Director Edward

Chapter 248: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Premieres! (10)

The moment the Stone Mask was stained with blood, a burst of light erupted from the thug's body, causing Dio to instinctively step back two paces in shock.

On the other side, the thug who had donned the Stone Mask collapsed, falling unconscious on the spot.

"So, it's just a tool for carrying out torture…"

Muttering to himself, Dio hurriedly bent down to retrieve his hat, which had fallen to the ground.

However, to his disbelief, the thug he had assumed to be dead suddenly stood up once more.

"Impossible?!"

Dio's eyes flashed with panic—he hadn't expected the man to survive.

At that very moment, the mask fell from the thug's face, revealing a visage that no longer resembled that of a normal human.

"No way… Those fangs… That appearance…"

Before he could process what was happening, the transformed thug struck him with a powerful blow, sending Dio flying backward. He crashed to the ground, struggling to move.

In the distance, the thug's hand slammed into the wall, leaving a deep indentation upon impact.

"He's still coming this way… I have to… I have to jump into the river…"

Dio muttered as he desperately tried to crawl away, but before he could escape, the monstrous thug seized him with an iron grip.

The thug plunged his fingers into Dio's veins, draining nearly all of his blood. As he did, his once withered body rapidly regained its vitality, his flesh taking on a lifelike glow, making him nearly indistinguishable from a normal human.

"For some reason… I suddenly feel so thirsty."

As the thug spoke, he continued to drain Dio's blood without hesitation.

Dio had finally understood the true power of the Stone Mask—but by now, he was on the brink of death.

Just as despair was about to consume him, suddenly, the distant sky lit up with the first rays of the rising sun. The moment the soft sunlight touched the thug's body, his entire form was instantly erased—reduced to nothing but drifting ashes, scattering into the air.

"The… sun?!"

Dio stared at the fallen Stone Mask, his eyes filled with indescribable shock.

At that very moment, every onlooker came to a chilling realization.

...

Inside the empire's grand theaters—

"That… that was a vampire, wasn't it?"

"No doubt about it. Feeding on blood, fearing sunlight—those are unmistakable traits of a vampire."

"That strange mask… it can actually create vampires?!"

"My god, that vampire was terrifying… Just watching it gave me chills."

"I've seen vampire stage plays before, but those usually portray them in a positive light. This is the first time I've seen such a grotesque depiction of one."

"And the worst part is… the Stone Mask is now in Dio's hands. Does that mean…"

"Oh no… I don't even want to imagine what's going to happen next."

"…"

The murmurs of the audience echoed throughout the theaters.

No one had expected that the Stone Mask's true power would be the ability to transform its wearer into a vampire.

After all, the concept of vampires was nothing new to the people of the empire. Tales and rumors of these mystical creatures had been passed down for generations.

However, due to various cultural influences, the vampires that appeared in the empire's stories were often depicted in a favorable light.

Whether in folklore or on the stage, they were frequently shown as powerful beings who protected humanity.

Of course, the most popular portrayal of vampires had always been the romanticized tale of a noble and powerful vampire falling in love with an ordinary human woman.

These stories often followed a pattern—after overcoming countless trials and tribulations, the vampire noble would ultimately sacrifice himself for the sake of love.

As a result, in the minds of most citizens of the empire, vampires had come to be seen as aloof, powerful, yet ultimately harmless beings.

Whether this perception was a good or bad thing was debatable, but there was no doubt that it had become deeply ingrained in the cultural consciousness.

Now, however, as audiences watched JoJo's Bizarre Adventure unfold before them, they were confronted with a version of vampires that was entirely different from the image they had grown accustomed to.

At first, many found it unsettling, a stark contrast to the noble and melancholic figures they had come to know. But before long, they found themselves quickly accepting this new portrayal—one that, in some ways, felt even more fitting.

After all, if a creature vastly superior to humans were to lurk within human society, it would be unlikely to suppress its instincts or restrain its desires. Instead, it would most likely act with impunity, inspiring terror wherever it went.

Of course, this new interpretation would not erase the older, romanticized version of vampires. It was simply that, in the moment, audiences found themselves fully immersed in the film's world, embracing its terrifying and predatory vision of what a vampire truly was.

...

At the Same Time, in the Imperial Mage Academy

The mages at the academy had never imagined that the Stone Mask would turn out to be an artifact capable of creating vampires.

Anyone who had the mask pierce their head would instantly transform, gaining immense power in the process.

This peculiar concept immediately sparked heated discussions among the academy's scholars.

Both students and instructors alike were captivated by the mechanics behind this transformation.

"What's the principle behind this? Why does wearing that mask turn an ordinary person into a vampire?"

"Under normal circumstances, vampires are created through a process known as the First Embrace. A progenitor-class vampire must inject their blood into a human to transform them. But this Stone Mask seems to bypass that entirely."

"Could it be that the mask contains the blood of a vampire progenitor? And when activated, it injects that blood into the wearer, causing the transformation?"

"That's absurd! How could blood remain viable for such a long period?"

"I actually think the vampires in this story might be fundamentally different from the ones we're familiar with. While they share some common traits—sustaining themselves by drinking blood and perishing in sunlight—it's possible that they are an entirely separate kind of being."

"Then… what exactly is a vampire in this story?"

"…."

The more the magicians debated, the more bewildered they became.

Since the story never explained the origins of the Stone Mask, they were left with nothing but theories and speculations.

They had no way of determining whether these vampires were the same creatures as those in their own understanding—or something entirely different.

But regardless of the mystery, the appearance of the vampire had ignited an overwhelming sense of anticipation among them.

Up until now, they had found the story somewhat engaging.

The rivalry between Jonathan and Dio was compelling, but it lacked a truly earth-shattering moment.

However, the introduction of vampires changed everything.

Now, every single viewer was on the edge of their seat, eagerly awaiting what would come next!

-------------------

If you want to read 10 advance chapters ahead.

Visit my patreon: patreon.com/EggZy