Disclaimer: I own neither JoJo's Bizarre Adventure or High School DxD

Chapter 36

"Ah, you must be Reimi Sugimoto-san, correct?"

The pink haired ghost blinked, staring at the four beautiful girls standing before her. She knew that Asia and Rohan were planning to inform their friends, but she hadn't realized how soon she might be getting a visit.

"U-Um, yes, that's me…" Reimi noded, walking up to the four. "And you are?"

"My name is Rias Gremory, a Devil and master of Asia Argento," Rias said with a kind smile, "This is my queen piece, Akeno Himejima and my close friend Sona Sitri as well as her queen, Tsubaki Shinra. She informed us of your predicament and asked us to stop by and see you."

"O-Oh, I see! So you are Asia-chan's master," Reimi smiled, her surprise passing as she walked up to the four. "In that case, thank you for coming. It's just a bit strange to see visitors so soon."

"Of course. You have a particularly interesting case, Sugimoto-san. We were quite interested in meeting you," Akeno said.

"Not to mention this place between realms. It holds its own interest…" Sona hummed, hand lightly touching her chin as she spared a look around. "Though you… are certainly more interesting than I expected."

"Me? I'm nothing special," Reimi chuckled nervously, rubbing her neck. "I'm just a ghost who can't move on after being killed."

"Most ghosts usually haunt the homes they once passed away in," Tsubaki began, pushing up her glasses. "It's fairly rare for them to be able to move around… especially for one to get stuck in the road between realms."

"So… what does that mean?" Reimi asked, a bit of ethereal sweat trailing down her cheek. Rias reached a hand out to Reimi, gently touching her shoulder.

"It means you're a special case because of two things. One would be your strong desire to catch your murderer and stop him from killing others."

"And… the other?"

"Something that only the rest of us can see and feel, Sugimoto-chan," Akeno explained with a smile. "Asia-chan didn't pick up on it because she's a rather new Devil."

"P-Pick up on what?"

"That you, Reimi Sugimoto-san," Sona walked up to her, a sly smile on her lips. "Possess a Sacred Gear."

Myrcella walked into her home bunker with her queen piece, both riddled with sweat. Her servants quickly lifted their attention to her as she entered their main living area, each one looking remarkably tense as they looked upon their master.

"S-So… I see you're both still in one piece, at least…" Saito chuckled uneasily, thankful when he heard his master give a small sigh.

"Yes, just barely. While he certainly made things intense, we got what we wanted," Myrcella explained, moving to one of the couches and relaxing into it. "He'll be making an attack today."

"Still can't believe we found a guy that terrifyin'. Imagine if you had been able to make a servant outta him," Malia said with some interest.

"Please. No way we'd be able to rein that monster in," Myrcella's queen huffed, shaking his head. "I even tried to test my Stand against him to see for myself. That shit went worse than I expected…"

"I'm surprised you walked away alive, knowing that," Saito mumbled, watching him with wide eyes.

"I may have had to step in to do so. The idea of a more powerful foe quickly drew his attention away," Myrcella explained, leaning her cheek into her hand. "But on the topic of making him a servant, I'm not even sure that I could make someone like that into one of my servants. His potential is undoubtedly extraordinary."

"Even so, his opponent isn't a laughing matter. Though I've no doubt that he'll have his hands full," Saito rubbed his chin in thought. "You think he can win?"

"If anyone has a chance in a direct fight, it'll be that man," Myrcella said, releasing a sigh. "It's only a shame we can't make a direct move ourselves. But the last thing we need is an Archangel coming after us right now."

"Oh, by the way, master. We got word from Terria. She'll finally be able to return soon," Malia informed her, putting a smile on Myrcella's lips.

"Finally. Once she's back, we'll be at full power. Then we can finally make our move," Myrcella said, grinning at each of her servants. "And if our mutual friend succeeds, Jotaro Kujo will no longer be on the board."

"All the arrangements have been made. Joseph Joestar should be here within the week," Jotaro said, speaking into his cellphone as he collected some papers and filed them into his briefcase.

"Thank you for your work in setting up this meeting. I'm glad we can come to an understanding," Sirzechs said through the receiver.

"I'm just trying to look for the best solution available. Your idea sounds solid if you're telling the truth," Jotaro dismissed, walking to the front door of his hotel room.

"I understand any reservations you might still have. After all, you're playing in a completely new field of politics at this point," Sirzechs said. "Once we've all gathered for the meeting, I'm sure that the other factions will feel welcome to the idea as well."

"We'll see. As much as I would like to believe that me leaving Japan again would relieve me of any further involvement with this sort of supernatural activity, I highly doubt that will be the case," Jotaro sighed, walking inside the elevator and pushing the button for the ground floor. "That wasn't the case after what happened with Dio, either. Yare yare. This is turning into a lot more work than I was expecting."

"I do apologize for adding to your workload. I do hope I can make an effort to lessen it a bit for you soon, at least," Sirzechs apologized. "In fact, if you would like, I can have someone teleport Joestar-san here to shorten the trip if you like."

"That's alright. I don't want his first impression with Devils to start with that. It'll probably just shorten his life," Jotaro said, releasing a huff of a chuckle. "We'll ease him into the idea. Anyway, I'm headed to the school now to meet with your sister."

"I shall be there shortly as well."

With that, Jotaro hung up, about to stuff his phone away before-

*BEEP BEEP*

Jotaro raised a brow, pulling the phone back out to see another number calling him. His eyes softened, the name of his separated wife panning across the screen. He considered dismissing the call, but remembered Jolyne's excited face from her previous visit.

Jotaro reluctantly answered, slowly holding the phone up to his ear. He exited the elevator, beginning to walk through the lobby. "... Hello?"

"Hey, daddy!"

Jotaro hesitated, feeling a bit of warmth from the sound of his daughter's voice.

"Hey, Jolyne. Did you want something?"

"Nothin' much~! Just calling to see how you are…" Jolyne said, her voice trailing off suspiciously. Jotaro narrowed his eyes, walking past the sliding doors at the entrance of the hotel.

"What do you want?"

"W-Who said I wanted something?! Stupid daddy!"

"You want to visit again, don't you?"

"..."

Jotaro had mixed feelings about that. As much of a joy as it was to have Jolyne visit last time, there was still no doubt some danger to bringing her here. He had been trying to keep her out of harms way, after all. Even if Angels were quite literally protecting their family from any supernatural threats.

"I… I wanna see you… and Josuke too! And all his really nice friends!"

Jotaro sighed. While he was happy that Josuke had left a good impression on his daughter, he hadn't realized just how much of one. This wasn't the first time she had hinted interest in seeing her… great uncle again.

"... Let me think about it," Jolyne inhaled an excited breath. "These next couple weeks might be really busy for me, but after that… maybe."

Jotaro rounded the corner to the parking lot, moving to where he remembered parking.

"You really mean it, daddy?! I really wanna visit!"

He stopped dead in his tracks. Just a few meters away, a figure loomed by his car. Jotaro's eyes narrowed, hand tensing at his side. The figure was large, taller than Jotaro by more than half a foot. He couldn't see his full details, the figure's back to him as he leaned against Jotaro's rental. He wore a black fur coat, his hair a matching color, slicked back. The man slowly craned his head, boring a single eye into Jotaro.

"Daddy? Are you there?"

Jotaro stared at the man for a moment longer before raising the phone back to his head.

"Yeah. I'm going to call you back, Jolyne. I have to do some work."

"B-But daddy-"

Jotaro didn't bother listening, quickly tapping the red phone icon before moving forward, hand in his jacket pocket.

"Who are you?"

The man chuckled, pushing off the car and striding out for Jotaro to get a full view of him. He wore a paisley design maroon dress shirt under his fur coat, the top three buttons undone and his collar popped up. He wore expensive black dress pants and snakeskin shoes, a gucci belt adorning his waist, a golden snake shaped in a G formed at the buckle.

As for the man himself, his skin was tanned and his physique was ripped. Despite his clothes hiding his muscle away, the small bit exposed made it clear that this man was yoked across the board. His jaw was long and pointed and his brow large, shading his eyelids. A long scar stretched down his right eye, likely a knife wound, the color gone from its iris.

"You're Jotaro Kujo, eh?" The man grunted, his voice as deep as it was menacing. Jotaro stopped at the back of his car, taking a square stance as the larger man stepped a meter away from him. "Well, you certainly look tough. We'll see if that brat was tellin' the truth. The name's Kasai Genpachi."

"'Brat'?" Jotaro repeated, eyes narrowing. "I'm guessing someone hired you to kill me?"

"Sorta. More like some little silver haired brat and her partner approached me for a job," Kasai explained, crossing his arms over his chest. "Wasn't really interested. At least not workin' for some brat. But I hear yer pretty damn strong, 'spite of that. Got me curious. Thought I'd see for myself."

Jotaro glared, lifting his head so the shade hid less of his eyes. "I'm not interested in fighting. Get lost."

The large man howled with laughter, hands slipping into the pockets of his fur coat. "Sorry. But I ain't leavin' without a fight. Not 'til one of us is out cold or dead."

Jotaro felt an intimidating aura radiate from Kasai, his killing intent becoming plain as day. There was no way to avoid this fight. Jotaro had a decision: attempt to end it now, in one quick move, or try to take this somewhere else.

"Fine. But you'll wish you had left when you got the chance," Jotaro declared, a blue aura faintly surrounding him.

"Now that's what I like to hear," the man laughed, grinning ear to ear. "Let's take this someplace else. I don't want the peanut gallery gettin' in our way."

Jotaro raised a brow, half surprised that he had even given those around them a thought. Most Stand users didn't, at least.

"That's strangely considerate."

"Tch. I just don't wanna hear some bullshit excuses like 'gettin' distracted savin' someone' during our fight," Kasai declared, standing up straight. "Come on. There's a construction site nearby that's empty. We'll use that to fight in."

Jotaro watched as the man strode to a black flatbed truck, eyes peering back at him in suspicion. "The hell're you waitin' for? Get in your car and follow."

"You don't think I won't call my allies?" Jotaro asked, watching the man with due caution. "Driving away might not be an option, but I could easily call for help."

"You don't seem like the type," Kasai smirked back at him. "Not when I came up to you this honest. Maybe if I'd tried killin' ya without sayin' a word, but… I can tell yer a man with some respect."

Jotaro remained silent, eyes watching Kasai as he continued forward, climbing into his truck.

It had been some time since Jotaro had fought a Stand user this upfront with their attack. Most were roundabout in their approaches. Especially if they knew his power beforehand. Jotaro might have been half tempted to call for help to Josuke or Rias before, but now…

Now he was curious as to what kind of man he was dealing with.

Jotaro released a sigh, feeling like a fool for going along with this. The man could have been lying through his teeth, having set a trap up beforehand at this construction site. But, sharing a similar sentiment to Kasai, he didn't think he was the type.

Yare yare. Maybe I'm getting too nostalgic. This reminds me of when we first met Polnareff.

Jotaro pulled into a dirt lot sitting next to a half built complex. Girders and wood were exposed across the building, but thankfully with no sign of life in the area. He stepped out of his rental slowly, surveying the site cautiously. While Jotaro might believe his instinct about the man, he wouldn't allow himself to fully drop his guard.

"Satisfied? Here, we ain't got no distractions," Kasai declared, stomping on the ground and spreading his arms wide, taking in the chosen battlefield. "Been a while since I've been hyped for a fight. Beatin' on punks gets borin' as shit when they can't even make you sweat."

"So you get off on fighting. Is that it?" Jotaro asked, walking forward and following shortly behind Kasai to the inside of the complex.

"It's what I'm best at. I like fightin' guys who give me a challenge because beatin' on weaklings gets borin'. Even before I got this Stand, that's how it was," Kasai admitted without hesitation, his stride slowing as they approached the center.

"So you were given a Stand by Myrcella then?" Jotaro asked.

"If you mean that silver haired brat, then nah. This thing woke up a couple years ago after some things happened," Kasai said, coming to a stop and turning around. "Here's good."

"Before we start, I need to know something," Jotaro said, pulling his hands out of his pockets. "Did Myrcella try to turn you into a Devil? And if so, why didn't she try?"

"So that shit about bein' a Devil wasn't hot air, huh?" Kasai hummed, holding his chin in thought. "She made an offer, but like hell'd I be some brat's servant. As for 'try', I guess she did. Had her lil lackey come at me with some fast yellow Stand, but…"

Kasai's eyes seemed to lose their pupils, his expression darkening as his face strangely resembled a jagged tooth shark.

"He wasn't much of an opponent."

Jotaro felt a sudden chill run through his body, a bead of cold sweat trailing down his cheek. He knew what kind of Stand Red Hot Chili Pepper was, and it was certainly nothing to sneeze at. It raised many questions in his mind as to what kind of Stand Kasai had as well as its abilities.

I suppose I'm about to find out.

"Well, if we're done chattin' then, let's get on with this," Kasai said, cracking his neck back and forth. "If you wanna know anythin' else, you'll have to beat it outta me. Heh, good luck with that."

"From what you've said, there likely isn't much you know that I need to, anyway," Jotaro said, taking slow steps forward as a blue aura began to surround his body. "I hope you don't mind if I make this quick."

"Ho~h? Be my guest. If you can end it fast, I'm interested in seein'!" Kasai laughed, a black aura surrounding him. Jotaro had guessed as much, but soon confirmed that Kasai's Stand was a powerful, close range one. As Star Platinum materialized, so did Kasai's in turn.

It was a large humanoid Stand. Bigger than Jotaro's own, in fact. Its physique and size reflected much of Kasai's own in turn, muscles rippling across its body. Its skin was jet black and shimmered in the light. Red stripes ran up its forearms to its shoulders and across its chest. It had long fins on its forearms and on top of its head. Its eyes were like bloodstained glass, and it had a large gaping mouth with jagged, monstrous teeth lining the edges. Its overall look was simple, but menacing in its own right.

"Heh. Good. So yours is close ranged like mine, eh?" Kasai smirked in anticipation, his Stand looming above him in a slouched position. "Fought a guy once who had some tricky shit instead. It was borin' as hell to fight it and had to get creative to put it down. I'd much rather this than that."

"... What's yours called?" Jotaro asked, eyeing the Stand with grave caution.

"Never been much for namin' shit. But to keep from gettin' confused, I just call it Monster."

The Stand suddenly let out a deep, bloodcurdling roar, causing Jotaro to raise a brow.

"Heh. I can tell this thing what to do, but it seems hungry for a fight of its own too," Kasai said, grinning as he willed the Stand to move in front of him, Jotaro doing the same with Star Platinum. "So let's give it what it wants."

Jotaro didn't answer, hand grabbing at his side as he mentally prepared for the next exchange. Jotaro wanted to stop time and try to end it there, but he needed to know what kind of limits this Stand had. He needed to know its strengths as well as its weaknesses.

And besides. The least he could do was entertain a straight up fight for a moment.

"Say when," was all Jotaro said.

"Alright. We'll give it a three count. Three…"

Star Platinum and Monster hovered just a meter away from one another, the Stands meeting eyes that seemed to put forth its own static.

"Two…"

Jotaro's hand twitched at his side. It was fair to say that Kasai had actually put him on edge. He would return the favor with a swift attack.

"One!"

Monster and Star Platinum raised their arms at the same time, but Jotaro immediately noted one thing:

ORA!

Star Platinum was faster.

The moment their Stands moved, Star Platinum proved its superior speed by landing a straight punch across Monster's jaw, the Stand letting out a low growl in pain. But Jotaro didn't drop his guard, immediately pushing with another attack.

ORAORAORA~!

His Stand immediately followed up with a blinding three punch rush, though this time his opponent had raised its guard, blocking the hits before they could do anymore damage to its face. So Jotaro shifted his aim, now launching two light speed punches at the enemy Stand's stomach.

ORAORAORA~!

Monster took the shots and grunted, its body tensing from the hits. But instead of completely folding over, it simply gave a low growl, throwing an overheard punch aimed for Star Platinum's head. Jotaro's Stand dodged, weaving away from the blow before throwing another punch.

Star Platinum is faster… but…

Jotaro's gaze lifted to Kasai past their Stands. Despite losing the first exchange, his opponent was grinning. Blood trickled down his mouth, but aside from that, he didn't look much phased by the attack.

Monster is a tank. It's taking my hits well so far. I can't put it down with just a few punches.

Realizing that, Jotaro quickly shifted strategies. Star Platinum brought its arms back and tightened its fists. Not wasting a moment, Jotaro unleashed a furious barrage of punches.

ORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORA~!

Jotaro watched as Monster ate every punch, the damage still seeming minimal as it transferred to Kasai. Despite the indents in his body, Kasai still grinned, his eyes hiding little of his excitement.

"That's what I'm fuckin' talkin' about!" Kasai cackled, and through the barrage, Jotaro suddenly felt his arms tighten like they had been gripped with an iron winch. Looking up, Jotaro widened his eyes in disbelief.

Monster had caught Star Platinum's arms.

It suffered through the onslaught, and used the timing to catch Star Platinum?! Jotaro thought in disbelief, trying to will his Stand to break free. Damn it. I made a mistake. Star Platinum might be faster, but… Monster is stronger!

GROOO~GH!

Monster released an inhuman howl, rearing its head back and slamming it into Star Platinum's. Jotaro's head whipped back, the pain transferring to him from his Stand. Blood trailed down his forehead, the damage dizzying despite only being one strike. Kasai's Stand didn't seem satisfied with that, rearing its head back again to slam into his again.

But Jotaro had regained his wits quickly, quickly willing for Star Platinum to beat it to the punch. His Stand quickly raised its leg, planting an unrestrained knee straight into Monster's stomach. That caused the Stand's grip to loosen, giving Jotaro a moment to escape its grip as he stumbled back. Kasai had as well, the pain immediately transferring to him as well.

Jotaro and Kasai took a moment to catch their breath, sweat and blood trailing down Jotaro's head as he stared into his opponent's eyes.

"Heh… not bad. Definitely more interestin' than that shit stain from before," Kasai chuckled, wiping blood from the corner of his chin as he continued to grin. "He started off usin' his dumb ability to move through electricity right off the bat, so I did the same. You're at least makin' this fun."

"Part of me regrets not using my ability from the start," Jotaro huffed, earning a breathless snort from Kasai. "Your Stand isn't what I was expecting. Slower, but more powerful. Not to mention it can take a hit."

"Of course. Bein' able to throw a punch don't mean jack if the first hit you take puts ya down," Kasai declared, rising to his full height. "Well, now that we're done testin' one another, what'd ya say we go all out now?"

Jotaro wiped the blood on his forehead on his sleeve, eyes narrowing under his hat. "Alright. Playtime's over then."

Kasai only laughed, stepping forward to get back within range. Jotaro did the same, their Stands hovering back in front of one another once again to begin their clash. Jotaro waited until they were back within a safe two meter distance, and allowed their clash to begin again.

Monster: Awake!

Star Platinum: The World!

*VRRRRRRRR*

Time immediately stopped. Jotaro wasn't sure what Kasai's next move was going to be, but was thankful that it seemed his ability had been able to launch first.

He was certainly a tough opponent. But it's because of that I can't let this fight drag out too long.

Star Platinum moved forward, positioning itself perfectly in front of Monster as it readied to deliver a long onslaught of punches.

I'll end it… right…

Jotaro's train of thought trailed off, suddenly feeling as if the world was becoming… heavier. His eyes widened as he felt his body almost double in weight. No, triple. Jotaro's muscles struggled to hold him up, his teeth knitting together.

What is… happening..? Everything's becoming… heavier…

It wasn't just his body, but his clothes that also seemed to weigh down on him. Jotaro chanced a look up at Monster, eyes widening as he tried to piece it together. It seemed to be still frozen in time, but its power was still getting through.

He… He did get his ability off in time. But still… it shouldn't be active during stopped time… unless… Jotaro craned his neck as much as he could, looking at the ground to see that it seemed to be suffering from the same effect. I… have to… get out of his range… Time's about to resume!

Jotaro made Star Platinum dematerialize, its added weight only doubling his efforts. Instead, he overlapped its leg with his own, using what little time he had left to get distance between them. After flying about two meters back, Jotaro felt the weight around him return to normal. But in that moment, time had resumed.

*VRRRrrrr*

Jotaro heaved for air, his muscles tensing up as he pushed off the ground.

"The hell? How'd you end up over there?" Kasai grunted in confusion, drawing Jotaro's attention back to him. He looked back at the ground, watching as the dirt at their feet stopped shimmering. Jotaro pushed back up to his feet, releasing a deep breath.

"You… do you know what my ability is?"

"Huh? No. How would I figure that out?" Kasai asked, his voice conveying his legitimate confusion. "Far as I can tell, just looks like you teleported or somethin'."

"No, it's not. It's something that gave me the chance to figure out your ability. Though that's it, really," Jotaro declared, brushing his body off. "You… you increase the gravity around you, don't you?"

Kasai merely grinned, letting out a low chuckle.

"Well, that's interestin'. In the instant you disappeared, how'd you figure that out?"

Jotaro didn't answer, now realizing the danger of the situation. Some time ago, he had discovered one outlier to his time stop that existed: space. Space and time existed alongside one another, having no effect on the other. In this case, it worked the same. Even if Jotaro stopped time, so long as Monster acted in time, its ability, Awake, would remain in effect.

Meaning that if he wasn't able to act before Kasai did, then he had no chance of fighting him in a close ranged battle.

Jotaro came to the realization that if there was any Stand that would be considered a match for Star Platinum, it was Monster.

He couldn't waste too much time. Jotaro had to test the speed of activation. Star Platinum reached to a partially built wall nearby, ripping a piece of rebar from it and straightening it like a spear in one swift move before tossing it with great precision.

ORA!

Jotaro watched as the rebar entered within four meters of Kasai's range, the Stand user narrowing his eyes as he watched it close in. Before it could get any closer, gravity seemed to kick in, the rebar immediately dropping to the ground like a brick.

"Now what was that? Testin' the distance?" Kasai asked, kneeling down and picking the rebar up. "Or were you just seein' how long it takes for me to activate Monster's ability?"

"I needed to establish the parameters in place. Your ability is dangerous, one I can't get careless with." Jotaro said, taking another step back by a girder. "Coming straight at you is out of the question. Speed won't matter with that kind of power."

"Heh. Sounds like you got it all figured out," Kasai chuckled, spreading his arms wide. "So? Got a plan to deal with it?"

"We'll see. For now, I can't let you get too close," Jotaro declared, Star Platinum forming at his side. "Sorry, but I'll be changing my approach to this. Star Platinum: The World!"

*VRRRRRR*

Time stopped all around him. While his opponent might have been frozen in place, Jotaro didn't dare try and approach again. Even if he got there before time resumed, Monster could catch him in his gravity trap. With that in mind, Jotaro reached up to the girder on the second floor, using his Stand to swing him up.

I need to create distance and catch him off guard. If I can stop time before he activates his ability, I can win.

As Jotaro took several steps deeper into the construction site, he felt time soon resume.

*VRRRrrr*

"Come on, now! Yer gonna make me fuckin' chase you?!" He heard Kasai growl from below. He stopped, sparing a look at his surroundings. There wasn't much to work with around him, but as he scanned the exposed girders and walls, gears started to turn in his head. Maybe…

Before Jotaro could think long on it, the ground in front of him erupted, Kasai rising through the destroyed wooden base. "Thought I heard ya scurryin' around… Stop runnin'."

"Sorry, but I won't be fighting at your pace. I've got too many people counting on me to fight an unwinnable battle," Jotaro declared, Star Platinum taking the lead and flicking three pulled screws he picked up directly at Kasai's head. Monster swatted two away, one just going off course on its own.

"Ain't that a shame. Guess we'll just have to see how long you can avoid me then, huh?!" Kasai growled, dashing forward toward Jotaro.

The veteran Stand user overlaid his legs with his Stand again, kicking off the ground and rocketing himself backward. Star Platinum quickly halted their flight, its arm reaching up and grabbing a girder just above him. Unlike the previous floor, a third floor had yet to be built, the area above exposed completely with rebar and girders stretching across the top.

Jotaro flipped upward, perching on the metal beam as he prepared for his next move.

Monster smashed a fist against the floor, sending Kasai directly for Jotaro without missing a beat.

"Star Platinum: The World!"

*VRRRRRRR*

Time slowed again, though not as quickly as Jotaro would have liked. He hadn't realized he was within four meters of Kasai, gravity around him beginning to increase.

Shit. He has good instincts. He knew that whatever I was going to do, it'd be now!

Jotaro ground his teeth, willing Star Platinum to push through the weight. While it wasn't so bad for his Stand, Jotaro still felt the weight increase on his own body as he took the weight of both his own and Star Platinum's on his shoulders.

The Stand ripped several more bolts from the girder they stood on before pushing off of it, sending Jotaro just past Kasai's frozen from outside the range of his gravity. Just in time, as time soon resumed.

*VRRRrrrr*

Jotaro rolled on the ground, taking a moment to breath as he felt his body's weight return to normal. Kasai clicked his tongue, stopping himself short in the air and hanging from the girder with one arm as he looked back at Jotaro.

"Huh. Judgin' from the look on yer face, you're definitely gettin' hit by Monster's power. Even though yer disappearin', you don't seem to get out of it that easily," Kasai hummed in thought, dropping back on the ground with a thud. "So what's the deal then? Goin' off to some other dimension or somethin'? Or… or is it somethin' like steppin' out of time?"

Jotaro remained silent, Kasai raising a brow in question before his face lit up in interest. "Naw… no fuckin' way. Am I right? Hah! Ain't that just somethin'! Talk about a dangerous power! That's fuckin' great!" Kasai howled with laughter, teeth flashing as he grinned with glee. "But I'm guessin' Monster's ability still worked even durin' that, huh? Otherwise you'da tried to end this already."

Jotaro spared a glance back forward, looking toward his intended goal. It needs a little more give.

Jotaro quickly stood up, beginning to dash forward toward the opposite end of the floor.

"Oh no ya don't!" Kasai growled, Monster flying forward and striking the ground beneath them. The entire floor shook, enough that it caused Jotaro to stumble as he ran.

"Th-This power…" Jotaro cursed, putting a hand on the ground to keep from completely falling over. Kasai stalked after him, the air around him warping as the gravity increased. Jotaro felt the weight around him increase, unable to escape his range in time. The hulking Stand growled viciously as it reared an arm back. Jotaro could only use Star Platinum to block, putting its arms up in defense.

I need another second to-

GROOOOGH!

Monster swung past Jotaro's defenses, landing a solid punch straight into the Stand's gut. Jotaro felt the force smash into his stomach, buckling over as the wind knocked out of him and his ribs cracked. Blood spewed from his mouth as he tried to gain his bearings back.

"You're mine!" Kasai laughed, Monster rearing its arm back for another punch.

"Star Platinum: The World!"

*VRRRRRR*

Time came to a halt. Monster was frozen in the air, only a couple feet away from Jotaro. He wiped the blood from his mouth and nursed the pain in his gut. Jotaro felt his heart strain, the consecutive uses of time stop starting to have an effect. But he ignored the pain, knowing that it was the least of his problems at the moment. He slowly pushed off the ground, lifting his enhanced weight as much as possible. Adding crushed ribs to the mix was only more painful for him.

"I… I can't escape his range yet… I'll have to… push him back…" Jotaro grunted out, forcing himself to look back at Kasai. Star Platinum phased into existence, its speed slowed by the gravity but nonetheless standing strong.

ORA!

It landed a solid punch on Monster's jaw, struggling to follow up at first. I can't stop. That won't keep him back.

ORAORAORAORAORAORA~!

With slowed but heavy fists, Jotaro unleashed a barrage of punches into the Stand's body, each blow putting a dent in its sternum.

*VRRRrrrr*

Time soon resumed, and Kasai suddenly felt the pressure of each blow absorb into his body. Kasai coughed up blood, his Stand rearing back from the damage with its master. Jotaro panted for air as the gravity suddenly returned to normal, falling to one knee.

"Ah… shit…" Kasai coughed, wiping the edge of his mouth as he fell to one knee as well. "So that's what you can do with your power, huh? You're… a fuckin' beast."

"You're one to talk…" Jotaro huffed out, their eyes meeting as they spoke. "I could barely push through that weight. And the strength of your Stand is terrifying… Time stop is only so effective…"

"Hah… Here I was thinkin' you might disappoint me," Kasai laughed, spitting out a wad of blood before grinning. He pushed off his knee to stand, but suddenly started to falter on his feet. Jotaro raised a brow, watching as Kasai's legs almost wobbled under him, his hands trembling slightly at his side. His breath became more prominently ragged, the opponent Stand user trying to fight it off.

Is he finally feeling the effects of the damage I've done? Or is it…

Jotaro pushed off his knee, standing up straight before spitting a wad of blood out. "You don't look so good."

"H-Heh… I'm fine…" Kasai dismissed, though his voice conveyed some exhaustion. "Don't you worry about me…"

"I see. Then… let's finish this off before neither of us can stand anymore," Jotaro declared, taking several steps back from Kasai. The enemy Stand user narrowed his eyes, stomping heavy feet forward and following after him. Jotaro moved to a girder just at the edge of the floor, hopping on top of it. Kasai watched him with suspicion, but accepted the unspoken challenge, hopping on the other end of the girder.

"Got another little trick up your sleeve?" Kasai asked, hands stuffing inside of his pockets.

"Who knows? You'll have to find out," Jotaro declared, touching the brim of his hat. "Are you ready?"

"Heh. Anytime," Kasai grinned. With that, the two took slow steps forward, going within one another's range. Jotaro didn't activate time stop yet, waiting for his opponent to make the first move. I have to time this right, or it could be a fatal mistake.

But Kasai seemed to be waiting for something, keeping from activating his gravity magnification immediately. If Jotaro had to guess, he wanted to get him close enough that it would be difficult to escape with the weight pressuring him.

Looks like I'll have to draw it out.

They stopped a short two meters from each other, right within their Stand's range. Jotaro felt the temptation to stop time wash over him, thinking that perhaps he could get it off just before Kasai could magnify gravity. But instead, he summoned Star Platinum and launched a straight punch for his jaw.

ORA!

Kasai grinned, Monster becoming transparent as it formed in front of him, both arms up to block. "Gotcha," he grunted, the punch getting blocked by his Stand. The moment he made contact, gravity began to magnify, Jotaro gritting his teeth as his weight began to intensify around him.

"Heh, looks like you slipped up. Stoppin' time won't do you much while my guard's up and gravity's forcin' you down!" he declared, watching as Jotaro collapsed to his knee.

"Maybe… but…" Jotaro looked back into Kasai's eyes. "You forgot that… I'm not the only thing you're putting gravity on."

"Hah?!"

That was when they heard it. The bolts holding the girder up began to buckle. In the next moment, their footing suddenly began to fall, with far greater velocity than normal.

"What the fuck?!" Kasai growled, eyes widening as they descended toward the ground.

"When I took those shots at you earlier with the screws, it was just to distract you," Jotaro declared, the gravity making both him and the girder fall much faster than usual. "I weakened the support of the girder so that I could trap you on it once you enhanced gravity. As for me… Star Platinum: The World!"

*VRRRRRR*

Time halted. And, while the bubble of gravity around Monster persisted, Jotaro used every ounce of Star Platinum's strength to kick out of the field, his Stand wrapping around him protectively, having flung himself deeper into the construction site, outside the crash radius of Kasai and the girder.

"Time resumes."

*VRRRrrrr*

Kasai and the girder made their final descent, the impact shattering the ground under them as dust kicked up into the air. Jotaro rolled onto his stomach, groaning in pain as he forced himself to stand up and watch the dust cloud settle. With the enhanced gravity, the impact would be dangerous for anyone, even if it didn't have an effect on him directly.

Jotaro narrowed his eyes, making out a figure as the dust began to fade. Kasai stood there, blood trickling down his right leg. While it looked injured, it didn't look broken. He heaved for breath, sounding far more winded than Jotaro might have expected.

"You used your Stand at the last second to avoid anything critical. Well done," Jotaro commended him. "But you're still worn down. Looks like my theory was right. While the gravity doesn't directly affect you, you still suffer from a drawback, don't you?"

Kasai's breath trembled again as he let out a ragged laugh. "Y-Yeah… guess ya got me on that…" He coughed, spitting out wad of blood. "I… I didn't even know about it til this fight either, though."

"You didn't?" Jotaro repeated, raising a brow in surprise.

"Yeah. Never… never had to use it over and… and over again…" Kasai continued between pants, dry heaving for a moment. "Most guys're done after gettin' caught… heh… but you… you made me use it a few times. Ain't… ain't no one done that before… made me realize how hard it was to maintain. It's like liftin' the max weight my body can handle… once ain't nothin', but… over and over again? It was really fuckin' with me… Heh… guess it shows what I know…"

"I see. It's similar to my time stop, in a way," Jotaro said, taking some steps closer to Kasai. "It puts pressure on my heart every time I use it. My time stop would be longer if I practiced more, but it's a real pain to use that often."

"H-Heh… guess all the power in the world's gotta come with a drawback, eh...?" Kasai coughed out a laugh, his body trembling as he forced himself to stand at full length.

"Give up. You're literally on your last leg," Jotaro told him, standing just two meters from Kasai now. Well within range for both their Stands.

"H-Heh… hehehe… naw," Kasai snarled, grinning again. "Naw, I won't. This… this has been… the most fun I've had in years… I'm gonna… see this shit through…"

Jotaro stared at him silently, eyes softening as he almost felt hesitant. But respecting his opponent, Jotaro nodded.

"Alright. Let's finish this. No time stop."

"No… gravity," Kasai laughed in agreement, his hands balling into fists at his side. Silence enveloped them. Kasai's ragged breath filled the air, but he showed no sign of faltering now. Their wills tested one another, waiting for one to make the first and final move of the fight.

One second passed.

Two seconds passed.

Three seconds passed.

Four seconds passed.

On the fifth second, they moved.

Star Platinum and Monster phased into existence.

Kasai's Stand went high, aiming to land a head shot on its opponent.

Jotaro's Stand went low, feeling the danger above and aiming directly for his adversary's midsection.

ORA!

GROOOOGH!

Jotaro's hat flew off his head, Monster's fist just barely whiffing past his shoulder before stopping.

Because Star Platinum had dug its fist straight into its gut.

Kasai spewed blood from his mouth, the punch directly transmitting pain to him. He buckled over in front of Jotaro, landing on his hands and knees and heaving for air again. Monster faded away first, while Star Platinum maintained itself for a moment longer.

ORA~!

The Stand roared in triumph, having overcome its powerful enemy before finally dissipating. Jotaro stuffed his hands into his pockets, releasing a shaky breath.

"So. Was that the fight you wanted?"

Kasai let out a ragged laugh, sparing Jotaro a fading glance.

"Yeah… that was… the fuckin' greatest…"

With those last words, Kasai's arms and legs gave out, falling flat on his stomach as his consciousness faded. Jotaro slowly made his way over to Kasai, kneeling down and feeling his neck for a pulse.

He'll live…. Good.

Jotaro fished into his pocket for his phone, his hand moving through his contacts before finding Josuke's name. He quickly gave it a call before raising the phone to his head.

"Hello? Jotaro-san?"

"Josuke… I could use your help right now."

"B-Brother?! What are you doing here so suddenly?" Rias cried out, eyes widening in disbelief as Sirzechs and Grayfia materialized before her and her peerage.

"W-Wait, as in your brother-the Maou?!" Issei blurted in shock.

"Hello, dear sister. Sorry it's been some time since my last visit," Sirzechs smiled casually, his gaze trailing across the room. "Ah, Issei Hyoudou. I had hoped to meet you sooner, but my duties have come first. Thank you for your part in sparing my sister from her arranged marriage."

"O-Oh, uh… n-no problem," Issei nodded shyly, cheeks heating up at the thought of the battle.

"My, what brings the great Maou here today?" Akeno asked curiously, her and the rest of the present peerage lining up together.

"Something of great importance. As you know, Rias, we will be holding the summit between factions at this school," Sirzechs began, putting his hands behind his back. "But, after several discussions over their presence, a fourth party will be joining the meeting."

"A fourth party? Who else would be attending a meeting like that?" Rias asked, blinking in surprise.

"Jotaro Kujo and Joseph Joestar, both acting as representatives of the Speedwagon Foundation."

Eyes popped out of heads as the teenagers took a moment to absorb the information.

"Wh-What?!" they all blurted out, confusion rising in all of them.

"J-Jotaro-san is going to attend the meeting?!" Rias asked in utter shock. "H-How and when was this decided?!"

"Quite recently. I spoke with Jotaro-san regarding the past events to occur within Kuoh. It was rather concerning and what it implies for the future is most disconcerting. So, with an idea I had in mind, I was able to persuade Jotaro-san to attend the meeting to discuss with each faction what may be done about these circumstances," Sirzechs explained.

"W-Wait, let's backtrack a bit!" Issei exclaimed, crossing his arms in front of him. "Joseph Joestar is going too? As in Josuke's dad?!"

Koneko and Akeno visibly faltered at the mention of the Stand user, both looking aside in shame.

"That is correct. Jotaro-san suggested that his grandfather attend the meeting as well considering the scale of what might be discussed. While Joestar-san's age might be advanced, he still has a good sense of how to handle such situations," Sirzechs explained with a smile. "In fact, that's part of why I've come to visit: Joestar-san will be arriving tomorrow."

"Eh?!"

"I wanted to inform you now of his arrival. We'll need you and your peerage to attend his arrival and keep watch. We want to make sure nothing happens, so if you and your peerage would be so kind as to act as security, it would be most welcome."

"O-Oh, of course, brother. Are you expecting any trouble?" Rias asked in wonder.

"No, not really. But I would hate to drop our guard now only to have our guest be put in peril," Sirzechs explained. "After all, even Jotaro-san was just attacked by an enemy Stand user. It wouldn't be wise to expect anything less now."

"W-Wait, what?!" Issei blurted out.

"Wh-What happened to Jotaro-san?! Is he alright?" Rias asked in concern.

"Oh, he's quite alright. His opponent was quite a challenge apparently, but he was able to come out on top," Sirzechs reassured them. "Josuke-kun reached him some time ago and fixed his wounds. He was supposed to join us for this discussion, but said he needed to handle their latest prisoner."

"I… I see…" Rias shared a glance with Grayfia, but the Strongest Queen only remained silent. "Was he… hired by someone?"

"No, actually. Just a random Stand user with a penchant for picking fights, from what Jotaro-san described. He actually sounded rather impressed with his ability," Sirzechs said, waving a hand in reassurance. "But setting that aside, that's all I wished to speak with you about. I do have one other thing to tell you, but I'll hold off until after tomorrow's business is handled."

"Something else?"

"Yes, but we'll hold off on that for now. Anyways, I just thought I'd pop in and speak on that with you. I must return now, but we'll see you tomorrow soon enough," Sirzechs said, a magic circle forming at his feet alongside his Queen's. Rias and her peerage watched as Sirzechs and Grayfia disappeared, the group collectively sighing.

"It seems like… my brother still is unaware of Myrcella. Unless that's the other subject he wishes to speak on," Rias sighed, rubbing her forehead.

"I'm surprised that they're allowing a fourth party to attend the summit, though," Kiba spoke this time. "Even if it is the Joestar family, it seems strange that they would be allowed to join the discussion."

"And Josuke's dad of all people… I guess that goes to show how big of a celebrity he was considered, huh?" Issei mumbled, rubbing his chin. "If Josuke's with Jotaro-san, he must know by now about it. I wonder how he's doing…"

"Yes… how indeed," Akeno softly muttered, her eyes trailing up to Koneko. "I'm… I'm sure it's difficult to hear with… what's going on right now."

The rest of the club shared a silent look of concern, but said nothing.

It would seem that they wouldn't be getting any answers until Joseph Joestar arrived.

To be continued…

Thanks as always goes to my beta nitewind for his quick work!

Phew, that was a toughy. Probably because I've had sooo many different story ideas and one-shots in mind lately that I kept getting a bit distracted! 9 evej started whole new story on a whim! (one that's a lot more popular than I expected it to be)

Moving on, this was a fun chapter! I'm sure some of you are a bit weary with the amount of OC's introduced, but this will likely be the last, and one of the most prominent, OC Stand users created for the story!

I created Kasai Genpachi with the specific thought of creating a rival type opponent for Jotaro. He takes a few inspirations from different places, ranging from Yakuza's Goro Majima, Fist of the North Star's Raoh and Toriko's Zebra. He's the strong willed and battle driven type with a code of his own that, despite the rough edges, isn't entirely a villain. As time goes on, we'll see how much we learn about him in the future.

His design is also derived from me wanting to bring back the part 1-3 design of huge, muscular men with a penchant for fashion, hence the gucci belt and fur coat XD Moving on from that, let's take a look at his Stand's stats and powers, shall we?

User: Kasai Genpachi

Stand: Monster (taken from Monster by Skillet)

Power: A

Speed: B

Range: D

Durability: A

Development Potential: A

Monster is a close ranged power type Stand, having superior strength to that of Star Platinum or Crazy Diamond, but lacking their speed. It can take a lot of damage, but is unable to go farther than two meters from Kasai.

Its ability, Awake, magnifies the gravity within four meters around Monster, all while having no direct affect on its user or the Stand. Instead, using the ability is strenuous on its user. The more that he uses it as well as for how long will continue to build on the stress he feels each time.

And that's about it. A relatively simple Stand, but one with great effect to it. I've had him in mind for a good while, and will say that he was generally a fun character to play around with. We'll see what kind of role he plays in the future of the story from here on :)

Also, if you're curious about the appearance of Monster, it's a mixture of a black version of Elemental Hero Neos from Yu-Gi-Oh and the EVA's from NGE. At least those are what inspired the design I came up with in my head.

Anyways, with that all settled, we now move on to the arrival of Joseph. This will mark not only a progression in the story, but also as the final thread to Josuke's situation with the girls. It's gone on long enough, and I'm ready to settle that storyline. Hopefully, I'm able to deliver it with justice.

With that, I bid you all farewell. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, please leave some honest thoughts and critiques on the fight and Stand user himself if you'd be so kind. I do appreciate the feedback. Peace!