Sheer Heart Attack had two retrieval modes.
One—after completing its mission, it would return automatically.
The other—if the mission failed, Joey would have to retrieve it himself.
---
If the Chimera Ants didn't know Nen, Joey wasn't too worried.
In that case, wiping out the ants in the village would only be a matter of time.
Even if some of the more intelligent ones figured out its attack pattern, they had no means to stop it.
Once the ants withdrew from the village—
The mission would be complete.
And the miniature tank would return on its own.
---
But if the Chimera Ants could use Nen—
Then the situation changed completely.
---
In that case, the ability he had released…
Would become his strongest restraint.
Even if it meant sacrificing his left hand—
Joey was prepared to accept it.
---
After all—
A Chimera Ant capable of using Nen…
Was on an entirely different level.
---
And besides—
In this world, losing a hand wasn't necessarily the end.
But losing his life?
That was final.
---
Moving carefully through the forest, Joey wiped the sweat from his forehead again.
His brows slowly furrowed.
---
Something was wrong.
---
His stamina…
Was dropping too fast.
---
Even though he had only recently taken control of this body, he already understood its basic limits.
Running a few hundred meters—even under stress—shouldn't have exhausted him like this.
So why was he drenched in sweat?
Why did he feel so weak already?
---
Something was off.
---
BOOM!
---
The distant explosion jolted him like an alarm.
---
Joey froze.
Then a thought struck him.
---
"…Is it related to Sheer Heart Attack?"
---
He already knew that Stand abilities weren't free.
They required energy.
---
And until now, Joey had assumed that energy was purely mental.
It made sense.
Stands were manifestations of the mind.
So using them should consume mental strength.
---
That assumption only grew stronger when he recalled something—
In Stone Ocean, others couldn't use Star Platinum's power due to insufficient mental strength.
---
But now—
With every explosion in the distance—
He felt it clearly.
---
His physical strength was being drained as well.
---
Joey's expression darkened.
---
In the original story, Kira Yoshikage had never shown visible physical exhaustion when using Killer Queen.
Which meant—
Either Joey was different…
Or he had misunderstood something.
---
He forced himself to think.
---
Fragments of memory surfaced.
Bucciarati, in Part 5—showing signs of fatigue during battle.
Jotaro, in Part 6—panting after using Time Stop.
---
The details were blurry.
But the conclusion was becoming clear.
---
Stand energy…
Wasn't purely mental.
---
It also consumed the body.
---
And right now—
That realization was the worst possible news.
---
Because Sheer Heart Attack…
Wasn't fully under his control.
---
As long as it kept detonating—
It would continue draining him.
Mentally.
Physically.
Relentlessly.
---
And if that was the case—
Then simply maintaining Killer Queen's presence…
Was also consuming energy.
---
Yet he couldn't dismiss it.
Not here.
Not now.
---
A double burden.
---
Even though he wasn't completely exhausted yet—
A sense of danger crept into his chest.
---
He had no idea how many Chimera Ants remained in the village.
No idea how long the explosions would continue.
---
At this rate—
A few dozen more detonations…
Maybe a hundred—
And he might collapse.
---
If that happened—
In this forest—
He would die.
---
And what if—
Even after he collapsed—
Sheer Heart Attack didn't return?
---
Or worse—
What if it kept exploding?
---
A wave of negative thoughts flooded his mind.
---
Unconsciously, he raised his hand—
About to bite his nails—
---
But stopped.
---
The grenade in his hand snapped him back to reality.
---
Joey lowered his arm.
Took a deep breath.
Then another.
---
Calm down.
---
Things weren't that bad yet.
---
First—
The number of Chimera Ants in the village shouldn't be enough to withstand dozens of explosions.
---
Second—
Even in the worst-case scenario—
He still had one final option.
---
Cut it off.
---
Like a lizard shedding its tail—
He could sever his left hand.
---
In exchange—
He could preserve his remaining strength.
---
The thought made his stomach twist.
---
But in a life-or-death situation—
He had no right to hesitate.
---
If necessary—
He would do it.
---
As long as he survived.
---
Repeating this to himself, Joey's steps gradually grew steadier.
---
Survival.
---
That was all that mattered.
---
In that moment—
It became his only belief.
---
His grip tightened around the pistol.
---
It gave him a sense of security.
---
But also—
Unease.
---
This was the first time in his life he had ever held a real gun.
Even though he had managed to disengage the safety and roughly figure out how to use it—
He knew one thing clearly:
He couldn't rely on it.
---
And as soon as he held it—
A memory surfaced.
---
Ponzu.
---
Shot.
Killed.
---
The image flashed repeatedly in his mind.
---
His tension spiked.
---
Sweat soaked his palms.
His brows tightened.
---
Carefully, he shifted the grenade aside and pulled out the map.
---
Comparing it with his surroundings—
Analyzing.
---
His experience with survival gave him a decent sense of direction.
Combined with fragments of memory—
He could roughly determine where he was.
---
That was good news.
---
But the map…
Was limited.
---
Three nearby villages.
One nearby base.
---
That was all.
---
His options were few.
Very few.
---
The villages?
Out of the question.
---
They were already hunting grounds.
---
That left only one destination.
---
The base.
---
Even if it had already been discovered—
It still offered far more than any village.
---
Weapons.
Better maps.
Information.
---
Things he desperately needed.
---
As for his own memories of NGL—
They were too vague.
Too general.
---
Not enough to survive.
---
Otherwise—
He might have tried heading east.
---
According to what he remembered—
Beyond the eastern border lay a country with normal technology.
---
But blindly running in that direction?
---
He would most likely run straight into—
A Chimera Ant nest.
---
After weighing everything carefully—
Joey made his decision.
---
Find them.
---
Kite.
Gon.
Killua.
---
If he could reach them—
He might have a chance to leave NGL alive.
---
But…
---
Was he being too optimistic?
---
This was NGL.
---
A country where even entering—
Or leaving—
Was never simple
___________________________
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