"???"
Joseph was utterly baffled.
He stared at Kujo Jotaro, completely bewildered, as if he had just seen a ghost.
He knew Kujo Jotaro's name because the female ninja and Upper Rank Six had mentioned it before.
But how did Kujo Jotaro guess his name? Was he some kind of prophet? They had only tested each other once, and he had already figured it out?
"Yare yare daze... This is truly... an indescribable feeling."
If you had to ask who was feeling the most complicated emotions right now, it would undoubtedly be Kujo Jotaro.
From Joseph's reaction, it was clear he didn't know him. How was he supposed to introduce himself? "I'm your future grandson"?
That was obviously impossible. Setting aside whether Joseph would even believe him, the thought of calling this young man "Gramps" made Jotaro himself feel an overwhelming sense of dissonance.
"Wait, Mr. Kujo. I must interrupt your conversation."
Just as Jotaro was wondering how to explain, Tamayo spoke with a grave expression, pointing in a specific direction.
"There... there is a very dense demonic aura over there. It's a demon from the Infinity Castle. The passage to the Infinity Castle has been opened. Someone has entered ahead of us!"
At her words, everyone quickly looked in the direction she indicated, though their normal vision could see nothing.
Hearing this, Kujo Jotaro became instantly alert.
It was common knowledge. Besides the Demon Slayer Corps, who else would breach and enter the Infinity Castle?
There was only one answer. That's right... DIO!
Come to think of it, DIO was a vampire, essentially the same as Kibutsuji Muzan.
"Let's go. Whatever grudges you have can be settled after we find Kibutsuji Muzan."
Kujo Jotaro looked up at the sky. The vast night was dotted with countless stars. Once Japan industrialized, such a sight would become a rarity.
The moon was directly overhead, which was a good sign. A quick calculation told him that it wouldn't be long before the sun rose.
---o---
Light Curtain Barrage—
Joseph (Old): "I never would have thought that when we finally met, my own grandson wouldn't recognize me."
Joseph, currently on his journey to Egypt, said this while holding back a laugh. After all, you didn't get to see that surprised and speechless expression on Jotaro's face every day.
But speaking of which, although Jotaro didn't show it, he did seem to have some respect for him as an elder.
As expected of a descendant of the Joestar family, a man who had inherited their fine traditions.
Kurumi Tokisaki: "Does this count as Joseph losing to Jotaro in a battle of wits and strategy? I thought he was the strategist."
Conan: "Er, this is purely a matter of asymmetrical information. But given Joseph's intelligence, I have a feeling he's already close to guessing Jotaro's identity."
The Overseer of Schicksal: "Just like the Kaslana family, the Joestar family has its own distinct traits, such as the star-shaped birthmark on their backs and the connection within their bloodline. These things link them all together, even DIO."
---o---
Inside the Infinity Castle, the Hashira who had just entered couldn't help but gape.
Their expressions were clearly shocked. The interior was a labyrinth of interconnected structures, like the palace of an ancient emperor.
Kibutsuji Muzan... he let his demons run rampant, slaughtering people outside, while he himself lived a life of imperial luxury.
The stark contrast sent a surge of adrenaline through the Hashira. Each and every one of them wished they could tear Kibutsuji Muzan to shreds right then and there.
Their gazes shifted to the ground, where countless bloodstains and dismembered corpses created a scene straight out of hell.
Juxtaposed with the magnificent scenery of the Infinity Castle, a cold sweat trickled down the backs of the Demon Slayers.
Even the usually arrogant and brash Wind Hashira was silent now. He hated demons, wishing he could slaughter every last one in the world.
But... the way these demons had died was clearly not normal. There were mangled corpses, flayed skins, and picked-clean skeletons.
This was definitely not the work of a human. Could it be... the one Kujo Jotaro had mentioned, DIO?
"Hermit Purple, go!"
Just as a dead silence fell over the scene, Joseph's voice suddenly rang out. Something seemed to fly through the air, trailing golden lightning.
"The old man... What is he doing?"
Kujo Jotaro wondered with some confusion. It wasn't that he looked down on Hermit Purple, but in his experience, aside from gathering intelligence, it wasn't of much use.
And in the current Taisho Era, cameras were a rarity, which severely limited Hermit Purple. So what was Joseph's goal...?
In Jotaro's vision, Hermit Purple extended from Joseph's hand like a winding thorny vine. Its range far exceeded the Hermit Purple he was familiar with.
Then, the thorns of Hermit Purple plunged into a pile of white bones, as if searching for something.
Click!
The sound of a camera shutter was heard. Hermit Purple quickly retracted, a strikingly clear photograph clinging to the end of its thorns.
Well, well, well. So the old geezer was holding back all this time? He can produce a photo without a camera, yet he insisted on smashing one.
"The one behind all this... is it him? Judging by his attire and appearance, his style is almost identical to Esidisi's."
A photograph of Wamuu appeared before Joseph. The others, half-doubting, gathered around to look, staring in astonishment at the 4k-resolution picture.
"It's him!"
"That huge guy!"
"Waaah, we almost died at his hands!"
Tanjiro and his friends all cried out in alarm. Wamuu's overwhelming power was completely seared into their minds; he had almost become a nightmare.
Now, seeing this hellish scene, their fear of Wamuu's power intensified.
Even the protagonist, Tanjiro, couldn't help but tremble, his heart seizing up. After all, that ring was still resting on his chest...
Three minutes later, Joseph wore a solemn expression as he removed his hand from Tanjiro's chest.
"That ring is attached to the opening of his heart. I'm afraid Hermit Purple's precision isn't good enough to remove it."
He shook his head with a sigh. Joseph was a little surprised. According to Tanjiro's story, the fellow named Wamuu had spared them because they were children with no fighting ability.
"Precision?" Kujo Jotaro glanced at Tanjiro, then back at Star Platinum floating behind him.
Well now, this was a job for a specialist.