Night fell.
A Stand is a reflection of one's inner self.
"So what exactly is my String?"
"Think about what is most important to you, that's what's most important," Risotto replied, frowning in thought.
Johnson lowered his red eyes, looked at Risotto, was silent for a moment, then said he would go back to his room to think.
His memories drifted to when Risotto asked him to join the Assassination Team.
For Risotto, so-called hatred—that was the key to changing a person. For hatred, closing one's eyes and letting one's soul reside in true darkness was not reprehensible.
When Johnson Joffrey looked up and asked, "Uncle, are you a Stand User? I am too, ever since the night my dad Jimmy died."
In that moment, Risotto recalled the look in his own eyes when he sought revenge for his cousin's son. He was only 18 at the time, and the hatred he carried was far less than what Johnson Joffrey bore.
"If you seek revenge, then come here and grow stronger, but always sleep with death, walking on the edge of a cliff."
Johnson Joffrey was stunned. He absolutely didn't expect Risotto to so easily ask him to join the Assassination Team. He had only expressed his hatred for the person who killed his adoptive father, and Risotto had already imagined him as an Uchiha Sasuke-esque avenger, deeply entrenched in darkness, seeking revenge for his father?
And this image of an avenger even received his approval.
His 'Best Villain, Limitless Charm' skill, a beginner's reward from the system, was too powerful.
I'm praising it to the skies.
Johnson Joffrey didn't initially plan to join the Assassination Team; first, it was a suicide squad. His goal was merely to obtain the Arrow. His objective had always been clear: he just wanted to complete all achievements and go home... In contrast, joining Giorno's protagonist team would clearly be more efficient... He had even thought about how to infiltrate Giorno's team, and how to use the asymmetry of information in the final battle to obtain that Arrow... Johnson Joffrey was quite confident about this; for combat, intelligence was the true key to victory.
He knew how to deal with Silver Chariot Requiem, knew Diavolo's Stand Ability, and knew who Diavolo would possess after the soul exchange... But joining the Assassination Team was a completely different story. However, it was also good; his so-called villainous charm might lead to him being ostracized by the protagonist team.
After all, I didn't say a single word, yet I completely captivated Risotto, a villain from the original work. I estimate that someone as righteous as Giorno wouldn't look favorably upon me.
"Now it's another story," Johnson said, looking at the Stand standing before him. "Reversed Hierophant."
"See this cat?" Johnson frowned. "Attack it, pull out the thread."
In truth, Johnson didn't need to say much to Reversed Hierophant; it would understand Johnson's command. But sometimes, Johnson would feel that Reversed Hierophant actually thought for itself.
"Muda Muda—"
The cat wasn't very big, but the thread pulled from it was thicker than those pulled from large beds or sofas.
Did the thread really represent an object's life force?
Johnson pondered, but quickly dismissed the idea. This thought was a bit dangerous, implying that Johnson could manipulate the HP of all things, which was almost on par with a Requiem-level Stand.
Moreover, he had already tried; cutting the thread had no effect on the object.
The speed and gravitational pull of the thread returning to its main body were quite fast and strong; this was a power I had to utilize in battle.
"Little kitty."
Johnson stroked the cat's head. The little cat was quite fierce. It was said to be owned by Formaggio, who had a Stand that could make others shrink, so Johnson borrowed it to practice his Stand Ability. Formaggio readily agreed, though Ghiaccio later mentioned that while Formaggio kept it, he actually replaced it quite often. He used a vivid analogy: 'It's like how girls have to change sanitary pads.' The two of them almost got into a fight.
So cats are consumables?
"I'm going to use you for an experiment."
Johnson suddenly let go of his hand and said indifferently.
He took out another beer bottle, and Reversed Hierophant effortlessly pulled a thread from it. As the number of extractions increased, the time it took for Reversed Hierophant to pull this thread gradually shortened.
"I have a question: after the corpse-man Tang En devoured that house, he was still alive. Was it because the house became part of his body, or because he was a corpse-man and his brain wasn't damaged, so he didn't die?"
"Little cat, let's see if you can survive."
The Reversed Hierophant clapped its hands together, and the kitten, which had been leisurely licking its paws, let out a loud meow before it began to merge with the beer bottle...
A horrifying sound erupted as flesh and the hard glass bottle fused, indicating a process of considerable pain.
Initially, the cat could still emit pained meows, but as time passed, it seemed to have almost completely merged with its internal organs, and it could no longer make any sound.
The process was quite bloody and terrifying, but Johnson had no choice but to do it, so he showed a somewhat pained expression, which was truly heartfelt.
"You are sacrificing for science," Johnson murmured seriously.
"I must find out what the line is!"
"W-wah—!"
Someone shrieked behind him, and Johnson immediately turned his head to look, a head of green hair first catching his eye.
Pesci was already somewhat oddly built compared to most people, and this time, the fear in his expression startled Johnson.
"Jo... Johnson..." Pesci asked tremblingly, pointing a finger at the half-dead cat.
"What... what are you doing?"
"Why is this guy enjoying torturing a kitten? It's terrifying, even more terrifying than Formaggio.
Formaggio only shrinks cats and puts them in bottles, but Johnson Joffrey is stuffing bottles into cats... It's too terrifying... too terrifying..."
"Why didn't you knock?"
Pesci watched Johnson speak expressionlessly, cold sweat dripping in large beads.
Risotto had sent him to call Johnson; he walked to the door, intending to knock, but then he saw his older brother.
His older brother patted his face and said to him, "Pesci, Pesci! You're a senior now.
I noticed today that you're a bit afraid of Johnson Joffrey?"
Pesci nodded honestly; Johnson Joffrey was too terrifying, truly.
Just being near him sometimes made it hard to breathe.
"Don't be afraid, he's even younger than you."
"Huh?" Johnson Joffrey is younger than me?
Isn't it even more terrifying that such a young child can possess such an aura?
"Be bold, you're a senior, just open the door and overcome yourself—"
Looking at Johnson's silent face, he couldn't bring himself to say, 'I'm a senior, can't I just call you?'
He glanced at the cat on the table, trembling too much to speak.
"Th... th... that... th..."
"Ah, forget it," Johnson wasn't the type to hold a grudge just because someone pushed open his door.
"What do you want me for?"
"Ca... ca... ca..."
"The Captain is looking for me?"
"Yes."
Johnson looked at him in confusion, not understanding why Pesci was so afraid of him, and then he just left the room.
This guy was already scared silly, so he decided to ignore him...
After Johnson left, Pesci let out a complete sigh of relief, then slid down the door and sat on the floor.
He had just caught his breath when his eyes widened again...
"The cat... the cat... Formaggio's cat... it actually turned into..."
What exactly did Johnson do to the cat?!
— — — —
Do you believe it? There's still one more chapter!
But I promised a friend for the ranking push, so I have to update at midnight.
I've already written it!