Under the cover of night, Jonathan suggested going out for a walk to enjoy the evening breeze.
Erina was a bit shy, but still nodded in agreement to his request. Together, they left the hospital and wandered aimlessly on the deserted streets nearby, enjoying a peaceful moment undisturbed.
However, it wasn't long before Jonathan suddenly noticed a strange person by the road.
It was a man in a white suit, wearing a top hat, and sporting a pair of neatly trimmed small mustaches. He was just standing by the roadside, quietly staring at them.
"What's wrong, JoJo?" Erina, who had noticed Jonathan's expression, asked.
It's worth mentioning that Erina, now possessing the body of a demigod, was much stronger in both strength and perception than Jonathan, so she had also noticed the odd man.
She quietly clenched her fists and asked Jonathan in a low voice, "Is that guy an 'enemy'?"
If Jonathan nodded, Erina was ready to rush into battle immediately.
After all, she was no longer the same little girl she had been years ago.
Realizing that medicine couldn't save the Joestar family, Erina had unhesitatingly begun martial training. Fortunately, her father was a wealthy doctor who used his connections to find her many famous teachers. Now, Erina was a true warrior.
"I'm not sure if he's an enemy," Jonathan admitted, scratching his head in confusion. "I don't know him, but he seems to be staring at me."
However, before Erina could say more, the strange man suddenly spoke: "Jonathan Joestar, and the lady beside you, Erina Pendleton."
"Who are you?" Jonathan immediately became alert upon hearing his name called out.
"I didn't expect you to survive after combating the power of the Stone Mask," said the mustached man in the white suit. He suddenly charged at Jonathan like lightning, aiming a rapid strike with his little finger at the junction of Jonathan's chest and abdomen while making a strange noise: "Huang!"
"That's fast!" Jonathan's pupils shrank as he instinctively raised his hand to defend.
However, Erina was quicker. Just as the mustached man's attack was halfway through, a pale hand swiftly grabbed his wrist.
"What?!" The man seemed surprised, instinctively turning to Erina.
"What do you want to do to my JoJo?" Erina's face, which was usually innocent, grew cold, and a powerful aura began to emanate from her, almost solidifying and causing her golden hair to flutter as if in a breeze.
Just looking at her, one could feel a kingly aura, so oppressive it was hard to breathe.
"This..." The man was taken aback.
Almost instinctively, he tried to break free from her grip, but her soft, pale hand tightened like an iron clamp, making his bones creak.
"It seems you really are an enemy," Erina said, her gaze sharp. She then motioned behind her, and a streak of silver light, like a shooting star, fell from the sky into her hand, transforming into a splendidly shining greatsword. Erina raised the sword, ready to strike.
"Wait! Wait a minute!"
Witnessing this scene, the little mustached man couldn't hold back any longer and hurriedly said, "I am Baron Zeppeli! I am a Ripple user here to investigate the truth about the Stone Mask! I am not your enemy!"
"Stone Mask?"
Hearing the little mustached man, or rather, Baron Zeppeli's words, Jonathan paused, then quickly grabbed Erina: "Wait, Erina, he seems not to be an enemy."
"But he just attacked you."
Erina, staring intently at Baron Zeppeli, spoke seriously and cautiously: "The gentlemen who taught me fighting skills said that mercy towards an enemy is cruelty to oneself. Some people, when they find they can't win in a fight, try to be cunning in other ways, using their words…"
However, before Erina could finish, suddenly a voice rang out.
"Is the person you're looking for named 'Joseph Joestar'?"
Everyone turned towards the voice and saw Fang Mo approaching, continuously saying: "Your great-grandson, the historic man who split the Ripple technique into two skills, if he can win he uses Ripple, if not, he runs…"
"Teacher Steve?"
Seeing Fang Mo approaching, Jonathan was also startled: "You didn't go to rest?"
"I was resting, but suddenly I sensed the presence of a Ripple user and came out of curiosity."
"Ripple user?"
Erina looked curiously at Baron Zeppeli: "What does that mean?"
"Let him go, Erina, he's a good man." Fang Mo instructed Erina: "As everyone knows, the Zeppeli family is full of loyal martyrs…"
"Mr. Steve knows him?"
Hearing this, Erina obediently released her hold.
Baron Zeppeli quickly withdrew his hand, which in less than a minute had already bruised, indicating the immense strength of his captor.
Had she wished, she could have broken his wrist in an instant.
Baron Zeppeli was internally shocked at this thought. How could her strength be greater than a vampire's? How was she trained?
But this was something Baron Zeppeli clearly couldn't comprehend, so he began to use his Ripple breathing technique to heal himself, and in the blink of an eye, the marks on his hand began to fade and disappear, which surprised Jonathan.
"Cough cough... I apologize, it was my impoliteness."
After healing his wrist, Baron Zeppeli slightly lowered his head: "Let me reintroduce myself. My name is William A. Zeppeli, a Ripple user here concerning the Stone Mask."
"That strange stone mask?"
Jonathan asked: "What does Ripple user mean? Are you... also a magician?"
"One question at a time, JoJo."
Baron Zeppeli said: "The Stone Mask I mentioned is the one passed down in your family, the cursed mask that can turn a human into a complete monster. If it falls into the hands of someone evil, it would be a disaster for the whole world. I've spent half my life chasing it... until recently, when I learned it was in your possession."
"I'm sorry, perhaps it's already too late."
Jonathan, hearing this, couldn't help saying: "Dio... he has already become that kind of monster, he took the Stone Mask, I don't know where he fled to."
"I know."
Zeppeli nodded: "Maybe all this is fate's arrangement, you two are destined to have a duel of fate. But I must remind you, JoJo, courage alone is not enough to win against a vampire."
"I will defeat Dio."
Jonathan clenched his fists, resolutely saying: "I have not only courage but also the magic taught by my teacher. Now, Erina and Danny will fight alongside me, and we will surely stop him from doing more evil."
"Magic..."
Hearing this, Zeppeli subconsciously glanced at Fang Mo.
"What are you looking at me for? Want a secret code?" Fang Mo also looked at Baron Zeppeli: "Well, okay, the hymn of humanity is a hymn of courage."
"The greatness of humanity is the courage of the grea... Wait."
Zeppeli felt something stir in his DNA and almost spoke out, but then he realized something was wrong and quickly adjusted his forehead: "That's not what I meant. Magician, I have a question for you. Did you previously raise a dragon?"
"Oh, right."
Hearing Zeppeli's words, Fang Mo also remembered: "My child caused trouble before, but I've already severely disciplined her. After I finish up here, I will personally apologize to that Ripple master."
"No worries, Master Tonpetty was not angry."
Zeppeli shook his head: "On the contrary, he was quite happy. With your participation, neither the men of the pillars nor the vampires will threaten this world anymore. Many people's destinies will be rewritten, which is a blessing. For this, he is willing to offer you the Redstone of Aja."
"Is that so?"
Fang Mo nodded, realizing that Master Tonpetty really had some skills, at least in fortune-telling. But could he help predict something for himself, like how to get home?
"Hmm, I should visit him when I have time."
Touching his chin, Fang Mo made up his mind, then turned to Jonathan: "By the way, JoJo, next you should learn the Ripple technique from Mr. Zeppeli. It should be helpful to you."
"Ripple? What is that?"
Jonathan asked curiously: "Is it another kind of magic, teacher?"
"...Sort of?"
Fang Mo subconsciously touched his head. To be honest, this Ripple breathing technique sounds quite scientific, but its principles are all magical. Calling it magic is not wrong: "Anyway, it's compatible with what you're learning now. Learning it could be very beneficial for you, and you might even combine magic and Ripple to create the power of vibration. Otherwise, you'll always be the weakest in the team... which is hard for me as your teacher."
"Ah? I'm the weakest in the team?"
Jonathan was stunned by this. It was one thing for Erina to be stronger than him, but was he even weaker than Danny? That was quite disheartening.
"The so-called Ripple is actually a method of generating power through breathing."
Baron Zeppeli, hearing this, also gave Jonathan a brief explanation: "I didn't mean to attack you just now. I wanted to poke your diaphragm with my finger to make you breathe in a special way, but... I was stopped by Lady Erina."
"Sorry, I didn't mean to..."
Erina apologized with her head lowered.
"It's fine." Zeppeli generously waved his hand, then turned his gaze to a river nearby, locking onto a toad: "Anyway, let me show you first the charm of Ripple..."
But before he could approach, suddenly a hand rested on his shoulder.
"Hmm?"
Zeppeli turned around in confusion, finding Fang Mo, the one stopping him.
"In this world," Fang Mo said solemnly, "I advise you not to attack 'toads'..."
~~~
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