Chapter 11

The taxi driver was terrified when he stopped in front of a seedy hostel, had locked the doors and avoided making eye contact with people passing through the place. Giorno had been out of the car for no more than 10 minutes, which for the taxi driver this time seemed like hours, the taxi driver had been surprised to see a subject so well dressed and with such elegance enter such a place, as if he lived in it.

The first thing Giorno saw when entering his old home, was the old woman to whom he owed the rent, the woman was surprised to see him well dressed, he had even cut his hair, she was really so confused that she could not pronounce a word, just she stared at him with a confused face, which increased when Giorno handed her a wad of bills, the woman received it somewhat fearfully, to later verify that they were real.

- How did you get so much money - asked the woman still incredulous - did you win the lottery or something?

"I was lucky in a business," Giorno answered, then looking at his hip he asked her, "how is his pain still?"

- And since when has that mattered to you? replied the woman defensively, but, seeing Giorno's kind face waiting for an answer, she decided that it was best to answer him

- Terrible - continued the old woman before Giorno's silence- I hate rainy days, it becomes unbearable

Giorno took one of the water bottles that he had turned into health potions and handed it to him

-Try this, maybe it will make you feel better

The old woman took the bottle while she looked at it suspiciously, Giorno noticed how she analyzed the bottle.

- "Of course, a magic drink packaged in plastic would lose mysticism", - he must remember that.

The woman took a fearful sip of the potion, almost instantly her eyes widened like a pair of plates, she drank some more and without stopping drank every last drop of the liquid. Before Giorno's eyes it was as if the woman had instantly rejuvenated at least ten years, not only was her posture corrected, but her skin also improved in appearance, her eyes (which already had cataracts) regained their normal brightness, it was incredible! Even the teeth that she had lost over the years resurfaced in her mouth.

- What is this? -said the old woman looking at her hands, which had regained the mobility lost over the years- where did you get this?

-It's a new drug made by an acquaintance- Giorno lied when he saw that his effect was even better than expected- unfortunately I can't speak more about him, or he wouldn't give me more.

The woman was horrified by the idea that she would never be able to try that drink again.

- But - Giorno continued - if you keep the secret about this, I could convince him to give me a monthly dose like the one you just tried, for you of course.

- Would you really do such a thing? - The woman knelt before Giorno - I swear I will not talk about this with anyone, seriously.

- Don't worry- Giorno helped her to stand up - I'll leave you these two more bottles, but remember that if the information leaks I will never be able to bring you another one, and don't take them very often yet, it's a study drink.

- Yes, Mr. Santoro, don't worry.

A few minutes passed, until the taxi driver saw Giorno leave with a thin old woman who hugged him and thanked him repeatedly.

- Mister Santoro - the old woman said very kindly - it's a shame you decided to move, if you reconsider, I could give you my room, it's the best in the place.

- I'm afraid not madame - Giorno replied with a kind smile - however, I am very grateful for your patience and never to kick me out despite my late rent, from now on I will send you your medication monthly, besides with this sum of money for the rest of your days, take it as your pension.

- You are so generous, Mister Santoro.

The woman tried to kiss Giorno's hand, who would not allow her and instead gave the woman a big hug and then a couple of kisses on her cheek. Before leaving, Giorno gave the old woman a card with the information of the hotel where he was now staying.

- On this card is my hotel and my personal number, if you need me, do not hesitate to call me

- Don't worry, I won't bother you.

The woman gave him another kiss on the cheek

Giorno returned to the taxi, he needed to rest, after all, in a few hours he will start a new day, a day to use this world as his playground.

An elegant man dressed in an immaculate white suit, with a blue tie and an enormous wide-brimmed hat crossed by a ribbon the same blue as the tie, crossed the room. Whoever saw it would not hesitate to think that the subject will attend a social event or a wedding.

However, given the place where he was, those options were ruled out, the man walked through The Latrine of the Cats, as if he were the owner of the place, accompanied by several people who appeared to be his bodyguards, with their classic suits, black ties and sunglasses.

The men walked with confidence, they went towards the corpses of the gang members, who were still lying on the ground since the morning, without anyone caring.

One of the men, the one dressed in white, said that one of them was alive, he slowly approached the dying subject.

- Who did this?

He asked without any expression on the ground from him, his sharp gray eyes made the pitiful man on the ground twist in terror, his gaze comparable to that of a demon.

- My lord, it was a ... - the seriously injured man pronounced with difficulty - vagabond ... he attacked us and then took everything.

The man in the suit put his hand to his jaw and looked up from him for a moment pondering

- A vagabond, you say?

- Yes ... - answered with difficulty who was lying on the ground.

The man in white put his hand inside the suit, took out a card and threw it directly at the head of the old doorman, the card, as if it were a knife, penetrated the skull of the unfortunate, who died instantly.

Then the man with the hat spoke to the men about him, who with a mixture of terror and utter obedience stood firm like a well-trained army awaiting orders from their commander, who said in an incredibly calm voice:

- I want a detailed record of all the martial artists who have fallen into ruin in the last 5 years, b they will look for each and every one of them

He crossed his arms and seemed to ponder some more, then continue

- I also want them to look for the stolen objects in all the legal and illegal sales of the city, when they find the thief and kill him, you can also do whatever you want with those who have helped him directly or indirectly.

The man made a gesture of having finished remembering something

- By the way, don't forget that the most important thing is to get that watch back!

- Sir - asked one of the men in suits - once we take care of the tramp, should we report him to one of the gentlemen?

- Oh of course not - said the man in white with a kind smile - how could we care about such an irrelevant matter

Suddenly the kind smile disappeared, and only sharp eyes like snakes remained, he looked with those eyes like blades at whoever had asked him, while he swallowed terrified.

- They get the watch back, it's all that matters, how or who they take it away doesn't matter to us.

- Yes sir!

They all said in unison, then the mysterious man in the suit disappeared as if he had teleported, no one seemed surprised, after all, the 13 lords of the Castle of the Dead Ladies could no longer be classified as mere humans.

A few kilometers away, in a high place in the enclosure, a man of around fifty years of age and completely disheveled, observed with his inhuman eyes what the man in white had done, thanks to his unmatched ability, he could not only see him from that distance, he had also read her lips.

Of course, he had also seen those gatekeepers murdered, and he had already decided that this fellow would be his toy, so he would not allow Danddy's men to steal it from him.