When did that happen?
The audience outside the light curtain stared with wide-open eyes.
The Drum Demon Kyogai's abilities had certainly captured their attention, but... as the protagonist of the viewing, Dio always had someone's eyes fixed on him, no matter when or where.
Dio had clearly been thrown against the wall by the inverted house, so how was he able to appear at Kyogai's left side at a speed invisible to the naked eye?
Was it simply his speed and reflexes?
---o---
[Light Curtain Comments]
[Elysia: "I didn't see it clearly. Can we get a replay? It's impossible for a human to be that fast." ]
[Bronya Zaychik: "No need for a replay. The Bronya has already had Project Bunny slow down the footage by over a thousand times. He seems to have vanished into thin air, reappearing behind the demon without any transition. It was like teleportation." ]
[Noriaki Kakyoin: "Teleportation? Could that be the power of Dio's Stand?"]
[DIO: "Hmph. Kakyoin, are you trying to investigate my Stand's ability? Even after learning that I, Dio, am a man of destiny, you still haven't given up on being my enemy?"]
Somewhere in Egypt, Dio, seeing himself appear on the light curtain, was exceptionally thrilled. Fate was ultimately on his side. All the efforts of the Joestar family were useless, useless! He, Dio, had already seized the final victory.
---o---
[Light Curtain]
Dio's sudden appearance left Kyogai at a complete loss. Astonishment and fear filled the pupils marked with the characters for "Lower Rank."
His hands beat frantically against the six demonic drums embedded in his body. The more urgent the drumming, the faster the room spun.
However... after a brief flurry of five or six strikes, his hands dropped limply to his sides.
Cold sweat dripped from his forehead, his face a mask of shock. He stared fixedly at Dio.
The kaleidoscopic rotation of the room was now meaningless. The man before him... had completely neutralized his Blood Demon Art.
"ゴゴゴゴゴゴ"
Perhaps for artistic effect, these symbols appeared on the light curtain. From Kyogai's perspective, the man named Dio... was floating in mid-air.
With his arms crossed, he looked down upon the demon before him, a golden aura emanating from within his body.
"What's wrong? Are you not continuing? While it's not very pleasant as an instrument, it's sufficient for a bit of amusement."
The first time... this was the first time Kyogai had ever encountered such a terrifying opponent. There was no hope of victory. Not even the elite Demon Slayers had inspired a fraction of this fear in him.
"I... have lost." Kneeling on the ground, Kyogai knew that to continue struggling would only mean death.
His head hung low as he pleaded, "You're a demon too, aren't you? That man does not permit us to kill each other. These two humans are yours. Please, spare my life."
Although he was deeply unwilling, the demon before him was far stronger than any demon he knew, save for Lord Muzan himself.
Even without the mark of the Twelve Kizuki in his eyes, he had to be one of Lord Muzan's trusted generals, completely different from an abandoned creature like himself...
So Kyogai thought. The immense power Dio displayed made him subconsciously think of the Demon King, Muzan Kibutsuji. How much of the Demon King's blood must one receive to become this powerful?
He didn't know, but... Dio had to be a loyal subordinate of the Demon King. Otherwise, he wouldn't possess such strength.
"...'That man'?" Dio repeated, a flicker of interest in his eyes. To Kyogai's utter shock, he continued, "I see. So there are other vampires like me in this world?"
"You... you are not one of his subordinates?" Kyogai's eyes were filled with disbelief. It was impossible. Every demon was absolutely subservient to Lord Muzan. There couldn't be a lone demon operating outside of Muzan's control.
Wait... he said 'vampires like me'. Could it be...
Before he could voice his suspicion, Dio's calm yet menacing voice echoed in his ear. "It seems you've misunderstood something..."
Though the voice was magnetic, it carried a sweet danger that made one shiver.
"There can only be one emperor standing at the pinnacle of the world! And ko no DIO da is this world's true emperor!"
That's right. The world had no need for two ultimate beings. He, Dio, was the most perfect vampire. All others could only be his vassals.
"Your ability interests me. Come into my, Dio's, embrace. I will grant you even greater power."
"Hasn't 'that man' you speak of already abandoned you?"
"I'll give you one chance. Take a few steps back, stand outside the door, and kneel to me in loyalty, and I will consider you my companion. On the other hand... if you feel you've lived for too long, then by all means, come forward."
The sweet, dangerous words echoed in Kyogai's ears. He had assumed Dio was one of Lord Muzan's servants, but he never imagined... that Dio was an existence on par with Lord Muzan himself.
To be taken in as a subordinate by a Demon King who was seemingly equal to Lord Muzan should have been an honor.
But... Dio was too arrogant. Not only did he look down on him from the very beginning, but he also kept his foot planted on the manuscript that Kyogai treasured.
This crossed Kyogai's line. Those pages, which his editor had called trash, were his precious creations. He would not allow anyone, not even Lord Muzan, to trample on them like this.
Although stepping forward meant death, Kyogai was prepared. He still feared Dio, but for the sake of his conviction, he moved forward.
However... the result was that he found himself moving backward.
Dio, arms still crossed, laughed out loud. "Hahaha, you're retreating? It seems you do want to become my, Dio's, companion after all."
The Drum Demon's heart skipped a beat. Pushing through his fear, he took a second step forward, only to find himself back where he started. This left him utterly bewildered.
Why? Why was he always retreating when he was trying to walk forward?
Not just him, but the audience outside the light curtain was also confused. Kyogai was no good person, but his inner thoughts had already shown his resolve. Yet now, he couldn't even control his own body.
Was the fear inspired by Dio really so potent?
"What's wrong? You're wavering. Making such a choice must mean you're afraid, doesn't it? Or is it that your mind is so set on moving forward that your body, out of sheer terror, has unconsciously retreated?"
Kyogai didn't answer. He had no idea what was happening. Refusing to believe it, the demon mustered his courage once more and charged directly at Dio. But after just a few steps, he was back in his original spot again.
At this point, the audience definitely knew something was wrong. It didn't seem like Kyogai was retreating of his own will; rather, his body was moving uncontrollably.
Furthermore, he had been in a running pose, yet in the next instant, he was back to his original standing position. This in itself was a bizarre phenomenon.
It further convinced the audience that Dio's power was not limited to mere physical strength. He possessed a much more mysterious and powerful ability...
At the same time, Dio's voice rang out from the light curtain:
"Everyone lives to overcome anxiety and fear in order to attain peace of mind. Whether it's fighting for fame and fortune, dominating others, or earning money, it's all for the sake of peace of mind."
Taking two steps to the side, Dio leaned against the wall, his perfect physique on full display, his villainous aura growing richer and more powerful.
He then began to brainwash Kyogai. "Getting married or making friends is also for peace of mind. Striving for peace is, in reality, just another excuse to secure one's own peace of mind. You could say that people live for peace of mind."
"Do you feel at peace right now? The pain of being abandoned, the agony of not being acknowledged—haven't you experienced enough? In the eyes of humans, you are a demon. In the eyes of that vampire, you are a tool that can be discarded at any time."
"If that's the case, what's wrong with pledging your allegiance to me? Come to my side. I can grant you eternal peace of mind."
"Acting as you are now, attacking me with the resolve to die—doesn't that just make you feel even more anxious?"
The string of words played over and over in Kyogai's ears like a hypnotic suggestion, plunging him into deep self-doubt.
When he came to his senses, Kyogai's expression grew even more tense, sweat pouring down his face. He felt that he had already unconsciously surrendered to Dio.
"You are an excellent zombie. It would be a waste to kill you. Why not leave the one who abandoned you and pledge eternal loyalty to me? I will bestow upon you permanent peace of mind!"
The cold words carried a hint of dangerous sweetness. Kyogai admitted... he was moved. Dio's words were a revelation, like a student struggling in an exam who suddenly glimpses the solution on the paper of the genius next to them.
As a human, his work was unappreciated. Editors, readers, no one believed in him. As a demon, he was stripped of his title in the Twelve Kizuki and heartlessly abandoned by that man.
His entire life had been filled with anxiety; he had never once tasted peace of mind.
One step back... two steps back... the moment he chose to retreat, everything was decided. He could no longer muster any will to resist the man before him.
His body and soul had already been conquered by the vampire king named Dio.
His knees hit the floor as he performed a deep prostration. The former Lower Rank Six of the Twelve Kizuki chose to betray the Demon King, Muzan Kibutsuji, who had turned him into a demon, and instead submit to another mysterious and powerful demon king.
No, more accurately, Dio was not a demon king. That title was insufficient to describe his beauty and power. If Kyogai had to describe him, perhaps only the words 'Emperor of the World' could express his reverence and loyalty to Dio.
"Ho ho, have you finally made your decision?" Dio's tone seemed to become more cheerful, but he quickly reined it in.
He slowly bent down and picked up the 'worthless' manuscript from the floor, carefully reading its contents.
Then, he walked over to Kyogai, who was still prostrated, not daring to move an inch.
A slight smile played on Dio's lips. "Raise your head. As my subordinate, you only need to show me respect on specific occasions."
The moment Kyogai raised his head, the very manuscript page that Dio had stepped on was presented before him.
As he looked on with a nervous, almost panicked expression, Dio spoke slowly with a hint of apology, "Forgive me. I did not realize its significance to you at first. I hope this will not affect the friendship between us."
He then placed the manuscript in Kyogai's hands. At that moment... in Kyogai's eyes, Dio's figure instantly became colossal.
So it wasn't intentional. So his new master would actually show respect to a servant. This was something Muzan Kibutsuji could never give him. Peace of mind... was this what peace of mind felt like?
If his earlier submission contained a trace of fear for Dio's power, now his loyalty was absolute, from his heart to his very cells.
This was a loyalty that would never waver, even if Dio later fell into peril, even if Dio were to die. This demon had resolved to give everything he had to the master before him.
"Lord DIO... I... I, Kyogai... from this day forward, I am yours to command!"
It was done. Upon seeing the look in Kyogai's eyes, Dio knew he had obtained his first loyal servant in this world.
Raising his right hand, Dio unhesitatingly plunged his fingertips into Kyogai's neck. The demon showed no intention of resisting, allowing Dio to erase Muzan's blood from his body, even though the process was excruciating.
And Dio, despite his body not having fully fused with Jonathan's, still carelessly injected some of his own blood into Kyogai, not even bothering to render the original Muzan blood harmless.
The transfusion was complete. Kyogai's appearance was renewed. His dejected aura was replaced with a vibrant vitality. He no longer needed to consume humans. The power bestowed upon him by Lord Dio was greater than that gained from devouring the flesh and blood of hundreds, even thousands, of humans!
Kyogai, now empowered, remained kneeling. His body had grown a full size larger, approaching three meters in height, yet he maintained his posture of looking up at Dio.
For the man before him was Dio, the one and only master of his life!
---o---
Author's Note:
PS: Thank you all for your support. This chapter was specially sponsored by Dio's Bread Shop.