[211] Vampires and Dead Apostles

"The Holy Grail War... huh..."

Under the moonlight, DIO looked down at the people below and smiled faintly. "Indeed, I need to rely on myself after all!"

He wondered what kind of beings would be summoned this time.

However...

According to the manga given to him by his Master, there were many powerful Heroic Spirits.

Especially this time, with thirteen enemies...

He didn't believe that joining one camp would make them allies.

"Well then, first, I need to create subordinates... But without arrows, I can't create Stand Users. So, I'll create vampires! And... I'm quite interested in the Dead Apostles of this world."

DIO had his own desires.

His wish was simple—world domination!

However, he currently lacked a physical body; he was just a phantom spirit, something that didn't actually exist.

Therefore—there was a certain substitution of wishes.

Firstly—he needed to obtain a physical body.

"We're still two years away from that time, and the Holy Grail War is also about two years away... Interesting, everything is coming together. Well then—let me, DIO, bring this all to a successful conclusion and become the ruler of the world! Prepare yourselves, weak humans! Hahahaha!"

...

Meanwhile, at that time, there was another individual wandering the streets of Kairo.

A man named "Colin Kidd," a Dead Apostle.

He had participated in two previous Holy Grail Wars, but those were merely games that summoned inferior Heroic Spirits. This time was different...

Looking at the Command Spell on the back of his hand, he chuckled.

This time, he wasn't holding back.

He participated in the Holy Grail War for real!

The winner would obtain the Holy Grail and fulfill their wish...

And then—he received the Command Spells.

All that was left now was the Holy Relic...

"—!!"

Suddenly, the Dead Apostle's footsteps came to a halt!

Cold sweat began to bead on him. For the first time, he felt danger—an indescribable, fatal danger!

He slowly turned around, and he saw the person standing behind him on the street—a figure!

"Are you the Dead Apostle?"

The man spoke in a gentle tone. "And, your left hand, what is that? If you let me take a look, I'd be delighted."

This... this guy—

Colin Kidd's body trembled. How... how could this be happening!

He knew this person, or rather, many people knew this person—DIO!

Dio Brando.

An existence only present in the manga. Why... why was he appearing? Right in front of him??

This was neither science nor magecraft.

What on earth... was happening??

"Are you afraid?"

The Dead Apostle's heart stopped suddenly. How... how could this be!

In a soothing tone, Dio continued, "Don't be afraid; let's be friends."

"Haha, haha, hahahaha..." What a ridiculous situation! He had lived for hundreds of years! Even if you added up the time Dio spent sleeping in the Atlantic, his life was many times longer. However, facing this situation, he succumbed?

"Come on, tell me your name. How are you called?"

"I... I..." Colin Kidd gasped for breath and said, "I'm Colin Kidd."

"Is that so, Colin... Don't be afraid, calm down. Yes, that's right. Come on, be my friend, Colin Kidd."

With these words, accompanied by this voice...

Dio Brando, at some point, once again stood in front of him, extending his hand.

It was a negotiation, a gentle tone.

But... he couldn't refuse.

There was no coercion, but...

Colin Kidd reached out with his left hand.

In the next moment, Dio, looking at the outstretched hand of the Dead Apostle with the Command Spell, showed his fangs and smiled.

...

Time passed.

In March, an order from the Japanese government prohibited using real estate for silver futures mortgage loans, signaling the imminent collapse of the Japanese economic bubble.

The year 1990 also passed through this continuous undercurrent of changes.

There seemed to be no significant changes on the surface, but around this time, countless battles, overt and covert, occurred between the Mage's Association, the Holy Church, and a war that was on a completely different level than the previous Holy Grail War.

On the other hand, there were also changes in JUMP.

In the first half of the year, "Ushio to Tora" and Tetsuo Hara's new work "Hana no Keiji" began serialization. Although "Ushio to Tora" was not serialized in JUMP but in the rival magazine Sunday, which belonged to JUMP.

Then...

In the latter half of that era, a manga that can be said to have influenced the times began serialization on JUMP.

In October 1990, in an era where the Japanese economic bubble had already begun to show its initial signs, a manga titled "Slam Dunk" began serialization on JUMP —

On the other side —

A few years ago, a manga drawn by Kazuya was finally completely adapted recently.

The entire series consists of 616 chapters.

It tells the story of a high school student named Ichigo Kurosaki —

The manga is called "BLEACH"

Just like when it was summoned before, the early part of this manga didn't undergo much change.

There were significant changes in the middle, and almost everything was abandoned in the later part.

Firstly, the strength of the characters inside was greatly enhanced — the power of the Espada.

Then, the Sternritter was weakened, and all the unimportant characters inside were abandoned, leaving only a few clearly defined characters.

They became the personal guard.

In other words, the number of personal guards increased, and the rest were all weakened to the level of vice-captains among the Shinigami, balancing it out.

And...

In a part of the flashback arc, specifically the part where Shinji Hirako remembers their time as Visoreds, an addition was made — the part where Aizen infiltrated the invisible empire, Wandenreich.

And at that time, he planted the "Kyoka Suigetsu."

Later, the appearance of the Wandenreich was brought forward, placing it shortly after Aizen left the Soul Society and entered Hueco Mundo.

When Ichigo Kurosaki and Yhwach were almost evenly matched, Ichigo, using hogyoku to swallowed Yhwach...

The original version doesn't matter, anyway, this time, what he draws is what counts!

Then, it's a straight path with the Espada.

Finally, defeat the Soul King Palace.

All the Espada defeated, the captains and Zero Division of the Shinigami also defeated.

Only Aizen swallowed the Soul King.

After that... Ichigo Kurosaki, who was strengthened, used Mugetsu, sacrificing his own Shinigami powers, to cut through the past, defeat Aizen, and rid himself of the Shinigami's power — conclusion.

Undoubtedly, the main character has been greatly strengthened.

The entire series consists of 616 chapters.

There were two changes in the middle.

He feels that compared to the disastrous Thousand-Year Blood War arc in the original version, this one is much more comfortable and also explains some of the earlier inconsistencies...

He also begins to prepare for serialization on JUMP.

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