Chapter 221. DIO's Stand Ability is... Controlling Stairs?!
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What just happened?
Or rather, why did Polnareff step back!?
The words he spoke, along with the fighting spirit emanating from him, shouldn't have led him to retreat!
Not only were the viewers who had been eagerly awaiting Polnareff's battle with DIO shocked, but even Polnareff himself, within "Stardust Crusaders", stared in stunned silence at the step that now seemed to be behind him.
"This...I definitely took a step forward...didn't I...!?"
His words were fragmented, his voice uneasy.
Even without seeing the cold sweat on Polnareff's face, it was easy to imagine just how shaken he was at this moment.
Why?
Was it a Stand attack?
But how?
Did DIO make any move to activate his Stand?
Polnareff was absolutely certain his senses were razor-sharp! Like someone watching a horror film alone at night, even the slightest movement should have been clear to him in this tense state.
And yet, he saw nothing?
He was forced back without even a flicker of doubt—a terror beyond any horror story!
"What's wrong? You're wavering, Polnareff. This wavering...does it mean you still fear me?"
DIO's calm voice drifted to Polnareff, peeling back a layer of his most unwilling truths, "Or perhaps, deep down, you truly want to move forward but are so terrified your body unconsciously retreats?"
"..."
…
"A Stand attack! This has to be a Stand attack!"
Unlike the questioning Polnareff, who was nearly paralyzed with fear, the viewers watching as unseen observers were far clearer on what was happening.
Knowing the nature of a full-dive story, they quickly realized that DIO's actions weren't a filming error.
It was all within the story's design!
What kind of power could create such an impossible effect within "Stardust Crusaders"?
Only a Stand could.
The audience ignored the possibility that DIO might be speaking the truth. They knew his character too well to trust his words. Furthermore, having seen Polnareff's recent resolve in his dedicated episode, they couldn't believe he'd submit so easily to DIO's intimidating aura.
Besides, if Polnareff were truly afraid, he wouldn't still be trying so hard to step forward and reach DIO!
But then...
"Wait, isn't DIO's Stand supposed to be similar to [Hermit Purple], like some kind of vine-like Stand?"
"Why is he showing such a completely different Stand power!?"
Unable to hold back his doubts, Sora murmured.
He felt like his brain was short-circuiting, and even lacked the energy to turn to Shiro for clarification.
Because this was different.
As the final boss of "Stardust Crusaders", and marked as the main antagonist since the beginning, DIO had been clashing with Jotaro's group from the very first episode, even if indirectly.
Not only through Stand assassins sent to attack them but also through the psychic transmission duels between DIO and Joseph's [Hermit Purple].
Joseph wanted to use psychic to locate DIO, while DIO, having a similar Stand, could sense this psychic connection, interfere with Joseph's readings, and even transmit his own psychic back to reveal Joseph's location!
This was why, despite multiple travel changes and routes, DIO's Stand users could always locate and ambush Jotaro's group.
[Hermit Purple], as one of the most powerful intelligence-gathering Stands, could materialize information the Stand user didn't even know, demonstrating its terrifying utility!
But more than that, everything, from indirect clues to literal appearances, pointed to DIO possessing a similar Stand to [Hermit Purple].
So, why was DIO now displaying this power that looked nothing like [Hermit Purple]?
"Brother, stairs and psychic," Shiro said as he tugged on Sora's sleeve, pointing at the scene.
"Stairs and psychic? …Could it be!?"
Sora's eyes suddenly widened, his confusion melting into realization thanks to Shiro's clue.
"I see, that's it, Shiro!" He smiled confidently. "It takes both of us to make an unbeatable team!"
The secret of DIO's Stand had been cracked!
"Think about it—just as each Stand user only has one Stand, DIO's must also be the [Hermit Purple]-like Stand we saw before—[The World]."
"My confusion was exactly that—[Hermit Purple] could really have such a power?"
"In fact, [Hermit Purple]'s powers make it possible!"
Looking at DIO's confident expression in "Stardust Crusaders", Sora mirrored the same confidence, saying, "Just as Joseph used psychic to create a sand map, DIO simply psychic-imbued the floor!"
"Yes! This eerie Stand power—DIO's true ability—is controlling stairs! He can control the stairs with his Stand power!!"