Prologue (Chapter)

Prologue (プロローグ), originally in the WSJ release, is the first chapter of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure manga. It is also the first chapter of Phantom Blood.

Summary
Between the 12th and 16th century, an Aztec ritual takes place in Mexico. A man wearing a stone mask sacrifices a young woman. Her blood splatters onto the mask and bone-like prongs sprout from the mask piercing the man's head. He screams to his audience that he has gained eternal life, and asks that the man next to him offer his life to him. The man's fingers pierce his subordinate's neck and he drains him of his life. A narration appears, telling of the great empire which tried to conquer the world with the help of the stone mask and its powers, albeit suddenly disappearing from history.

In the year 1880, Dario Brando, on his death bed, tells his son Dio of a debt that a man owed him. He recalls that in 1868, an accident had occurred involving a carriage that had been carrying a couple and their baby son. Dario and his partner had stumbled upon the crash and decided to steal valuables from the corpses. Unbeknownst to Dario, the father George Joestar had survived the crash, as did his son, although his wife had died. Thinking Dario had come to save them, George offered Dario a reward for his "help". In the present, Dario tells Dio to mail a certain letter to the Joestars, as we is sure George would foster Dio as part of his debt. Dio is noted to be headstrong and intelligent, wagering meals on chess matches in taverns. Not long afterwords, Dario dies and is buried. As a "goodbye", Dio spits on his father's grave and promises his father that he will take advantage of the Joestars in order to rise on the social ladder.

At a different location, two boys have stolen a young Erina Pendleton's doll and are bullying her. A third youth comes to her rescue, the noble Jonathan Joestar, son of George. Although he gets beaten up by the bullies, he is able to get her doll back; he claims he helped her in order to be a true gentleman and not just for her thanks. As he leaves, Erina picks up the embroidered, dirty handkerchief he had left behind.

When Jonathan returns home, a carriage arrives carrying Dio Brando. Jonathan promptly introduces himself (as Jojo) to the boy who will now be living with him and his father; he then calls his dog Danny in order to introduce him to Dio as well. Jonathan is quickly infuriated as Dio knees Danny in the jaw, sending him flying. Dio begins devising his plan to psychologically and physically torture Jonathan and remain the sole heir of the Joestar fortune.

Trivia

 * During Dio's first appearance, he is seen to be reading a copy of Gorgeous Irene, one of Araki's earlier works.