Summary
Jonathan continues to beat Dio, who questions how it is possible that Jonathan can even touch him. After a final, sound punch, some of Dio's blood splatters onto the wall and the Stone Mask hanging on it, activating the mask's bone-like protrusions. Jonathan notices what has happened to the Mask, but his attention quickly returns to the fight. To Jonathan's surprise, Dio is crying and wondering, now out loud, how Jonathan could be doing this to him. Dio is holding a knife behind his back with the intent to use it against Jonathan, but before the fight can continue, George Joestar intervenes. As George yells at the two boys the Mask returns to its previous, inactivated state. Both Jonathan and Dio are sent to their rooms with promises of a later punishment.
A few days later, one of the Joestar mansion's butlers is throwing garbage into the incinerator. He notices a large box in the incinerator, but assumes that one of the maids put it there and turns on the incinerator. Moments later, the butler hears a scratching sound from the inside and realizes in horror that someone is being burned alive. Upon opening the incinerator door, Danny jumps out covered in flames. The butler sees that someone had wired the dog's mouth shut so he couldn't bark.
On his way home from school, Jonathan spots a crow staring at him. In order to stop the crow's curse, he looks back at it through his legs and throws a stone. He then sees Erina but hurries, to avoid the shame of running into her. He compares the feeling to a wall of glass between them and their emotions that neither can break. He curses Dio, saying that if this was the objective behind his actions, he had succeeded well beyond expectations. Jonathan says he's never felt so miserable in his life.
When he gets home, Jonathan meets his father and the elderly butler, who tells the bad news about Danny. The members of the house suspect that a burglar tied up Danny with the trash in order to get rid of the family watchdog, but Jonathan suspects that Dio is the one behind his dog's death. In shock and mourning, Jonathan goes to his room and sleeps for a while. When he wakes up and remembers Danny's death, he cries.
By himself, Dio reflects on the fact that he underestimated Jonathan, who seems to get stronger the more he's beaten down. While Dio has dealt with the humiliation of his defeat by getting rid of Danny, he sees that his weak point is his quick temper and resolves to learn to control it.
Seven years pass and the Stone Mask has waited silently.
Appearances
Author's Comment
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Volume 1, Tailpiece
