"The arrow has already locked onto the Calamity God Tree."
"It's about time for us to set off as well."
Ryosuke explained the situation to his teammates.
Locking on was one thing. The reason the arrow had not been fired was because it could not hit.
As the Calamity God Tree grew, countless branches pierced into the JOJO spacetime.
Like a tightly woven, massive net.
According to the prediction from the divine art Ten Directions, no matter which direction Sasuke fired the arrow from, it would be blocked or deflected mid-flight by the tree trunks along the way.
For a Calamity God Tree that was already close to full maturity, only if the arrow struck its root system, the Calamity Spring it used to grow, would the tree truly die in the real sense.
To make that happen, someone had to pass through the dense branches and reach the center of the Calamity God Tree.
As long as Hirose Yasuho could be awakened, even for just a brief moment, with Paisley Park's bound state to the Calamity God Tree, a single thought would be enough to make the branches move aside and open a gap.
The arrow would then pierce through the sea of mist, pierce through the Calamity God Tree, and burn Dio's plan to ashes.
"That's the plan, but there will definitely be obstacles and variables in between," Ryosuke said.
Everyone naturally understood what those so-called obstacles and variables were...
Kars: Wonder of You.
Dio: The World Over Heaven.
Pucci: Made in Heaven.
More than once, Ryosuke had sensed eyes watching them from the sky. Everything they did, every word they spoke, was under the enemy's surveillance.
Even if they used the Saint's Corpse to set up a golden barrier to block eavesdropping, once they left the Steel Ball Run world and charged straight toward the Calamity God Tree, the enemy was not stupid. They would inevitably appear.
Aside from direct attacks, there was also the influence of calamity.
Previously, Ryosuke had been focused on collecting the Saint's Corpse and had no intention of going after Kars. As a result, Wonder of You could not affect him.
Now, they were charging straight at Kars and Wonder of You with knives in hand. The torrent of calamity was bound to descend.
Enemies ahead, Dio and Father Pucci.
Calamity behind them.
They were being attacked from both front and back.
"But in the end, it still comes down to whose fist is harder… right, Teacher Ryosuke?" Higashikata Josuke asked.
Ryosuke nodded.
He looked at the teammates around him.
What each of them sought might be different...
Josuke wanted to save Yasuho.
Jotaro and Jonathan wanted to settle their grudge with Dio.
Weather Report wanted to kill Father Pucci.
Johnny and Hot Pants wanted to reclaim the final Saint's Corpse.
Uchiha Madara wanted to protect the peace of the ninja world.
Different goals, like thin strings of different colors, twisted together and gathered, finally becoming a single rope...
A noose to strangle the enemy.
The Saint's Corpse in Ryosuke's hand released golden light once more.
A spatial rift appeared.
"Wait for us to come back."
Johnny walked over and gave Gyro, who was sitting in a wheelchair, a hug.
Because the news from the ninja world had come too suddenly, and there had only been one night of rest, even with nutritional injections and Ripple treatment, Gyro's body was still too weak.
Jotaro had also had his disc extracted, but the doctors of the Speedwagon Foundation had taken meticulous care of him.
Balanced daily nutrition, plus massages from pretty nurses.
After being unconscious for several months, he had only gotten thinner.
In contrast, when Gyro had just been carried out of the basement on Jonathan's back, he barely looked human. Put him next to the Saint's Corpse and you could not tell which one was real.
Now Gyro had recovered a little, but he still needed support just to walk, so he simply sat in a wheelchair.
Gyro returned Johnny's hug and then nodded to Ryosuke.
"Good luck."
Ryosuke nodded slightly to Gyro, Lucy, and the others, then turned into a streak of light and disappeared.
Watching them leave, Hol Horse finally let out the breath he had been holding.
He was really afraid that before leaving, Ryosuke would hit him just to be safe.
Whitesnake had already written orders for Hol Horse. Even if it had not, he had no intention of making a move on the remaining Johnny and the others.
If Dio won, he would just say he was outmatched.
If Dio lost, Hol Horse would have gotten a free ride.
Either way, he did not lose.
Thinking this, Hol Horse walked toward the small villa next door.
The white middle-aged woman who had been flirting with him last night was leaning by the door, waving at him.
Hol Horse tugged up his pants, a smile spreading across his face.
Because of Ryosuke's appearance, he had given his little brother the day off yesterday. Today, he had to make up for the workload.
"Mr. Cowboy, actually I have two close girlfriends. They were both dumped by scumbags recently and are feeling down. I want them to join us. Is that okay with you?"
As she spoke, the white woman handed him a glass of red wine and pulled Hol Horse into the bedroom.
"Okay, of course it's okay."
"How could a man refuse a lady's invitation?"
Hol Horse grinned so wide his tongue was almost sticking out.
"That's great!"
The white woman shouted, "Girls, come in!"
Heavy footsteps sounded. The bedroom door opened again, and two large-built Black women wearing lace nightgowns walked in.
"Wait..."
Before Hol Horse could scream, the two women lunged at him and pinned him tightly underneath.
———
As for Hol Horse's strange adventures, Ryosuke had no way of knowing.
They were piloting the golden light skiff, weaving through the tree trunks.
Because they were charging straight at Kars and Wonder of You, the corresponding calamity did not bother to hide itself. It transformed into direct attacks from the Calamity God Tree, slamming down with crackling force.
"Careful!"
The golden light skiff spun a full three hundred and sixty degrees, passing through gaps between the trunks at an almost extreme angle.
They had just escaped and had no time to relax when wooden stakes slammed in from both sides, like two massive fists.
Susanoo.
Weather Report.
The massive Susanoo and the lightning condensed from the void each shattered the wooden fists that came crashing down.
But after that single exchange, even fiercer attacks awaited them.
Ryosuke and Jotaro exchanged a glance.
"I'll go first," Ryosuke said.
Time stopped.
Star Platinum appeared. First, it coordinated with Ryosuke, unleashing a flurry of punches to smash the trees blocking the way ahead. Then it swung its fist in a wide arc and slammed it hard into the back of the golden light skiff.
Within the gray-white world of frozen time, the golden light skiff burst straight out of the encirclement of trees.
The Calamity God Tree grew by absorbing calamity. Ryosuke and his group had no intention of wearing it down. Reaching the core area as fast as possible and awakening Hirosé Yasuho was the key.
Fortunately, with Ryosuke and Jotaro each using time stop in turn, they were able to push forward with difficulty before the trees could completely seal them in.
Uchiha Madara was responsible for guarding the flanks. Looking at the branches dancing wildly across the sky, he could not help but sigh.
"It's just like fighting that guy Hashirama back then."
Kujo Jotaro gulped down stamina potions. Though his mind was still sharp, his body, now over forty, could not help but feel tired after repeatedly using time stop.
He stared at the swinging trunks, his gaze deep, and muttered softly, "So this is the power Dio gained after 'going to heaven'…"
Suddenly, as if he thought of something, Jotaro turned to look at Ryosuke.
"Ryosuke, do you want to try 'going to heaven'?"
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