The so-called fate is merely a sleeping slave.
We have no means to alter the final outcome, yet we hold the power to dictate our own journey.
Within the cosmology of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, fate is a concrete and indisputable reality.
Whether it was the prophecy Tonpetty once bestowed upon Will A. Zeppeli, or the tragic destinies revealed by Rolling Stones in Golden Wind, all serve as absolute proof that fate undeniably exists.
Particularly in Golden Wind, many believe the Passione crew fought against and defied their destiny—but was that truly the case?
Was their very act of rebellion not simply another sequence written into the script of fate itself?
In Golden Wind, only one fate was carved in stone: the death of Bruno Bucciarati.
Even after overcoming Rolling Stones, that single reality remained entirely unchanged.
Thus, rather than saying they defied fate to dictate their own journey, it would be more accurate to say that fate left certain blank spaces within its narrative—leaving those unwritten moments for them to fill, while holding absolute control over the crucial, predetermined end.
Regardless, a ordained ending cannot be rewritten... It is merely because no one knows the exact text inscribed upon fate's manuscript that the illusion of choice exists.
[Main Quest 1: Eliminate Bruno Bucciarati, Leone Abbacchio, Narancia Ghirga, Risotto Nero, Formaggio, Illuso, Prosciutto, Pesci, Melone, Ghiaccio, Squalo, Tiziano, Carne, Cioccolata, Secco, Vinegar Doppio, and the Fishing Village Fortune Teller (17 Targets Total).]
[P.S. Instantly gain 1,000 Crystals for each target eliminated. Main Quest 1 is considered complete only when all targets are eliminated.]
[P.S. 2: The objective is met as long as the target loses vital signs, regardless of the method.]
[Main Quest 2: Grant Eternal Life to Diavolo. Reward: 10,000 Crystals.]
[Side Quest: Defy Fate. Reward: Unknown.]
This was the ultimate consequence of Takatsuki taking the Arrow and altering the future.
The fate of the JoJo world had retaliated with a surprise attack, seizing the moment when their defenses were down to pull Takatsuki's soul straight into this realm—forcing him to enact its pre-written script.
Though, the rewards for these quests are absurdly huge, Takatsuki mused inwardly. Clearing all of them would yield twenty-seven thousand Crystals in a single stroke.
"Because the difficulty is immense and compulsory, I managed to extract quite a few benefits from fate," Ai replied to his thoughts. "While it looks like a massive sum, to the fate of an entire world, these rewards are less than a drop in the bucket."
Ai continued, her tone sharp: "The fate of this world cares deeply about its written script. Thankfully, it didn't write too many details, keeping only the key plot points."
"Yeah, I can tell. But who are those last few names on the list?"
"You should know the ones near the top, Papa. The ones further down are enemy Stand users who show up later in the story to hunt the crew, and the very last one is the fortune teller Diavolo murdered back in Sardinia."
"That guy..."
Takatsuki recalled the minor incident in the original storyline: while returning to Sardinia under the persona of Doppio, Diavolo was seen right through by a roadside fortune teller, whom he promptly murdered.
Who would have thought even that random NPC was listed on fate's hit list?
"Alright, Papa! Hurry up and deal with the three guys outside!" Ai urged. "Even with thought acceleration active, to them, you've still been staring into space for several seconds."
"Wait a second. I have one more question," Takatsuki stopped her. "You said the Main Quests were assigned by this world's fate... What about the Side Quest?"
Defy Fate?
Fate wouldn't randomly create a quest asking someone to rebel against itself.
"Hehehe, I issued that one!" Ai chuckled mischievously. "It doesn't matter if you clear it or not. But that guy actually forced you into this world, sealed your original body, and worst of all—it didn't even decouple the time ratio between this world and our home world!"
"Wait! You mean...?!" Takatsuki's eyes widened as a sudden dread washed over him.
"That's right, Papa! In Mom's and the others' eyes, you've vanished again! And you're going to be gone for days!"
AAAAAH! Cursed fate! You deserve to burn in hell!
Takatsuki's true body was currently being preserved by Ai, which also meant that all the items and reserves previously stored inside the System were completely locked away.
Furthermore, because he was occupying someone else's physical body, all the innate abilities tied to his original vessel were entirely gone.
Setting aside the Talismans and Stigmata dependent on his physical form, even his hard-won Nen, Haki, and Hamon energy had vanished without a trace.
Thankfully, his knowledge and technical mastery remained intact. Since this was a soul transmigration, the Stand bound directly to his soul—Heaven Stairway—had successfully transferred over as well.
It was safe to say that, aside from his very first days, this was the absolute weakest state Takatsuki had ever been in.
The silver lining was that Fugo's body was relatively fit. Reacquiring physical combat techniques wouldn't prove too difficult.
Nen, however, was out of the question for now; while Hamon energy and Haki could be slowly reconstructed through breathing control and physical perception, Nen required an external user to awaken and guide it.
Furthermore, while the inventory was sealed, equipment slots were disabled, and character cards couldn't be deployed into combat, Takatsuki could still utilize certain System functions—such as the gacha summon.
Without an inventory, summoned items would materialize directly in front of him, lacking his former seamless flexibility. Character cards summoned from the gacha were locked within a separate System archive and couldn't be summoned out into reality.
Lastly, his previously accumulated Crystals were completely unusable—only the Crystals granted by this world's fate could be spent.
In short, he was bound by heavy restrictions, though he was by no means left without a fighting chance.
Snapping out of his accelerated state of consciousness, Takatsuki turned to face the three men staring at him with deep vigilance.
"As you can see, I am not Pannacotta Fugo. That said, I am not your enemy either—a fact I'm sure you can tell by now. Mista and Narancia have simply lost consciousness; once this guy's Stand ability is undone, they'll wake right up."
Takatsuki glanced down at Mario Zucchero, who was lying at his feet like a vegetative body. "If I recall the timeline correctly... Bucciarati, we are currently en route to claim Polpo's fortune, aren't we?"
"Who on earth are you?" Bucciarati demanded, his eyes fixed on Takatsuki. He sensed no malevolence from the youth, but as a squad leader, he would never trust a stranger so easily. "And why are you inside Fugo's body?"
"My name is Takatsuki," Takatsuki replied calmly. "If I had to describe myself... I'm simply a man trapped in the grip of fate."