“This is DIO’s flesh bud—a parasitic implant he uses to control those he can’t fully trust but still find useful. This boy was probably implanted because he refused to obey DIO.”
Joseph Joestar explained gravely as he examined the boy’s forehead. “While tracking DIO’s whereabouts, we’ve encountered several people controlled by these flesh buds. The SPW Corporation tried using their most advanced equipment to remove them, but these things are like parasites, deeply rooted and sprouting inside the victim’s brain. Even the best neurosurgeons find it nearly impossible to extract them without damaging the brain! The worst part is, if you pull the flesh bud out, it attacks and parasitizes those nearby. The last surgery failed miserably—we lost several doctors and staff. It was a tragedy.”
“This boy has been parasitized for months. Soon, his brain will be completely consumed.”
Avdol, the Middle Eastern man, shook his head in pain and regret. “It’s so pitiful. We can’t save him.”
So it was because he was controlled that he attacked her... Well, she forgave him. But just as Nianzi was observing the [???], the system gave her a prompt.
Options:
A: Observe the parasite.
B: End his suffering.
It was obvious she couldn’t just end the life of someone who seemed innocent in front of everyone. That would surely meet with universal disapproval. So she chose option A.
[The parasite on the boy’s forehead is writhing.]
No progress. Nianzi investigated again, and the same prompt appeared.
[The parasite on the boy’s forehead is writhing.]
...?
Is that it?
So there’s nothing to do! Just pure observation.
Then what now? Nianzi suddenly felt anxious. She wasn’t sure if the nightmare was real, but if there was a parasite in her own brain, it was probably just as impossible to remove. Just then, Kujo Jotaro suddenly released his Stand, Star Platinum.
The purple humanoid spirit immediately grabbed the flesh bud on the boy’s forehead and, without hesitation, began pulling it out.
“Wait, what are you doing, Jotaro?!”
Joseph immediately realized what his grandson intended and tried to stop him. But Kujo Jotaro was unmoved; his gaze fixed intently on the boy’s forehead, and no one could sway his decision.
“I have to pull this thing out. My Stand is incredibly fast and precise. I can’t let this boy die like this.”
As he spoke, he sprang into action. The moment the flesh bud was pulled out, the boy’s eyes snapped open, his face contorted in pain. But just as Kujo Jotaro said, his movements were almost mechanical—so precise that the parasite was extracted in an instant. Seeing this, Joseph didn’t hesitate either. He immediately incinerated the removed parasite to ashes.
Incredible...
Even Nianzi had to admit, this was the true C-position male lead—more impressive than when she discovered she could precisely slice every piece of meat off a fishbone while keeping the fish still alive.
Unfortunately, winning him over was far too troublesome. She had no idea how to break through that barrier of goodwill, so she figured she might as well keep her sights set on the old man whose current favorability toward her was just 5 points.
“Why did you risk your life to save me...?”
The young boy pressed his hand against the bleeding hole on his forehead. The moment the flesh bud was pulled out, he had already regained consciousness. Whether the tears in his eyes were from pain or guilt, he looked a little teary-eyed and apologized to Nianzi with a hint of remorse.
“...Sorry for causing you trouble. My name is Kakyoin Noriaki. About half a year ago, my whole family went on a trip to Egypt, where I encountered DIO and had this flesh bud implanted in me. I was controlled by him to do terrible things, but no matter what, none of it was my true intention.”
“That’s okay, I don’t mind.”
She waved her hand generously, then curiously asked, “So, does that mean you also have a Stand ability?”
Kakyoin paused for a moment, then suddenly let out a bitter laugh. “Yeah, but since you acted so quickly, I never got to use it. In that regard, you’re really impressive. Otherwise, my ‘Emerald Splash’ wouldn’t be so easy to deal with.”
“...So it really was a sneak attack that worked.”
Avdol and Joseph Joestar both widened their eyes. The unbelievable story turned out to be true. They looked at Nianzi and continued, “If it’s convenient, could you tell us about your ability?”
[Joseph Joestar wants to learn about your ability. Will you tell them?]
Options: A. Tell them.
B. Don’t tell.
“No way, we’re not that close yet.”
Nianzi rejected the question without hesitation. Although the old man had told her what a Stand was, he hadn’t revealed their own abilities. If people found out she had a third hand, they would definitely be on guard, making it much harder for her to steal things or pull off sneak attacks in the future.
“It’s like a person’s privacy. If you let others know too much about you, you lose your edge. Would you just invite someone you just met to know about your ‘backdoor’? Besides, Kujo was about to hit me just now—I’m not telling.”
“What kind of weird analogy is that...”
The old man immediately drooped his face, looking utterly speechless. Kujo Jotaro clicked his tongue, clearly not wanting to bother with her, and a new favorability change appeared.
[Joseph Joestar agrees.]
[Kujo Jotaro disagrees.]
[Muhammad Avdol disagrees.]
[Kakyoin Noriaki agrees.]
...How is the old man so two-faced? Saying weird things but secretly agreeing?
That kid named Kakyoin seemed pretty sly too, but like Avdol, he wasn’t a romance option, so not telling them wouldn’t cost her anything.
She glanced at Kujo Jotaro’s favorability change—it had already dropped to -70.
Perfect. She could completely ignore him now. Even if it dropped further, she wouldn’t bother looking at it anymore...
"Well, if there’s nothing else, I’ll be heading back."
With the issue regarding Hanakyoin resolved, Nianzi put on her coat and stood up to take her leave.
"Leaving so soon?" Joseph Joestar looked a bit surprised.
"Yeah, it’s pretty late. I should get some sleep. Tomorrow’s Monday, and I have school."
"Alright, fair enough..."
Joseph seemed like he wanted to say more but hesitated, then looked at her awkwardly. "But we still don’t know the full story about that kid. I’m determined to clear his name! Well... could you take us to meet that lady tomorrow?"
"Of course. But it’s a bit complicated since it involves other people’s lives. It’s better if that lady explains everything herself."
In truth, Nianzi already understood why Dio’s son shared the same birthmark as the Joestar family. She had assumed they were relatives, but it turned out he had actually seized control from their ancestor.
She really hadn’t expected that! No wonder he’s a hidden romance option. Up until now, she noticed all the romanceable characters are connected by blood to the Joestar family. How many choices she has depends on how many members are in this family.
This game must be strictly heterosexual—otherwise, how could Joseph’s daughter, Holly, not be on the romanceable list?
"It’s late, and it’s not safe for a girl to be alone. Let Jotaro take you home."
Holly Kujo, carrying a cup of hot tea, saw Nianzi preparing to leave and kindly offered.
"She managed to knock out Hanakyoin and carry him back by herself; of course, she can get home alone."
Kujo Jotaro coldly contradicted his mother but put on his uniform jacket and headed toward the front door, pushing his motorcycle out into the yard.
"If you want a ride, get on."
Standing by the bike, he stared at Nianzi with a blank expression and said.
"Heh, Jotaro’s just that kind of tough but soft-hearted kid."
Holly chuckled happily, and Nianzi agreed. After all, despite her current affection rating being -70, he was still willing to give her a ride home.
"Thanks, then let’s go to this address."
Nianzi didn’t bother with formalities. Taking the chance to save walking time and get home earlier, she hopped onto the back of Kujo Jotaro’s motorcycle and took the helmet he tossed her.
"Alright, let’s go."
Jotaro didn’t say much. He started the bike and silently rode Nianzi to the address she gave him. But when they arrived in front of the café, he frowned and glanced at her.
"I thought you said you were going home to sleep? What are you doing at a café this late at night?"
"Well... I live in the attic above the café."
"..."
Jotaro fell silent for a moment at her words, but Nianzi didn’t care what he thought. She handed the helmet back to him, jumped off the bike, and used her key to open the café door. Then she said goodbye to Jotaro, who stood quietly at the entrance, seemingly watching to make sure she really got home safely.
"Thanks for the ride."
On the surface, he looked stern, but his character was surprisingly decent. She just couldn’t figure out why he automatically assumed a bad impression of a girl he’d just met. What kind of experiences had this guy been through?
"Mm."
He gave a short hum, put his helmet back on, and was about to leave. But just then, the phone suddenly rang in the midnight café.
At this hour, the café’s customers had long since left, and there were no reservations scheduled—who could possibly be calling?
The crisp ringing went on for quite a while, sounding especially eerie in the quiet coffee shop. Kujo Jotaro, who was about to walk away, suddenly stopped and looked toward her, his gaze sharpening with a hint of suspicion.
Oh, is he still suspecting that she’s secretly colluding with DIO...?
Nianzi silently cursed under her breath but calmly picked up the phone. To her surprise, the caller was Ms. Shiokawa.
“You… you’re still awake?”
“Not yet. Is something wrong?”
For some reason, Ms. Shiokawa’s voice trembled, her breathing uneven and stammering as she spoke to Nianzi. “It’s… it’s nothing serious. I just wanted to tell you that you don’t have to come help me take care of the child this weekend… The child’s father found me… he… sent someone to take the child away…”
