— — — — — — — —
"Hmm?"
While Daifuku and Zuccotto were sparring, far away, a fiery red figure was making his way back step by step.
"Heh!!!" A grin spread across his lips, brimming with confidence as he strode forward.
Swoosh!
With a powerful leap, the figure landed right next to Joey, his excitement evident. "Big bro! I'm back!"
That's right—it was Oven.
However, the moment Oven met his brother's gaze, his face froze, and his smile stiffened. Instinctively, he took a small step back.
Joey smiled gently. "Oven!"
In an instant, Oven straightened up and lowered his head. "I'm sorry, big bro! I promise I won't do it again!"
"Seriously?" Joey sighed, shaking his head in exasperation. "You, Daifuku, Zuccotto—each one of you is such a handful! Do you have any idea how many eyes are watching the Charlotte Family right now?"
"Things might seem to be going well, but threats are lurking everywhere. What if something happens to you all?" Joey's anger was palpable as he scolded the reckless group.
Oven hung his head even lower. "I'm really sorry, big bro. I won't do it again!"
"Sigh..." Joey shook his head in exasperation. "You little brat, still thinking about a 'next time'? Just sit tight and watch. Judging by your look, you've awakened your Stand too. So, watch Daifuku and Zuccotto spar."
Oven immediately straightened up. "Yes, big bro!" He nodded obediently, eyes focused on the battle before him.
— — —
At that moment, the battlefield was completely engulfed in thick, dark purple mist, surrounding the two combatants. No one could see what was happening inside.
Joey carefully observed the abilities of "Demon Labyrinth," Zuccotto's Stand.
---
[Labyrinth]
Stand Stats:
Power: C
Speed: C
Precision: B
Growth Potential: A
Durability: A
Range: B (500 meters)
---
Analyzing Demon Labyrinth, Joey finally felt a bit more at ease. Compared to "Invincible Death" and "Martial Arts Fighting Master"—both of which had nearly all A-rank stats and overpowered abilities—Demon Labyrinth seemed simpler.
Its stats were balanced, with two As, two Bs, and two Cs.
From a pure numbers standpoint, it wasn't an overwhelmingly powerful Stand.
But then…When Joey noticed its range, his expression stiffened.
B? 500 meters?!
Joey glanced at his own Stand, Silver Greatsword, which also had a B-rank range—but only 30 meters!
That realization hit hard.
"Five hundred meters?! That's practically sniper-level range!"
Back then, the genie of the devil fruit couldn't stray too far from Daifuku without weakening. But now after merging with the stand?
That limitation was completely gone.
In other words, Daifuku had become a long-range fighter.
He could hide 500 meters away, trap enemies inside the labyrinth, and pick them off from a distance.
If Joey remembered correctly, the genie could split apart, and now it had become part of the Stand.
In other words, the labyrinth itself was a Stand—and the demon (genie) within was also a Stand. Defeating one wouldn't work; you had to destroy both."
"Sigh!" Joey sighed once more, muttering to himself. "I should just accept my fate as the team mascot. My little brothers keep awakening ridiculously overpowered Stands!"
Suddenly, an idea struck Joey. He turned his gaze to Oven, scrutinizing him closely.
Oven immediately panicked. "Big bro! Big bro! I've awakened my Stand too! But, um… can I wait until Daifuku and Zuccotto finish their match? Then I'll show you!"
Joey simply nodded. "Alright."
But deep down, he had a nagging feeling…Oven's Stand probably wouldn't be weak.
"My three younger brothers' Stand abilities… aren't they just way too overpowered? Seriously, it's almost ridiculous."
— — —
As the thick fog dispersed, Daifuku and Zuccotto stepped forward.
Excitedly, Opera asked, "Daifuku-nii, Zuccotto, how did it go?"
Zuccotto let out a helpless sigh. "I lost! And I lost badly!"
Everyone looked at Zuccotto—his front was practically unharmed.
But then—
When he turned around, his back was covered in dozens of chalk-like marks, large and small.
That alone proved it.
Zuccotto must have endured a barrage of attacks all at once.
With a bitter smile, Zuccotto admitted, "Who would've thought that Daifuku-nii's demon could split apart? And the deeper you go into that labyrinth, the harder it is to find the exit. I ended up getting cornered and attacked non-stop, and, well… you see the result."
"Mhm."
Everyone nodded in understanding.
Calmly, Joey stated, "That's not surprising. In a one-on-one battle, Daifuku's ability is incredibly hard to deal with. But against Katakuri, it wouldn't be all that effective."
An invincible, death-defying Stand with something akin to the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception—now that's a total bug-level ability. A bug within a bug.
Then Joey turned his gaze to Oven. "Oven, summon your Stand. Let me take a look."
"Alright, big bro!" Oven responded enthusiastically.
Daifuku, Opera, Zuccotto, and even the little ones watched curiously.
Daifuku nodded in satisfaction. "Oven! That's more like you! How could you possibly fall behind the rest of us?"
"Hehehe~" Oven grinned. "Of course I wouldn't! I'm a proud member of the Charlotte family! As the fifth son, if I didn't have at least this level of strength, I might as well be dead!"
"Hah!"
"Unyielding Heatwave!" Oven roared.
In an instant—
A terrifying heat surged, distorting the air.
Behind Oven, a figure emerged.
A crimson-red humanoid figure.
Yet—Its limbs, head, and body all looked devilish.
On its head, flames burned fiercely. It was a demonic presence.
Excited, Oven declared, "Big bro! Unyielding Heatwave grants me the power to control fire! A pretty simple ability."
Considering Oven awakened his Stand through his own rage—And given that he already possessed the Heat-Heat Fruit—It wasn't surprising that he developed such a power.
Joey nodded, evaluating Unyielding Heatwave.
---
[Unyielding Heatwave]
Destructive Power: C
Speed: C
Precision: C
Growth Potential: A
Durability: C
Range: B (300 meters)
---
"Hmm!" Joey chuckled, nodding approvingly.
The stronger his younger brothers were, the better.
However—Four C-rank stats were, honestly, a bit underwhelming.
While Joey was examining Oven's Stand—
Oven remained calm and said, "Big bro! Right now, Unyielding Heatwave can only produce flames around 50 degrees Celsius."
"But! From what I've studied, its fire has no upper limit! As long as my will is strong enough and my body can handle it, I can keep increasing the temperature infinitely!"
Snap!
Oven clenched his fist, his face filled with excitement.
Joey, maintaining a composed smile, said, "That's a great ability!"
But deep down—
He couldn't help but sigh. "Figures… I should just accept my role as the family mascot. Every single one of my younger brothers has an absolutely busted Stand."
"On the surface, it just seems like basic fire… but the real problem is, what if the temperature reaches absurd levels?"
Just imagining the possibilities—
If one day Oven's flames reached over a million degrees Celsius—
Then, in an instant—
He could probably burn an entire world to ashes.
Joey was starting to see the pattern.
His little brothers' abilities were absolute monsters.
Who knows what kind of insane developments they'd unlock in the future?
Hmm—Soul Fire?
World-Ending Flames?
Purifying Flames?
Whatever.
Joey gave up.
His younger brothers' Stands were just one overpowered ability after another.
And then—It suddenly hit him.
"Wait… All of their Stands have an A in Growth Potential, don't they?"
Regardless of their abilities—A-rank Growth was a standard feature.
In other words—Each and every one of their Stands had immense potential.
Shaking his head, Joey decided not to dwell on it too much and took a seat. "Alright, everyone, sit down. Let's talk about our Stands for a bit."
"Okay!" "Big bro!"
"On it!"
Joey sat down, and one by one, the others followed suit. Mash and Cornstarch sat on either side of him.
Then—
Joey began. "You three brats, talk about what you were feeling when you awakened your Stands."
"Awakening a Stand requires an intense emotional trigger. Only when your emotions reach their peak can a Stand emerge. Just like when Katakuri awakened his—his will was absolute invincibility. And when his Stand manifested, it embodied that invincibility."
After thinking for a moment—
Daifuku spoke first. "Big bro, for me, it was pure cunning and ruthlessness. That's just my nature, and I don't deny it. As I focused on those thoughts, my Stand awakened."
Oven continued. "For me, it was frustration. I was furious at how weak I was. That rage pushed me to awaken my Stand."
Zuccotto added, "As for me, it happened through battle after battle. My mind became completely immersed in the art of fighting. Especially after my final match…"
"Hmm!" Opera nodded. "So in short, it all comes down to willpower. When a certain belief reaches its limit, a Stand is born."
Then, little Moscato suddenly chimed in. "I think it's not just willpower but also how the ability aligns with that will. But you can't force yourself into a specific mindset just to awaken a certain power. That won't work."
"Heh—" Joey ruffled Moscato's hair. "Good point. My ambition created Silver Greatsword. Katakuri's invincibility gave birth to Invincible Death. Daifuku's cunning manifested Demon Labyrinth."
Oven added, "My fury created Unyielding Heatwave."
Zuccotto nodded. "And my passion for combat gave me Fighting Master."
In just a few words—
Everyone understood.
Joey concluded, "Your willpower isn't infinite! No one can consciously push a specific emotion to its peak at will. Even I can't."
"Instead of forcing it, focus on refining your natural will. That way, your Stand will be the perfect match for you."
"Strong doesn't always mean suitable."
" Remember that!"
.
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