"Heh."
Diego's lips curled up slightly as he leaned against the table in a completely unrefined manner. "I'm starting to have high hopes for you guys."
"Hm? What's this guy even saying." (mutter mutter ×2)
"I can hear you!!"
"Ahhh!!! Even though our first performance is going to be purely instrumental, I want to add a vocalist next time! Originally the singing parts were supposed to be handled by the guitarist who ran away." Nijika clutched her hair and let out a long sigh.
"I could handle everything myself, but if it keeps going like this the band will turn into my solo show and face the risk of disbanding…"
"Where do you get that confidence from… Anyway, Ryo can compose. To avoid triggering Bocchi-chan's youthful inferiority complex, Bocchi-chan can handle the lyrics."
"Then what about you?" Diego delivered a soul-piercing question.
"Next up—sales figures topic."
"Don't change the subject so naturally!"
"Anyway, until the sold seats cover the revenue, we have to front a lot of money. So, come work part-time with us, Bocchi-chan."
From Nijika's mouth, Bocchi-chan heard the most terrifying words in the world.
"Part-time job?! No… no part-time job! Society is terrifying!! I absolutely refuse to work!!" Goto Hitori trembled as she pulled a little piggy bank from her arms and handed it to Diego.
Just like Mabel… These two would probably get along great.
"This is… the marriage fund my mom saved up for me… Anyway, I won't need it. Please, please don't make me work." While sobbing, Goto Hitori tried to use her dowry money to offset the ticket sales requirement.
"Hah? What the hell, why do you carry your dowry around with you?" Diego toyed with it for a moment before tossing it to Ryo, whose eyes had turned into yen signs, and teased, "Handing over your marriage money to me so boldly—are you proposing to me?"
"Thank you, I'll make good use of it!" Ryo's eyes sparkled.
"Give it back!" ×2
"Muda muda muda muda muda muda muda… Muda!" Goto Hitori shook her head frantically, her body regressing into a soft-bodied creature.
"So repulsed by me, Dio, huh~" Diego watched Goto Hitori's futile transformation with great interest. The others didn't seem to realize that no human could possibly achieve this feat at their limits.
"Ugh… red bean paste, privacy mosaic… privacy mosaic… Someone like me has dirtied your eyes, I'm so…" Goto Hitori gradually became transparent, even breaking down into glowing little particles.
Ah, teased her too hard… You can't raise a pet like this; it feels like it'll die.
How did I raise Mabel back then?
"Alright, I won't tease you anymore. Keep your precious marriage fund." Diego gave Ryo—who was clutching the piggy bank tightly—a hand chop.
Thwack!
"Here, take it. Work hard and stop thinking about nonsense." Diego tossed the piggy bank back to Goto Hitori, then slowly leaned close to her ear and whispered:
"Put in a little more effort for my sake. If you can overcome this 'trial,' the winner will be you. You'll be the king among kings…"
Diego patted Goto Hitori's shoulder. His pupils subtly shifted into vertical slits, almost imperceptibly.
The 'trial' is something to be overcome—and crushed!
…
The sun set, and at dusk, the remaining sunlight cast its final afterglow.
Diego raised a hand to block the glaring light, shadows falling across his face as he stepped out of STARRY Performance Hall.
"Hm… time to head home."
"Yo, hisashiburi."
A familiar voice suddenly reached his ear.
Diego's body jolted. He lowered the hand shielding his eyes and looked ahead in shock.
"…For real?"
"Of course it's real. Genuine article, and feeling especially energetic right now."
"I personally broke your legs. Has SPW Foundation's medical skill advanced to the point of healing you in a single day?!"
"Wrong answer. It's the ability of the old man's illegitimate son, Josuke Higashikata's Stand. First time I've encountered such a gentle Stand—it healed me in an instant."
"So? You here for round two?"
The figure that appeared in his line of sight was that reassuring silhouette—Jotaro Kujo in his white coat. The two stood facing each other.
Abnormal physical prowess, a time-stopping Stand, an unknown magical light sword, a mysterious storage space…
"…No. I know one thing clearly: right now, we have no way to deal with you."
"Then…?"
"Even though I already believe you're not Dio, and the SPW Foundation wants to believe you too—believe you're a good person, believe you'll keep your word… But just verbal promises aren't secure enough."
Jotaro pulled the Cosmic Stone ring from his pocket and tossed it toward Diego, raising one finger in indication.
"We already believe in you 100%, but we need that extra 1% to reach 101% confidence in fulfilling your demands."
"Try picking it up!! Diego Brando!!"
Jotaro's gaze turned resolute. He summoned Cosmic, which stared fixedly at Diego's next move.
My injuries are fully healed…
As long as Diego Brando can come right up to me without putting up his guard to pick up this ring, I can believe he won't flip at the last second… and I can believe he'll protect Jolyne.
Diego remained silent, expression unreadable. He slowly walked into Star Platinum's range, crouched down—exposing all his vital points to Jotaro—and reached toward the ring.
Just before his fingers touched it, Diego suddenly spoke: "Right now I really want to spring up and attack you. Not because you're testing me—but because you threw my gift on the ground."
Star Platinum's movements tensed instantly. Its fist hovered above Diego's temple, ready to strike.
"But since you're also afraid of losing someone precious, I forgive you." Diego snatched the ring from the ground and deliberately leaned his head toward Star Platinum's fist.
"Well? Gonna smash it down?"
"…"
"So I passed, huh? Remember to remove all the surveillance equipment and people from the villa. Hand the ring to Jolyne Cujoh, you tsundere bastard."
"One last thing for you: you and the SPW Foundation got the wrong person. But looking at you, you probably wouldn't understand anyway."
Diego stood up again and walked past Jotaro step by step, leaving the motionless Jotaro standing there.
Not long after Diego left, Josuke Higashikata hurried out from his hiding spot.
Josuke scratched his head, looking frightened. "Whoa! Mr. Jotaro, that's Diego Brando? Just from his stance I could tell he's terrifyingly strong. Good thing it didn't come to a fight."
"Yeah. Good thing he's not an enemy. Now I can relax." Jotaro's expression remained grave, weighed down by something. "Let's go. These next few days we handle Angelo."
He'll die…
(Angelo: The worst, most disgusting criminal in Japanese history. At age 12 he committed multiple 🍇 and thefts. After 🍇ing and murdering three boys, he attempted to extort their families. Arrested and sentenced to death, he awakened his Stand ability and escaped prison. Currently missing.)
…
Thank your parents' blessings. If it weren't for the SPW Foundation and the Joestar family, you'd have died ten thousand times already.
Tsundere bastard… That kind of clumsy, inarticulate love—his daughter probably hates him to death…
Diego naturally knew Jotaro was testing him. The Joestar family and SPW Foundation had never truly believed in him.
But so what? As long as he acted obedient in front of them, these lofty conglomerate nobles would still have to serve this great Dio.
Did they really think Star Platinum could hurt him? Fools. With perfect dynamic vision that always sees everything one step ahead for defense—let alone a full-power strike couldn't even scratch this great Dio.
Diego would never leave his fate in anyone else's hands. In their first clash, he had already tested Star Platinum's maximum power and speed.
That was exactly why he had offered his head. Since playing nice could get him money, why not?
What he wanted was a comfortable life—not skulking around like a rat. As long as he achieved his goal, anything was fine…
"Peh. Bringing a few little bugs to try and take down this Dio? You're underestimating me!" Diego kicked a small pebble beside him, accurately hitting an innocent passerby.
"Who?!"
"You're giving me the road, yo~"
The only response to the passerby was a gust of sandy wind that blinded his eyes.
Congratulations, congratulations. A world where only the passerby gets hurt has been achieved.
…
—Hori household—
"I'm back! Hori, I bought the eggs." Using the spare key Hori had given him, Diego opened the door with practiced ease.
"Ah, welcome home! …Eh?! Why did you bring back a little sister?" Hori trotted over to greet him. Just as she reached to take the groceries, she asked in surprise.
The little girl didn't look well—her whole face flushed, constantly breaking out in cold sweat. She seemed delirious, mumbling "Mama" in a daze.
"She's sick?"
"She has a scumbag father. Even though his daughter has a high fever, he still let her run around outside. I wanted to help her out. Plus, she can keep Sota company."
"I'll get the first-aid kit. Wait a minute."
Hori hurriedly went to fetch the home medical kit. While she was gone, Diego summoned The World.
"The World! Time that belongs only to me! 5 seconds! Scary Monsters!"
Time stopped flowing.
Diego transformed into a dinosaur, waved his large hand, and turned a Cosmic Stone ring into a dinosaur version, slipping it onto Jolyne's pinky finger.
To prevent accidents like the one with Takanashi Rikka, Diego always stopped time before performing any dinosaur transformations to avoid being seen.
The next second, the Cosmic Stone on the ring sprouted hook-like barbs similar to those on a Stone Mask, piercing into Jolyne's pinky.
"42-degree fever… Jotaro Kujo, I really don't like you. Forcibly adding protection… completely ignoring Jolyne Cujoh's tough mental resilience…"
By turning her into a dinosaur, her constitution and immunity would be enhanced, helping her better endure this painful period.
Time began to flow again.
"Dio, hurry and put her on the bed. I boiled some medicine—feed it to her now." Hori came over sweating profusely, carrying a bowl of medicine.
"Got it. I'll get some water to put on her forehead and bring the fever down."
Diego placed Jolyne Cujoh on the bed, then turned to the kitchen for water, leaving behind a reliable back view.
On the bed, Jolyne Cujoh cracked her eyes open in a haze, looking at that golden back and murmuring:
"Di…"
"Oh right, Hori, there's something important I need to tell you."
"What is it?"
"Well… I bought a house… So, thanks for everything during this time. Starting tonight, I won't need to stay over anymore."
"…That's great."
I don't want Dio to leave…
…
At the same time, across the Atlantic.
The SPW Foundation was in complete chaos. They had just received a call from Mrs. Kujo saying that Dr. Jotaro's daughter had been abducted.
Late that evening, a blond kid burst into Dr. Jotaro's home, scooped up Jolyne Cujoh in his arms, and declared: "Jotaro Kujo, I shall raise your daughter. Have no worries."
But what baffled the SPW Foundation was that Mrs. Kujo—who usually doted on her daughter—was unusually calm this time. It was almost as if… she was certain Jolyne Cujoh would not be harmed…