Just so you don't think I've forgotten Momonga and his group, let's check in on them for a bit. This chapter almost exclusively focuses on them.

Momonga sat in the conference hall with his team, a set of papers among them. “As you all know, our goal here is three-fold. One, to unite the world via the Spirit Tracks. Two, to establish a nation of our own within that world with Nazarick at its center. And three, to discover and eliminate the forces opposed to the expansion of the Spirit Tracks.” “We’ve made quite a number of moves behind the scenes,” Tabula noted, “All the easier with George Joestar III and his team actively working to expand the Spirit Tracks.”

“If any of our former teammates from DIO’s forces are alive,” Peroroncino noted, “They’d raise eyebrows at best and lynch us at worst at the thought of us aiding a Joestar. Especially since it was George’s nephew who ultimately killed DIO.” “We won’t move forward relying on ‘what-ifs’,” Yamaiko pointed out, “Let’s focus on our plans moving forward. Our next step involves the Baharuth Empire, correct?” “Indeed,” Momonga replied, “Me, Peroroncino, Nishikienrai, and Narberal from the tomb’s protectors are making a journey there. Since we are an official adventuring team, traveling between kingdoms is well within our rights.”

“From what I understand,” Nishikienrai noted, “The trip serves a dual purpose. One, we need to learn more about the society of Baharuth. And two, we need to make contact with Fluder Paradyne, the Prime Wizard of the empire.” “What’s so special about him?,” Herohero asked. “He’s apparently found the means to control and domesticate the undead,” Touch Me explained, “Emperor Jircniv Rune Farlord el Nix has turned the empire into a meritocracy. But this means that for the time being there are less people to tend to the empire’s basic needs. Fluder’s experiments have provided a stop-gap solution until more skilled workers can be applied to farms, mines, and other important jobs.”

“This guy must have been studying magic for decades to get this far,” Ulbert noted. “You’re not wrong,” Bellriver replied, “He apparently tried an immortality ritual to gain more time to learn magic. It ultimately failed, but not completely. He was still able to expand his lifespan. Currently he is at least two-hundred years old.” “Ultimately obtaining the secrets of the abyss of magic is his only goal,” Momonga noted, “And we have the means to teach it to him.” The others looked at him as he grinned. “Nfirea. His Stand grants him untold secrets of magic, as if he’d been studying for millennia.”

“Not to mention giving him limitless mana,” Punitto noted, “And we know Fluder has the ability to sense magical potential. With Nfirea’s Stand active, he would seem as a god to Fluder.” Momonga nodded. “Lupisregina, our scout in Carne Village, has confirmed that Majin Gattai grants Nfirea magical knowledge well beyond his years, and the means to handle that knowledge. Through him, we have the perfect teacher of magic. Or least skilled enough to convince Fluder to aid our cause.”

“We have had spies look through the upper echelon of each nation,” Herohero noted, “And gained a number of allies. I’m assuming this current plan is expose the conspiracy behind the disappearance of the Spirit Tracks prior to our arrival?” “Indeed,” Momonga replied, “We shall perform a grand plan dedicated to exposing them all in one fell swoop. The lesser agents and the guardians of the final two magic wells are likely still sequestered in the temples, but we can expose the ringleaders. Ideally we can also capture them. But in all likelihood we will at best force them underground.”

“Wait, two magic wells?,” Amanomahitotsu chimed in, “But the Marine Temple was just unsealed. Shouldn’t that leave one final well?” “Actually it turns there’s one final temple,” Tabula explained, “Sequestered in the desert between the mountains where the Holy Kingdom is located, and the seaside near the Slane Theocracy. But there is no map directly tied to it. It’s simply meant to be the proverbial rail spike keeping the tower intact. In all likelihood, that is where the conspiracy started to dispel the tracks.”

“And getting to it is no small feat,” Bellriver noted, “It’s likely whoever possesses the demon train Stand lead the rest of the conspiracy there.” “And once they learned how to seal the magic well,” Momonga noted, “They decided to put their plan into motion. Whoever the leader is likely has a great deal of ambition and evil intent. From what I understand, this is the first time since the appearance of Down at the Station that someone has wanted to dispel the Spirit Tracks.” “And now here we are making our own ambitious plans that require the Spirit Tracks,” Touch Me said with a chuckle, “How ironic.”

“That reminds me,” Ulbert said, “At some point I’ll need to challenge George again. He attacked my Stand during the incident in Re-Estize, and thus fell under its effect. His mental prowess is strong enough to resist it, but he’ll continuously experience bouts of aggression, typically against his own teammates. Perhaps during the upcoming war we plan on taking part it I’ll challenge him. His Stand is stronger than mine at full power, so that should be enough to dispel the effect. Our plans can’t work if George winds up compromising his own team and slowing down the efforts to expand the Spirit Tracks.”

George shook his head as Hekkeran let of their guest passenger, a heavyset man who wanted to court a woman out in Slane. The romance seemed to blossom, allowing the Spirit Tracks to grow a little more. “Something wrong?,” Hekkeran asked. In spite of his annoyance at the question, George decided to be honest. “I’ve been trying to mentally focus as of late. It feels like something is affecting me. Ever since I decked that guy Ulbert back in Re-Estize. I think it might have something to do with his Stand.” “Think we should find him again?,” Hekkeran suggested, “It could help end the effect.” George nodded. “Yeah, definitely. But not just yet. We still have work to do.”