The first stage of the Hunter Exam, which lasted five days, was finally coming to an end.
Shalnark's gatekeeping method hadn't produced the results he expected. Despite his armed Puppets blocking the main entrance, more than forty examinees still managed to pass.
Realizing that fighting their way through Shalnark's squad was impossible, many candidates opted for alternative methods—digging tunnels, building makeshift ladders, or scaling the walls. Even so, the pass rate remained low. In Gon's year, over a hundred people passed the first phase. Compared to that, this batch was much smaller.
After the first test, the examinees were granted a full day of rest before the next examiner would lead them into the second phase.
Jon planned to use this time to prepare. He had no intention of unlocking his new Stand during the exams.
Relying on the luck of the draw in combat was foolish. Pulling a powerful Stand mid-battle could turn the tide, yes—but placing your hopes on such blind luck was reckless. Jon had never believed in sudden breakthroughs. Without consistent effort and preparation, banking on last-minute miracles was nothing short of fantasy.
His battle against the Baro Crocodile had been a harsh wake-up call. Stone Free was powerful, more than enough against ordinary opponents—but when facing magical beasts like the Crocodile, its destructive force felt lacking.
Though Stone Free had an A-rank in destructive power, it still couldn't break through the Crocodile's skin. In truth, its power was on the lower end of A-tier Stands. Even when fully matured, Stone Free's strongest blows couldn't shatter diamond. Compared to pure powerhouses like Star Platinum, even Uvogin might have the upper hand.
And then there was Shalnark.
Though they had formed a temporary alliance, Jon never truly trusted him. The foundation of their cooperation was weak at best. Jon knew full well that Shalnark might betray him the moment he figured out Jon's secret.
Right now, Shalnark couldn't understand why Jon was immune to the control of his Hatsu, Black Voice. That mystery was Jon's only shield. Once Shalnark uncovered the truth behind Jon's abilities, Jon had no confidence he'd survive a direct confrontation.
After all, Shalnark was an experienced Nen user, a true veteran. Unless Jon managed to draw an overwhelmingly powerful Stand—something like The World or Star Platinum, with the ability to stop time—he wouldn't stand a chance in a direct fight.
For now, all Jon could do was maintain the alliance and buy himself more time.
Jon found a quiet clearing deep in the forest, far away from the chatter of the other examinees. The sky was overcast, casting the trees in shadow, and a cold breeze whispered through the branches. It was the perfect place to be alone.
He sat down cross-legged, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. The cool air filled his lungs in rhythm with his Ripple Breathing technique, steady and calm. Then, he dove inward—his consciousness sinking into the shimmering interface of the system that only he could access.
With practiced ease, Jon navigated to the card draw menu, located at the upper right corner of the system's interface. His hand hovered for a moment over the golden icon labeled 『Stand Draw』, nestled at the bottom.
"This is it," he muttered under his breath. The gold coins he'd earned from his brutal struggle against the Baro Crocodile were just enough for one pull. One chance.
He tapped the icon.
The coins vanished with a sound like ringing steel, and the card wheel began to spin—fragments of glowing light swirling in a blur, faster, faster—until they suddenly slammed into place with a thunk.
A card appeared.
The air around Jon seemed to grow colder.
He tapped it.
The back of the card slowly flipped. First the legs, then the torso, then the face of a humanoid figure emerged from the card's depths—red and white armor, black markings like a cracked mask, two empty, predatory eyes staring forward with utter indifference.
Jon's breath hitched.
A voice echoed in his mind, like a whisper from the void.
『King Crimson』
Jon's breathing faltered. His Ripple Breathing technique completely collapsed—his heartbeat surged with adrenaline. He stared at the figure on the card, stunned, his fingers trembling.
"No way…" he whispered.
He stood up slowly, heart still pounding, and looked down at his hands.
The atmosphere around him felt warped—like time itself had become fragile.
A red silhouette flickered into view, then rapidly expanded, revealing a muscular figure clad in crimson. Its body was covered in white mesh patterns, and atop its head sat a smooth, pale crown-like structure. But what caught Jon's attention were its eyes—glowing a piercing, unnatural green—and the grotesque face embedded in its forehead, twisted in a constant expression of pain and mockery.
There was no mistaking it.
『King Crimson』
Destructive Power: A
Speed: A
Range: E
Persistence: E
Precision: B
Development Potential: ???
This was the fearsome Stand of Diavolo—the elusive, paranoid boss of Passione. Jon wasn't drawn to its raw stats; his own Stand, Stone Free, would one day match or surpass King Crimson in power and speed, especially in stamina and versatility. What Jon truly coveted… was its ability.
Time Erase (King Crimson's Primary Ability)
Time Erase doesn't stop time—it removes it.
When Jon activates this power, up to 10 seconds of time are erased from the world. During that erased time:
All cause-and-effect events still occur, but the experience of them is skipped.
The world "jumps" from the start of those 10 seconds to the result, without anyone (except Jon) remembering what happened.
Jon alone retains awareness and freedom of movement—but even he cannot change outcomes directly during the erased time. He cannot physically interact or attack others during this phase.
For example: If someone throws a punch during the erased time, Jon will see the punch forming, erase time, and when the timeline resumes, the punch will already have landed—unless Jon moved out of the way during the erase. The attacker won't even remember missing the strike.
This ability isn't about domination—it's about total evasion and positional advantage. While DIO's Time Stop allows for direct attacks within frozen time, Time Erase is more like cutting out a piece of film, skipping the recorded scene entirely.
Epitaph (King Crimson's Sub-Ability)
Epitaph is the future-sight component embedded within King Crimson's forehead. When activated:
It shows Jon a vision of the next 10 seconds, like a mental film reel.
This predicted future is absolute—unless Jon erases time, what Epitaph shows willhappen.
However, Epitaph cannot reveal how the future unfolds, only whatwill happen.
For instance, Epitaph might show Jon being shot, but it won't tell him who pulled the trigger or from where.
Together, Epitaph and Time Erase form a devastating combo:
Jon foresees danger coming.
He erases time.
When it resumes, he's already right behind his enemy ready to instantly attack, while his enemies remain confused and unaware.
To Jon, who only seeks to survive until he masters Nen, this Stand was perfect. Its power was not in overwhelming offense, but in its absolute control over fate itself—evading lethal attacks, bypassing traps, and slipping away when victory was impossible.
King Crimson wasn't just the Stand of a brawler. It was the ultimate survival tool—a weapon for someone who refused to die.
It was no wonder its former user, Diavolo, reigned in the shadows. He was a king among cowards—paranoid, calculating, and terrifyingly efficient. If not for his daughter's taunts and his blind trust in Time Erase, if he hadn't dismissed the few seconds outside of Epitaph's field of view, he might have never lost in Part 5.
Jon clenched his fist, feeling the presence of King Crimson behind him—like a shadow looming in fractured time.
"With this... I can survive anything."