Three hours after reincarnation
Jotaro stood alone at his table, counting his winnings. The small pile of cash before him was resting on the table, a testament to his success.
Anyone hearing that the first thing he did after obtaining a stand as powerful as Star Platinum was using it to cheat at poker might be disappointed. But Jotaro couldn't care less. After all, he had already accepted this new reality, with only a few dollars in his pocket and no idea what kind of world he'd been thrust into, making money was a top priority.
Sleeping on the streets was not an option.
But as Jotaro kept himself busy by counting his earnings, a voice interrupted him.
"To think someone would use it like this," a deep voice was heard, tone tinged with both amusement and judgment.
Jotaro's sharp eyes darted up, his muscles tensing.
'What the—?'
In front of him, at the same table, stood a new figure. A tall man, his chin resting on his hand as he kept a bored expression on his face. Short black hair, strong face, and green eyes. A faint scar on the right side of his lips and casual clothes helped create a rugged appearance. However his presence unnerved Jotaro.
'When did he get here?'
Jotaro was no stranger to being watched. In his past life, his youthful appearance often drew stares whenever he tried to buy alcohol or enter a bar so he had made a habit of taking notice when people looked his way. Yet, this guy had appeared so silently that it felt almost supernatural, like a ghost materializing out of thin air.
Jotaro studied him carefully, his instincts on edge. Something about him seemed familiar, though he couldn't quite place it.
Noticing Jotaro's serious expression, the man smirked and spoke again in a tone full of mockery. "Don't worry kid, I'm not here to pick a fight."
Jotaro said nothing, his expression stoic, but the stranger's next words made his blood run cold.
"I just find it funny how a sorcerer goes around scamming regular people," He said, his amused gaze shifting to the space beside him.
Jotaro's eyes narrowed. 'He can see Star Platinum?'
His Stand had been standing guard, invisible to anyone without a Stand of their own. Yet, this guy's eyes were fixed directly on it.
'And... did he call me a sorcerer?'
'Wait... this guy!' Jotaro kept his expression neutral, his poker face firmly in place, but his mind was racing. The word 'sorcerer' had been mentioned, and the man in front of him, a scar on his face and scruffy appearance looking like a complete bum.
A small nervous smirk tugged at Jotaro's lips as he chuckled inwardly at his own obliviousness. 'This guy is Toji!'
If that was true, it could only mean one thing—he was in the jjk universe. The realization hit Jotaro hard and he felt his head starting to hurt.
'well shit.' This world was far more dangerous than he was prepared to handle.
Sure, he had Star Platinum, but it was the early version, strong, precise, and fast, but lacking the ability to stop time for now. Worse still, Jotaro himself was completely inexperienced in combat, especially the kind that meant throwing nuke level of attacks at each other.
And the first character he encounters? The Sorcerer Killer himself, Toji Fushiguro.
'Is my journey going to end before it even begins? I just wanted to gamble in peace!'
'No!' Jotaro forced himself to take a steadying breath, his panic turned intro calm thinking. 'Get a grip. If this guy wanted me dead, he wouldn't have bothered starting a conversation. He's testing me, not hunting me.'
If Toji is here, it means I've arrived before the events of season one and two. 'Could it be I am around the same age as Gojo and his classmates?' Jotaro decided to think of it later and find a way to deal with the present.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Jotaro replied coolly, sliding the money into his bag.
The man raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed of his lie. "Sure you don't, buddy."
His gaze then drifted away from him, scanning the room as if he had lost interest. Jotaro watched him closely, his instincts still on high alert.
'Did I misjudge him?' Toji thought, frowning slightly. Just moments ago, he had sensed a presence near this man, something unusual, almost like a curse. But now, it was gone. 'Maybe I'm getting rusty.' He smirked faintly, dismissing the thought.
Finally Jotaro exhaled quietly, relieved that Toji didn't push the matter any further. Slipping the last bill into his pockets, he decided it was best to leave before things took a turn for the worse.
But before Jotaro could leave, a cold voice cut through the air.
"Hold on, brat."
Jotaro turned back, his expression turned serious and slightly annoyed, though not brave enough to voice his irritation aloud.
"Before you go, shouldn't you pay for my silence?" Toji asked, a smirk playing on his lips.
'Is this bum serious?' Jotaro kept his face stoic, his eyes narrowing as he sized up the man. He was demanding money in exchange for keeping quiet about his cheating.
"Fifty percent should do just fine," Toji added, leaning back in his chair, his smirk growing wider.
Jotaro nearly had Star Platinum deliver a solid punch to wipe the smirk off Toji's face but managed to rein himself in. Instead, he replied in a calm, collected tone, "Ten."
"Forty," Toji countered without missing a beat, still lounging lazily.
Jotaro had already stopped listening. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a crisp 10,000-yen bill and slammed it onto the table. It was roughly ten percent of his winnings, very generous, considering the circumstances.
'Be happy I'm even giving you this much, you bum' Jotaro thought, holding back his irritation as he turned and left without another word.
Toji glanced at the bill on the table, his smirk remaining. Without missing a beat he went to gamble the money.