DISCLAIMER: I do not own JoJo's bizarre adventure or Rising of the shield hero
DIO sat cross-legged on the roof of his mansion, his eyes closed. The moonlight illuminated his shirtless body. DIO was collecting his thoughts in an attempt to relax his mind. Recently, he has been more irritable than usual, and with the Waves Of Catastrophe just around the corner, he had plenty to worry about. Not to mention the new developments with Riyute; covering it up was no small feat, and with all the lies and excuses Eli was giving the king, something was bound to slip.
"[The World]," DIO called out to his stand. [The World] appeared as usual, remaining quiet and stoic.
Ever since [Death 16], [The World] has been more robotic and apathetic. DIO had mixed feelings about this, but embraced it nonetheless. DIO focused his mind, remembering someone who helped him ease up once before, Jouta. He recalled Jouta's stand [Charmy Green] and how it matched, no, surpassed [The World]. DIO imagined how powerful Jouta's stand must be now if he has done constant training. With that in mind, DIO crafted a perfect image of this stand within his mind and projected it outwards into the real world. This is Shadow Boxing, something a stand user can take to the next level with Spiritual Projection. Spiritual Projection being what stand users use to summon their stands into the physical plane. DIO took this even further with subtle help from the clairvoyance of his second stand [The Passion].
"URYA!"
The Shadow [Charmy Green]'s fist rocketed towards DIO faster than a shooting star. The punch nearly connected, but was stopped by [The World]. The two stands' fists clashed violently, and they seemed even at first, but [Charmy Green] slowly began overpowering [The World]. This prompted DIO to order [The World] to swiftly launch a strong kick at the emerald stand's knee. Due to stands resembling their user's body, [The World] possessed unnatural flexibility, making its kick unpredictable and unavoidable at close range. DIO called this Bodily Horror, it gave [The World] similar flexibility and muscle control to DIO.
"MUDA!"
The kick landed, knocking [Charmy Green] off balance and causing it to fall forward. This gave [The World] the chance for a devastating uppercut.
"MUDA!"
However, it would not connect as [Charmy Green] dismantled its own body into a web of several emerald-like strands that wrapped around [The World]'s arm and leg. The shadow stand then reformed its top half, preparing a punch barrage. [The World] resorted to using its free leg for a high axe kick, but this was part of [Charmy Green]'s plan. The emerald strands around [The World]'s limbs tugged hard enough to send the kick off course, leaving [The World] open.
"URYA!"
Shadow [Charmy Green] bent back slightly in order to propel itself for a powerful barrage. As it reared its arm back, it was hit by a headbutt from [The World], who used Bodily Horror to stretch its neck and shrink its arm, freeing it. [Charmy Green] was stunned long enough for [The World] to prepare its own barrage. The two stands locked eyes for a brief moment, mutually agreeing to pummel the other into the ground.
"Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda!"
"Urya Urya Urya Urya Urya!"
They both respectively let out their stand cries while countering each other punch for punch.
"MUDA MUDA MUDA MUDA MUDA MUDA MUDA MUDA MUDA MUDA!"
"URYA URYA URYA URYA URYA URYA URYA URYA URYA URYA!"
The two duked it out, neither fully overpowering the other, it was a clear stalemate. DIO felt this and decided to end the simulation there, concluding that Jouta should be around his level. Speaking of his level, after the [Death 16] fight, DIO went from level 35 to level 40, and with all the training he has been doing, he is currently at level 50. He has discovered several new mechanics of his vampire physiology, such a fluid within his body separate from blood he calls 'Vampiric Essence'. This fluid allows him to revive living organisms into basic creatures he can control and alter. He used this to create a chimera with a demonic lion and giant viper. The chimera now acts as a guard dog with no need for food or rest. DIO wondered whether he could use this on humans or demi-humans, but that would be unethical, well at least that's what Eli would say.
"That human is quite experienced at his age. He seems to have had a fruitful past, but he is very secretive concerning it. I could hypnotize him, but that would be too easy."
DIO has begun using hypnosis less frequently and is more experimental. For example, as a combination of his vampiric essence creating 'zombies' and hypnosis, DIO has learned the art of genetic mutation. This allows him to unlock certain recessive genes within people, and awaken their potential. Healing of others, organic fusion between different species, and creating mutant plants, are among DIO's most useful abilities. DIO looked in the distance at the large orchard he created from simple grass, it had a large variety of plant life that was put to great use by the people of Riyute.
"Before I arrived here, one quarter of infants born died within a year, however since I've arrived, the population has sky rocketed to a massive 15 000."
Random narrator
For comparison, most medieval cities only had a population of 8000-12000. Many merchants and businessmen and mages have moved into the town, turning it into a hotspot for agriculture, mining and research, as well as advertising equality between humans and demi-humans. Beloukas has even invested most of his connections and intel into Riyute. The town has also begun building a secret army of 2500 superhumans created by DIO awakening their human potential. Imagine, each soldier having the power of Mike Tyson and speed of Bruce Lee as well as more advanced martial arts and weapon proficiency with Light Metal weaponry. These developments require a lot of space, so a large expansion has started, with the mountains in the north, the swamp in the west, as well as a nearby forest, becoming part of Riyute. All of this in a few weeks.
DIO chuckled at how his mere presence has lifted Riyute this high.
"Soon the castle town will become part of Riyute as well, and the rest of the country will soon fall in line."
DIO laughed as he imagined it. That's when he heard footsteps coming to the roof. A familiar figure made her way onto the roof clad in a red silk gown. Raphtalia was less than two times weaker than DIO with a level of 46 as her power in the dreamscape was over four times greater than that of level 35 [The World], who became four times faster after a ten level increase from 25 to 35.
"Apologies, Raphtalia. I was just training."
"Its fine. I actually wanted to talk to you."
"Hm? What about?"
Raphtalia sat next to DIO, looking up at the starry sky.
"I've been meaning to ask you for a while, but you've been busy. But I think now is a good time: what are you?"
DIO chuckled. He knew this day would come, so he was ready to give her his entire life story, at least the part he knows.
"I am a human who can utilize every aspect of their body, from my muscles to my blood. But to maintain such control, I need the life force of other organisms, otherwise known as blood. Simply put I am a vampire," DIO explained. Raphtalia now understood his odd affinity for drinking blood.
"However, from what I have observed, vampires have a twisted flow of life energy within them. And once this corrupt flow is set back into its correct flow, a vampire's body is destroyed and their humanity restored for a brief moment. Life energy can be traced back to the original food source of all life, sunlight. Plants use the sun's rays to sustain themselves, and they are the basis for the entire food chain. Thus when a vampire encounters the sun, their body absorbs it and the flow is restored."
"Then how do you operate in the day?"
"Have you not noticed that I wear the same armor every time I go out during the day?"
Raphtalia thought about it, and she did always find it a bit odd as he would wear that armor even simply to move about in the mansion. Raphtalia thought it was just DIO being prepared.
"Vampires sound evil," Raphtalia commented on the whole twisted energy thing.
"Yes, they are," DIO said as a matter of a fact. Raphtalia thought they couldn't be that bad, considering her experience with DIO.
"So, where do you find them?" She asked.
"They are created by other vampires through a blood transfusion or through a stone mask, in my home universe."
Raphtalia gasped, she had heard about alternate universes, but she never thought DIO was from one.
"How did you end up here!?"
"I'm not sure, all I know for a fact is that I did this to myself. I have no memories from before I woke up here."
Raphtalia pitied DIO, knowing she would be devastated to be in such a situation.
"You don't remember your friends or family, not even your parents!?"
DIO thought about it, he had never really considered his parents, though he guessed his father wasn't the best for him to turn out how he did.
"Not at all," He said bluntly.
"That doesn't make you sad?" Raphtalia was taken aback by DIO's nonchalant behavior.
"Raphtalia, I was a very evil man, even before becoming a vampire: I killed my father then my adoptive father and brother, while also slaughtering hundreds. Afterwards I stole my brother's body and used it a hundred years later to enslave innocent people, kill many young women, abandon my children, and attempt to kill all the members of my adoptive family. I am quite glad I don't remember my past, because now, I can begin a new. This time as a savior, not a destroyer."
Raphtalia was stunned by how much info DIO dropped on her. He stole his brother's body? And he's over a hundred years old? However, amongst all these questions, one popped up that has stuck with her since she met him.
"What is a stand?"
Suddenly, out of complete nowhere, [The World] appeared, ready for another lesson with a new student.
"I am a stand."
Raphtalia freaked out and nearly jumped off the roof. DIO raised his hands to calm her down.
"Raphtalia, worry not. This is my stand [The World], you met it in the dreamscape. It has been very quiet so I do not understand the sudden appearance," DIO glared at [The World].
Raphtalia calmed down a little, still keeping her guard up.
"I am sorry for any worry I caused. I was merely observing your progress. And I must say: it's astounding."
[The World] hovered right next to DIO, posing with its fist in the air above its head and its leg bent slightly.
"I hear you wish to know about the world of stands, as a stand myself, I can teach you."
Raphtalia prepared herself for a long night.
During the late night session, one of DIO's servants called out to him.
"Lord DIO!"
DIO quickly picked it up and left the roof with [The World] and Raphtalia following. The group followed the call and found the source.
"What is it?" DIO asked as he reached the servant. She was holding something within cloth. She cradled it as tears flowed down her face.
"My sister died while giving birth. And before she passed, she made me promise to care for the baby. But the child..."
The maid servant could not finish, she was too shaken. DIO took the child from her as Raphtalia attempted to comfort the woman. DIO examined the baby, discovering that it was missing most of its body. Basically all he saw was a head and not much else. DIO could feel the child's life begin to drain. It would seem the newborn was missing necessary DNA strands and was therefore, incomplete. DIO expected something like this to happen one day: someone coming directly to him for help as his presence was not really concealed, and I mean he has servants that could tell others of his nature. Still, he never expected to deal with anything this bad.
"I can help, however, it will require very experimental methods," DIO explained to his servant...or that's what he would have said if he wasn't excited to try out his abilities on a human. DIO hid his evil grin and went to his room. This room was way bigger than at the inn with a large queen sized bed, which DIO rarely uses.
"Time to begin!"
DIO gently placed the baby down, he focused his corrupt flow and projected it into the child with something similar to hypnosis. He read its genetic code. There was way too much missing, no way in hell he could repair all of that. He was surprised the child lasted this long, it must have a strong fighting spirit. He became even more invested in saving it and thought of a way to do it: if the baby was missing DNA then why not put some new DNA. DIO knew what he had to do. He clenched his fist tightly, so tight that it caused him to bleed onto the child. The blood sank into the child and fused with it, replacing over 50% of its missing genetic material.
"Prepare to evolve!"
DIO was not done however, there was still a large number missing, so DIO thought it would be interesting to try something.
*TEMPUS EST MEUM*
DIO held a piece of coal, he crushed it in his fist. With so much pressure and heat, the lump of coal became a shining diamond. DIO crushed this further into fine dust, blowing it onto the child and using his powers to fuse it into it. The diamond completed the DNA and the child was given form. The blood from DIO forced the child to grow to the appearance of a twenty year old woman. The woman had brown hair and was muscular with very defined features and decent height to match. She was quite beautiful, laying on his bed, completely naked. DIO smirked at his work. DIO wrapped her in a blanket and carried her back to her aunt.
"Here she is. A bit different than before, but you can see the resemblance," DIO quipped.
The aunt became overjoyed and confused, but was still relieved to see it worked out.
"Thank you, my Lord. I owe you my life!"
"No, you owe me nothing. Though I would like to name her."
The maid was confused as to why he would want to, but allowed it anyways, its the least she could do.
"I shall name her Senshi. It means 'fighter'."
DIO then asked the maid's last name.
"Senshi Foo. Hm." DIO was proud of himself, too proud of himself.
"You know, she is welcome to live here."