Chapter 31: Jonas's Second Stand
At this very moment, Hol Horse and J. Geil had lost all will to fight. Their only thought, their only fear, was to confirm if Jonas Jourdan was truly, finally dead. The mere possibility that he wasn't made J. Geil's wounds throb with a fresh, phantom agony. Hol Horse, meanwhile, was already planning his escape route. He had only stepped in to fight Polnareff on the precondition that Jonas was out of the picture. If that wasn't the case... he needed to rethink his entire life.
J. Geil, his voice a ragged gasp, spat, "Hey! Hol Horse! Use your Stand... test him!"
Hol Horse hesitated, but he needed to know, too. He raised [The Emperor].
BANG!
A bullet from his Stand shot toward Jonas's body.
"[SILVER CHARIOT]!" Polnareff roared. "I will not allow you to desecrate the man who saved my sister!"
His Stand moved, kicking up a water screen to block Hol Horse's view and slashing at the incoming bullet. But Hol Horse was a professional. He leaped to the side, getting a new line of sight, and willed his bullet. It curved, a perfect 90-degree turn in mid-air, dodging the rapier.
"NANI?!" Polnareff cried.
But it was too late. The bullet was just inches from Jonas's head. [Silver Chariot] was too far away to intercept.
The bullet flew... and then stopped.
It hit an invisible, intangible barrier just five centimeters from Jonas's forehead. It hung in the air for a fraction of a second, its energy completely neutralized, before falling harmlessly to the mud. A few, sparse black particles could be seen emerging from Jonas's body, having blocked the attack.
J. Geil's eyes bulged. "IMPOSSIBLE! I PIERCED HIS HEART! A normal man would be dead! Dead!"
Hol Horse's face was white. "He... he really isn't dead! This situation... it's completely out of my control!"
Polnareff, however, was overcome with joy. "He's alive! Mister Jonas can be saved! Sherry! Get him to a doctor, quickly!"
"Right!" Sherry cried, her hope restored. She immediately bent down to try and lift Jonas.
Seeing this, J. Geil knew he couldn't let that happen. If Jonas recovered, he was finished!
"[THE HANGED MAN]!" he shrieked.
In a puddle reflecting Jonas's head, the Stand lunged, its blade aimed at the brain. But just like Hol Horse's bullet, the blade stopped dead, five centimeters from its target, as if it had struck a wall of solid steel.
J. Geil stumbled back. "He... he's really alive!"
But his terror was quickly replaced by a sliver of relief. At least I know for sure. I can get out of here while he's still down. His eyes flicked to Polnareff. Damn it. One more obstacle...
He looked to his partner for support. Hol Horse... was fifty yards away, walking backward.
J. Geil's face was a mask of disbelief. "..."
Seeing he'd been spotted, Hol Horse gave an awkward scratch of his head and pointed. "Hey, uh, J. Geil, my friend? My advice is to run. Mister Jonas is about to wake up, and I don't plan to be here when he does."
As if summoned by his words, the black particles began to erupt from Jonas's body. This time, they were thick and dense, a roiling, tangible cloud of darkness. The particles swarmed and compressed, forming a black mass the size of an oil drum, which then began to take a human shape.
This was not the rat-like creature from before.
"Is that... his Stand?" J. Geil whispered in horror.
Slowly, the swirling particles dissipated, revealing the new Stand's true form. It was a figure, six-foot-five, clad head-to-toe in a sleek, black ninja's garb. A mask covered its face, leaving only a pair of glowing, crimson, utterly emotionless eyes. It was crouched over Jonas's body, a silent protector.
"So that is Mister Jonas's Stand..." Polnareff mused.
But Hol Horse and J. Geil looked as if their eyes were about to pop out of their skulls. As veteran Stand users, they knew the iron-clad rule: One User, One Stand!
"A... a multiple-type Stand?" Hol Horse stammered. It was the only explanation.
J. Geil's blood ran cold. The little rat creature had inflicted this much agony... what could this new, full-sized one do? The thought made his wounds scream. He had to run.
The new Stand... moved. It unfolded from its crouch, rising to its full, intimidating height, its dark, terrifying aura radiating outward.
That was all it took. J. Geil's mind was filled with a single, primal command: RUN.
He turned and fled, his wounded leg screaming, his body on fire, but he didn't care. He just ran.
He risked a glance over his shoulder... The Stand was gone. Vanished.
A new terror seized him. Where?! Where did it go?!
He frantically scanned the rain-swept darkness... and then, he looked forward again.
It was there.
Inches from his face. The black ninja Stand, standing silently on his shadow. Its two glowing, red eyes stared directly into his soul.
...
...
...
Stand User: Jonas Jourdan
Stand Name: [Invisible Black Monster · ????]
Destructive Power: ?
Speed: ?
Range: ?
Stamina: ?
Precision: ?
Developmental Potential: ?