Boom!
Before the Stardust Crusaders could even make a move, a figure came crashing through the floor—blasted down from the upper levels of the mansion.
For a split second, everyone thought it was Mr. Borsalino, struck by DIO's counterattack.
Luckily, the battle-hardened Joseph reacted instantly, grabbing Polnareff and stopping him from rushing forward in a panic.
"Good grief… that was dangerous. I almost got killed there."
Another figure leapt down from above.
It was Borsalino—smiling as ever.
Despite enduring the collapse of the mansion and multiple direct clashes with DIO, he wasn't injured in the slightest. Not only that—his floral shirt and beach shorts were still spotless.
Compared to the Stardust Crusaders, who had just ganged up on Vanilla Ice and were now covered head to toe in dust and debris from the collapse, the difference was obvious to anyone with eyes.
"Bastard! What kind of monster are you?!"
DIO clawed his way out of the crater he'd been smashed into, his limbs twisted at unnatural angles as he glared at Borsalino in disbelief.
Speed, strength, defense—every single one of them utterly eclipsed his own.
A being with no discernible weakness… if that wasn't a monster, then what was?
"What… What's going on? That guy is DIO, right?"
Polnareff felt his brain short-circuiting.
Wasn't this supposed to go like this?
Borsalino fights alone, gets ambushed, ends up gravely wounded—then they swoop in at the last moment, save him from DIO, everyone joins forces, defeats the monster, and rolls credits with a happy ending.
So why was it DIO falling from the sky, beaten half to death, screaming about Borsalino being a monster instead?!
And Polnareff wasn't the only one stunned.
Even Joseph—who'd seen just about everything in his long life—had to admit this was a first.
"I find that a bit unfair. I really don't want to be called a monster by someone whose head can fall off without killing him."
Borsalino scratched his hair, putting on an innocent, troubled look.
That expression was the final straw.
In DIO's long—very long—life, he had never encountered someone like this. Someone he couldn't beat, couldn't intimidate, couldn't even properly insult.
He was a hundred times more infuriating than Jonathan ever was.
"Die! Za Warudo! Muda muda muda muda—!"
DIO roared in fury, unleashing his Stand once again.
In the frozen world of stopped time, the diver-like Stand unleashed a relentless barrage of punches against Borsalino.
Useless.
Just like every attack before, fists capable of shattering steel plates slammed into Borsalino's body—yet didn't even ruffle a single strand of his hair.
That pitch-black, unknown substance coating his body was like mythical armor, shielding him completely from harm.
Then—whether intentionally or not—DIO's Stand suddenly lifted its leg and kicked straight toward Borsalino's groin.
Given that everything else had failed, the kick was more spite than strategy.
Bang!
What DIO never expected—
Was that in the very last second of the time stop, when Borsalino should have been utterly immobile—
Borsalino suddenly moved.
He kicked back.
The Stand was sent flying—and along with it, DIO himself was launched away, tumbling across the ground in a series of violent rolls.
"Hey. That's not okay."
Borsalino looked genuinely annoyed.
Even if it couldn't hurt him, this was a matter concerning little Nami's future happiness. This was not something to joke about.
"That's impossible! Time stopped! Why can you still move?!"
DIO lay on the ground, half-buried, screaming in shock and terror.
Time stop was his ultimate trump card—his greatest pride.
And it had just been rendered meaningless.
"Well… how should I explain this…"
Borsalino tilted his head.
"It's kind of complicated, so let's keep it simple. When you reach the speed of light, time theoretically stops. So for me—time stop doesn't really work."
Relativity was hard to explain. This was the simplest version.
The time stop was ineffective against him.
Of course, true time reversal was still beyond him—at least for now.
"That's impossible! Humans can't reach the speed of light! You're lying—no, you're a monster!"
DIO's mental state completely collapsed.
He didn't believe a word about light speed or time theory—but the fact that Borsalino could act freely during stopped time was undeniable.
And worse—
With time stopped rendered useless, the very foundation of DIO's confidence crumbled.
"We can't let Mr. Borsalino fight alone! Everyone—attack!"
From Kakyoin's perspective, he had no idea what had just happened during those frozen five seconds.
All he saw was DIO's Stand suddenly appear in front of Borsalino, attempt an attack—and get kicked away.
To him, that was the signal.
Emerald-green Stand energy flared to life.
"Then let's go! Silver Chariot!"
The Stardust Crusaders didn't hesitate.
One by one, they unleashed their Stands and charged DIO.
DIO nearly lost his mind.
The one fighting alone here was him.
Did these people have no conscience at all?!
Hadn't they seen how badly he'd been beaten by that monster?!
How could they still have the heart to gang up on him?!
But then—
DIO realized something.
This was actually a golden opportunity.
That monster might be immune to his attacks and time stop—but the others weren't.
If he could seize a hostage, he could threaten them into letting him escape—or even force them to turn on each other.
"Give me enough time, and I'll find that monster's weakness!"
DIO had no shame about retreating.
If you couldn't win and didn't run, were you just supposed to wait around and die?
And even if he truly couldn't find Borsalino's weakness—
He still had a final trump card.
Worst case, he'd sink back into the ocean and sleep for another hundred years.
If he couldn't beat Jonathan Joestar, did he really think he couldn't handle Kujo Jotaro a century later?
Reinvigorated by his own thoughts, DIO let out a savage grin and summoned his Stand once more.
"Za Warudo!"
Avoiding Borsalino entirely, the diver-like Stand shot forward in the frozen world—charging straight toward the Stardust Crusaders, who were locked in place like insects trapped in amber.
This time, DIO was fully prepared for Borsalino's interference.
Yet—
To his shock—
That monster just stood there.
Completely motionless.
As if he didn't care in the slightest that his companions were about to fall into DIO's hands.
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