Jon barely managed to regulate his breathing before using [Stone Free] on his finger. The flesh twisted and unraveled into a fine, thread-like strand, slithering forward under his control.
He had never been this excited before. In his previous life, supernatural powers like Stands were nothing more than fiction. Now, he was living it. And for a JOJO fan, awakening a Stand was nothing short of a dream come true.
He continued to test [Stone Free], extending its reach meter by meter. At about nine meters, the Stand began to weaken. Beyond that, its lethality plummeted. As expected, [Stone Free] was best used in close combat. Long-range utility was just that—utility, not offense.
In this game-like system, new Stands could be acquired using a virtual currency. There were only three ways to earn it:① Completing daily or story missions.② Fighting other players.③ Accepting system gifts.
For reasons unknown, story missions remained locked. That left daily tasks or PvP. Fighting random players was a terrible idea right now.
Jon's current residence was only half a day from the infamous Yorknew City. In a few years, the Spiders might clash with the Mafia there. He needed to start training seriously—now.
Only one daily task was unlocked: the 10,000-meter Ripple Run. Fortunately, Jon lived in the suburbs, where the roads were quiet—perfect for training without dodging traffic.
He left a quick note, changed into running shoes, and shut the door with a solid thump.
The sunlight warmed his face, filling him with a faint sense of heroism. The road ahead was long, but he had to start somewhere.
As he ran, Ripple-enhanced energy seemed to lift his steps—like he had wind beneath his feet.
Fifty minutes laterJon was slumped on a roadside bench, panting. He wasn't even halfway done. The system only counted distance when he maintained Ripple breathing. Without it, the meter stopped. Which meant every lost breath = wasted steps.
After a short rest, he dragged himself back onto the road to resume.
An hour laterJon lay sprawled on a grassy patch, drenched in sweat, chest heaving like a fish out of water. His shirt clung to his skin. He looked like a corpse on a lunch break.
This was just the start of Joseph Joestar's basic training. Joseph had completed it in a week, while wearing a 100kg breathing regulator. Sure, Joseph was older—but if Jon wore something like that now, he'd just drop dead on the roadside.
"I didn't think the 10,000-meter Ripple Run would be this brutal…"
His current body was too weak. Then again, he wasn't exactly Mr. Fit in his past life either.
Suddenly, a shadow cast over him. A slender, graceful figure walked into view. Jon noticed her immediately—and no, she wasn't someone he recognized.
She had smooth, golden hair tied in a ponytail, and wore a white tee with foreign print, tucked into light blue jeans that hugged her figure. Her features were sharp, her smile oddly knowing.
As she approached, Jon stared in confusion.
Wait... is she into me?Another girl falling for my beauty already?I need to politely reject her. I have training to do.
"Who are you?" he asked, awkwardly.
Still smiling, she looked down at him. "You'll be fined for lying on my property."
Jon flushed red and scrambled to his feet, muttering a weak apology.
"What's your name, boy?" she asked with a smug tone that made her sound annoyingly cute.
"…Jon Berosovich," he replied, unsure why she was asking.
The girl stared at him a moment longer, then turned away. As she walked off, she whispered with a smirk:
"Jon, huh? Interesting."
Jon blinked. Weird girl, he thought. Once he recovered, he didn't linger and headed home.
Two boys squatted in front of his house, visibly bored. Danai and Boyka—Jon's two best friends.
"You're back!" Boyka said, surprised.
"Didn't we agree to hang out today?" Danai added, half-reproachful, but grinning.
Jon had completely forgotten—thanks to the whole "transmigration + JOJO system" combo.
"Sorry. I... kinda forgot."
And just like that, Jon entered despair. He had to act like the old Jon now. While he wanted to blend in, playing pretend with two 6th graders as an 18-year-old felt... rough. Thankfully, video games were a universal language.
He sat down, grabbed the keyboard, and let his fingers dance. His hand speed now was leagues beyond his old life.
death × 999
Jon glared at the screen. A white kitten looked back at him innocently—right before his character died again.
"What kind of sadistic game is this?! I've died nearly a thousand times and I haven't even cleared level one!"
Yes, Jon was still a noob.
Meanwhile, Danai cleared level three using just two fingers. Jon stared, stunned.
"Operating with two fingers is still too difficult for me... Am I washed now?"
Boyka chimed in with a smirk, "Fifth level's the real test."
Jon sank deeper into doubt. Are these kids even human? Are we playing the same game?
At that moment, a faint shimmer appeared behind him. A blue Stand, firm and reliable.
"I've decided—It's you, [Stone Free].""With near-sonic speed… Time to cheat. Hehehehe."