Joseph struggled to sit up.
Before the doctor could speak, he lay back down again.
Forget it. It was the same either way.
The old man's face showed a smile he hadn't worn in many years.
In that moment, he didn't look like an elderly man—
But a spirited youth.
Of course, that was only an illusion.
Joseph knew well: he was truly old.
He couldn't even muster the strength for a prank, let alone a fight.
"Long time no see, Ripple."
Taking a deep breath, Joseph's eyes sharpened.
Tiny golden sparks flickered at his brow.
"So I've gotten this weak?"
Feeling that nearly untraceable ripple energy, Joseph could only feel helpless.
This really was the lowest point in his life.
He even suspected that the ripple he could produce now was weaker than when he was five.
Back then, he could already use the Ripple to enhance himself and sneak a peek at the lady next door.
Tsk, thinking back now, his taste at that age was really awful.
"Mr. Joseph! What are you doing?!"
The doctor beside the bed cried out in panic.
Though he himself was only an ordinary person, as one of Joseph's most trusted companions for decades, he knew a little about Ripple and Stands.
He understood very well that forcing Ripple out of Joseph's current body was no different from suicide.
Yes—suicide through extraction.
Joseph's physical body had aged far too much.
Years of not using Ripple had left not even a trace of it inside him.
If Joseph had at least practiced occasionally, or even maintained minimal Ripple breathing, he wouldn't have ended up like this.
But Joseph did not regret it.
What could be more romantic than growing old together with the one you love?
With a wide grin, Joseph felt his head clearing up.
Compared to the muddled state he had been in, only now did he feel like a true Joestar.
Ripple energy was squeezed out of Joseph's body, and golden light quickly spread across him.
As expected of a naturally gifted Ripple user, even after so many wasted years, he instantly found that long-lost feeling.
In terms of breathing technique alone, he was no worse than his younger self.
With the Ripple nourishing him, Joseph's face slowly grew younger.
But the doctor by his side felt nothing but dread.
Machines monitoring Joseph's physical condition blared endlessly.
The shrill alarms revealed the brutal truth.
Joseph was burning away the last of his life.
The doctor bit his lip, struggling to hold back tears.
After following Joseph for so many years, their relationship had long surpassed that of employer and employee.
Countless people had tried to bribe him to poison Joseph, and he rejected every one without hesitation.
He would never harm the person he respected most.
"Don't be sad."
Turning toward the doctor, Joseph said softly:
"I, Joseph Joestar, am a descendant of the Joestar family."
"Dying uselessly in a hospital bed? What is that supposed to be?"
"Shining brightest at the very end—that is the best ending for me."
Joseph's life was nothing short of an epic tale.
In his youth, he fought the ancient Pillar Men, carrying the hopes of his friends, defeating enemies that should have been impossible to overcome.
Decades later, he traveled to Egypt for the sake of his daughter.
With companions, he defeated the vampire who had tormented the Joestar family for centuries.
Such a brilliant life should not end with him dying quietly in bed.
Now, Joseph would write the final chapter of his legend with his own hands.
"Mr. Joseph…"
The doctor wiped his face, determined to witness it properly.
The fall of a hero needed someone to see it.
Clack clack clack clack clack!!!
The alarm clock by Joseph's bed spun wildly, ringing sharply.
Outside, the streets were in chaos.
People ran around in confusion, unable to understand what was happening in the world.
Panic spread.
But none of this had anything to do with the two in the room.
"Ooooohhhh!"
Joseph let out a low roar as purple vines wrapped around his hand.
"Please, Hermit Purple!"
"Respond to my wish!"
He raised his right hand high, his eyes gleaming.
In that moment, he was like a lion upon the plains.
No one would connect this figure with the frail old man from earlier.
As if truly hearing his call, Hermit Purple writhed in response, stretching outward, searching for something.
Seconds later, one vine suddenly pointed in a direction.
The rest followed, surging forward.
In the doctor's widened eyes, the front ends of Hermit Purple vanished directly into the void.
"It's starting."
Joseph, now sitting up at some point, grinned and stared fixedly at the air before him.
He knew he was close to success.
Memories surged through him—from his fights with Caesar to countless battles, to friends he could never forget.
Joseph's eyes reddened.
How could he ever forget these things?
"Go! Carry my hope!"
Ripple light burst from Joseph's body, illuminating the entire room.
The doctor could no longer hold back and broke into tears.
"Mr. Joseph."
When the light faded, Joseph lay quietly on the bed, a peaceful smile at his lips.
He looked as if he were simply napping.
As if calling his name would bring him back up, scratching his head, speaking in his usual tone.
But the doctor knew he would never wake again.
"Without a doubt, you bowed out as a hero."
Covering his face, the doctor choked out the words.
He didn't know what Joseph had tried to accomplish, nor whether he succeeded.
But he believed Joseph had died without regret after fulfilling his final wish.
---
1939, February 26.
Sitting cross-legged on the ground, Joseph glared irritably at the distant building.
That idiot Caesar had rushed in ahead.
"Damn it."
Scratching his head in frustration, traces of blood still marked Joseph's face.
From their fight earlier.
"Wait—what is this?!"
Just as he was about to chase after Caesar, a purple vine appeared from thin air and wrapped around his wrist.
Before Joseph could react, a flood of Ripple energy poured into him through the vine.
And with it—the memories of his older self.
"Aaaaaaahhhh!!!"
The overwhelming surge of memories caused unbearable pain, and Joseph couldn't help shouting.