Kosaku Valentine: I would be grateful! I might be pitching a few new ideas to you soon, also, if you have any of your own feel free to send them over!

Euphoria: That would be very interesting! We haven't seen any new non-hostile stand users quite yet, I'll have to see how I can fit that in!

Spaghetti sauce: One of your stands is in this chapter! Also, I apologize for the Jotaro. I'm not a very good artist, and I was trying to make him look older. Considering this takes place only a year or so after Stone Ocean, he should probably look more like he did then. The new cover are SHOULD be up now.

AshenOne: I just fell in love with your stand. Honestly, that is a brilliant idea! As for Genesis, it allows Santana to transform into any inorganic material, like metal or even water. It being armor that protects him from the sun is a secondary ability.

Guest: Not in this story, but he will in Diego's spinoff!

nocringeman: Yep, I got it, and I'm DEFINITELY using it!

CoolK: Perhaps...

E: That just reminded me of the whole "Jonathan is Star Platinum theory".


As soon as Johnny and Izuku came back, Kyoka threw her arms around them. "Thank God you two are back...I was so fucking scared, you have no idea..."

"I can't believe he actually came here...is Yaoyorozu alright?" Izuku asked.

"He scared her half to death, she was shaking like a leaf when I found her. He...he was just standing over her, he...holy shit, I haven't been so terrified since I found out Valentine was the one hunting you guys during the Steel Ball Run...he could've KILLED her."

"He was here and no one noticed him, he could've killed anyone." Johnny said, rubbing Kyoka's back. "He just changed the nature of this war, that's for sure. He came onto OUR turf, terrorized OUR friends...and if he comes back, well...he'll learn just how we feel about that."

Izuku separated from the hug and grimaced. "He's even more persistent than Shigaraki ever was. The League only attacked the school once, but Santana isn't letting up. What if...what if he's WORSE than All For One?"

"Izuku he's a Pillar Man, All For One is human. He has a superior intellect, superhuman strength, and he can eat someone just by touching them. And now he apparently has a stand so...yeah, he might just be worse."

"This fight is changing Midoriya. This isn't about All For One anymore, no matter how much he thinks otherwise. I saw Tomura Shigaraki during my mission to locate Pluck...he is PATHETIC. The same guy who All For One was grooming to be his successor is now just a murderous hobo. Santana BROKE him, and basically ruined whatever All For One has planned." Kyoka said, crossing her arms.

"She's right." The three turned to see Jotaro approaching them with his hands in his pockets. "Although we can't cut Shigaraki out of the picture just yet. You never know when they'll get a second wind. But from what Yaoyorozu just told me...Santana has completely different goals...and I can't necessarily blame him for having them."

Johnny sighed and took off his hat, rubbing his scalp. "Just...what do we DO about this? Santana made things personal, coming to our home. Who's to say he won't come back again?"

"He IS coming back, and that's the problem. We need to put him in his place, and we need to decide the nature of the fight. He CAN'T be on the premises again, or innocent students might get hurt. We need to take control."

"He was after Gyro, specifically, right? I don't want to make it sound like we're using him as bait...but what if we took him somewhere, lured Santana, and then we all jump him?" Kyoka suggested. "He may be powerful, but Hamon should still hurt him, and he can't beat all of us."

"That could work...but he could also kill any one of us. And, while I have faith in you all, you're still students, still kids, and if something happened to you it would spell disaster. We would probably best him...but it would be at a big cost."

"Parents are already angry enough as it is...they don't need us dying on them, no matter how capable we are. It was a good plan Kyoka, but my dad has a point." Johnny said.

"We can still use that plan...but Gyro wouldn't be involved. There is still one person who Santana would gladly abandon his mission to pursue...and that's Joseph Joestar. Just to be clear, I am NOT underestimating your abilities, but it's better for everyone if the adults handle it." Jotaro said. Kyoka nodded, pressing her lips together. She was peeved that she couldn't be involved, but understood. "The three of you...just, pretend nothing is wrong for now, and if he doesn't fall for the bait, and comes back here...fight like hell, got it?"

The three nodded.

Jotaro put a reassuring hand on his son's shoulder, giving it a squeeze, before exiting through the door.


Momo sat on her bed, going over her confrontation with Santana over and over in her head, when her train of thought was interrupted by a soft knock on her door.

"Who is it?"

"It's me." Gyro's voice came from the other side.

"...come in."

Gyro entered her room and squeezed between her bedframe and her dresser, before sitting next to her. "Have you ever considered investing in a smaller bed?"

"This is the size I'm used to."

"Fair enough...are you...you know..."

"I'm better. I was terrified Gyro, I couldn't even stand up straight..."

Gyro leaned back, tossing his steel ball into the air and catching it. "Santana is getting stupidly bold, coming right into enemy territory."

"He followed me all the way back to the school Gyro! I...I really don't feel safe anymore. If he can bypass security at any point, we're doomed! Gyro...he was after YOU."

"He wants to finish what his masters started. Caesar Zeppeli was a really big threat to them, he was just as good as Mr. Joestar was. Hell, if he lived, he would probably be considered one of the greatest Hamon users of all time. Santana is a Pillar Man, a species Caesar dedicated his life to defeat. So, some cowboy looking guy shows up hearing his name...you would naturally be a bit afraid of him."

"I know the history Gyro...and I also know that people in your family have a tendency to..." Momo looked down, she couldn't even bring herself to complete the sentence.

"I'm a Zeppeli that both embraces and breaks tradition, Momo. I will not go down the same path, I promise. I will survive, and you know why?"

"Why?"

Gyro grinned. "William and Caesar confronted their killers alone, and I will never be alone. Not with people like you by my side."

Momo blushed and rested her head against Gyro's shoulder. "You better keep that promise Gyro Zeppeli..."

"I will...but seriously, are you going to be okay? You look rattled."

"I'll be okay when Santana leaves us alone. He...he didn't seem all evil. He was terrifying, because I could understand his pain. The fact that he seemed so human, and then he became the evil warlord everyone thinks he is right in front of me...it was so scary Gyro."

"Sometimes humanity is scarier than the monsters..." Gyro said, remembering the Steel Ball Run and their final fight against Valentine. "Santana isn't a heartless monster, he's a person...and it's terrifying to think that a person can be capable of such terrible things..."

"I thought I was going to die, and then he was going to kill everyone else. He could've done it too...how do you do it? How do you cope with being in danger like this every other day?"

"I don't. I am constantly near pissing my pants from how worried I am. Don't be ashamed of being afraid, because it you weren't I'd probably think you were insane."

"Yeah...thank you Gyro...you know, I think it's finally time I told y-"

Another knock on the door completely destroyed the moment, and Momo turned her head to the door in annoyance. "Who is it?"

"It's Jolyne, can I borrow Gyro for a moment?"

"Well...I'll see you later." Gyro gave Momo a pat on the shoulder before opening the door. Jolyne have Momo an apologetic look as they both departed. Momo waved, before her attention turned to her window...

Only to see the skull-like visage of Santana glaring back at her. Momo gasped and fell backwards off her bed, before quickly getting to her feet.

He was gone.

Was that really him?! Or am I seeing things?!

Momo created a small camera and placed it just above her bed before fleeing the room. Better safe than sorry...


Izuku couldn't help but feel like he could be doing more.

Kyoka was right, the fight had changed. All For One, once the biggest threat Izuku thought he would ever face, had been brushed aside by a villain who was willing to go the extra step. Santana wasn't going to sit behind a desk and order people around, he was going to take a much more personal approach than All For One ever did.

He turned down the corner. Due to the recent developments, Izuku had to take a walk to clear his head. Eri is living at UA now, what if he takes her? He could show up at any time, or one of his stand users...

Izuku shook his head, he was sick and tired of worrying about these things.

"Hey kid, LOOK OUT!"

Izuku was roughly pulled to the side as a volley of green arrows almost embedded themselves in his skull. He gasped and turned to his savior. "Than-"

Izuku's breath caught in his throat when Hol Horse looked down at him. "You can thank me later, right now just focus on surviving."

"HOL HORSE?! You...you fell in the acid! What are yo-"

"Nah, I just caught a ledge. As for what I'm doing...I'm being number one."

Izuku got up, and brushed himself off, activating his quirk. "Number one? So...you want to redeem yourself or something?"

"I only went after you guys because Santana and DIO ordered me to. I wasn't strong enough to stand up to them before, I will NOT make the same mistake again! Hol Horse is taking the lead!"

Hol Horse proceeded to summon Emperor and fired shots back at their attacker. The stand user was nowhere to be seen.

A humanoid stand resembling a green and black jazz musician lifted a tambourine, firing arrows at them. Izuku and Hol Horse dived out of the way as the arrows completely obliterated a storefront behind them.

"You may be able to control your bullets, TRAITOR, but Green Tambourine has superior firepower!"

The stand launched more arrows their way, and Hol Horse attempted to shoot them away, only for the bullet to harmlessy bounce off. "They're indestructible, SHIT!"

An arrow went right through Hol Horse's arm, and he grimaced as he ducked away from the other arrows as Green Tambourine continued to hurl them. Izuku took a deep breath and jumped into the air, activating Full Cowl and closing the distance.

"SMAAAAAAASH!" Izuku cried out, a One For All charged fist came barreling right into the side Green Tambourine's face, sending the enemy stand flying. However, the stand simply grabbed Izuku's wrists and began to bend Izuku's arm backward.

"Sorry kid, my stand's durability is an A. It'll take more than a half-hearted punch to bring me down."

BANG!

BANG!

BANG!

The enemy stand was cut off as several bullets slammed into it's chest. Blood leaked from the small cracks as the stand reached down and rubbed it between it's fingers. "I see, you provided the traitor with a window, but-"

"25 PERCENT!" Izuku cried out, and began to slowly overpower Green Tambourine. The stand began to struggle under the weight of Izuku's fist. "You weren't attacking with your full power!"

"If we're talking stats, your stand is roughly a C when it comes to physical strength!" Izuku said, before wrenching his arm out of the stand's grasp and kicking Green Tambourine across the face.

Not using his full power... Hol Horse put two and two together. "It's you...you were the kid I was looking for..."

Izuku turned to Hol Horse and frowned. "You figured it out...listen, I have to know before we continue...are you going to-"

"No. No, I'm better than that, I've always been better than that. Now that I know who possesses...you know...I'm not letting Santana get his hands on you. It's a way of making up for my cowardice. I'm your friend now, partner." Hol Horse said, wrenching the arrow from his arm. "So let's kill a stand user, shall we?"

"I-I don't kill, I'm sorry."

"Fine, we'll just settle for maiming them. Come on!" Hol Horse aimed Emperor at Green Tambourine and shot multiple bullets at the stand just as it was about to shoot more arrows, hammering into the tambourine in it's hand.

Green Tambourine snarled. "THAT'S IT!" The stand spread it's arms wide, and several car-sized arrows began threateningly circling the battlefield. "I came here to guard Lord Santana, and that's what I am going to do!"

"Santana isn't...wait...IS HE STILL IN UA?!" Izuku said, panic beginning to set in.

"Of course he is! Lord Santana isn't the type to flee! He's simply waiting for an opportunity to strike!"

Izuku turned to Hol Horse and saw that the cowboy looked concerned. "My friends...THEY'RE STILL IN DANGER! WE NEED TO WARN THEM-"

Izuku was cut off when a smaller arrow went straight through his stomach.

"KID!" Hol Horse yelled as Izuku fell to the ground and coughed up blood. Izuku slowly got to his knees and looked down. "I...I'm sorry...I wasn't paying attention."

Hol Horse quickly lifted Izuku to his feet and swung him around and quickly grabbed his lighter. "This is gonna hurt."

"Just...do it, we're wasting...TIME!"

Hol Horse carefully extracted the arrow and pressed the lighter into Izuku's wound, cauterizing it. Tears began streaming down Izuku's face as he endured the pain, but once Hol Horse was done, Izuku looked up with a determined glint in his eyes. "Let's end this fight!"

Hol Horse smiled. "You've got guts kid, I think I like you. Alright, that stand is durable as hell, so I think we should find the user. It's staying in one spot, so it has to be close-ranged...say, does you-know-what have some kind of sixth sense we could use?"

"I can...hit things really hard...ow."

"Well, a shot in the dark it is then..."


SMACK!

"OW! DUDE WHAT THE HELL?!" Josuke yelled, as Okuyasu Nijimura stood in front of him with his hands on his hips. They were currently at the Duwang Headquarters (they are NEVER letting that name go) and Josuke was sitting at the computer drinking a can of beer.

"I may be as dumb as a brick, but even I can see that you're being stupid Josuke."

"What are you talking about?!"

"You've been sitting around all day, feeling sorry for yourself! Seriously, the Josuke I know would never act like this!"

"I'm just in a bit of a slump, Okuyasu, I'll get out of it in time."

"Dude, I get it. You didn't save Nighteye...or Eraserhead."

"I'm supposed to be the guy that fixes things Okuyasu. I couldn't save them, I couldn't even heal Johnny's back, he had to do that himself. I couldn't save Shigechi, and I...I couldn't even save my own grandfather. No matter how hard I try, someone always ends up getting hurt. Back in the Yakuza raid, Susan took me out with ONE BULLET! ONE! I should've been beating her ass for what she did to my family, then maybe Kyoka wouldn't have those stupid scars on her arm...I should be better than this..."

"Sometimes, tough shit happens, but you have always gotten past it. You mentioned Kyoka, did you forget what you DID for her? That girl looks up to you man, and you know why?"

"..."

"Because you're AMAZING! She has grown so much thanks to you, hell, she saved my life. You and I caught one of the deadliest serial killers in the world when we were sixteen, you were there for me when I lost my brother, and you have saved MORE people than you've lost. Josuke, you've had such a...you're the MAN. Kyoka is going through some real tough shit right now, she needs her mentor!"

"She is?" Josuke became concerned.

"Yeah, that's what this is about! Jotaro tried calling you, but you weren't answering your fucking phone! Santana came to the SCHOOL!"

"WHAT?!" Josuke stood up in shock. "He was THERE?!"

"Yeah...she could've DIED you know. Didn't you say she's like a little sister to you?"

"Yeah...so Kyoka was in danger while I was sitting here on my ass. What is WRONG with me?! I AM better than this! Okuyasu, we're going to UA!"

"HELL YEAH! THAT'S MORE LIKE IT, LET'S GO!"

The two raced to Josuke's car and got in, backing right into traffic and pissing quite a few people off, before driving towards UA.

It was only after the fact that Josuke realized he wasn't wearing pants. Truly he was his father's son.


Izuku groaned as he dashed around and kicked Green Tambourine once more, blowing the stand back but doing minimal damage. The wound in his stomach had been sealed, but he could be bleeding internally, and he really hoped that the arrow didn't pierce anything important.

Johnny would...probably be making depressing jokes about impalement right now...

But he could still fight, so for now he would do so until he couldn't anymore. Hol Horse was giving him the best he could, but the ranged stand was only somewhat effective in damaging the extremely durable stand.

All Izuku had to do was keep moving, and pray to God that the arrows wouldn't hit him. Right now, thanks to Full Cowling, he was faster than the projectiles...

But his wound was making it harder and harder to jump around.

Hol Horse wasn't doing much better, since the arrows kept destroying his cover. Izuku lept over and grabbed Hol Horse just as a massive arrow crashed into the street.

"Any idea on where the user is hiding?" Izuku asked. Hol Horse could see the sweat on the One For All user's face as he struggled to stay alive. "No...but I have an idea!"

Hol Horse pointed Emperor at the surrounding cars and began shooting the gas tanks. "Alright kid, get us far away!"

Izuku did as he was told, jumping away just as Hol Horse tossed his cigarette lighter towards the leaking cars, causing the whole area to erupt in a massive explosion.

BOOM!

"GAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

Green Tambourine flailed it's arms as a teenager in a suit jacket came out of one of the cars, covered in flames. Both stand and user collapsed to the ground.

Hol Horse walked up and poked the user with his finger. "Welp, kept my promise kid, he isn't dead. Although he'll probably wish he was..."

Izuku fell to his knees, breathing heavily. "We need...to tell my friends...HURRY!"

Hol Horse helped Izuku to his feet as the two began to walk back to UA. "Don't worry kid, he won't touch them. By the way, I never caught your name..."

"Izuku...Midoriya..."

"Well Izuku Midoriya, you're one brave son of a bitch."