Rest & Recreation ( Za Hando: Za Warudo!)

John stumbled away from the cursed mansion, his breath ragged, the fury of the battle still thundering through his blood. The early morning sun warmed his bruised skin, and yet — the chilling memory of Dio's throne lingered in his mind.

The system notification flickered one final time before fading. Then — it happened.

John clutched his head as a strange pulse ran through him. It wasn't like Hamon — it wasn't like the Spin — it was something else. Something deeper.

From his forearms, twisting shapes began to unfurl — vines, purple and glowing faintly with golden threads of Hamon energy. The vines crackled softly, like the sound of a campfire burning at sunset. Tiny arcs of bioelectric energy danced across their surface.

He stared in awe.

The vines coiled protectively around his hands, his wrists, his fingers — alive, responsive, an extension of his will. When he flexed his fingers, they flexed with him. When he reached out toward a nearby brick wall, the vines shot forward, slamming into the stone — and a ripple of energy ran through it, as if the very structure of the wall had been touched by life itself.

John could feel through them. The texture of the bricks, the age of the building — he even sensed faint residual auras of creatures that had passed through here in the past.

It was Hermit Purple, but it was his. Infused with Spin precision, Hamon vitality, and his unyielding will.

A grin spread across his face despite the exhaustion.

"Now we're talking…" he whispered.

But even as the thrill of new power raced through him, a shadow loomed in his mind:

Dio.

The World.

And the crushing truth that he wasn't ready — yet.

John clenched his fists, the purple vines pulsing brightly in response.

[System Notification: Stand Unlocked]

Name: Hermit Purple Variant

Type: Manifestation

Description: A manifestation of the user's inner spirit, tempered by Hamon energy and shaped through mastery of the Spin. This variant of Hermit Purple retains its traditional properties of psychic sensing and life energy manipulation, while evolving unique features suited to the user's battle style.

[Energy Infusion]: Vines are capable of channeling Hamon naturally, amplifying physical and spiritual attacks.

[Life Detection]: Allows the user to sense nearby living creatures through walls and obstacles.

[Structural Reading]: Grants the ability to "read" the history and composition of materials or objects touched by the vines.

[Spin Synergy]: Vines possess refined motor control, allowing for precise grappling, object retrieval, or trapping enemies at long distances.

[Durability]: Enhanced through the user's Hamon proficiency; vines are resistant to damage from most physical and energy-based attacks.

Notes: Further mastery of Hamon and Spin may unlock new evolutions or hidden techniques within this Stand.

"Not the time to mess around with a new stand, best get the hell away from this cesspit." John decided.

He kept walking, exhaustion weighing down every step. His body still flared from pain from the sheer amount of Hamon he had pumped through it during the mansion raid, but he powered through it.

He half-raised a hand and flagged down a yellow taxi pulling around the corner.

The cab screeched to a halt in front of him.John climbed in and collapsed against the seat, mumbling,"Speedwagon Foundation… please."

The city lights blurred past outside the window. John's eyelids drooped. His entire body was screaming for sleep.But then —The taxi wasn't moving.

John frowned and sat up, blinking rapidly."Uh, hello? You gonna drive or—"

He froze.

The man behind the wheel wasn't some random taxi driver. It was Nick Fury, glaring at him from beneath his famous eyepatch.

"...Oh," John said blankly. "That's not good."

Fury's voice was cool and sharp as a knife."You really screwed up tonight, kid."

John opened his mouth to protest, but Fury held up a hand.

"We had the mansion under surveillance for weeks," Fury said grimly. "We were setting up a perimeter. Silent. Controlled. Monitored. You busting in there?"He shook his head slowly."You just set off every goddamn alarm in that place. You jeopardized an entire operation."

John leaned his head back against the seat, groaning internally. He hadn't even thought about the consequences. All he saw back then was the girl being taken — and he had acted.

"They were kidnapping people," John said stiffly. "You want me to just sit and wait while they sucked her dry?"

Fury's jaw tightened."We were going to move in when the time was right."

John turned his head and locked eyes with him.

"You don't have the time," he said quietly. "Not with what's living in there."

Fury's expression darkened. "What the hell do you mean?"

John hesitated for a split second. Should he tell him?He decided to offer a warning — but not too much.

"Do you have any countermeasures," John asked slowly, carefully, "against someone who can stop time?"

Fury blinked once.Then he frowned harder, the lines around his eye deepening.

"That's absurd," he said flatly. "Manipulating time itself? That's science fiction."

John just leaned back, closing his eyes again.

"You keep thinking that," he muttered. "Good luck."

Without waiting for a response, John popped open the car door and stumbled out onto the sidewalk.

The early morning air was cold against his sweat-soaked skin.The sun had just barely started rising — a pale glow in the sky.

John didn't look back.He just started walking toward the Speedwagon Foundation.

Every step felt heavier than the last.

He had survived tonight. But something told him this was just the beginning.

-<<>o<>>-

The heavy doors of the Joestar penthouse creaked open.John stumbled inside, dragging his tired body through the threshold.He kicked off his boots, leaving dusty footprints across the polished floor, and almost collapsed right there in the entryway.

The familiar smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the air.John blinked blearily into the living room.

Joseph Joestar sat at the kitchen counter, casually flipping through a newspaper in one hand and sipping coffee from a "World's Best Dad" mug in the other.When he spotted John, he gave a chuckle.

"Sheesh, kid," Joseph said, setting down his cup. "You look like you lost a fight with a garbage truck. Or a really angry rottweiler. Who beat you up this time?"

John didn't answer right away. He tossed his jacket onto the couch, his movements slow and heavy.Finally, he looked Joseph in the eye and said, very calmly:

"Vampires. And Dio."

The newspaper slipped from Joseph's hand.His coffee mug clattered against the counter, forgotten.

In a heartbeat, Joseph was out of his chair, crossing the room faster than John thought a man his age could move.He grabbed John by the shoulders, gripping him firmly, eyes wide with alarm.

"WHAT?!" Joseph barked."Did you just say—Vampires? DIO?! Are you serious, John?! Are you hurt?! Are you bleeding?! Are you infected?!"

"I'm fine, I'm fine," John said quickly, raising his hands in surrender. "Relax, Dad."

Joseph gave him a hard shake anyway, as if trying to wake him up from a nightmare.Finally, with a huff, Joseph forced himself to let go and pulled out a chair for John at the kitchen counter.

"Sit," he ordered gruffly. "And tell me everything."

John slumped into the chair, still catching his breath.Piece by piece, he recounted everything — from the moment he saw the young woman dragged into the alley, to his battle through the vampire-infested mansion, to finally encountering Dio himself sitting on that throne, the horrific sight of the woman's life being drained away, and the terrifying realization that Dio could manipulate time.

He told Joseph about using Weather Report and Hamon to fight the creatures, about the desperate decision to escape when he realized he couldn't win, and even about his strange taxi ride with Nick Fury afterward.

By the time John finished, the sun had fully risen outside. Golden light spilled into the kitchen.

Joseph sat silently for a long while, elbows on the counter, hands clasped in front of his mouth.

John fidgeted under the weight of that silence.He wasn't used to seeing his father like this — quiet. Grim. Thinking.

Finally, Joseph let out a slow breath and said:

"So... it's true. Dio's back."

John nodded once.

Joseph slammed his hand down on the counter with a loud BANG that made John jump.

"Dammit," Joseph muttered under his breath. His voice was low, full of a deep, simmering anger.

He turned his gaze back to John — sharp, serious, determined.

"Listen to me, John. You're strong. Stronger than I ever was at your age. But right now... against Dio? You're not enough."

John swallowed hard, not arguing. He knew it was true.

Joseph's fists clenched tightly.

"If Dio really has this ability to stop time..." Joseph said slowly, "then no one alive can kill him — not SHIELD, not the government, not anyone."He met John's eyes, deadly serious."You're the only chance we have."

John's breath caught in his throat.

"You must become stronger, John," Joseph said, voice heavy with meaning. "No matter what it takes. No matter the cost."

The two of them sat there, locked in a silent pact of understanding.The weight of the future settled on John's shoulders like a mantle.