I Am Your Dad...’s Friend

While recounting the drug industry chain of the "Passione" organization to Giorno Giovanna, Zuke also took the opportunity to explain the concept of "Stands."

Although Giorno possessed the immensely powerful Stand "Golden Experience," he had no idea how to refer to this kind of ability or that other Stand users existed.

To earn Giorno's trust, Zuke summoned his own Stand, "Blackbird," revealing that he, too, was a Stand user. Zuke even gave a brief demonstration of Blackbird's power—which unsurprisingly left Giorno deeply shaken.

Golden Experience's abilities were not significantly stronger than those of an ordinary person. In contrast, Blackbird's strength allowed it to lift a steamroller with a single finger. The disparity between the two was self-evident.

Initially, Giorno remained cautious of Zuke, suspecting potential ill intent. However, witnessing Blackbird's immense power made him lower his guard—if Zuke had harbored malicious intentions, Giorno figured he would've already been crushed with a single blow.

"Why did you approach me?"

Zuke stroked his chin, quickly formulating an answer in his mind. He couldn't simply say, Because you're the protagonist of Part 5, but fortunately, he did find a reasonable excuse.

"It's because I knew your father. I came specifically to look out for you."

"What? You knew my father?"

Giorno was stunned. He knew little about his father, having only heard bits and pieces from his irresponsible mother. Giorno carried a photo of his father in his wallet—the only one his mother had given him.

"Dio Brando... Am I correct? I was very well acquainted with him."

Zuke smiled, satisfied with Giorno's reaction. After all, he was indeed familiar with Dio—so much so that he'd even consumed Dio's Stand.

"I see... So that's the connection. Now it makes sense."

Hearing the familiar name, Giorno let his guard down even more. If Zuke had come to support him out of a connection with his father, that reasoning was entirely plausible.

Although his mother and stepfather treated him poorly, Giorno still yearned for a sense of familial connection deep down. To him, his distant and mysterious father symbolized his only hope for familial love.

Upon learning that Zuke had a close relationship with his father, Giorno began to accept and trust him.

"May I ask... what kind of person was my father?"

Hearing this question, Zuke's lips twitched.

How could he describe it? That his father was a heartless vampire who treated human lives as disposable and sought to dominate all of humanity?

After a brief hesitation, Zuke finally responded:

"Hmm... Your father was a proud and ambitious man..."

Using poetic ambiguity, Zuke painted a sanitized portrait of Dio's character, enough to satisfy Giorno's curiosity.

After all, Dio's original personality would've likely repulsed Giorno—he despised people like Polpo, who disregarded the lives of others. Unfortunately for Giorno, Dio epitomized such behavior—or rather, such a vampire.

"Mr. Zuke, thank you very much for telling me so much about my father."

After this exchange, Giorno's attitude toward Zuke grew warm and respectful. Even the fact that Zuke had implanted a raven inside him was reinterpreted as an act of goodwill—a precaution taken by a close friend of his father to help him in times of danger.

Though Zuke appeared young, like a high schooler, Giorno assumed he simply looked youthful for his age.

"So, about what I mentioned earlier—what do you think?"

Zuke smiled at Giorno. He had suggested that Giorno join Passione to expose the organization's boss, Diavolo.

"Of course, since it's your request, Mr. Zuke, I agree—besides, my dream is to become a mafia boss."

Giorno readily agreed but quickly asked another question.

"But what's our next step?"

"It's simple. Soon, someone nicknamed 'Leaky-Eye Luca' will come to find you for not paying protection fees while driving a taxi at the airport."

Zuke relayed the plot from the original story.

"You should get rid of him. He's not a good person anyway. 'Leaky-Eye Luca' is part of the organization, and his death will attract the attention of others. That's your chance to infiltrate."

"I understand."

Giorno nodded, accepting Zuke's plan without hesitation.

"By the way, Mr. Zuke, since you were close to my father, you're technically an elder to me. How should I address you?"

Giorno was a polite person—despite engaging in theft, bribery, and other dubious acts, he genuinely valued etiquette. While Zuke appeared young, Giorno viewed him as a peer of his father and felt a proper title was necessary.

"How about... you call me Godfather?" Zuke suggested.

While "Godfather" carried unique connotations in the mafia world, it was also a traditional term for an elder. In many Latin cultures, respected community members often served as godparents to children.

Since Zuke was Dio's acquaintance and Giorno's elder, it was perfectly reasonable for Giorno to call him Godfather.

"Understood, Godfather."

Without hesitation, Giorno agreed.

Though he had grown up in the "uncompromising" environment of Italy, Giorno still retained a childlike hope when it came to matters of family.

And so, Zuke officially became Giorno's "Godfather" in Italy. One could only wonder how Dio would react if he knew—likely with rage boiling to the point of bursting.

"As your Godfather, I don't have much to give you. Take this."

After securing his new title, Zuke plucked a black feather from Blackbird's mantle and handed it to Giorno.

"When you're in danger, destroy this feather. I'll come to help you."

To Be Continued...

Btw, guys, I introduced two new tiers to my Patreon.

Starting today there will be 100 advanced chapters of this story on my Patreon so feel free to check them out if you want to.

The upcoming arcs are FGO, Yu Gi Oh Card stories chronicles(world based on the lores of the cards it is hella interesting) and development in DB world.

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