Holy crap! Unbelievable! Star Platinum actually used a ranged attack!
The jaws of the audience watching the screen were now wide enough to swallow an egg.
As everyone knew, Star Platinum had not appeared many times, but it was called the strongest Stand by the light curtain. Its one drawback was its short range.
Under normal circumstances, it could only land an effective attack within two meters. Beyond that distance, even the invincible Star Platinum was powerless.
But now, the range of this "Star Finger" had clearly surpassed that two-meter limit.
---o---
[Light Curtain Commentary]
[Josuke Higashikata: "Jo... Big Bro Jotaro, you were totally lying to me! What 'close-range power-type Stand'? Star Platinum is clearly an all-powerful, invincible Stand!"]
Its ridiculously high stats were one thing, but now it had even overcome its range limitation! Add to that the other ability he hadn't used yet—what did you call invincible?! This was true invincibility!
[Yukino Yukinoshita: "What on earth just happened? Why did Star Platinum's index and middle fingers suddenly extend? And they went straight through the head of the 'Pleasure' demon."]
[Monkey D. Luffy: "MASAKA?! Does Star Platinum have an ability like the Gum-Gum Fruit? Can it stretch its fingers freely?"]
[Jotaro Kujo: "Hey, hey, don't get so worked up. It's not some amazing ability. In fact, it's pretty situational and useless!"]
The sheer amount of hype for Star Platinum made Jotaro Kujo a little embarrassed. While Star Finger did alleviate the awkwardness of Star Platinum's two-meter range to some extent, its role in a battle between Stand users was truly awkward.
For one, its wind-up time was too long and too obvious; in the time it took to charge, you might as well run a few steps forward. Secondly, its extended range was only relative to Star Platinum's punches. While it exceeded two meters, it paled in comparison to actual long-range Stands.
There was another very important reason... Star Finger's attack power wasn't that high. It posed little threat to most Stand users.
---o---
[On Screen]
Pffft—
The sound was crisp as the fingers pierced through the head of the 'Pleasure' demon. Without the fan controlling the field, the tempo of the battle gradually shifted into Jotaro Kujo's hands.
In a flash, with Star Platinum's assistance, Jotaro's speed became a blur.
One punch! Two punches!! Three punches!!!
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The sound of iron fists colliding rang out. Three punches, three demons. Each was a fatal blow, straight to the head.
Against these demons who had devoured who knows how many people, Jotaro Kujo saw no need to hold back.
Star Platinum's 'A' rank in power was pushed to its absolute limit. In these three punches, Star Platinum, which rarely used its full strength, went all out.
Even Upper Rank Four couldn't withstand a power capable of smashing diamonds. Blood splattered on the ground as they lost consciousness.
"Hantengu! How is this possible!"
On a nearby hillside, Gyokko hid behind a rock, peeking at the battlefield situation. Star Platinum's three punches had thoroughly terrified him.
"Didn't they say his Stand only had a two-meter range?! Who provided this intelligence!"
After the initial shock, the arrogant Gyokko seethed internally. His twisted personality made him look down on everyone except Muzan Kibutsuji.
Naturally, Hantengu was included in that category. Although he knew Hantengu possessed an even greater power, he judged himself to be no match for Jotaro Kujo and was already planning to escape.
"Forget it, I'll just run. I've already caused so much damage to the Demon Slayer camp. Lord Muzan will surely forgive me."
With this thought, Gyokko took out a pot, preparing to use his Blood Demon Art to leave.
THUD—
A foot kicked over the pot beneath Gyokko. Jotaro Kujo had appeared behind him at some point.
Not good!
An intense sense of dread instantly filled Gyokko's heart. Jotaro Kujo was now less than a meter away from him. When did he...?
"You have a Blood Demon Art that allows for teleportation, don't you?" Jotaro stated calmly. His appearance was slightly disheveled from being constantly worn down by long-range attacks.
But in Gyokko's eyes, this slightly battered figure only served to make him seem even more terrifying and invincible.
The wind blew gently, making the uniform on Jotaro's upper body sway. The grime on his handsome face only made him look more striking.
"You're next, Gyokko! To finish you... it won't even take me one second!"
Intense fear made Gyokko instantly activate his Blood Demon Art, trying to teleport to another pot, but it was too late.
Star Platinum grabbed Gyokko's disgusting, eye-and-mouth-swapped face. With a single heave, it pulled him out of the pot like uprooting a willow tree.
Then, it flung him into the sky. In the brief moment that Gyokko was in freefall, a rain-like barrage of punches from Star Platinum followed!
"ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA—"
The storm of fists hammered Gyokko's body. A demon's regenerative speed was no match for Star Platinum's punches.
"ORA—!!!"
The final punch landed on Gyokko's face. In slow motion, his ugly visage was grotesquely twisted by the external force.
The sound of shattering bones was crisp and clear.
A single punch from Star Platinum could beat a clone of Upper Rank Four half to death. The consequences of this rain of fists on Gyokko's body were easy to imagine.
And so... Upper Rank Five, Gyokko, was rendered unable to rise again, sent to hell to atone for his years of evil deeds.
...
"Haaa~~~ No matter how many times I do it, ORA-ing someone feels so damn good."
"But... Star Platinum has gotten even more violent after all that training!"
Having accidentally revealed his true thoughts, Jotaro Kujo naturally blamed his recent violent behavior on Star Platinum.
The reason he, an inheritor of the Golden Spirit, had become so violent, no matter how you looked at it, had to be Star Platinum's fault.
"Did... did he win? So easily!"
Looking at Jotaro Kujo standing on the hillside and the slowly disintegrating corpse of Gyokko, Shinobu felt like she was dreaming.
Upper Ranks and Lower Ranks were on completely different levels. For hundreds of years, Lower Ranks had come and gone, but the lineup of the Upper Ranks had never once changed.
No matter who in the Demon Slayer Corps, even a Hashira, encountered an Upper Rank, death was the only outcome. This was a stalemate that hadn't been broken in a century.
But now... Jotaro Kujo, all by himself, had defeated two Upper Ranks!
Two of the six Upper Ranks were dead in an instant. This sudden, stalemate-shattering battle had unfolded right before her eyes.
Lost in a mix of complex emotions, Shinobu failed to notice that the bodies of Upper Rank Four had vanished at some point...
---o---
Satisfying. That was so satisfying.
Perhaps Star Platinum shouldn't be called the strongest Stand, but the most satisfying Stand.
That "ORA" cry, that feeling of every punch connecting—it brought a deep sense of joy to the audience outside the light curtain.
If just watching was this good, how much better must it have felt for Jotaro Kujo himself?
[Light Curtain Commentary]
[Conan Edogawa: "When did Jotaro Kujo get behind Gyokko? Was it Star Platinum's power?"]
[Mai Sakurajima: "Who knows? But Star Platinum has both power and speed. Its range is short, but other than that, it really has no weaknesses."]
[Umaru Doma: "Damn it, damn it, damn it! I want a Stand too! Then I could have my Stand help me with everything!"]
[Utaha Kasumigaoka: "Don't you already have a Stand similar to The World called 'Wasting Time'?"]
[Otto Apocalypse: "Upper Rank Four, it seems he didn't die completely. Did he escape, or is he hiding somewhere preparing for a sneak attack?"]
[Sosuke Aizen: "It matters not. That is merely the death throes of a weakling. Rather than that, shouldn't we focus on what happens next on the screen..."]
---o---
[On Screen]
The light curtain now turned its camera to another protagonist.
Joseph Joestar on the streets of Yoshiwara was a stark contrast to his grandson, Jotaro Kujo.
While Jotaro was locked in a life-or-death struggle with the Upper Ranks, Joseph was enjoying the culture of Japan's red-light district.
It had to be said, for a handsome and powerfully built young man like him, walking the streets of Yoshiwara was a magnificent sight to behold.
"Mmm, mmm, no wonder people say Japan's red-light district is a man's paradise. Grandma Erina always kept me away from this stuff, and I never really got it, but now... my eyes have truly been opened!"
With a slightly roguish smile, Joseph moved through the sea of flowers in Yoshiwara. Except for the final step, he had taken advantage of every opportunity he could.
Could this man, who was clearly enjoying life to the fullest, really be a member of the Joestar family?
He looked like he was having the time of his life, accepting every offer, be it a woman's service or some other perk.
For a moment, Joseph's behavior earned the scorn of the audience. Compared to Jotaro Kujo, Joseph's playboy antics were more envy-inducing, but also more likely to earn him the dislike of viewers across the myriad worlds.
However, among all these worlds, there were still those who believed in Joseph, such as... the Grandma Erina he mentioned, and Speedwagon, who had watched him grow up!
The camera returned to the screen. Beneath Joseph's lecherous, pervy expression hid a sharp and vigilant mind.
"Aah, being too charming is a burden. I just wonder when I'll be able to attract that female vampire?"
"Or could it be she's already mixed in with these women? But neither my 'evil spirit' nor my Hamon is reacting..."
While enjoying the services of beautiful ladies, he was also observing his surroundings.
He had learned from the rumors on the streets that in Yoshiwara, beautiful women or attractive people would go missing almost every day.
After some investigation, Joseph had met three women who told him about the existence of demons.
The demon hiding in Yoshiwara was a beauty-seeker. She generally only ate attractive people, mostly women, but sometimes men as well.
And Joseph, who was extremely confident in his own looks, would naturally not pass up this chance to lure the snake out of its hole.
Thus, he made a big show of himself in Yoshiwara, hoping to bait the trap. He believed his handsome face would surely attract the attention of that beauty-seeking demon.
"But... it's been so long, and still nothing. Could it be because I'm a man?"
Under the service of a Yoshiwara lady, Joseph felt he understood. That beauty-seeker ate far more women than men.
This was a problem. Although there were many beautiful women in Yoshiwara, putting others in danger was not in Joseph's nature.
"I've got it!" A sudden flash of inspiration made Joseph sit up, startling the girl who was giving him a massage.
"Well, well, I'll have to make a bit of a sacrifice, but I suppose it can't be helped. It's my own fault for being born with such a handsome face, after all."
He spun around dramatically and knelt, placing both hands on the shoulders of the woman who had been massaging him. He looked into her eyes, a sparkle in his own.
"M-Mr. Joestar!" Under his captivating gaze, the girl stared back into Joseph's eyes, her heart fluttering.
Men are all the same, she thought. But the fact that Mr. Joestar held out for so long proves he's a true gentleman.
"My beautiful lady, I have a favor to ask of you."
As Joseph spoke, the girl's face turned beet red. She felt she already knew what he was going to say next.
After all, men who came here... they all wanted the same thing. But Joseph was different. He was truly handsome, rich, well-built, and a real gentleman.
He was the rarest of the rare, a sight you might not see in Yoshiwara for centuries! Who knew how many women were eyeing this prize piece of meat!
"I will! If it's for you, Mr. Joestar, I'll do anything!!"
Before Joseph could say another word, the girl excitedly agreed, presenting herself as a flower ready for the picking.
"That's great! Let's go right now!" Joestar stood up and said to the girl.
"Huh?" The girl was dumbfounded. Aren't we doing it here?
"What are you 'huh'-ing about? Didn't you already agree to my request to borrow your clothes? Are you going back on your word?"
As he spoke, Joseph pulled the woman up from the tatami mat and headed downstairs.
Later... under Joseph's intimidating presence, the girl had no choice but to tremblingly hand over her clothes. From her expression, anyone who didn't know better would think she'd just been humiliated by Joseph...
---o---
Author's Note:
PS: The most beautiful woman of this volume will appear in the next chapter. Please look forward to it!