Chapter 273: Steve
"Stone... Stone Mask?"
Jonathan looked at Dio in surprise: "Why are you still wearing it, Dio? And what's with the holes in it?"
"As you're about to die anyway, I'll tell you."
Dio exuded a spine-chilling aura, speaking in a frivolous and cruel tone: "Do you remember what I told you before, JoJo? I said humans have limits... No matter how much they scheme, they will ultimately be defeated by accidents. So, I want to transcend humanity."
"Haven't you already transcended humanity!?"
Jonathan couldn't help but roar.
"Of course!"
Dio abruptly raised his arms: "But... I've discovered that even a vampire's power has its limits!"
"So, you don't want to be a vampire anymore?" Speedwagon quickly said: "Then what do you want to become now? A madman? A demon? Or something even more disgusting?"
"Thanks to you, JoJo."
Ignoring Speedwagon, Dio just smiled at Jonathan: "After I became a vampire, that immense power made me arrogant. The calmness and rationality I had preserved over the past decade were clouded by power. It was your punch that woke me up."
"wryyyyyy!" Dio couldn't control himself and burst into wild laughter: "JoJo, you should have hit my head directly! Hahaha! I'm invincible now!!!"
"What do you mean?"
However, Jonathan was utterly baffled after hearing this: "Dio, what are you talking about?!"
"JoJo! Haven't you realized yet?"
Dio suddenly said: "This Stone Mask on my face... Why does it activate automatically when it gets stained with blood, and why does it turn people into vampires when inserted into the brain? I've figured it all out!"
"What?!"
Everyone was stunned.
"This thing isn't just an ordinary stone; it's a substance between mineral and organic."
Dio pointed to the Stone Mask on his face: "It's 'alive.' Every time it feeds on fresh blood, it awakens, using those strange bone spikes to penetrate the human brain, stimulating evolution towards a specific direction! Hehehe, you're only worried about who will wear the Stone Mask and become a vampire, but... have you ever thought about who created the Stone Mask?"
"It's said to be from ancient Aztec in Mexico..."
Jonathan said subconsciously.
"Is this how you study archaeology? Fool." Dio, wearing the Stone Mask, disdainfully said: "Do you think those foolish ancients knew how these bone spikes could evolve humans when inserted into the brain? And where did the material to make the Stone Mask come from? Those bone spikes don't look like mere minerals, but rather... more like our vampire bones!"
"What?"
Jonathan was utterly astounded.
"If it is said that the bone needles of the Stone Mask are made from the bones of vampires, where did the vampires come from in the absence of the Stone Mask?"
At this thought, Jonathan suddenly felt an intense unease in his heart.
"After I understood the principle of the Stone Mask, I realized something," Dio said calmly. "This world is far more complicated than we see. The supernatural powers we witness are just the tip of the iceberg. Whether it's your foolish Ripple or my Stone Mask, there must be more secrets hidden in the unknown darkness"
As he spoke, Dio's tone turned sinister: "That's why I need to bury you with my own hands, then continuously discover and control these supernatural powers in my eternal life. In the end, I, Dio, will stand above heaven!"
With that, Dio waved his hand fiercely: "Kill them, vampires!"
"Roar!!!"
The vampires let out terrifying roars and immediately launched their attack.
Some of their eyeballs burst, shooting out high-pressure liquid, while others raised firearms and continued to pull the triggers. In a moment, the scene turned into chaos. Erina, in order to protect Jonathan behind her, could only grit her teeth and bear the brunt.
"Darn it..." Speedwagon immediately gritted his teeth: "That cunning Dio, taking advantage of the moment the mage had to heal Zeppeli's wounds to strike. It's despicable, poor Lady Erina has to face the vampires alone, look, her delicate shoulders are trembling"
"If you keep spouting nonsense, you'll be the next to die."
Hearing Speedwagon's words, even Fang Mo, who was standing by, couldn't hold back and turned to him: "Can we have some professional ethics here?"
"Eh?"
Speedwagon was also stunned, seemingly not understanding why Fang Mo suddenly scolded him.
"Cunning? Despicable?"
However, before Speedwagon could react, Dio on the opposite side burst into a frenzied laugh: "In my view, these are wonderful compliments! Speedwagon, how about it... are you itching with hatred for me, Dio? Where's that arrogance you had at the Joestar mansion? Come on, show your courage and face me, you lowlife!"
"You... you bastard..."
Speedwagon trembled with rage: "I may be a weak ordinary person, but you should never underestimate my resolve and courage!"
But before he could finish, Jonathan had already swung a golden light, the intense sun's power and the thunderous Ripple intertwining, instantly annihilating nearly half of the vampires.
Even the recently resurrected ancient knights turned back into ashes in an instant.
Meanwhile, Erina also rushed up, starting to attack the remaining vampires frantically, turning the situation against Dio suddenly.
But Dio remained calm in the face of this.
"It seems that using a vampire army alone is no longer enough to stop you. Under the power of the sun and that disgusting Ripple, ordinary vampires can't even touch the hem of your clothes."
While saying this, Dio suddenly waved his hand: "But, I, Dio, have come prepared!"
As he waved his hand, numerous secret doors around the hall suddenly opened, and another group of vampires rushed out. However, they didn't attack the people, but sinisterly held up women, old men, and children in their hands.
"What... what is this..."
Speedwagon was shocked: "Hostages! Dio's evil has refreshed my understanding again, he even plans to use hostages to threaten us!?"
"All the men in this town have been turned into vampires!"
Dio laughed wildly: "As for the weak women and children, some were eaten by us, and the others were taken as hostages to threaten you, Jonathan, if you dare to move, I'll kill them all!"
"Dio!"
Jonathan's face was filled with coldness: "You... have completely lost your qualifications as a human being!"
After he finished speaking, perhaps too agitated, his wounds began to spurt blood uncontrollably, and he collapsed to his knees.
"JoJo!"
Erina cried out in concern upon seeing this.
"So he's spewing blood because of excitement?" Dio seemed pleased: "Hahaha, excellent. Then let him die of rage at my hands, Dio. Vampires start by biting off one of the hostages' arms for his enjoyment."
However, the vampires did not respond to him.
"Hm?"
Dio was taken aback.
"No, that's not it!"
Speedwagon noticed something amiss and quickly said: "JoJo isn't bleeding out of anger, he's deliberately spewing his own blood. Look... under the enhancement of Ripple and Solar Power, this blood mist is temporarily inhibiting the vampires' abilities!"
"Erina! Now's the time!"
Jonathan shouted, and Erina rushed forward like lightning, striking Dio's left chest with her palm.
A scene from seven years ago replayed. With a squelch, Dio's chest was pierced, and he screamed, flying backward, smashing through a wall.
Jonathan, seeing this, stood up, using his knife for support, and stumbled towards the hole Dio had created.
However, when he entered, he was surprised to find an armory filled with various barrels, black gunpowder scattered in the corners, and flammable items like kerosene and gas.
"You've fallen into my trap, JoJo!"
Dio, with a pierced chest, slowly rose from the ground. He was in a bad state but still smirked triumphantly: "This is my escape route, JoJo! Look at the flammable gunpowder around you. You can't use your accursed Solar Power here, can you?"
"JoJo!"
Erina wanted to rush over, but Dio suddenly roared.
"Vampires! Wake up!"
Following Dio's roar, the vampires outside, initially controlled by the blood mist, began to move again.
After all, they were just paralyzed by the blood mist. Vaporization Freezing Technique could quickly freeze the blood, and once the blood was frozen, Ripple couldn't be transmitted, so the vampires began threatening everyone with the hostages.
"Dio..."
At that moment, Jonathan seemed to make a decision and sincerely said: "As you once said, perhaps we are indeed one and the same..."
"What?"
Dio was confused by this sudden statement: "What nonsense are you spouting? Come here and let me kill you."
"We spent our entire youth together, growing and opposing each other, and I even feel a strange kind of friendship," Jonathan's expression became calm: "Now, our fates will merge completely, and then..."
"We'll perish together in this endless explosion."
After saying this, Jonathan's body suddenly ignited with a sun-like radiance.
The surrounding gunpowder was instantly ignited.
