Phantom Blood - Chapter 38
Summary
When Dio sees Jonathan, he realizes that Tarkus and Bruford have failed their tasks. Given this new opportunity, several of the surrounding zombies jump at the chance to kill Jonathan and please their master. However, Dio stops them and says he would like to be the one to beat Jonathan himself. Jonathan is eager to confront his old enemy, but Dire intervenes, stating that he has a right to fight Dio first, as he was a long time friend of Zeppeli's. Despite Jonathan's attempt to warn him of Dio's flash-freezing technique, Dire approaches him without a second thought.
Dire then uses his signature Thunder Split Attack and succeeds in straddling Dio's arms; however, before he can deliver the killing blow, the vampire flash freezes his entire body. Taking the opportunity to taunt Dire, Dio shatters his body, leaving only his head intact. Dio looks to Jonathan, who he intends to kill next, only to be struck in the eye with a rose that was conducting Ripple. In his last moments, Dire's head had landed in a rose planter and made a final attack on Dio. Enraged by the successful attack, Dio flash freezes what's left of the Ripple user and shatters it as well.