D.I.O

Chapter 197

“Kyak! Burt oppa~!”

“Leaf, you’re so beautiful!”

The concert hall, which accommodated more than 10,000 people, was completely packed, leaving little to no space for anyone to move properly. On top of the hall’s full seating capacity, countless fans were standing and screaming everywhere.

“Dang, the scale of this concert is much grander than I expected. There are so many foreigners here as well. It’s like I stepped into a completely different world.”

“This is despite the fact that DIO’s popular culture is still alive and well on Earth. Actually, there are concerts being held in-game now, so I guess it can be said that DIO’s culture has spread further.”

Yongno and Eunhye hadn’t been to a concert like this before, but they could enjoy themselves without any problems since there wasn’t any specific etiquette required.

Two famous MCs emerged and started hosting the proceedings, and in turn, one by one, singers came out and started singing their hit songs. Perhaps it was because of the concert’s corporate nature, but most of the idols were singing upbeat songs along with their corresponding dance choreography.

“Hmm~ I always thought I could just listen to music and appreciate it at home, but this is also pretty nice. What do you think?”

Eunhye nodded as Yongno handed her a drink he had purchased from one of the nearby concession stands.

“It’s better than I thought. It’s a bit superficial, but I feel like everyone’s enjoying life, and the general atmosphere is upbeat. Also….”

“Also?”

“Oh, nothing.”

“…?”

Though Yongno made a puzzled expression, Eunhye directed her attention to the main stage. Among the mass of people cheering and waving their arms, only she remained silent and still, as if she was in a different world. With her calm posture and serene expression, Eunhye looked up at the stage and exuded a graceful appearance. To Yongno, all of this made Eunhye look elegant in his eyes. It was as if Eunhye was watching an opera rather than a raucous concert.

Ooh!

At that moment, the already-loud shouts became even more intense and boisterous.

“The flat-chested singer is making her appearance.”

When he heard Leaf’s entrance riff and saw Eunhye’s cool expression, Yongno laughed awkwardly.

“Hahaha. It seems she has a complex about that topic, so don’t mention it in front of her. She’s a bit skinny, but I guess being slim is easy on the eyes. I heard she’s put much effort into maintaining her physical appearance.”

As the two discussed Leaf’s physique, unbeknownst to them, Leaf passionately sang her hit songs on the stage. She had gone through various sets and was now on her fifth, so sweat was forming on her brow.

“Wow!”

And then, with a loud shout, three more girls appeared from behind the stage and started dancing. At the same time, Leaf also danced alongside them. Their movements fit perfectly, hinting that the four likely had a lot of experience coordinating their choreography.

“It’s the Bubble Girls! It’s a joint performance between Leaf and the Bubble Girls!”

“So pretty! It looks so amazing!”

“Kyak!”

People cheered. For Leaf and the Bubble Girls’ most ardent fans, this stage had significant meaning. Leaf had been a member of the Bubble Girls when she was a trainee, but she left the team due to family problems and later debuted as a solo artist.josei

Leaf didn’t leave due to discord within the team, so her friendship with the other Bubble Girls remained strong. Many die-hard fans still wanted to see the two reunite and become a single unit once more.

‘Well, that might be impossible now that Leaf’s name and brand are growing.’

Leaf sang the song Yongno gave to her. Even with her cute appearance, this song changed her image from merely a charming idol to a talented singer who could express various emotions. In addition, as the public re-examined her unfortunate life, her fan base expanded exponentially, and she was often cast in multiple variety programs.

“Oh, Leaf’s dancing is so skilled!”

“Her dancing is as extraordinary as her singing!”

The audience cheered after seeing Leaf’s well-trained dance moves. Yet, Yongno noticed other details in her movements. Eunhye looked at Yongno, having recognized something similar.

“A type of… physical art?”

“Yeah. Her movements are simple, and her center of gravity is low, but each action has power behind it. It is a type of physical art. She’s definitely utilizing a physical martial arts skill or life force-like principle.”

Eunhye couldn’t help but be surprised by Yongno’s calm words and assessment. Although she perceived Leaf’s abnormal motions, she couldn’t read much more.

Of course, that was normal and to be expected. Leaf didn’t actually perform physical martial arts; she was dancing with cute movements. Yongno could gather scattered information and recognize the intricate foundations of someone’s actions simply by watching how their muscles and bones moved. This ability was not simple reasoning but a form of insight nearing the level of a superpower.

“Still, it’s surprising. A young girl with a body like that is not typically capable of practicing martial arts principles such as the physical martial arts.”

“Well, the exact method of how one practices a discipline differs from person to person. In DIO, where physical makeup is all the same, there’s- huh?”

Yongno’s expression hardened as he muttered with his back leaning against his seat. It was because he felt an immense, powerful aura approaching out of nowhere.

“Yongno?”

“What is this….”

Yongno stopped Eunhye from trying to get up, as she had sensed something was wrong after observing Yongno’s expression. When Yongno activated Enhanced Eyesight and looked straight ahead, the appearance of ‘something,’ which only he could feel, was beginning to take shape and become clearer.

Rumble!

It was massive. Black smoke covered Leaf’s whole body. The basic form of the entity was like that of a human, but its height was enormous, nearly five meters tall, and its eyes burned like fiery torches. Behind Leaf, the entity held a giant scythe as tall as Leaf.

“Intruder… detected. Singularity… found.”

There was no emotion showing on Yongno’s face as he heard the being mutter in a low voice; however, Yongno couldn’t shake the eerie feeling he had after seeing the unfolding scene.

‘It’s a Level 20 or higher being. A transcendent!’

Yongno was screaming in his mind. If a being appeared at Level 20 or higher, the combined might of [Humanity] couldn’t deal with it, let alone Yongno alone. Even in DIO, Yongno would have difficulty contending against such a monster.

Even though Yongno defeated Sirius, this could only be done because Sirius was weakened after suffering multiple injuries from Arthur and Cruze. If he had initially fought Sirius one-on-one, it could be said that Yongno had a one-in-a-million chance of beating the Numbered.

Whoosh!

Although black chains appeared in the air and enveloped his body, Yongno faced the monster without any resistance. Evasion was impossible since he was stuck in a crowd of people. No, even if he was in a flat plain with nothing around him, Yongno still didn’t think he could escape.

Squeak.

A giant in the form of a God of Death appeared, floating right before Yongno. Due to the structure of its body, Yongno saw two burning fireballs floating mid-air where the being’s head should have been.

‘Others don’t know what’s going on. Though they can’t see it, how can they not feel this massive presence!’

Numerous people enthusiastically watched the stage as if they didn’t care about the spiritual pressure that oppressed the entire area. Only Eunhye seemed serious. She could sense that something was off, but she was mainly concerned because of Yongno’s change in attitude. Otherwise, Eunhye didn’t notice anything particularly odd.

Then, the giant floating in the air, Ternov, the Executor of Law, began its [Judgment].

“Check… complete. Violation, Class 2. The violator, a fated human, shall receive a third-degree penalty.”

As Ternov muttered quietly, the space split open, revealing three pupils. They were only shapes that symbolized an image rather than real eyeballs.

“Oppose,” the first eyeball said softly and closed.

“Oppose,” the second eyeball stated as it also closed.

“… Oppose,” the third eyeball, which had been silent for a moment, did not close and emitted a deep blue light. Soon, Ternov exuded a black aura.

“The verdict… innocent.”

Ternov gave the final verdict and released his chains. Yongno grasped the situation with his supernatural intuition and reasoning powers.

‘Class 2 violation and Level 3 penalty… I see. These guys are the ones who protect and guard the [Law] of transcendent beings. They must have come now because I used a power that shouldn’t have been found in this world. In addition, the existence of the ruling prosecutors means that the executioner of their judgment is separate. Also… a fated human who possesses a rightful destiny…. In other words, they gave me an innocent verdict because I was, to some extent, born in this world.’

Yongno organized his thoughts.

‘Perhaps… it’s because of these existences that DIO’s operators disappeared from this planet.’

As Ternov tore open the air and disappeared into the hole, the breath Yongno was holding burst out. Eunhye grabbed Yongno’s lurching body.

“Are you okay? You’re sweating like crazy….”

“Hahaha. I was just a bit surprised. It’s nothing.”

After taking a deep breath, Yongno felt weak and leaned his head on Eunhye’s shoulder. Eunhye was startled, and her entire body shuddered, but she then moved carefully and corrected her posture so that Yongno was more comfortable.

‘I almost died without knowing why. Fortunately, these existences’ [Law] didn’t rule against me. I can’t believe something like that truly exists.’

As Yongno was concentrating on other matters, he couldn’t hear or see his surroundings. He didn’t know what was going on atop the stage.

He didn’t see Leaf’s wavering glance at Yongno and Eunhye leaning against each other.

‘It’s strange, though. If they could detect me using my abilities, they should have appeared at least half a year ago.’

Yongno fell into contemplation. His situation had drastically changed. What could be of interest to a transcendent being who upheld a rule of [Law]?

He could only come up with one conclusion.

“Is it because of Youngmin?”

The answer was simple.