Chapter 261

DIO's World, Part 15 (の世界 その⑮), originally Escape Route (逃走経路) in the WSJ release, is the one hundred forty-eighth chapter of Stardust Crusaders and the two hundred sixty-first chapter of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure manga.

Summary
Having sustained a powerful blow to the head, DIO is momentarily dazed. Although he still appears confident, this confidence begins to deteriorate when he discovers the trauma has left him incapable of walking or moving properly because of the brain damage, which also slows his healing factor. Meanwhile, Jotaro retrieves a nearby bucket and punches a hole in the fuel tank of a car to fill it up with gasoline.

While DIO panics, Jotaro covers him in the bucket of gasoline, making him easy to detect via smell. Planning to burn him, Jotaro takes out his lighter. Undeterred, DIO begins to crawl away while simultaneously employing The World's time stop to assist him in distancing himself from Jotaro. When he previously put his ear to the ground, DIO listened for a nearby car, and as time resumes he catches hold of its bumper and uses it to carry him down the street further away from Jotaro.

Jotaro makes use of one of DIO's fallen knives, empowered by Star Platinum's throwing strength and precision, to toss the blade into the retreating DIO, forcing him to let go.

When DIO attempts to take shelter in the sewers by climbing through a manhole Jotaro bursts from the sewers and delivers a volley of powerful strikes into his enemy, sending him flying. However, the badly beaten DIO begins to laugh as he flies through the air, asking Jotaro if he recognizes the street they're on while explaining this has been his plan all along.

As dust cloud settles from the skirmish and it dawns on Jotaro that this is the same street Joseph was stabbed on, DIO emerges, fully regenerated and stronger than ever; having sucked Joseph dry and completed his transformation with his Joestar blood.