JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Horizons

Abandoned Cathedral – The Moment of Betrayal

A blade shot from the shadows.

It moved so fast it barely made a sound—until—

CLANG!

Hiroshi's katana intercepted the strike, the force of the impact sending him skidding backward across the cracked marble floor. Sparks scattered as the weapons clashed, the shriek of metal against metal reverberating through the ruined cathedral.

The attacker stepped into the dim light.

Dressed in a long, black trench coat, his face twisted into a sharp-toothed grin, Ryo "Bloodhound" Asakura took slow, deliberate steps forward. His eyes—piercing, predatory—studied them like a pack of wounded prey.

His weapon, a thin, curved hunting blade, gleamed under the light. But the real danger lurked behind him.

A dark crimson wolf materialized, its eyes glowing like embers in the shadows. Its body flickered like smoke, its claws dripping with something unseen.

"No Mercy."

A Stand that did not wait.

Daisuke barely had time to blink before the wolf lunged.

Phase One: The Phantom Hunter

"MOVE!" Akira shouted.

The team scattered—

But the wolf was faster.

It was everywhere.

Kenji barely raised his fists before a claw slashed his shoulder. A deep gash tore through his coat—he hadn't even seen the attack land.

Daisuke spun mid-air, barely dodging as something unseen grazed his side. His sunglasses cracked.

Hiroshi parried another invisible strike, but even as his blade met something solid, the counterattack came from the opposite direction.

Blood splattered across the cold stone floor.

Akira cursed. "What the hell is happening?!"

Ryo chuckled, watching their confusion. He flipped his blade effortlessly between his fingers. "You ever been hunted before?"

The wolf circled them, but its claws never touched the ground. It didn't just attack.

It left wounds before the strike even came.

Kenji panted, pressing a hand to his bleeding shoulder. "This Stand… It's attacking before it moves?"

Akira's mind raced. No, that wasn't right. It wasn't time manipulation. It wasn't speed.

It was something else.

Phase Two: The Nature of No Mercy

"Echo Chamber."

A wave of sound distortion rippled outward from Akira's Stand, disrupting the air itself. The battlefield flickered—distortions revealing where attacks would land seconds before they hit.

Daisuke's eyes widened.

"The attacks are coming from the Stand's past movements!"

Kenji clenched his fists. "You mean… those cuts weren't appearing out of nowhere—they were always going to happen."

Akira nodded. "No Mercy leaves traces of its attacks in time. The moment it strikes—that wound already exists."

Hiroshi tightened his grip on his katana. "Then we need to hit him before he strikes."

Ryo smirked.

He raised his hand.

No Mercy vanished.

Then—

Blood exploded from Kenji's back.

Kenji roared in pain, staggering. Daisuke caught him before he could fall. "Shit—how is he moving like this?!"

Ryo flicked the blood off his knife. "You're catching on." He took a step forward. "Too bad it won't save you."

Phase Three: Turning the Hunt Around

Akira's mind worked overtime.

They needed a counterattack.

Hiroshi was already stepping forward, katana in hand. "I'll force him to focus on me."

Daisuke cracked his knuckles. "And I'll disrupt his pattern."

Kenji, despite his injuries, grinned. "I just need one shot."

Akira exhaled. "Then let's do this."

The team moved as one.

Hiroshi lunged first. Blazing Ronin ignited, its flames illuminating the cathedral's ruins. He struck—but Ryo was already gone.

No Mercy appeared behind him—

Daisuke intercepted with Gale Phantom, a burst of wind knocking Ryo off balance for the first time.

Ryo's smirk flickered. "Tch—"

Kenji charged.

With Titan Soul, he threw a devastating punch—

Ryo dodged—

But Akira had anticipated it.

"Echo Chamber."

A pulse of sound rippled through the battlefield.

For just a second, Ryo's movements became distorted— his body lagging behind his own attacks.

It was all the opening Kenji needed.

BOOM!

His fist connected.

Ryo's entire body slammed into the stone wall, cracking the surface. Blood dripped from his mouth as he gasped for air.

Daisuke spun his glasses back onto his face. "Guess you're not as untouchable as you thought."

But Ryo laughed.

Even beaten, even bloodied—he was grinning.

"Not bad." He coughed. "But I never hunt alone."

The team barely had time to react—

Before a second presence filled the room.

A new Stand emerged from the shadows.

And suddenly—

The cathedral floor collapsed beneath them.