Chapter 1
"Dio, no matter what happens, live nobly and with pride. If you do that, you'll surely be able to go to Heaven."
Dio reflects on his mother, her behavior, and her beliefs. He comments about the apparent foolishness of his mother's righteousness in contrast to their miserable living conditions and ungrateful neighbors, and reflects on his mother's fixation on Heaven. Dio admits that he admired his father Dario Brando's immorality, commenting that his mother would always try to correct him even when her efforts resulted in a beating, the scorn of her neighborhood, and finally her death. Unable to understand her behavior, Dio questions his earlier assumptions about his mother's foolishness. He questions why she, a righteous and educated woman, would remain with Dario, and theorizes that she was being charitable toward him. Finally, Dio wonders whether his mother went to Heaven, but ultimately denies the possibility.
Dio posits that there may be a way to get to Heaven. He admits to having thought about Heaven and a possible way to attain it ever since he acquired The World, and wonders if he is doing this in his mother's place. He expresses that his mother's righteousness was akin to abuse, given his surroundings, and that his father was at least more honest. Dio speculates that his mother may have been emotionally distressed, and that the idea of Heaven was perhaps a way for her to cope with her suffering. When Dio's mother died, a crude funeral was held for her, and even there Dario became intoxicated. Dio admits to having felt somewhat relieved about her death. She may not have been able to reach Heaven, but at least she escaped the hell their life was.
Dio acknowledges his inability to attain Heaven, even with The World in his possession. Thus, he says that he must acquire a trustworthy friend without a lust for power, honor, or wealth: a man who puts the laws of God before the laws of men. Thus, he chose to record his thoughts in a notebook. He then comments about the danger of someone like his old enemy Jonathan Joestar stumbling upon the book, but decides to take the risk. Dio predicts that finding that friend and winning them over will be difficult, and decides to keep the diary secret from his subordinates. Dio decides to veer his goal from mere domination to attaining Heaven, stating that the true winner is the one who has seen Heaven.
For all the scorn he had for his mother, Dio now scorns his father more. After Dio's mother passed away, Dario soon began to beat Dio for, as he soon understood, no reason beyond affirming his dominance. He realizes that his mother's beatings may not have been caused by her righteousness, but simply Dario's own wickedness. To escape his father's beatings, Dio recalls that he worked hard to earn money and give Dario liquor to drink. To do so, Dio employed the education his mother had given him; it was then that he first felt grateful toward his mother. Little by little, Dario stopped beating his son, out of fear of losing his source of booze. Dio relates how he foolishly thought that his father being drunk meant he wouldn't be beaten; put off by the thought, Dio interrupts his writings.
Dio narrates his meeting with Daniel J. D'Arby, whom he could see he was a Stand user, a skill Dio finds strange. Dio initially wonders if Daniel could be the trustworthy friend he needs, but quickly retracts the idea, noting that gamblers do not have pure souls. However, Dio thinks Daniel will be a guidepost for the purpose of going to Heaven.
Dio decided to kill his father when he sold his mother's dress, having until that point hoped that Dario would change. Dio now thinks of Dario as scum, and would rather call George Joestar his father. Despite the dress's age and lack of value and despite Dio's objections, Dario traded away the memories of Dio's mother for money to buy liquor. Selling the dress convinced Dio that Dario was scum and that he was merely being exploited and taken from. Thus, Dio decided to think of a way to kill his father without arousing suspicion on himself, determined to sacrifice no more of his life to his father.
Dio confirms his doubts about Daniel J. D'Arby, saying that D'Arby's greed is indeed too great for his purpose. Dio then decides to think that he's already met that friend who will help him attain Heaven without realizing it. However, D'Arby's Stand, Osiris, became a hint towards his goal. Osiris has no power whatsoever beyond its ability to manipulate souls. Dio thus considers that it may be possible to fuse souls: more precisely, the souls of 36 sinners, as Dio believes the souls of sinners hold incredible power. Dio notes that a certain Noriaki Kakyoin whom he won over commented that the losers are the evil ones. However, Dio reverses the logic, reasoning that evil people have a stronger drive to win and thus will be the winners. He reiterates his desire to keep his plan a secret from both Enya and the D'Arby brothers.
Dio narrates his poisoning of his father, having killed Dario coldly as if doing a chore. Dio took every precaution as to not arouse suspicion, deciding to take his time in poisoning his already-ill father. When he learned of a Chinese poison seller in nearby Ogre Street, Dio felt relieved: by cleanly killing his wicked father, Dio believed that he would take back his own life and earn the right to go to Heaven. Dio then remarks on his own foolishness.
Now addressing his hypothetical friend, Dio asks how many slices of bread they've eaten in their life. For his part, Dio can't recall how many lives he's taken over the course of his life, but feels certain in stating that the largest portion of the victims were young women. He recalls that his first murder wasn't fulfilling as he'd hoped, and reflects that he could have simply waited for Dario to die on his own. However, Dio speculates that he may have sought the relief of ending his father's life by his own hands. Dio had eaten the bread, but all it did was make him hungrier.
Using the stands of Daniel J. D'Arby and Telence T. D'Arby, Dio plans to collect the souls of at least 36 sinners. He comments that while Daniel is a true gambler, Atum's ability to read souls requires special care. Dio decides not to use flesh buds on them. The flesh buds were originally Enya's idea: while the hosts retain reason and intelligence, Dio laments that the flesh buds weaken their hosts' Stand power. Dio considers the subordinates he gained through their use, including Kakyoin and Jean Pierre Polnareff, magnificent Stand users regardless of their weakened abilities. Dio then returns to his initial subject, stating that in the peaceful age of the present, it will be harder to find sinners. Dio intends to look for the 36 sinners he needs and a trustworthy friend at the same time. Dio then writes 14 phrases, which he intends to carve into his own Stand to remember them. The phrases themselves are lyrics from a lullaby Dio's mother sang for him when he was a small child. In Dio's view, it doubled as a requiem.
Dio comments that his father Dario left him nothing except a path: an adoptive family, the Joestars. At the very end of his life, Dario gave Dio something instead of taking it from him. That final act infuriated Dio, as it may have earned Dario the right to go to Heaven. At that moment, Dio decided that he would go to Heaven, to kill that man once more. The Dio of the present is motivated to go to Heaven for the evolution of humanity, though he would indeed kill his father there if he had the chance. After Dario's death, Dio held a funeral for his father, and even put in the effort to cry.
Dio announces that the descendants of the Joestar family are aware of his existence. Dio admits that he has had the feeling of being watched through "spirit photography", an ability he too possesses. This ability, dubbed Hermit Purple by Enya, is the Stand of Jonathan Joestar, whose body he took over 100 years ago. Dio states that Jonathan's grandson has developed a similar, if not identical, Stand ability to Jonathan's. Moreover, Jonathan's body has a connection to his descendants: Joseph Joestar, Holy Kujo, and Jotaro Kujo. The descendants of his enemy now also possess Stand powers, and Dio sees that in one move, he strengthened both himself and his opponents. Dio resolves to makes the first move, sending Kakyoin to his homeland in the hopes that he can kill the Joestars despite his weakened ability.
Dio admits that when he first realized he was being watched, he never considered that the Joestars were the culprits, having assumed that the family was wiped out with Jonathan's death. Dio diverges onto the subject of Erina Joestar née Pendleton, who somehow survived the ship's explosion and gave birth to Jonathan's son. He comments that she was strong-willed and, in several ways, was a hinderance to his plans. In some ways, Dio considers Erina to be similar to his mother. Dio then recalls that Jonathan's son, George Joestar II, was killed by a mere zombie, and considers the possibility that the family may not be as dangerous as he suspects. But Dio remains wary of them. He reveals that he ordered Kakyoin to take their blood, which he thinks will be accustomed to Jonathan's body.
Dio reveals that he had children. After awakening from his century-long slumber, he slept with a number of women and impregnated those that, in his eyes, had potential. Knowing nothing of their fates afterward, Dio considers that they may have been aborted, or miscarried (like his two younger siblings) as a result of their anomalous heritage, but remembers that he has still not adapted to Jonathan's human body. Dio elaborates on their mothers' potential: their malevolent energy, which Dio hopes will make them better mothers. Thus, rather than eating or brainwashing them, he simply let them go carrying his own descendants. Though Dio is certain that his future descendants will help him go to Heaven in a few decades, he is concerned that some may also have inherited Jonathan's blood.
Dio reveals that Dario despised nobles for taking from them, and for that reason he came to detest them as well. Dio describes his meeting with Jonathan Joestar, who he met and immediately hated for being an inheritor, who neither gave nor took. Having until that point only seen the Joestar family as prey, his indifference became loathing; had he not become overwhelmed with anger, Dio reasons that he may have succeeded in his plan then. In any case, he took those emotions out on Jonathan's dog, failing to kill him and enraging Jonathan. In his heart, Dio couldn't forgive Jonathan for having felt no pain in his life, and resolved to take everything that he inherited from him.
Dio recalls the time when he took over Jonathan's body. Much like when he killed his father, taking Jonathan's body failed to satisfy Dio, causing him to ask himself why he did it. He reasons that he, like his father, cannot stand others having things he doesn't; as such, Dio could neither foolishly give nor naively inherit. He did not expect Jonathan to return the pain he inflicted upon him. Dio interrupts his writing to announce that Kakyoin has located Jotaro Kujo. Kakyoin has also learned that Joseph Joestar is traveling with the fortune-teller Muhammad Avdol, whom Dio briefly laments the loss of.
Dio announces a change in plans, having been informed of Kakyoin's failure. Though he had accounted for the possibility of Hierophant Green's defeat, he did not expect Jotaro Kujo to risk his life removing Kakyoin's flesh bud. Seeing that his enemies have inherited Jonathan's will, he decides to focus his attention on them and include them in his plan.
Dio remembers how he bullied Jonathan. He used every means to isolate Jonathan, who would collapse at the slightest rebuke and cry himself to sleep every night. When Dio laid his hands on Erina, however, Jonathan uncovered the explosiveness in his character and beat Dio, which made Dio cry not from pain but from misery and frustration. Dio never forgot the humiliation he felt that day.
Dio elaborates on Erina, finding her odd. If it weren't for her, Dio thinks, he would have successfully taken the Joestar fortune and taken back his own life. After his defeat, Dio thought of seeing what Erina was doing; Erina piqued his interest by washing her lips with muddy water, regaining the pride Dio took from her. However, Erina had disappeared from the town due to her parents' circumstances. Dio confesses to having a high opinion of her, despite her continuous efforts to hinder him, and concludes that holy women, like her and his own mother, had always hindered his plans. Dio wonders if Holy Kujo will prove to hinder him as well.
After consultation with the D'Arby Brothers, Dio is convinced that his plan relies on souls. Theorizing that the number of souls on Earth is fixed, Dio thinks about the possibility of one organism possessing two souls, like the two Stands he himself possesses. Dio wonders if one can take over a soul like he took over Jonathan's body, and plans to use Atum to place extra souls in one body. However, Telence's fascination with dolls would be hard to manipulate, and Dio sees him and his brother as too immature. Dio then suddenly thinks of Enrico Pucci, whom he met in America.
Dio interrupts his trip to America in order to concentrate on Japan. Holy Kujo has contracted what is called a Stand Fever, an affliction that a Stand user without the strength to dominate their Stand receives. Seemingly proven right in his belief that Holy Kujo will hinder him, Dio suspects that her father Joseph and her son Jotaro will travel to Egypt in order to fight him. As he still possesses a fatal weak point in the sun, Dio decides to tread carefully and delay them until his plan can come to fruition. Dio calls for Enrico Pucci and sends Tower of Gray to attack the Joestars.
Dio recalls how boring the seven years he spent at the Joestar mansion were. He easily fooled the Joestars and the servants into thinking he was an admirable man. The lack of struggle made him feel that he was wasting his time, trapped in a living lukewarm hell. He desired deep down to feel again the excitement of fighting Jonathan again. Dio comments that technically, his legal name is Dio Joestar; he only thinks of it as a technicality, and never bothered to correct those who called him Dio Brando. Dio remarks that he disdained George Joestar as much as he disdained his own father, but for opposite reasons: like Jonathan, he was an inheritor fated to become a giver. Dio feared that he would lose the ambition that defined him by coexisting with him and his son, whom he hated regardless for being nobles. In the end, Dio decided that just as his life had truly begun with his father's death, so too would his second father have to die. Dio himself acknowledges that this reasoning was just an excuse.
Dio waited seven years to build the necessary trust between him and his adoptive father, but ultimately failed because he used the same method of assassination. When George began to feel ill from a common cold, Dio took the opportunity to slowly poison him, thus causing George to display the same symptoms as Dario. George kept Dario's letter when he accepted, to Dio's own wonder, to adopt the son of a known thief. Returning to the subject at hand, Dio narrates how Jonathan found the letter with the described symptoms. He wonders whether the Stone Mask sought him, but considers the idea ridiculous. Due to the suspicion his early bullying instilled in him, Jonathan immediately suspected Dio of foul play. Dio blames his failure then on Dario writing his symptoms down, hindering him even from beyond the grave. The thought of swearing upon his nonexistent honor caused him to once more give into rage.
Dio announces Tower of Gray's failure to stop the Joestars, but finds solace in the thought that his enemies won't take any air route afterward, in fear of endangering innocent civilians. With Pucci on his way to Egypt, Dio sends Jean Pierre Polnareff and Dark Blue Moon to stop the Joestars. Dio admits his surprise upon hearing that Kakyoin beat Tower of Gray, a feat the student would have been unable to do under the flesh bud's influence. As suspected, flesh buds destabilize a Stand user's spirit. Thus, Dio speculates that only evil people like N'Doul and Jack the Ripper will make good subordinates. After all, he needs 36 sinners' souls in any case.
Dio reveals that he has met with Pucci in secret in another hideout. He comments on the usefulness of Whitesnake and theorizes that one's memories and Stand together form their soul. Pucci has confirmed that he can put more than one Stand or set of memories into a person, but also that he cannot put more than five discs into the same person. Dio is distraught at Whitesnake's limitations, but nonetheless considers Pucci qualified to become the trustworthy friend he seeks. If Pucci cannot accompany him on the way to Heaven, then he, Dio, can accompany Pucci.
Having only realized it after Pucci returned to America, Dio laments that he, as a vampire, could have endured more of Whitesnake's discs than a human could. Dio quickly changes his opinion, however, realizing that his body is still too human for such a feat. Dio is unable to make vampires without a Stone Mask; though zombies lack souls, Dio still decides to create one or two for experiments. Dio decides to contact Pucci once more, convinced that he is the trustworthy friend he seeks.
Dio has learned of the defeat of Silver Chariot and Dark Blue Moon, and of Polnareff allying himself with the Joestars. He wonders what could push Polnareff to betray him; speculating that he was motivated by anger over being manipulated, Dio decides not to use flesh buds in the future, lamenting that he never thought to create a way to cancel their effects. Dio decides to eradicate the Joestars himself, but soon reports that Enya has talked him out of it: Enya dismisses the idea of him making the personal effort of disposing of his enemies, and has already sent seven Stand users to assassinate the Joestar group. For now, Dio considers the situation suitable, but begins to fear that Enya may figure out his plans.
Dio, having contacted Pucci after his arrival in America, is convinced that Pucci is the trustworthy friend he seeks. He has no intention of interfering with Pucci's faith, as long as he doesn't become as foolish as his mother. Dio decides to give Pucci a bone from his body.
Dio asks himself what the fundamental difference between humans and animals is. During his call with Pucci the previous day, Dio asked him the same question, to which he responded that humans have the desire to go to Heaven. When Dio heard that answer, he felt the influence of gravity pulling him and Pucci together, just as it had with him and the Joestars. Dio considers sharing information on his subordinates' Stands with Pucci later on, but considers the Joestars too dangerous to do so. Having consistently lost to Jonathan Joestar, Dio decides to take no chances with them.
Dio decides to elaborate upon the Stone Mask, figuring that his intended reader, Pucci, would have no prior knowledge of it.
He explains that the Stone Mask was an artifact used by the Aztecs. However, Dio suspects they never fully realized its powers, as their tribe was entirely wiped out. He comments on how Will Anthonio Zeppeli's group was responsible for uncovering the mask, noting that treasure hunters seem to be drawn to incredible things. The mask's power wiped out Zeppeli's entire party, with the exception of himself. The mask disappeared for a short time before reappearing at an art dealer's shop, where Jonathan's mother took interest in the artifact. Dio never met Jonathan's mother, but speculates that she must have been like his own mother: noble, proud, and saintly. He wonders what would have happened if she lived, and how she might have changed the course of Dio's life. Dio then comments about George kept the mask as a memento, how Jonathan inherited the mask upon beginning to research it, and how Dio himself took the mask from Jonathan. He wonders if the carriage accident that took Jonathan's mother's life was caused by the mask.
Dio elaborates on the Stone Mask's mechanism: when the mask comes into contact with blood, tendrils sprout from the mask and pierce the wearer's brain, transforming them into a vampire. He remarks that Jonathan tried and failed to decypher the Aztec writings carved in it, with Dio himself discovering the mask's true purpose by accident instead.
Strength, Ebony Devil, and Yellow Temperance have been defeated. Dio doesn't want to arouse Enya's suspicion by calling them back, but he deems the situation recoverable. Dio mentions The Fool, a Stand seemingly under the control of a dog. However, Dio dismisses the idea of recruiting the mutt, as Muhammad Avdol is already in contact with him. Dio returns to the subject of the Stone Mask, revealing that he learned about the mask's tendrils upon his first defeat by Jonathan. While Jonathan pursued a career in archaeology to discover the secret behind the mask, Dio kept what he knew of it a secret in order to use it for his own purposes. Dio briefly remarks that he had initially planned to murder George with the mask, but soon realized that a father's murder by his son's hand would deteriorate the family's reputation. Dio now realizes that his biggest mistake was not killing Jonathan Joestar before he could uncover his scheme.
Dio praises the wicked nature of Hanged Man's user, J. Geil, and how it interacts with Hol Horse's neutral personality. Most Stand users are reluctant to share information about their ability to others, as it also exposes their weaknesses; thus, the majority of Stand users act alone. Dio himself has only revealed The World's ability to a select few, including Enya and the D'Arby brothers; Dio doesn't remember whether he told Pucci of it. He further comments that Stand users willing to act as a team are rare, and the only other team Dio has are the Oingo Boingo Brothers. Praising Hol Horse's preference toward being number two, Dio predicts that Polnareff will act alone out of his grudge toward J. Geil.
Dio notes that Enya proposed a strategy worth listening to: eliminating Holy Kujo to break the Joestar Group's spirit and provide Dio with Joestar blood. He praises how devious Enya is, commenting that she would make a great mother if she were younger. However, he remembers how attacking Erina backfired, and prefers to stay his hand. He predicts Enya will be disappointed, but intends to make it up to her once J. Geil's report arrives.
Dio continues reminiscing about his youth. Like with Dario, Dio considered killing Jonathan to be a necessary step in his plans, and never thought much of it. Dio wonders briefly about his own humanity, defined by Pucci as the desire to go to Heaven, but returns to his story. Looking back, Dio is glad he waited to use the Stone Mask on George Joestar, as it was much more than what Dio suspected it to be. While Jonathan was searching for the Chinese poison seller at Ogre Street, Dio wandered the city streets with a bottle in his hand. Driven to drink by his failures, Dio was infuriated at himself for repeating his father's alcoholism. Dio then met two vagrants, whom he attacked the moment they mentioned his mother.
Dio writes that Hol Horse and J. Geil are now attacking the Joestar group. Dio mentions that his memory is becoming clear, as he hasn't felt so anxious in a hundred years. Returning to his story, Dio recounts how he won his one-on-two fight by using the Stone Mask on one of the vagrants with the other's blood. He reflects on his second and third murders, deciding that if he had not been so drunk, he might not have killed those men, and instead his fate might have been switched with Jonathan's. Dio recalls the bright light emitted by the mask when it pierced the vagrant's skull, turning him into an immortal creature with incredible power. If the sun hadn't come up when it did, Dio would have become the vampire's first victim. Thinking about the many coincidences in his life, Dio explains his belief that enough failures will eventually constitute success.
Dio writes that he never thought of using the mask on himself, having considered the sacrifices involved and the many unknown details of the process. However, thanks to Jonathan successfully finding the poison dealer, Dio was cornered. Though Dio had returned to the mansion with the intent of fighting Jonathan, he was hurt by Jonathan's remorseful words, though he managed to hold back his anger. His writing is interrupted.
Dio has just received the news of J. Geil's death. He would have received the information sooner had his informant, Enya, not immediately gone mad with anger over her son's fate. Dio considers the battle a draw, as Muhammad Avdol was killed; nonetheless, Enya's madness is a catastrophic loss for his organization. Dio concludes that he must do something about Enya.
Dio reflects on his writings, which are becoming a memoir. He delays his plan for attaining Heaven, but feels sick at his willingness to revolve his plans around the Joestars. Continuing from where he left off, Dio recalls that when Jonathan cornered him, he was prepared to stab him. However, Jonathan had already brought a police squad and a certain Robert E. O. Speedwagon, who saw through his innocent act. Dio questions whether he was truly born evil, but disagrees with Speedwagon that his circumstances could not have made him evil. Dio speculates that it might have been Speedwagon who pushed him over the edge and drove him to put on the mask. Dio thus ponders how fate can be so easily changed by small mistakes.
Dio reveals that he has pierced Enya with a flesh bud. Though he used the bud in the hopes of recovering her sanity, her mental condition has only slightly improved. Dio has since received news that Empress and Wheel of Fortune have been defeated, and that Enya has gone to eliminate the Joestar group herself. Dio recalls that Enya's Justice can manipulate masses of corpses, a power that rivals even the Stone Mask. Dio believes that she can beat the Joestar group, but is concerned that the flesh bud inside her may weaken her spirit.
Dio wonders whether George suspected that Dio was poisoning him, given that he knew of Dario's true nature. He considers that perhaps George knew his medicine had been poisoned but still chose to swallow the poison every time, hoping Dio would have a change of heart. If he did, Dio thinks to himself, that behavior would have been insane. Dio believes George went to Heaven, and perhaps reunited with Dario there. The thought of their reunion makes him sick.
Upon being cornered and pitied by Jonathan and his father, Dio decided to cease being human. Even now, his feelings about human plans have not changed; however, he adds that his plans have continued to fail even after he ceased to be human. Dio's plan to kill Jonathan was hindered by George protecting him, but his blood still activated the mask.
Steely Dan has reported Enya's defeat. Dio writes that he has ordered him to kill Enya out of necessity, but is still worried about what will happen to his organization without her.
Dio elaborates on how people are transformed into vampires, stating that what remains of the person's psyche largely depends on the individual: for instance, the vagrant Dio used the mask on lost his sense of reason entirely. Dio reasons that he was able to retain his sanity because he was already, in a way, insane. He notes that one cannot tell if they themselves are sane, but is content with simply remaining himself, Dio. Minutes later, Dio recalls, he was skewered and burned to death by the Joestars' guardian spirit, the goddess of love.
Embarrassed by his earlier poetic depiction of his defeat, Dio chooses to instead list the facts. Jonathan saw how Dio's body was immune to bullets and decided to finish Dio off with flames. Thus, Jonathan burned down his own mansion, intending to kill himself along with Dio. Dio ponders briefly over why he and Jonathan met different fates in the ensuing battle, and questions how much of one's life can be simply chalked up to luck. For that matter, Dio writes, being able to attain Heaven might itself be a matter of luck. If luck is all there is to life, Dio reasons, perhaps all his plans will come to nothing regardless of his actions.
"What if that is all there is to it?"
Despite the probable futility of his efforts, Dio chooses to continue writing. Lovers, Sun, and Death Thirteen have been defeated. Judgment and High Priestess have begun their attack without waiting for Dio's assent, and the Speedwagon Foundation has secured Iggy, The Fool's Stand user. Dio briefly thinks about Speedwagon, wondering if he was an inheritor or a giver. Regardless, he has received some good fortune: he has found another animal Stand user, a hawk wielding the ice Stand Horus. Dio has named it Pet Shop and tasked it with guarding his mansion. Now that all of them are in his service, Dio plans to gather the Egypt 9 Glory Gods and deploy them to buy him time. He also plans to meet Hol Horse alone.
Dio and Pucci have decided the date of their next meeting. Wanting a clear definition to give Pucci, Dio asks himself what Heaven is.
Dio admits his loss to Jonathan, but recalls how he survived by hiding inside a broken pillar. His wounds would take time to heal, so Dio was forced to hide and acquire servants to do his bidding. Meanwhile, Jonathan acquired and learned how to use Ripple energy. Dio despises that Jonathan's master Zeppeli found him instead of the other way around, and thus Jonathan inherited even his Ripple ability. Dio frames the battle between him and Jonathan as a battle between takers and inheritors, or between "have-nots" and "haves". Though the takers have lost so far, Dio insists that the battle is not over yet.
Dio has gathered the Egypt 9 Glory Gods in his mansion, along with Hol Horse. The ten Stand users have been commanded to ambush the Joestar group, in order to buy him time to meet Pucci and adapt to Jonathan's body. The Speedwagon Foundation's spies have learned of the meeting and alerted the Joestar group to his location. Dio considers running away, but calls Kenny G. and Vanilla Ice to his side in the meantime.
Dio again announces his intent to only record facts. Judgement and High Priestess have been defeated, as Dio expected, and Avdol revealed himself to be alive, to Dio's surprise. Dio notices that he has been accepting this bad news easily. He notes that Joseph and Jotaro aren't as gentlemanly in their manners as Jonathan and George were. Hoping that the inheritors didn't inherit all of Jonathan's strength, Dio hopes that one of the Egypt 9 Glory Gods will defeat them.
Dio comments that the Egypt 9 Glory Gods' Stands are all unique, and that even one might be able to defeat Dio's own Stand. He uses Boingo's Tohth, which has the ability to predict the future, as an example. At first, Dio thought that such an ability would be worthless if its predictions were indeed unalterable; he held that opinion until his meeting with the Egypt 9 Glory Gods, where Dio asked Boingo what he would do if Tohth predicted Boingo's own death. Boingo responded that if one knew about an unavoidable tragedy, they could better prepare themselves for it. This statement leads Dio to believe that Heaven is knowledge of the future, as even death can be accepted with happiness if one is prepared for it. On the other hand, Dio laments the limited reach of Thoth's predictions, claiming that one must gather great resolve to face the future with happiness. Unable to consider Thoth the way to Heaven, Dio fears that his progress toward Heaven has become stagnant, but recalls his prior steps and assures himself that he is moving forward.
Dio takes this opportunity to elaborate upon why he needs the souls of 36 sinners: most human souls are split evenly between good and evil. As Osiris can only produce 10 chips from a human soul, Dio describes it as a ratio of five white chips to five black chips. Holy people like Jonathan would possess 10 white chips, while sinners such as J. Geil would possess 10 black chips. By collecting the souls of 36 sinners with 10 black chips each, Dio hopes to obtain 360 black chips, the number of degrees in a circle and by extension a clock. With Dio's own soul added to them, more than one full revolution is made around the clock: in other words, time will have made a full circuit. In order to carry out this plan, Dio realizes, he will need the courage to destroy his own Stand, which will absorb the souls of the 36 sinners and birth something entirely new. Once the new being awakens, his trusted friend will recite the 14 phrases to it, allowing it to become his friend.
Dio confesses that it annoys him that Jonathan could master the Ripple, the one power able to defeat him, in such a short time. In order to kill Dio, Jonathan and his group traveled to his hiding location at Windknight's Lot. He comments that the town's prison was the reason he chose it as his hiding place, as the corpses of evil humans made for powerful zombies. Back then, Dio's goal was to create a zombie army and conquer the world with it, believing that it would bring him happiness. Dio now realizes that standing at the pinnacle cannot bring true happiness: the true victor is the one who sees Heaven.
Dio recalls a conversation he had with Enya about the meaning of life. Enya had claimed that it was to obtain whatever one desires; Dio questioned her logic, stating that one is left with fear if they fail to obtain their desires, and asserted that conquering fear is the meaning of life. When Enya questioned him about what he had to fear, Dio cited the Joestar bloodline.
Just as Dio feared, the Joestar group has arrived in Egypt, causing him to regret his earlier dismissal of them. Dio confesses that he feels anxiety, something that obstructs his life. Dio speculates that the goals of humanity, from money to romance to peace, ultimately serve as a method of achieving peace of mind. Admitting that he was unprepared to deal with the Joestars, Dio recalls his mother's words and concludes that resolve is Heaven.
Dio reports N'Doul's death, laments the Joestars' luck in gaining a sand-controlling Stand in the desert, and worries that the future is on the Joestars' side. However, Dio is satisfied to hear that Kakyoin has been disabled. Dio praises N'Doul and his resolve, having lived on despite the isolation his power inflicted upon him. Dio comments that Speedwagon would likely have considered N'Doul, like him, evil from birth. N'Doul had no sympathy for others, and yet saw Dio as a messiah of evil; for the sake of these evil people, but mainly for himself, Dio states that he must find a way to go to Heaven.
Pucci has arrived in Egypt early. Dio worries about whether the priest will be able to distinguish between the Heaven he speaks of and the biblical idea of Heaven, but admits that he has faith in Pucci. Dio has already revealed the existence of the diary to him: addressing him directly, Dio states that his reading of this book is proof of their friendship and gravity, and asks him to carry out their plan no matter what they must sacrifice.
Dio is annoyed at his earlier solemnity, having survived apparent death by Jonathan's hand twice. He assures himself that he is only facing people who have inherited from Jonathan, but nonetheless considers the possibility of his defeat. Pucci returned to America quickly, as the Joestar group is beginning to close in on Dio's mansion. Dio adds that he sent a bodyguard with Pucci, by the name of Johngalli A.
Dio reports the defeat of the Oingo Boingo Brothers, noting that Oingo misread Tohth's predictions. Dio laments that Tohth's predictions are not reliable enough to suit his goals, as humans will usually attempt to interpret premonitions in a positive light. Oingo has been retired, but Boingo's resolve may allow him to be recovered; thus, Dio plans to team Boingo up with a more capable Stand user than his brother. Unsure of whom to pair him with, Dio thinks of Hol Horse.
Dio suddenly remembers the watch he "borrowed" from Jonathan during their youth. Though he had intended to give it back when it broke, the watch was destroyed when the Joestar mansion caught fire. He theorizes that the power of The World was born at the moment he decided that he would give the watch back when it stopped. However, Dio is unsatisfied with merely stopping time, and forms the idea of accelerating time to control the future. Having earlier established the idea of givers, takers, and inheritors, Dio resolves to become none of the three and instead become a discarder.
Dio reports that Anubis, Bastet, and Sethan have been defeated. He remarks that he no longer expects reports of victory, realizing that the growth of the Joestar group has outperformed the powerful Stand users he scouted. Dio comments on Joseph's mercilessness toward even women, confirming his dissimilarity to Jonathan, then turns his attention to Alessi. Alessi's Stand, Sethan, allows one to return to their youth and, in a sense, redo their life. Noting that humans would make the same decisions every time, Dio still says that one should relive their own life if they are able. Unprepared to face the Joestar Group, Dio continues to wait in his mansion for the Joestars to arrive. Dio then thinks of Hol Horse, who reported the recent defeats before attempting to kill him. Praising the Stand user's resolve at the moment he pulled the trigger, Dio remembers how he unthinkingly demonstrated The World's ability to him, and comments that Stands have no concept of strength and weakness. Dio then sent Hol Horse to fetch Boingo, confident that the duo will attain a good result regardless of whether they win or lose.
Dio recalls that during his time in Windknight's Lot, despite performing several experiments that resulted in grotesque abominations, Dio never used the Stone Mask on another being. However, his experiments ultimately allowed him to fuse his own head with Jonathan's body, which gave him the resolve to cut off his own head when Jonathan hit him with the Ripple. Dio admits that while he could have taken anyone's body, he specifically desired the body of his arch-enemy, having developed a deep respect for him. Dio concludes that if he can adapt just a bit more to Jonathan's body, he will become himself and only himself.
Dio reports Daniel J. D'Arby's defeat. Left with a feeling of despair, Dio nonetheless remarks that the Joestars' unintentional efforts to stop his plan confirm its righteousness. In any case, Dio's primary soul-manipulating Stand user has already returned to America, though Dio feels distraught at losing one of his backup plans. Though he wishes to send Telence T. D'Arby away from the mansion, Dio knows that he is too stubborn to leave, and fears using a flesh bud on him would weaken his ability. Dio is ashamed to confess that he can only hope that Hol Horse and Boingo will stop the Joestar group.
Now running out of time, Dio decides to write about the Bow and Arrow, remarking that the only important part of these items is the Arrowhead. Though he knows that his intended reader has already experienced it, Dio writes that the Arrow draws Stands out of the spirits of capable Stand users and kills those who are not capable. Dio himself gained both The World and Hermit Purple from the Arrow. Enya had originally obtained the Bow and Arrow and performed several human experiments with it, creating and sacrificing several humans to learn of the Arrow's nature; having unlocked her Stand Justice with it, she was the one who convinced Dio to use it on himself. Dio did not hesitate to use the Arrow, desiring to take the Ripple that Jonathan inherited from Zeppeli, albeit a ghostly Ripple. Now reconsidering his true gains, Dio notes that while Holy Kujo is on the verge of death, Joseph and Jotaro also acquired Stands without taking the risk he did, and thus inherited their Stands from Jonathan's body. If Dio had refused to use the Arrow, he ponders, he would have gone unnoticed by the Joestars at the cost of never finding the way to Heaven. Thus, he speculates that advantage and disadvantage are two faces of the same coin.
Dio comments that Enya acquired the Arrows through a boy named Diavolo, who he wishes to investigate later. If there is gravity between him and Diavolo, Dio figures, they will meet for certain if they live long enough.
Dio can now sense Jotaro and Joseph approaching, and considers his options. Fleeing is out of the question, as it would undermine his authority within his organization and force him to attempt to explain his complex goals. Dio anticipates that his mansion will become a battlefield, and thus decides to hide his diary out of fear that the Joestar group might find it.
Dio considers the idea of cooperating with the Joestar family. Though the Joestars have assumed that Dio is again trying to dominate the world, Dio reminds himself that Joseph and Jotaro are different from Jonathan, since their actions are motivated by Holy's illness. If he can secure Holy's life, Dio theorizes, then perhaps he can entertain a truce with the Joestars. Dio even wonders whether they could help him attain Heaven. However, Dio sees many reasons why a truce wouldn't even be considered. Not only does Dio have no way of curing Holy himself, but his nature as a taker fundamentally clashes with the nature of inheritors. Dio wonders what would have happened if he had never tried to poison George Joestar, but realizes that he could not forgive the Joestars for having what he did not. As both sides consider the other's existence to be evil, Dio realizes that no truce can be achieved, just as it was with Jonathan 100 years ago.
Dio, surprisingly, feels relieved at the news of Hol Horse and Boingo's defeat. With Hol Horse irrecoverable and Boingo's spirit weakened, Dio praises the two for coming very close to victory. He then wonders if they were meant to lose; he ultimately concludes that the Joestars' resolve made them the victors, as they were closer to Heaven than their enemies. Dio considers Boingo to be recoverable and considers making use of his Stand once the Joestars are defeated. Though the majority of his subordinates are lost, Dio feels that he is coming closer to attaining Heaven.
Dio recalls how timely Jonathan and Zeppeli's arrival to Windknight's Lot was, as he had yet to fully heal and take control of the town. Dio recalls having felt some joy when Jonathan said that he was fighting to avenge his friends, as the Ripple warrior's gentlemanly demeanor had always irritated him. He comments that his resolve at the time was lesser than Jonathan's and that he hadn't planned on killing him himself. With Jonathan's lack of reservations about killing him, Dio considers the battle to have been a fight between mankind and its predator. In the end, Dio lost, though his head lived on.
Dio reports Pet Shop's disappearance, suspecting Iggy to have killed it. He briefly considers using the Arrowhead on every animal he sees, but sees danger in gifting Stand abilities to animals with low intelligence. As the Joestars' arrival to his mansion is imminent, Dio intends to stay in the mansion and face his enemy head-on.
Pet Shop's ice power reminds Dio of his own freezing technique. As he is unable to fully control it due to Jonathan's body, he now considers it a technique of the past, like the Ripple and the Space Ripper Stingy Eyes technique. Dio then reports that Kakyoin has rejoined the Joestar group with uncanny timing, and suspects that gravity is at work. Considering his diary complete, Dio estimates his forces against those of the Joestars and finds himself at a disadvantage, though the two sides are equal if Dio takes his two Stands into account.
Dio remembers the Ripple warrior Dire, who pierced his eye with a Ripple-infused rose. Were it not for that blind spot, Dio posits, Jonathan would have lost the battle with him. Dio thinks again about how timely it was for Jonathan to gain allies right before fighting him. Dio then recalls his first meeting with Pucci, and how gravity brought them together. Pucci later lost his siblings as a result of gravity, a feeling Dio can relate to in his relationship with the Joestar family. Noting the importance of gravity, Dio wonders whether he can control gravity as he controls time.
The Joestar group has arrived at the mansion practically unscathed, while Dio has lost twenty-five of his subordinates. According to Nukesaku, Telence T. D'Arby has separated the group in two and is currently fighting Kakyoin, Joseph, and Jotaro. Hoping that Telence's confidence won't be his downfall, Dio takes a nap and prepares himself for the ultimate outcome.
Dio has been awoken by Vanilla Ice, who has informed him of Telence's defeat. Telence had successfully captured Kakyoin's soul, but Dio speculates that his resolve was not strong enough to defeat Jotaro and Joseph. With Telence defeated, Pucci is the only remaining soul-manipulating Stand user Dio knows of. Dio asks himself whether he can trust Pucci, but ultimately considers him indispensible. He adds that Vanilla Ice's loyalty is abnormal even among his subordinates, but questions whether that loyalty can be substituted for resolve. Due to him cutting off his own head, Dio has had to revive Vanilla Ice with his blood, turning him into a zombie. Worried that Vanilla Ice's Stand power may deteriorate as a result, Dio hopes he can overcome that limitation.
Nukesaku has reported Kenny G.'s defeat and Avdol's death at Vanilla Ice's hand. Dio takes solace in his small victory after a streak of 27 consecutive defeats. Dio focuses his attention on Nukesaku, who has set out to eliminate Jotaro, Joseph, and Kakyoin. Nukesaku is the last of Dio's experiments with zombies and souls, a useless servant whom Dio nonetheless feels respect for. He recalls his experiments from 100 years ago, which once resulted in the creation of a human with two right hands. Dio theorizes that Enya may have been related to them by blood. Dio remembers killing the treasure hunters who pulled him out of the ocean. Even after feeding on their corpses, Dio could do little stranded in the middle of the sea; fortunately for him, Enya came to save him, apparently inspired by a tarot card reading. Enya then became his right hand, as she wished to witness his life; Dio wonders whether Enya could be considered his guardian spirit. Ultimately, Dio's experiments enabled his control over Jonathan's body, and so Dio does not consider his experiments to have been useless in the slightest.
Dio asks himself why he is writing in his diary while his enemies are inside the mansion. Feeling that his mind is clearer, perhaps due to his proximity to the Joestars, Dio states his intention to write as many ideas as possible before disposing of the Joestars, and prepares to tell the end of his battle with Jonathan.
Dio recalls his defeat at Jonathan Joestar's hand, and how he barely survived by cutting off his own head. Dio waited for the perfect opportunity to meet Jonathan one-on-one to steal his body, but ultimately settled for interrupting his honeymoon. Dio takes the opportunity to comment on the superstition that vampires cannot cross running water. Having lured Jonathan into the lower deck using Wang Chan as bait, Dio inflicted a fatal wound with Space Ripper Stingy Eyes. Yet when Erina entered the cabin, Jonathan again demonstrated his explosive power and managed to transform Dio's victory into a draw. Dio jokes about having challenged Jonathan on a boat, but ultimately concludes that his greatest mistake was underestimating Erina Joestar, who was the deciding factor in Jonathan's growth. Jonathan used his final Ripple to manipulate Wang Chan into stopping the boat's screw shaft, building up the steam pressure in the pistons until at last the ship would explode, which would undoubtedly kill the surviving human passengers along with Dio and his zombies. Though Jonathan intended to allow her to escape, Erina declared her intention to die alongside him, reminding Dio of his mother's compassion.
Dio reports that Vanilla Ice has been annihilated, which he senses through a kind of master-servant connection with him. As with all of Dio's actions, a downside in Dio's decision to transform him into a zombie made itself known. Dio now stands alone against the Joestar group, and decides to face the battle ahead with resolve. Realizing that Vanilla Ice must have inflicted significant injuries upon Polnareff, Dio intends to try converting him back to his side.
To Dio's surprise, Polnareff has refused his offer. Dio theorizes that Polnareff's sister Sherry was a holy woman like Erina and Holy; as the name Sherry translates to "love" in French, Dio comments that he has been repeatedly defeated by love. Though Dio isn't defeated yet, he realizes that gravity is working against him and concludes that the final element of his plan is a suitable location.
Quickly running out of time, Dio attempts to relax by counting prime numbers. Jotaro, Joseph, and Kakyoin have rejoined Polnareff and are using Nukesaku as a guide. Dio returns to the subject of Erina Joestar, whom he could not forgive for her will to foolishly sacrifice herself. However, Jonathan asked Erina to save a dead mother's child, becoming a giver in his final moments. The last thing Dio remembers is latching onto Jonathan with his blood vessels.
Using the hidden passageways of the mansion, Dio has retreated to the room at the top of the mansion's tallest tower. Thanks to Nukesaku falsely guiding the Joestar group, Dio has a little more time to write in his notebook. Dio tries to recall what happened after he latched onto Jonathan, but his memory is hazy. At some point, Dio took Jonathan's body and entered the coffin, thus surviving the explosion. Yet Dio is puzzled by Erina's survival. Having ordered the destruction of the ship's life boats and life preservers, Dio knows she could only have survived by entering the coffin. Though he, Jonathan, Erina, and the baby could theoretically have fit inside the coffin at once, Dio asserts that he would not have shared the coffin had he been conscious, leading him to the unavoidable conclusion: while he was unconscious, Erina Joestar had saved his life. At this moment, Dio remembers her final words to him: having taken pity on him, Erina asked that he become a noble, proud person that can go to Heaven.
"That was quite something, what Erina Joestar said.
It was quite something, what my mother said."
Dio has calculated the location and time: 28 degrees 24 minutes north latitude, 80 degrees 36 minutes west longitude, on the day of a new moon. The Joestar group is approaching the tower, and thus Dio's time is up. With his way to Heaven clear, Dio prepares for the battle ahead; claiming that his immortal body gives him all the time he needs, Dio states his intention to continue writing tomorrow.
