Aim for That Fifty Billion Dollars (Story Arc)
The gang's previous enemy, Charming Man, is recruited as an ally. He wants to save his brother Mauka, who mysteriously disappeared in Hualalai. As the land is owned by HOWLER Company, Meryl Mei Qi assigns them a mission to claim HOWLER's land deeds for themselves, with the company's assets being worth $50 billion.
Summary
The island of Hawaii is introduced with an average rainfall of 30 millimeters in August. It has the tallest mountain on Earth, Mauna Kea, alongside two other volcanoes, Mauna Loa and Hualalai. Although Hualalai has been dormant since it erupted in 1801, it is considered an active volcano, and there are no rivers on its land. A flashback shows Jodio's foe and his younger brother, Mauka, racing bicycles in Hualalai's valley. The elder brother taunts Mauka for being slow and teases him about an ironman triathlon. As they race, Mauka falls behind and vanishes, seemingly pulled into a lava tube, despite the absence of any water source on Hualalai.
In the present, Dragona and Usagi are at Kona Airport, shopping for a gift for Barbara. Dragona settles on something priced at $30. While relaxing, Jodio speaks to the man he had just been fighting, who reveals that his name is Charming Man and that he is 21 years old, born on Hawaii. Charming Man saw Rohan picking up Lava Rock fragments from a lava tube and became interested in them. While shopping, Dragona and Usagi encounter a watch seller who offers them a damaged watch at a heavily discounted price, eventually letting it go for $30. Meanwhile, Paco asks Charming Man to join them on their trip to Oahu, warning him not to carry weapons. Charming Man believes their mission to make money using the Lava Rock is destined to fail.
Charming Man recalls his efforts to rescue his brother Mauka after he was pulled into the lava tube. Despite his pleas, the police refuse to search thoroughly, joking that Mauka is probably just relaxing in the city. The police reference a previous incident where Charming Man injured an officer, casting suspicion on him. The group delivers their stolen goods to Meryl Mei Qi, including a diamond, Rohan's artwork, wine, and a broken watch. Meryl is pleased with their success but suspects they're hiding something. Dragona points out that the diamond Meryl put in her safe is now in her hand, and that they have a new ally, Charming Man. Meryl, intrigued, asks for more details.[1]
In another flashback, four years earlier, Dragona and Jodio discover their Stands. After being bullied at school, Dragona suffers harassment on a bus. Jodio's Stand intervenes, attacking Dragona's bully. The next day, Jodio sets the bus on fire while Dragona stays home, injuring Dragona's classmates. Dragona confronts Jodio but is grateful for being saved by him. Dragona then discovers Smooth Operators, using it to remove a scar caused by the bully's assault. The bus incident leads to an absurd situation where Jodio and Dragona's dad is fired from his insurance company and he leaves Hawaii. Living alone with their mother, Meryl Mei eventually recruits them to work for her.
In the present, the group introduces Meryl Mei to Charming Man. Charming Man explains the connection between Rohan's experiments with the Lava Rock and his brother Mauka's disappearance. Meryl assigns the group a new mission: to seize control of HOWLER Company's assets, worth over $50 billion, by using the Lava Rock to affect the company's rights.[2]
Later, Paco, Jodio, Charming Man, Usagi, and Dragona execute their plan at the land registry office. Usagi accidentally draws attention to them by spilling food, but the security guards leave them be. Dragona uses Smooth Operators to fake Charming Man's identity and Charming Man disguises himself, allowing them to view HOWLER's land deeds by pretending to be students. The clerk doesn't permit them to touch any document themselves, but Dragona covertly uses the Lava Rock to touch the deeds. When they leave the land registry office, Usagi suddenly becomes ill, vomiting and struggling to breathe.[3]
As Usagi's condition worsens, the group initially suspects drug poisoning, but Usagi reveals a small enemy Stand inside him, attacking his body. Charming Man's Stand enters Usagi to help remove the enemy, but his eye soon shows signs of infection from the Stand. Jodio realizes that the Stand is forming cancer inside Charming Man's body. Meanwhile, Dragona also falls unconscious, foaming at the mouth.
Onlookers notice that the clerk from the registry office, who is the daughter of a congressman investigating HOWLER's illegal activities, is suffering from the same symptoms as Usagi, leading the group to conclude that the Stand is targeting anyone involved in investigating HOWLER's land.[4]
Appearances
Chapters
- 012 (969). Charming Man
- 013 (970). Joestar Brothers
- 014 (971). Aim for That Fifty Billion Dollars, Part 1
- 015 (972). Aim for That Fifty Billion Dollars, Part 2
Volumes
- 3 (134). "Money-Making Time"
- 4 (135). "Joestar Brothers"
References
- ↑ The JOJOLands Chapter 12: Charming Man
- ↑ The JOJOLands Chapter 13: Joestar Brothers
- ↑ The JOJOLands Chapter 14: Aim for That Fifty Billion Dollars, Part 1
- ↑ The JOJOLands Chapter 15: Aim for That Fifty Billion Dollars, Part 2
