Dio cooperated completely with the police once they arrived. With Digital Deluge, he hacked the building security footage to show that he was suspicious of the stalker acting shifty and followed him to Ai's apartment and was able to stop him. He was given a warning and told not to take actions like that into his own hands again, but otherwise things went perfectly fine with the police.
Ichigo Saitou also arrived during this time, frantically checking over Ai and ensuring she was okay. He was clearly suspicious of Dio, but his gratitude for saving Ai's life far overrode his suspicion.
Dio now sat across from Ichigo and Ai- Aqua and Ruby having been put to bed.
"How did you do all of that?" Ai finally asked, having informed Ichigo about the truth of what happened after the police had left. "You just appeared and even created handcuffs and rope out of thin air. Are you... A god?"
Dio rubbed the back of his head. "Not a god," he told them. "As I said, my name is Dio. I came from another world."
"What do you mean, another world?" Ichigo asked him.
"You've probably heard of the theory in anime, manga, television and movies. Another world- a world running parallel to this one in timeline. Different events have occurred, resulting in a changed timeline and world compared to this one."
"Such as?" Ai asked, her eyes lighting up curiously.
He scratched his chin. "For one, Japan no longer exists... Well, it does- but it's basically become a second Chernobyl in terms of liveability..."
Both Ichigo and Ai's eyes widened in shock.
"At ease," Dio looked slightly amused. "You don't need to worry about the same problem here- the reason it happened in my timeline was a magical ritual that was performed too early that caused things to go wrong. This world has magical energy, but the ritual was never performed here- or was performed at the right time without issue- so you won't have the same problems my world did."
Both of their shoulders relaxed at Dio's words, reassured their world wasn't doomed- or that they'd have to learn a new language and move to another country.
"I came to this world due to a mission," he told them. "I'm part of a very selective chatroom that allows people to converse across worlds- using points to buy abilities from other worlds, becoming incredibly powerful. We are also sometimes given quests to other worlds not part of the chatroom for purposes of recruitment. My mission was simple- prevent Ai's death, and to remove the person who tried to take her life."
"Then... You're done?" Ai asked, looking sad for a moment.
"No."
Ichigo leaned forward. "What do you mean no? You stopped her killer; he's going to prison. That should be enough, right?"
Dio shook his head. "Sugano was merely a messenger, if you will. The one behind this incident is someone Ai knows very well..." He looked at her. "The one who leaked news of Ai's pregnancy to Sugano."
Ai Hoshino once again felt like her world had stopped. Only three people besides her Doctor- who was killed- should have known of her pregnancy, because of how much she'd done to keep it under wraps. Ichigo, Ai herself... And Hikaru Kamiki, the father of her children.
The same Hikaru Kamiki that she had contacted a week before her 20th birthday, because she wanted him to meet Ruby and Aqua after she heard the twins talking about their absentee father.
"Why... Why would he...?" Ai was stunned... And then, her eyes hardened, clenching her fists. "No, the why doesn't matter. He endangered my children... That's all I need to know."
Ichigo looked at Ai in surprise and, for the first time, he saw that there was no deceit or falsehood in Ai's gaze. Only resolution... She really meant what she said.
"Proving he did it isn't going to be easy, if even possible," Dio told her. "He wouldn't have leaked things so easily, he probably leaked the news indirectly and covered his tracks so things wouldn't lead back to him."
"Ai... Who did this?" Ichigo asked, almost seeming afraid of the answer.
"... Hikari Kamiki," Ai finally told Ichigo the name he'd been asking to hear for quite a long time. "The father of my children... And the man who just tried to get me killed.
Ichigo's eyes widened, clearly recognising the name, before rage overtook his features. "That... That brat...! I'll put him away for this-!"
"Don't bother," Dio told him. "He hides his tracks too well... And besides, this is my mission to handle..." He smiled. "Please, rest assured... I'll make sure Hikaru will never threaten your life, or the lives of your children, ever again."
"You mean...?" Ai looked at him. "You're going to...?"
"You can't just do that," Ichigo said, catching on quickly. "That's..." He wanted Hikaru dealt with, but killed? That seemed a bit much to him.
Dio shook his head, entering the state of Buddha's Enlightenment. Both of them could instantly feel the shift in the violet haired male, his red eyes seeming to shine with an ethereal quality. "An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth. And Evil for Evil."
Both of them remained silent for a moment, finding themselves unable- maybe even unwilling- to argue with him in this state where his very presence gave off a feeling as though he was a higher existence than them.
"You don't need to do anything," he assured them both. "I'll handle everything. By sunrise tomorrow, he'll be out of the picture- and nobody will ever link what happened back to Ai."
"It will really end just like that?" Ai murmured. "In the movies it's so much more dramatic."
The digital human chuckled in amusement, red eyes lighting up with amusement. "Not everything has to follow movies and tv shows, Ai. I'll be quick, clean, and efficient. He won't even feel it."
"Okay," she nodded slowly, not objecting in the slightest. She definitely hated Hikaru for what he tried to do, but a part of her still cared for him given he was the father of her children... At the very least, she could later tell her children that their father died and that's why he wasn't around.
Because, after what Hikaru tried and knowing it was his fault? She would never let him near Aqua and Ruby.
"Good," Dio nodded. "You should get some rest, spend some time with your kids. I'll set up safeguards to protect you tonight, to make sure nobody else comes and tries anything. By the time the sun rises, you won't need to worry about Hikaru again."
Ichigo took a deep breath. "I don't approve of this... But I understand- do what you have to. I'll look the other way."
Ai nodded gratefully. "Thank you, Vincenzo-kun."
"Just call me Dio," he smiled warmly.
Their first meeting had gone very well- though Dio was still unaware of the way Ai's eyes would change when she looked at him.
.
.
.
True to his word, by the next morning, Dio had taken Hikaru Kamiki's life.
Using Digital Deluge, finding him hadn't been a problem- nor had even getting into his home. Hand of the Shadow God- the sleight of hand skill- also made other skills related to stealing natural for him. Lockpicking the house was one of them...
And by sneaking through Hikaru's house, he'd obtained another skill thanks to Billionfold Return - Shadow of Death. It essentially let him completely erase his presence so that he couldn't be detected, even by Death.
Without hesitation- using a simple kitchen knife- he stabbed Hikaru through the forehead and took his life. He left quickly after changed any and all security footage to ensure that nobody would ever link it back to him- and thus Ai.
Dio took a deep breath as he found himself sitting on a park bench as the sun rose, staring at the screen in front of him.
[Quest - Idol in Peril: Complete!]
[Rating: SSS]
[Would you like to claim your reward?]
He smiled in satisfaction... Saving AI probably hadn't contributed much to the mission rating... But killing Hikaru on the day he arrived in the world? That had definitely justified that SSS Rating.
"Accept the reward," he spoke softly, pleased.
[Calculating reward...]
[Reward Detected. Activating Billionfold Return.]
Dio froze in place, his eyes widening.
Billionfold Return could even affect rewards obtained from the chatroom...?
He knew that he could improve skills he purchased from the chatroom- but he had no idea that receiving a reward from the chatroom would also trigger the Billionfold Return.
[You have obtained Overrank Divine Weapon - Ogre Nyoi-bo.]
Soft golden light manifested in Dio's hands, finding himself holding what seemed to be a staff made of plain stone- with no markings upon it...
But Dio knew better.
He knew that the weapon he was holding in his hands was one of the greatest Divine Weapons in existence. Also known by the name Ryuji Jingu Bang, the magical staff wielded by the Great Sage Equal to Heaven.
'I am at your disposal, my Master,' a woman's voice, soft but powerful, resonated in his mind.
Dio was so startled he almost dropped the staff, before he quickly opened up the chatroom to see what exactly it was that he'd just obtained.
Ogre Nyoi-bo
Rating: Overrank (Beyond the constraints of the ranking system)
A Magical Staff crafted using the body of a red dragon by the name of Ogre- housing her soul within it. The staff is indestructible and unbreakable- capable of shrinking and growing at the command of its master. To any hands besides it master, it will weigh such a colossal amount that it simply cannot be lifted no matter what they do.
The Ogre Nyoi-bo will always answer the Master's call, traversing through time, space, and dimensions to reach his side when he calls for it.
Ogre is capable of shifting out of the form of a staff and appearing as her own person, capable of fighting alongside her wielder and shifting back to staff form at her master's command. Ogre is completely faithful and dedicated to her Master- there is no one in her heart besides him.
Value: 1,000,000,000,000 Points
He swallowed, quickly understanding just what he'd obtained. This staff likely came from the world of the God of Highschool, he recalled that Sun Wukong- Jin Mori's- staff was crafted from Ogre's Ribs in that world. In his case, it seemed Ogre's entire being was used to create the Nyoi-bo he held in his hands.
Dio took a deep breath, calming himself in seconds with Buddha's Enlightenment, and held the staff tightly in his hands. "Shrink, Nyoi-bo."
Instantly, the staff in his hands shrunk down until it was the size of a pencil. He gently placed it behind his ear, letting it rest there. "Good to have you on board, Ogre."
Ogre- the spirit within Nyoi-bo- hummed in agreement and fell silent.
He took a deep breath as he began to make his way back towards Ai's house, before he decided to stop at McDonald's on the way and pick up some breakfast for everyone- it was the least he could do since he'd be arriving as a guest.
This quest, taken in a moment of pure panic and worry, had given him unbelievable results. Just Shadow of Death- a skill that far surpassed even Prescence Concealment EX- would have made the trip worth it. But he'd also learned that rewards obtained from the Chatroom were affected by Billionfold Return, and he'd obtained Ogre as a result.
He'd wanted a Noble Phantasm and had instead received what was essentially a Divine Construct with its own consciousness and even had combat capabilities beyond just being his staff.
On top of that, it was the perfect weapon given he had the Monkey King's own fighting style... Honestly, all he needed was the garments and gourd, and he might as well start calling himself Dio Wukong.
As he waited in line, he opened up the chatroom to see that- after he'd taken the quest- the girls had started spamming the chat with worry, trying to get his attention and ask if he was okay or what was going on.
An amused smile crawled onto his face.
[Dio: I'm fine. And I have a story to share.]
***
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