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Chapter 96. Absolutely! Easily Possible!
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The changes occurring within the Green Dolphin Studio didn't draw much attention from many people.
For the audience engrossed in "Battle Tendency," the only thing that felt a bit off was the fact that Pucci's name had mysteriously vanished from the staff credits at some point.
Had it been any other time, the viewers—who had been following the "JOJO" series for its consistently excellent OP production and the spoilers in the OP content that corresponded with the plot—might have noticed something different after the airing of "BLOODY STREAM." But they were all too captivated by the unfolding events in "Battle Tendency."
—"The Pillar Men".
These are the new bosses in "Battle Tendency," the second part of the series, replacing the vampires.
Despite their overwhelmingly superior abilities compared to humans, their mindset was such that they never saw humans as a threat.
Much like how a human with a gun, riding a tank with plenty of ammunition, wouldn't fear snarling lions or tigers, the Pillar Men didn't hold any reverence for humans.
So when Santana first appeared, despite briefly showcasing his powers, Joseph and his group were able to exploit this mindset to seal him away.
Even then, the remaining quarter of Santana's body was taken by Speedwagon to the SPW Foundation, where it was kept under constant ultraviolet light for research.
But this initial show of weakness did nothing to hide the true power of the Pillar Men. After all, when the German forces dealt with Santana, they used every conventional weapon they had—except for Ripple, they tried guns, bombs, and more.
Yet, these weapons, which had been somewhat effective against the vampire Straizo, proved as useless as children's toys against Santana.
The disparity and contrast in this power naturally made the audience realize just how formidable the Pillar Men were.
However, just when they thought that the Pillar Men, while surpassing vampires in power, were still not as troublesome due to their arrogance, the latest episode of "Battle Tendency" proved them completely wrong.
Why were the Pillar Men so confident, so dismissive of humanity? It's because, when you've destroyed an entire ecosystem, it's easy to look down on the few surviving rare species.
To the Pillar Men, that's exactly their mentality.
Ripple warriors, charging forward with cries of friendship, bonds, and the future, even if they've lost an arm or an eye—these Ripple warriors were already wiped out by the Pillar Men millennia ago!
Unlike Santana, who was just a stronger vampire without techniques like the Vaporization Freezing Technique or the Space Ripper Stingy Eyes, the three Pillar Men who awakened from beneath Rome truly demonstrated why they stood at the top of the food chain.
Just one of them, with only a casual attack and not even fully serious, was enough to completely crush Caesar and his meticulously planned finishing move!
Facing such powerful Pillar Men, could Joseph, in such a dire situation, still use human wisdom to create a miracle?
No.
Absolutely not!
Joseph, who used all his strength, exhausted all his wits, and even carefully targeted Wamuu's psychological weaknesses, could only buy a temporary reprieve—just extending his deadline by one month.
This sense of insurmountable despair finally reminded the audience that they were watching "JOJO's Bizarre Adventure"...
Enemies that defy logic, and protagonists who, even though trembling with fear, still muster the courage to take a step forward in the face of such enemies.
The audience, who had been laughing at the absurdity thanks to Joseph's antics, were finally reminded of this theme that had nearly slipped their minds.
And this is why the audience suddenly stopped wondering why Pucci's name had disappeared from the staff credits.
Because now, all their attention was focused on the story of "Battle Tendency"!
They were fully immersed in the urgency of Joseph's situation, knowing that if he couldn't defeat Esidisi and Wamuu within thirty-three days and obtain the antidote from their nose rings and lip rings, he would die from the poison implanted by the wedding rings of death.
After all, they only had a short thirty-three days of training left to reverse their previous helplessness. Could Joseph and his friends really do it in such a short time?
"This is..."
"What's wrong? Try to make me move aside!"
Concentrating Ripple energy on his fingers, Joseph used this gathered energy to neutralize Esidisi's Pillar Man body, which could devour flesh and blood. He confidently declared, "The only time I step aside is when there's shit in the road!"
Psshhh----!!
The golden glow of Ripple energy not only neutralized Esidisi's body but, with Joseph's continuous increase in power following his declaration, his fingers pierced right through Esidisi's body.
The Ripple broke through the Pillar Man's skin defense and successfully channeled destructive energy into Esidisi's body!
This was the answer to the earlier question—
Yes, absolutely! Easily possible!!
Even as Esidisi reacted, preparing to grab Joseph's fingers and break his wrist before the Ripple could destroy his cells, Joseph's answer to the question in his heart remained the same!
"A military text from an ancient eastern kingdom, written 2,500 years ago, known as "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu, states: 'Victorious warriors win first and then go to war.'"
"In other words, before the battle even starts, you must secretly and carefully plan your strategies without the enemy's knowledge!"
Using a pre-prepared wire soaked in plant oil, which effectively conducted Ripple energy, Joseph sliced off Esidisi's arm and delivered a powerful Ripple-filled kick, evaporating the severed limb completely. He then smugly smiled at Esidisi and said, "You may have lived longer, but when it comes to tactical thinking, you absolutely can't outplay me!"
You can't outplay someone who, as a weaker individual trying to defeat a stronger opponent, has been sharpened by cunning and has developed something called "wisdom"!