"I am indeed a genius, but you are not exactly idiots. At least, not completely."
Shiratori Riku said it without a hint of shame.
"This guy does not know what humility is."
Joseph was speechless. Anyone else would toss in a polite line or two at a time like this. Not him.
"Enough bickering. With the poison constraint gone, we have more time to deal with the Pillar Men."
"Everyone, share your ideas."
They had planned to honor the duel at the Colosseum, but now that the poison was gone, there was no need.
"Heh heh heh, time for JoJo to shine."
"I already came up with a brilliant plan."
Joseph struck an absurdly flashy pose for no reason at all.
"With the toxin removed, we have the initiative."
"Next we leak that the Super Aja is in our hands."
"We lure them to the island and hit them here."
Riku cut in as Joseph posed.
"Oh my God. That is exactly what I just thought of. You stole my idea."
Joseph twisted into another contorted pose. He had risked his life to get those rings out, ready to boast, and Riku ruined the moment.
"Next time just speak. Do not pose."
Riku said.
"If we draw them to the island, the four of us plus Messina and Loggins make six Ripple warriors."
"Even with numbers, you have seen their strength. Six on three does not guarantee we have the edge."
Lisa Lisa agreed with the outline but still judged the Pillar Men extremely dangerous.
"No, Lisa Lisa, you are wrong there. It is not six on three, it is two on one."
Joseph pointed to the Super Aja.
"Their true target is always the stone. We forge two fakes."
"Then split into pairs. Each pair carries a Super Aja, appears in front of them, and then flees in three different directions."
"They will split to chase. Then it becomes two on one, and we can choose terrain we know."
"Time, place, and people all favor us."
He was confident. He preferred brains over brawn.
"As Sunzi says, warfare is the way of deception."
"But JoJo, how do you know they will split. What if all three chase one group?"
"They will not. From my last fight, they look down on us. They do not consider us worthy enemies."
"That contempt warps judgment. Even if they smell a plan, they will still divide."
"Between our threat and the stone, they will ignore us."
His plan hinged on that arrogance, using their disdain against them.
"It is not two on one. It is six on one. You are shameless."
Riku spoke up.
"Hm?"
Lisa Lisa and Caesar looked at him, puzzled.
"We just said terrain too. This castle's corridors twist and turn, with hidden passages and mechanisms."
"If we map routes and prep fast movement, we can create local superiority."
"So three pairs is a decoy. The real ratio is six to one."
Riku finished.
"You stole my line again. I was going to reveal that at the end to wow everyone."
Joseph stared. Twice now Riku had said exactly what he was going to say. He could not read Riku at all, and reading the opponent's mind was his specialty. His famous line was always: your next words are...
"This plan is solid and very doable. We can also set traps in the castle."
"Do not expect them to hurt the Pillar Men. Slowing them is enough."
Lisa Lisa felt the odds rise. Years of entanglement might finally end. Pillar Men, vampires, Stone Masks, the Joestar and Zeppeli lines, all of it.
Caesar was fired up too. He could finally avenge his grandfather, his father, and his friends.
"Lisa Lisa, let me see the Super Aja again."
Riku asked.
"All right, but stop entertaining those crooked ideas. Do not even touch the Stone Mask."
She was a bit surprised, but handed the jewel over without thinking much of it.
"I only wanted a look. Here, take it back."
Riku returned the Super Aja. "We should hurry on the fakes."
"Yes. I will contact people now. They should be ready soon."
Lisa Lisa said.
Everyone was buzzing with excitement.
Only Joseph felt something off. He looked from Riku to Lisa Lisa to Caesar.
Everyone was happy. He finally stared at the Super Aja. Nothing seemed wrong.
Maybe he was overthinking.
"Nerves before battle, huh. I am a coward, but some things must be done."
"Granny Erina, Grandpa Speedwagon, I will protect you."
The next night, all was ready. At the same time, the Pillar Men received the message and came to the island.
Chapter