Chapter 12: Scientific Genius

1, 2, and 4 were decent, and 9 was tempting. Mechanical ascension sounded pretty damn cool, but considering the historical context, Julian Thorne wasn't keen on the idea of losing certain... parts.

After a moment's thought, Julian made his picks: 1, 2, and 4.

[Talent 1, Talent 2, and Talent 4 selected.]

[Matching successful. Your parallel self is a playboy and a scientific genius, with an exceptional aptitude for athletics—both in and out of the bedroom. If you could ignore that Nike-swoosh grin, he'd be quite likable.]

[Game Over upon death in the simulation.]

[Initiating Time Machine... 1%... 33%... 65%... 95%... Whoosh... Transmigration complete.]

[You have arrived in Paris, 1894. From this moment on, the wheels of history begin to turn.]

[December 17, 1894: Freshly transmigrated into Paris and unfamiliar with the lay of the land, you're not exactly thrilled about the prospect of menial labor. While contemplating life on a random street corner, you try your luck with the ladies. Blonde? Rejection. Brunette? Rejection. Another brunette? Rejection. Redhead? You flash your signature, devil-may-care grin, and... jackpot. You borrow some Francs, buy a box of condoms, then proceed to purchase a leather whip. After an hour of fun in a public restroom, you find yourself moving into the redhead's place. Skill acquired: Expert Flirting Proficiency]

[December 18, 1894: Turns out your redhead, Jenny, is a loaded widow, the type that could probably pay the bills with her a. First day in and you've already hit peak performance... in bed.]

[December 19-20, 1894: Still in bed... ]

[December 21, 1895: Legs wobbly, hands like jelly, you decide that maybe, just maybe, you shouldn't be devoting your entire existence to the pleasures of the flesh. You're a transmigrator, not a goddamn sex machine!]

[December 22, 1895: The tables are turned. (Health -1, Happiness -1)]

[December 23, 1895: Still getting worked over. (Health -1, Happiness -1)]

[December 24, 1895: Feeling the emptiness of it all, you decide a job might not be so bad after all. With your social skills and scientific brilliance, you land a gig at a hot new tech startup.]

[February 15, 1896: After two months of actual work and a bit of saving, you sweet-talk your old flame, Jenny, into lending you some capital and put together a research team.]

[April 1896: You invent and improve upon the wireless telegraph.]

[August 1896: You invent the optical interferometer and use it for spectroscopic and fundamental metrology research. (Feat acquired: Scientific Genius)]

[May 1897: You build the first airplane and successfully defy gravity, taking to the skies. (Achievement unlocked: Aim High)]

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

[June 1897: Your research is raking in the dough. Jenny's loan has netted her a tenfold return, and you're now one of the most sought-after tycoons in Europe. You've officially entered high society, attending fancy galas. At one such event, you bump into Romain Rolland again. Some friendships are just meant to be, and this is your third time becoming best buds. (Achievement unlocked: Friends, Again)]

[September 1897: At another gala, Romain Rolland introduces you to a minor Italian noble. This time, you make a point to remember his name: William A. Zeppeli. Huh. Rings a bell.]

[October 1897: You make an effort to get closer to William A. Zeppeli. After all, who could resist a charming, genuinely friendly gentleman? You discover that Zeppeli's in France hunting for an evil Stone Mask, a cursed artifact that turns people into vampires. Apparently, his old man bought it.]

Julian's mind did a backflip. The Stone Mask! No way...

So, it wasn't some Interview with the Vampire or Bram Stoker's Dracula scenario he had landed in. He was smack-dab in the middle of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.

In the manga, William A. Zeppeli was the mentor of the protagonist, Jonathan Joestar. He had picked up a technique called the Ripple, an ancient martial art, in Tibet. It was basically like channeling the power of sunlight, and it could seriously mess up creatures of darkness. Plus, it had some pretty sweet anti-aging perks.

If he could learn the Ripple from Zeppeli, that would be one hell of a score.

The simulation continued.

[November 1897: You learn that Zeppeli is a master of the Ripple, a powerful technique that simulates the power of sunlight. Seeing the strength of your friendship, Zeppeli agrees to teach you this secret art. The price? You have to help him find the Stone Mask.]

[December 1897: As a natural athlete, you have a special talent for the Ripple, mastering it quickly. You also start looking for a nobleman named George Joestar. Skill acquired: Ripple (Beginner)]

[January 1898: The Ripple is working wonders. You're practically overflowing with energy. Seriously, the perks of being rich are insane. (Happiness +7)]

[April 1898: You start dominating other sports. You're the king of French football, scoring seven goals in a single match. You're a sprinting legend, smashing the 10-second barrier in the 100-meter dash 70 years ahead of time, setting a new world record. You even swim across the Atlantic, just you and the open water, no support.]

[Late July 1898: Your Ripple technique is getting seriously good, surpassing even Zeppeli's. He introduces you to his master, the great Ripple master, Tonpetty. A true Ripple master.]

[August 1898: You find out that Elina is acquainted with George Joestar! She leads you to him in Lyon. And what do you know? George Joestar's son, Jonathan Joestar, the very first JoJo, is none other than Elina's childhood friend! But as they say, childhood friends never win.

[September 1898: You meet George Joestar's adopted son, Dio Brando. You hit it off immediately. Who could say no to the friendship of a renowned scientist, football star, and athletic legend? You discover he's got a knack for science too, and you suggest he pursue further studies at the Sorbonne. Changing a villain's life trajectory, one step at a time. Not bad.]

[October 1898: While visiting the Joestar estate, you detect traces of the Stone Mask. After some negotiation, you buy it from George Joestar. You should hand it over to Zeppeli, fulfilling your promise, but your scientific curiosity is burning a hole in your pocket. The guilt is eating at you, though. (Epic Item acquired: Stone Mask, Happiness -1)]

[1898-1899: While your research on the Stone Mask is hitting a wall, your scientific endeavors continue to flourish. You rack up 67 patents in two years, many of which bring in even more ridiculous amounts of money. You're pretty sure your wealth rivals even the oldest of the old money. (Wealth +11)]

[September 1899: You make an astonishing discovery. The spectrum above the Stone Mask exhibits a "Doppler-Fizeau effect," a redshift. It's both drawn to and repelled by sunlight. What could it mean? You also find that when the mask comes into contact with blood, it actually sprouts bone spikes that pierce the brain. Ancient people were ingenious in their own, terrifying way.]

[October 1899: Your research on the optical interferometer, spectroscopy, and fundamental metrology gets you nominated for the Nobel Prize in Physics! And the winner is... you! It's the ultimate dream for many scientists. (Happiness +3)]