Chapter 244. Pucci, My Superman!
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"'Do you remember this road'… Hey, hey, hey! This isn't some kind of joke!"
Snapping out of the excitement.
Previously, amidst the flurry of "ORA ORA ORA" barrage ents that tinuously swept across "Stardust Crusaders", Sora realized—who knew he could make such expressive faces?
At this moment, he wasn't feeling the excitement of thinking, "A smiling Shiro is so cute."
Nor the thrill of seeing DIO finally brought to justice.
Instead, just like Jotaro in "Stardust Crusaders", eared startled and seemed to firm something with disbelief, he felt the same uling suspi.
Because this road is…
"Yes, that's right. This is the escape route I chose to drain Joseph Joestar's blood!"
The injuries caused by [Star Ptinum]'s barrage?
The gaping wound from a head-pulverizing punch?
… All of that seemed to have disappeared from DIO's body.
What repced them was DIO's smug smile.
And the shriveled corpse of Joseph, reduced to a dried husk…
"You bastard… DIO!!"
Jotaro's furious roar echoed.
"Stardust Crusaders"—or rather, "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure"—fshed its iic "To Be tinued" message on the s.
...
Yet, the audience remained silent.
No one pined about "Stardust Crusaders" being too short as they usually would.
Twenty-something minutes, barely thirty—how could such a runtime ever satisfy them?
Nor did anyone mogly tease, "Short and sweet, huh?" to provoke Green Dolphin Studio and Pucto making the episodes longer.
Instead, the room fell into a solemn silence.
Just as they believed Jotaro's [Star Ptinum], symbolizing the Star tarot card, embodied hope— Just as they believed that with this Stand, Jotaro could undoubtedly defeat DIO, even against [The World]'s time-stopping power, and deliver hope to the audience— He had respoo that hope.
He had turhe tide, bringing the possibility of victory!
But now… what was this?
Was DIO defeated?
Yes, he was.
The cheers and appuse from when DIO fell, the flood of "ORA ORA ORA" ents filling the "Stardust Crusaders" s like a traffic jam on a holiday highway, still lingered.
Those endless "ORA ORA" ents—still pstering the s even now—procimed loudly: DIO was indeed defeated by Jotaro.
And it was a crushing, overwhelming victory.
But why had it turned out like this?!
At this moment, everyog "Stardust Crusaders" was left speechless.
…
As the test episode ehe full-dive space plunged into an eerie silence.
The neighb Diverse's cssic vilin Joker once said: "All it takes is one bad day to turn the sa man alive into a lunatic."
For the audience, what could qualify as the worst day?
This. Right now.
"Pucci, you %#@&*!…"
"Jotaro cursed the wrong person. How could DIO even t as a bastard? If DIO ts, then what does that make Pucci?! That guy is more revolting than vomit in a sewer!"
"Why couldn't it have just ehere? Jotaro defeated DIO, and we all get a happy ending… But no! Pucci had to turn around and tell us DIO isn't actually dead?!"
"Damn it! I 't take this anymore! What, is DIO your dad or something? Or do Joseph and the Joestar family have some grudge against you?!"
"Ha. Here's a joke: The series we're watg is called "Stardust Crusaders". The full title is "JoJo's Bizarre Adveardust Crusaders"… So, where's JoJo (Joseph Joestar)?"
"Killed by DIO!??"
"Let's just re "DIO's Bizarre Adventure: Savior of Vilins"!??"
...
Uable.
Or rather, how could anyone possibly accept this?!
Audiences were ners to plots where seemingly invincible foes are suddenly defeated against all odds.
This was the quintessential deus ex maa.
Not long ago, Jotaro himself had used one—evolving [Star Ptinum] into [Star Prio copy [The World]'s time-stopping ability.
Though it was supported by foreshadowing, and the episode became increasingly thrilling because of it, this deus ex maa was weled with open arms by the audience.
It was akin to the miraculous resurre of Tiga Ultraman through the children's light, transf him into invincible Glitter Tiga.
Audiences loved such miraculous twists—they couldn't get enough of them!
But they had never heard of a viliing a deus ex maa!
Could you imagine if Glitter Tiga defeated Gatanothor, only fatanothor to absorb the darkness aivity of adults to resurrect as Dark Gatanothor and overplitter Tiga again?
Sure, kids eventually grow up into adults.
And childhood dreams and pure hearts iably succumb to the monster called "society," being obsessed with wealth and power.
But who would dare write that?!
No one who values ratings, viewership, or their project's return on iment would ever write such a thing!
Except Pucci.
Pucci dared.
He gave DIO a deus ex maa—draining Joseph's blood to harmoh Jonathan's body and further strehe World].
"Pucci, my Superman!"
Uhe numerous insults hurled at Pucci, Cujoh Joly only relief.
Ah, praise you, my the hidden dragon Pucci!
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