At the start of the series, in the fall of 1938, Joseph and Erina move from London to New York. Meanwhile, former thug turned oil baron Robert E. O. Speedwagon invites Straizo to Mexico to destroy a sleeping Pillar Man with Hamon. Straizo instead wounds Speedwagon, and uses a stone mask near the Pillar Man and Speedwagon's blood to become an immortal vampire. Straizo goes to New York to destroy Joseph and Erina, believed to be the last people who know about the stone mask. When Joseph defeats Straizo, Straizo tells him that the Pillar Man is about to awaken and he will meet the Pillar Man soon. Intrigued, Joseph goes to Mexico. Joseph saves Speedwagon, who survived, from the awakened Pillar Man named Santana, and tricks Santana into being turned to stone by the sunlight reflected from a well.