girl shrieked, and the monster lost its grip.
"ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!"
The sound of rapid, thunderous punches echoed over the waves. The blue Stand collapsed like a tattered doll, crashing onto the sea's surface in a heap.
Kai rubbed his chin with mild amusement.
"Do they all have to yell some nonsense every time they punch?"
Yet beneath his dry tone, he acknowledged the truth—the raw strength behind those blows was impressive. He could sense the concentrated energy coursing through the purple Stand. If they fought, that power could likely dissipate lesser spells or low-level Black Magic on contact.
But Kai wasn't without options. He had seen the cause and effect—the Stand's injuries reverberated onto its user, evident in the blood running from the Captain's mouth and nose. A well-placed Cruciatus Curse, or better yet, an unrestrained burst of Fiendfyre, could devastate both Stand and wielder alike.
The man—clearly seasoned—didn't waste time gloating. Star Platinum reached down, stretching its arm to seize the girl floating mid-air.
The girl's wide, astonished eyes locked onto him. From her perspective, she'd only felt an unseen force snatch her away, and now this mysterious figure was saving her. Gratitude lit her face.
Behind him, the group of companions showed no surprise.
The older man—likely the grandfather—called lazily, "What are you waiting for, Jotaro? Pull the girl up."
But Jotaro's face had darkened. His powerful muscles strained visibly, as though he were lifting something far heavier than a mere girl.
A sinister, creeping sensation prickled along his arm. His strength ebbed, sapped by an unseen force.
As the leeching sensation intensified, grotesque barnacles appeared along his forearm—spreading rapidly, feeding on his energy. They clung to him like parasites, trailing down from the ship's hull to the churning sea.
The bloodied Captain floating in the water laughed victoriously.
Joseph, the older man, reached forward to assist, but before he could intervene, both Jotaro and the girl were wrenched off the deck.
"Jotaro!"
Kakyoin's hand shot out, his Stand, Hierophant Green, unraveling into a rope that coiled toward Jotaro like a lifeline.
Star Platinum summoned the last of its might, launching the girl toward safety. Hierophant Green snared her, pulling her back aboard, but Jotaro plunged helplessly into the depths.
"…He saved her without hesitation."
Hermione, observing the whole scene, was visibly moved.
Kai's voice remained cool and detached. "As he should. That Captain's targeting them, just like at the restaurant and on the plane. The girl's collateral damage. At least he bothered to help an innocent."
"You…" Hermione glared at him, exasperated.
Kai arched a brow. "First day knowing me?"
Hermione pouted and turned away with a huff, annoyed but not entirely surprised by his pragmatism.
Kai steered the kayak further from the ship. "Let's move on. He jumped willingly. He'll be fine."
"…Alright." Hermione's irritation softened, knowing he was right.
As they paddled away, a violent roar erupted beneath the waves.
Far below, Jotaro plummeted through the currents, battered by the Captain's aquatic domain.
The villain floated smugly nearby. "The sea's my arena, Jotaro. You can't win here."
Jotaro's expression didn't falter. Star Platinum surged upward, propelling him toward the surface.
But the enemy wasn't finished. The blue Stand's arms churned the water, whipping it into a spiraling vortex.
Up top, the once-calm sea exploded with fury. A vast whirlpool, over a hundred meters wide, formed within seconds.
The kayak rocked violently. Despite Kai's reinforced hull enchantments, the sheer force of the water nearly flung Hermione overboard.
She clutched the side, gasping, "Where did that come from?"
Kai's expression darkened as he assessed the whirlpool.
With a flick of his wand, he tapped the sea's surface.
"Glacius."
A burst of Freezing Black Magic surged outward, the water before them beginning to crystallize into jagged sheets of ice.