A few days ago.
The solitary cell at the Morioh local detention center was less a jail cell and more like a sparsely furnished study, albeit one under strict surveillance.
Kishibe Rohan sat at the only table, a short pencil clutched between his fingertips, rapidly sketching in a new notebook, while several agents stood respectfully to one side.
He hadn't been mistreated, but the previous loss of his freedom and inability to pursue "material" had made him feel anxious and humiliated every single second.
However, this anxiety had now transformed into a cold, opportunistic patience.
His gaze occasionally swept over the monitoring camera, which flashed a red light in the corner of the wall, and an imperceptible arc formed at the corner of his mouth.
This camera was merely a prop now; its internal structure had long been destroyed, placed there only to pass inspections.
Days earlier, the notebook, imbued with his mental suggestions, had begun its spread like a whispered virus, through Iwakura Yusuke.
Iwakura himself was already deeply entangled, developing an almost obsessive identification with the twisted, abstract images and the implicit message of "Kishibe Rohan is supreme" within the notebook.
Using his authority as the head of the PSD, he began to intentionally or unintentionally beautify, and even deify, Kishibe Rohan's abilities and value in his reports, describing him as a "special talent with extremely high strategic value and controllability," while simultaneously downplaying his dangerousness and past crimes.
Through his series of manipulations, almost everyone on this entire special floor had now become a fervent follower of Kishibe Rohan, with only the main group of protagonists still unaware.
They had been deceived by the disguise of everyone at the Hospital, completely oblivious to Kishibe Rohan's transformation.
But Kishibe Rohan had no intention of acting against them, because in his eyes, it was no longer necessary.
Iwakura wrote a comprehensive report on the incident, and this report, along with a "copy" of the notebook, was submitted to his higher-up, a bureaucrat who both feared and eagerly sought to exploit supernatural events.
As this bureaucrat reviewed the report and the "copy," he too was unknowingly affected by the faint but persistent mental suggestion.
He began to believe that keeping such a "human weapon" imprisoned was a tremendous waste.
Especially after learning that the American side also seemed to be showing unusual interest in Japan's recent "unexplained explosions" and related "superpowered individuals."
Power, profit, and a subtly twisted perception drove the gears to turn; he began to secretly contact American officials... Soon, higher-level officials were drawn in. Meetings were held in secret.
Kishibe Rohan's file was re-evaluated, and his abilities were portrayed as a strategic asset capable of influencing international balance.
Arguments existed, but those dissenting voices would always become hesitant, weakened, and ultimately drowned out by the dominant opinion after seeing certain pages from that notebook or Iwakura's statements "accidentally" presented to them.
"For national security."
"To avoid falling behind in the competition of a new era."
"This is an opportunity."
"Kishibe Rohan is the nation's true Awakened One! He is the nation's hope, prophet, and future guide!"
Grandiose reasons were put forth. Legal procedures were cleverly circumvented or accelerated.
Iwakura looked at Kishibe Rohan with fanaticism, "Respected Teacher Kishibe Rohan, I have already handed your vision of the future to the secretaries of those ministers. They are all immensely impressed by your plan and filled with great aspirations for that future.
They believe you are the wisest person in this country and admire you greatly. They have already decided to introduce you to their superiors."
"Hmm, very good. That is our future. Under my leadership, success is inevitable!"
"For Japan!"
"For Mr. Kishibe Rohan!"
"Long live Mr. Kishibe Rohan!"
The guards, watchmen, and even the doctors all shouted fanatically at Kishibe Rohan, their eyes filled with extreme fervor.
In this atmosphere of being revered by all, Kishibe Rohan was secretly transferred, and no one knew where he was.
They only knew that he was living in a large villa, declared to be in a safer place for isolation, and of course, the living conditions needed a little improvement.
Well, from a small suite in the Hospital to a sea-view villa.
And just a few days after his "transfer," Kishibe Rohan actually — made a public appearance!
Not in court, nor in prison, but at a press conference held in Tokyo regarding the "Morioh Revitalization and Future Planning"!
He wore a custom-tailored suit, his expression still his characteristic blend of artistic arrogance and a hint of playfulness, standing among a group of politicians and businessmen, completely holding his own.
A brown sweater on top, exquisite black trousers on the bottom; though seemingly ordinary, he didn't appear out of place among the elegantly dressed upper-class individuals, even subtly exuding the aura of a superior.
The official explanation was that Mr. Kishibe Rohan, as a renowned artist, had deep feelings for Morioh, and his creativity and influence would inject new vitality into the Town's revitalization.
All previous "misunderstandings" had been clarified.
That's right, everything before was a misunderstanding! Whether it was being treated as an accomplice to the bombing, or his stealing others' memories and harming people, it was all just a misunderstanding!
It was utterly ridiculous!
But this was the official stance, and although the media was confused, it wasn't long before they, too, began reporting with fanaticism and excitement on how this "re-freed" genius manga artist was "devoting himself to public welfare."
Even the Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry and the Minister of Health, Labour, and Welfare personally came out to endorse him, and finally, even the Prime Minister publicly acknowledged Kishibe Rohan's transformation plan in the newspaper, stating that he was a hero to the entire nation.
He was unstoppable.
At this time, Higashikata Josuke and the others had just recovered and were unaware of all this, until they saw the newspapers and news.
When they found out, Kishibe Rohan's "transformation" plan also immediately unfolded.
As an "artistic consultant," he began to drastically intervene in the urban construction of Morioh.
The proposals he put forth were bizarre and full of his personal style: painting giant murals in certain neighborhoods, holding specific "story collection" events, and even demanding adjustments to the layout and direction of surveillance cameras... "This will make this Town a true cultural capital, developing a genuine cultural route. It will not only become a tourist destination but also create a unique culture, promoting it to various countries!"
All of this, under the banner of "cultural revitalization" and "creating a unique city brand," was rapidly advancing with official approval.
"He's turning the entire Town into his canvas and hunting ground!" Koichi watched the news on the Hospital TV, trembling with rage.
Seeing Kishibe Rohan in the news, standing in front of several ministers, eloquently speaking into a microphone, filled them with anger.
Though they didn't know why, there were also several strange people standing beside those ministers—some dressed like monks, some like Onmyoji, and one who looked like a large-headed doll. Undoubtedly, these guys were all Kishibe Rohan's lackeys.
Josuke punched the wall, "Damn it! Have those officials' brains been kicked by donkeys?!"
"Or have they all been controlled by that bastard's Heaven's Door?!"
Even Joseph frowned, reaching up to rub his head. As an elder, he naturally could see certain things.
"Things have become very troublesome... This is no longer a simple Stand battle."
"This is no longer a matter of strength; you cannot solve this with brute force. This is a decision already made by the Japanese government, and..."
The most unsettling signal came from the United States.
The SPW Foundation used its network of connections in the United States to investigate, and the feedback was alarming: there were signs that a special operations team belonging to a certain US intelligence agency had arrived in Japan and had "contacted" Kishibe Rohan.
Recruitment.
And not just any position, but one so high that the SPW Foundation couldn't even ascertain what it was.
These words surfaced in Jotaro's mind. Kishibe Rohan's bizarre and powerful ability was undoubtedly a highly tempting weapon in the eyes of those great power strategists.
For interrogation, intelligence gathering, even psychological warfare... its value was immeasurable, and even more terrifying, color revolution... That's right, his Stand was never meant for combat. At this moment, Jotaro seemed to understand something.
A Kishibe Rohan who was protected by his own government, and possibly even favored by American forces, was no longer the crazy manga artist who could be easily dealt with by fists.
He had become a symbol, a dangerous "strategic asset" moving in the shadows of power, a truly dangerous individual, capable of even overthrowing a nation.
"...How did things turn out this way?" Okuyasu asked blankly, the current developments exceeding his simple, direct mode of thinking. "That guy was clearly a criminal just a few days ago, locked up in the Hospital."
Jotaro looked out the window. The sky over Morioh still seemed gloomy; although the rain had stopped, another, larger, more invisible net was slowly descending.
Kishibe Rohan, this dangerous madman, had not only escaped punishment but, with the wings of power, had flown higher and become even more dangerous.
The only good thing was that he was still drawing manga at the moment, and besides some kind of development plan, he hadn't done anything else. In fact, his drawings seemed even crazier.
It seemed everything he did was truly just for his manga, to improve his manga's material, and to let more people see his manga.
But how could that be the reason? Anyway, none of them believed it.
"Yare yare daze..." Jotaro pulled down the brim of his hat, his voice low and full of determination, "No matter what he's become, as long as he's still harming the innocent, I will definitely stop him."
However, this time, the enemy was no longer just a Stand User.