Chapter 59: The Joestar Family Have Been Gentlemen for Generations
It would have been very simple for Shirou Emiya to kill Yoshikage Kira.
Whether it was the Time Stop of [Pseudo-The World], the Time Erasure of [Pseudo-King Crimson], or the mental erosion of [Pseudo-Whitesnake], any of these would have allowed Shirou to kill Kira without a trace the moment he found him.
After all, compared to the overwhelming pressure the other final bosses in the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series exerted on the protagonist groups, the story of Part 4 was quite different once Yoshikage Kira's true identity was discovered by Jotaro Kujo and the others. At that point, it was entirely Jotaro and his allies who were constantly applying pressure to Kira, even driving him to the brink of despair multiple times.
Even tropes like Stand evolution or a Stand suddenly gaining a new ability—things that are usually standard perks for protagonists in other JoJo parts—were delegated to the final boss, Yoshikage Kira, in Part 4. Because without those boosts, how could a Kira whose Stand ability was essentially just a "glorified firecracker" hope to win?
Facing a lineup that included Time Stop, spatial erasure, gravity waves released through sound, a character suspected to be the author's own self-insert "alt account," and a healer who could instantly bring someone back as long as they weren't completely dead... Seriously, was that protagonist lineup for real? Who was the final boss here, exactly?!
If Shirou Emiya still had to resort to elaborate schemes and methods against such a Kira, wouldn't he be doing a disservice to his massive reserve of "cheat" Stands?
But while defeating Kira was simple, it wasn't enough to just kill him; one had to crush his spirit and bring justice for the victims.
Unlike Father Pucci or Diavolo, who had not yet committed too many crimes at this stage, or DIO, whom Shirou couldn't allow himself to kill out of a momentary whim for catharsis back then, the "weakest final boss in history," Yoshikage Kira, fit neither of those categories.
In this world of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure—where souls truly exist and where souls remain in the living world because they were wronged while Kira remained at large—Shirou knew that if he didn't do something meaningful here, his future self would surely regret it.
Thus, this scene unfolded. Shirou Emiya wanted Yoshikage Kira to taste the pain of those killed by his bombs!
"Thanks, Jotaro."
Looking at Yoshikage Kira, who was covered in blood after being blasted by his own [Sheer Heart Attack], Shirou wondered if this act could bring peace to the souls still wandering Morioh Town.
He turned to express his gratitude to the Jotaro Kujo beside him: "If you hadn't accompanied me and backed me up, I suspect Mr. Joestar wouldn't have agreed to let me do this."
"No, it's nothing," Jotaro shook his head. "Anyway, after learning about this guy's crimes, I felt disgusted by him too."
It wasn't just Shirou. Even Jotaro's [Star Platinum] had unleashed a standard "Ora Ora" rapid-fire barrage on Kira's body. After finishing Kira off completely, Jotaro continued: "And the old man isn't some pedantic fool... No! Rather, I'm only now realizing the true face of that old bastard!
Despite his age, how can he still be so flighty and reckless?!"
Thinking of something, Jotaro pulled the brim of his hat down with a look of exhaustion. Had it not been for this unexpected turn of events, one could imagine that Joseph's affair and the existence of a secret love child would have remained hidden for a long time.
By the time Joseph could no longer hide it, it would likely be when he felt his life was nearing its end—when he would be leaving an inheritance to his descendants and writing his will.
Although the "old geezer" Joseph constantly lowered the bar in Jotaro's heart, through their journey together, Jotaro had to admit that when it came to the people he loved, Joseph was definitely responsible... well, the affair notwithstanding.
Therefore, Joseph would surely have chosen that moment to reveal he had a son, wanting to leave some compensation for the child and the woman he could no longer accompany. Of course, Jotaro had no real thoughts regarding the distribution of the estate.
The problem was, given the Joestar family dynamics, wouldn't he be the only "suitable" person at that time to be the one to talk to the secret son and the others?!
He didn't know the details of Joseph's affair, but comparing Joseph's age to his years of neglect... if the other party actually wanted to give him a beating, Jotaro felt he wouldn't even be able to fight back.
In short, unlike those who would harbor hostility toward a secret child or a mistress, Jotaro felt that the person in the wrong was definitely Joseph! One could only say the Joestar family has been gentlemen for generations.
To some extent, Jotaro coming to S-City with Shirou was also because he didn't know how to face this situation for the moment.
"I see. You've really had a hard time, Jotaro."
Hearing Jotaro's words and combining them with his own memories of the "original" Jotaro—who went from being invincible to becoming a hardworking, weary man—Shirou patted Jotaro on the shoulder with a sigh of empathy.
"But that's all in the past now. With the futures I prophesied being changed, you might have more time in the future to spend with your dolphins.
Of course, while spending time with dolphins, don't forget to spend some time with your daughter. Children are very sensitive about these things."
"?... Don't tell me my future really was just constantly cleaning up the messes left by the old man?" Jotaro looked over in surprise.
As for a daughter? Jotaro, who still wasn't particularly interested in "troublesome" creatures like women, had not yet evolved into the doting father he would become later. Right now, he just wanted to know: besides leaving him the headache of a secret son, what other troubles had Joseph left for him?
This would determine whether he should give Joseph a beating while the old man was still healthy, lest he lose the chance in the future.
"Who knows," Shirou shrugged. Regardless, the dangers he knew about had been eliminated in advance.
"Alright, Jotaro, let's go. Mr. Joestar is waiting for us in Morioh Town."
"Hey, Emiya! Make yourself clear!"
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