"Graaaagh—!"
The vampires, despite their UV-resistant gear, staggered in agony under the blazing intensity of the unexpected illumination.
Backup had finally arrived.
A hailstorm of gunfire erupted from the distance. Specially crafted silver-nitrate bullets streaked through the night, tearing cleanly through the Nazis' protective suits. Upon impact, the bullets burst, flooding the vampires' wounds with a potent substance that disrupted their rapid regeneration.
But the true ace in the hole was the array of ultraviolet lamps blazing mercilessly. Stripped of their protective clothing, the Nazi vampires had nowhere to hide. The UV rays were relentless, turning the vampires into scattered dust in mere seconds.
"We're a bit late—but looks like we arrived at just the right moment!" declared an elderly figure in a broad-brimmed hat, staff held firmly in hand. It was none other than Speedwagon, the Hamon warriors' trusted ally from New York.
Standing atop a nearby ridge, Speedwagon was flanked by soldiers clad in specialized gear, each carrying UV laser emitters. Determined to end the Pillar Men's ambitions once and for all, Speedwagon had personally led his troops to the frontline.
"Through countless experiments, the Speedwagon Foundation and Allied scientists discovered that silver nitrate effectively disrupts vampires' regenerative powers. Coupled with our newly-developed ultraviolet weaponry, we came prepared precisely for this day!"
"Sir Ray Chu! It's an honor to fight alongside you again," said another voice—Captain Ryan, recently promoted from Lieutenant, who now commanded a hundred-man squad rapidly pressing their assault against the vampires.
"Hmph. Crafty humans!" Kars snarled, his face twisted into a scowl. Victory had seemed inevitable moments ago, yet now the tide was turning against him. Although he himself had betrayed the rules first, seeing enemy reinforcements arrive filled him with bitter resentment.
"Still, if you think this was all I had prepared, you're sorely mistaken!" Kars stood from his throne of bones, hair whipping wildly as he pointed skyward into the darkness.
Distant echoes of explosions rumbled faintly, punctuated by the intermittent flash of artillery fire. After two quiet days, the German armored divisions had launched their counterattack in the predawn hours.
"The Nazis have resumed their offensive! Allied forces have also started their counterattack!" Speedwagon shouted gravely. "This means the main German army is advancing here right now. We must end this quickly—this place won't be safe much longer!"
"Then let's finish this now!" A towering figure emerged from the darkness—Joseph Joestar. Though battered from his recent battle, his eyes shone with determination.
"JoJo! Seeing you alive is the best news I've had in ages!" Speedwagon's expression brightened instantly. Beside him, a young black teenager broke into excited cheers.
"Of course! I'm perfectly fine, Uncle Speedwagon! Good to see you too, Smokey!"
"Hehe!" Smokey, a former street thief from New York, had been caught by two policemen after pickpocketing Joseph's wallet. Joseph saved him from arrest, and Smokey had loyally followed him ever since.
After briefly exchanging greetings, Joseph turned sharply toward Kars. His fury boiled over, ignited by the Pillar Man's despicable betrayal. "Kars! You act noble and honorable, but then stab Lisa Lisa in the back! You've betrayed even Wamuu's warrior's spirit!"
Kars scoffed coldly. "Spare me your self-righteous nonsense, fool. Achieving my goal is the only thing that matters!"
"Tch! You bastard!" Joseph seethed.
The battlefield split into two fronts. The vampires, overwhelmed by Allied firepower, gradually fell back, many shrieking as ultraviolet beams reduced them to dust.
"In that case, I won't play by your rules either—I'll finish you off right here!" Joseph lunged forward, intent on joining Ray Chu. Together, two powerful Hamon users could end Kars once and for all.
"Hold it right there! Take one more step and she dies!" Kars's bone blade hovered menacingly under Lisa Lisa's pale throat, stopping Joseph dead in his tracks.
"KARS! Do you have no warrior's honor at all?" Joseph screamed, trembling with rage yet unable to move an inch.
"I never cared for something as worthless as honor!" Kars sneered mockingly.
"Oh no! JoJo still doesn't realize Lisa Lisa is his mother!" Speedwagon, who knew their past intimately, shivered anxiously.
Years ago, Joseph's grandfather Jonathan and his wife Erina had been attacked by their enemy Dio during their honeymoon. Mortally wounded, Jonathan placed Erina and an orphaned infant into a wooden casket and cast it into the ocean, saving their lives before succumbing to his injuries.
That orphaned infant was Lisa Lisa. Years later, Lisa Lisa married Erina's son, Joseph's father, giving birth to Joseph himself. But tragedy soon struck again: Joseph's father was killed by a zombie infiltrating the military command. Lisa Lisa avenged her husband, only to be framed for murdering a high-ranking official, forcing her into exile.
Their reunion years later was ironic—Lisa Lisa became Joseph's Hamon teacher, yet for some reason, she never revealed her true identity.
"Heh heh heh! As expected, your pathetic attachment to comrades is your greatest weakness!" Kars laughed sinisterly, pointing at Ray Chu. "If you value this woman's life, give me the Red Stone of Aja!"
"What!?" Joseph cried, horrified.
"This is the worst-case scenario!" Sweat poured from Speedwagon's forehead despite the chilly pre-dawn air. "This Pillar Man is utterly despicable! The Red Stone absolutely must never fall into his hands—but the cost… is Lisa Lisa's life, JoJo's own mother!"
Ray Chu remained silent, while Joseph roared defiantly, "Bastard! Dream on!"
Shlick—!
With a slight twitch of Kars's wrist, blood trickled down Lisa Lisa's fair neck. Joseph stared, aghast, paralyzed with dread.
"AAAAHAHA! What's wrong? Can't bear to sacrifice her?" Kars mocked. "You have the power to save her, yet you'd stand idly by and let your comrade die? Is this your so-called 'justice'?"
Joseph shook violently. But Kars was right—in the end, he couldn't bear to watch a beloved ally perish.
"All right."
A sudden, clear voice shattered the tense silence. It was Ray Chu.
He lifted his gaze, staring fiercely at Kars as he spoke each word distinctly:
"The Red Stone—take it. But you'll release her."
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T/N: LISA LISA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!