Youth with Dio (story arc)

Youth with Dio (ディオとの青春) is the fourth story arc in Phantom Blood.

It narrates Jonathan's desperate struggle against Dio, who has become a Vampire using the Stone Mask.

Summary
Dying from the stab wound inflicted on him, saying it is best for a father to die in his son's arms, George asks Jonathan to forgive Dio in his dying breath. The chief inspector blames himself for this event to occur, revealing that George learned the truth about Dio's father Dario Brando yet was too kind-hearted to not attempt to help the dishonest man and his family. As the inspector mourns George's loss, Speedwagon chides him that Jonathan inherited his father's nobility and praises the Joestars as an exemplary upper-class family. It is then that Speedwagon notices that Dio's body is gone, warning the inspector to stay away from the window before witnessing a resurrected Dio brutally murder the man.

Everyone present is shocked by the monster Dio has become. The latter wastes no time into killing all the policemen. Seeing the destruction wrought by the now inhuman Dio, caused by the Stone Mask he has been researching, a fearful Jonathan knows that he must end this madness as he takes a spear from a nearby suit of armor. Beheading the reanimated corpse of one of the constables when he tries to eat Speedwagon, Jonathan deduces that the only way to kill Dio at this point is to destroy his brain completely. Dio intercepts and breaks the spear in two using only his hand, one hand lodged into the wall as Jonathan carries Speedwagon away. Dio chases after them, gloating that he is now immortal. After a quick assessment of the foyer, Dio notices blood streaming from under a curtain and approaches while musing that Jonathan has sealed his fate. But when Dio pulls back the curtain, the curtain falls on him. Jonathan has hidden his father's corpse and set fire to it, by the same occasion setting Dio ablaze.

But Dio rips his way free, regenerating from his burn wounds while throwing a burning chair at the two of them. Jonathan pushes Speedwagon out of the way and tells him to flee, then makes his way up to the second floor as the fire spreads across the Joestar Mansion. Amused by Jonathan's foolish determination, Dio walks up the wall after the trapped Joestar and tells him that he will die that night: by the flames below them or by his own hand.

Jonathan continues up to the rooftop as Speedwagon realizes his friend's plan to set fire to the whole mansion so that the resulting inferno will be enough to kill even Dio, and declares this plan suicidal. Jonathan blocks a kick with the tip of the spear and charges Dio with his shoulder, breaking through a wall and falling all the way down to the inferno he caused. Jonathan tries to hold Dio, but the Vampires violently knees his chest, breaking several ribs and punching a wall to avoid falling. Jonathan releases his grip but notices the spear tip falling beside him. Planting it firmly against the wall, Jonathan uses it as a support to jump toward Dio then uses his belt to hook Dio and make him fall.

Jonathan stabs Dio with the same knife that killed his father and doesn't let go as both men fall into the flames. As a final blow, Jonathan kicks the wall, propelling both into the statue of the goddess of love and impaling Dio. Dio is unable to escape, and the flames prove too much for his regeneration power, Dio disappears amidst the inferno, cursing. Meanwhile, Jonathan manages to jump out of the mansion through a window. Speedwagon proclaims Jonathan's victory over Dio.

Chapters

 * 012. Youth with Dio, Part 1
 * 013. Youth with Dio, Part 2
 * 014. Youth with Dio, Part 3
 * 015. Youth with Dio, Part 4
 * 016. Youth with Dio, Part 5

Volumes

 * 02. The Thirst for Blood!

Anime Episodes

 * 03. Youth with Dio