Korija Island. This land, once named for the Kingdom of Korija, was now a desolate wasteland. The devastating war over a decade ago had utterly destroyed this nation, leaving behind only scarred ruins. The sea wind, carrying sand and dust, whistled through the broken walls and crumbled buildings, emitting a mournful sound as if recounting the land's former glory and current desolation.
As the sun set in the west, a black three-masted sailing ship flying a pirate flag slowly approached this uninhabited island.
Once the vessel was securely anchored, the burly Kaido was the first to step off the deck, his heavy footsteps leaving deep impressions in the sand. All of his current officers followed behind him.
At the other end of the beach, Kurozumi Higurashi and Kurozumi Semimaru had been waiting for some time. Higurashi still wore her signature kimono, that eerie smile plastered on her face. Semimaru stood silently beside her, his hands crossed within his wide sleeves.
"Yihihihihi, Kaido, it's been such a long time," Kurozumi Higurashi let out her trademark cackle, greeting Kaido as he approached. Her voice sounded especially grating on the empty beach.
"Wororororo, old hag. And Kurozumi Semimaru. I'm surprised you're both still alive." Kaido's rough laughter echoed across the shore, but his sharp gaze was fixed intently on Semimaru. The defensive abilities of this Bari Bari no Mi user were virtually flawless; even the current Kaido wasn't entirely confident he could forcibly break through his barrier defenses.
The sea breeze ruffled the clothing of those present, carrying a salty, fishy scent. The pirates behind Kaido surveyed their surroundings warily, their hands unconsciously resting on their weapons.
"Kaido, don't be so cold. We were, after all, once comrades on the same ship," Kurozumi Higurashi attempted to ease the tension, taking two steps forward, her withered fingers tracing strange arcs in the air.
"Enough nonsense!" Kaido waved impatiently to cut her off, his massive body casting a long shadow in the setting sun. "Tell me about the current situation in Wano Country! If you sought me out, you must have a plan, right?! Wano isn't exactly welcoming to outsiders."
Kurozumi Higurashi's eyes gleamed with cunning in the twilight. "Yihihihihi. Right now, the head of our Kurozumi Clan has already infiltrated the entourage of the current Shogun of Wano, Kozuki Sukiyaki. We have ways to deal with the others. But there's one person from the Kozuki Clan... he's a natural-born monster, just like you."
"Oh?! Just like me?" Kaido immediately showed a curious expression upon hearing this, the muscles on his thick arms bulging slightly.
"That's right. He is the current heir of the Kozuki Clan and also the Daimyo of the Kuri region—Kozuki Oden!" Kurozumi Higurashi stated directly, a note of apprehension in her voice.
Waves crashed against the shore's rocks, emitting a rhythmic sound. Kaido fell silent for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter. "So, you had me travel all the way back from the Four Blues to the New World... just to deal with Kozuki Oden?"
"Correct, Kaido," Kurozumi Higurashi's smile vanished, her expression turning serious. "While you are immensely powerful now, you must still be cautious of Kozuki Oden. That man is also a natural-born monster."
"Natural-born monster?" Kaido remained silent, but Bullet beside him asked with curiosity. The current Bullet was intensely interested in the strong.
Kurozumi Higurashi nodded and began listing off the details as if counting treasures. "Correct. When Kozuki Oden was born, he could already throw his wet nurse out of the room. At two years old, he could catch two rabbits simultaneously, displaying astonishing leg strength. At four, he could throw a giant rock and kill a massive bear." She paused, then added, "At eight, he could subdue a wild boar with his bare hands. By ten, he was starting fights and causing trouble in the gambling dens of the Flower Capital..."
Upon hearing this, King, Queen, Bullet, and the others behind Kaido couldn't help but show looks of surprise. Queen adjusted his sunglasses, muttering under his breath, "Sounds even more outrageous than Captain Kaido was as a kid..."
"So, what's your plan?" Kaido asked directly.
"Yihihihihi. While Kozuki Oden's strength is formidable, his current desire is solely to set out to sea. Our plan is to use the spy we've planted near him to let him know that someone has landed on Wano's shores. Upon hearing this news, Kozuki Oden will undoubtedly rush to find this outsider who has landed on Wano's coast," Kurozumi Higurashi explained.
"So... you want me to ambush him and then finish off Kozuki Oden," Kaido stated.
"Exactly. Once Kozuki Oden is eliminated, the head of our Kurozumi Clan can act freely, directly poisoning the current Shogun, Kozuki Sukiyaki. Then, I will use my ability to transform into Kozuki Sukiyaki's form and pass the title of Shogun to the head of our Kurozumi Clan. That way, Wano Country will fall into our hands. Yihihihihi!" As she spoke to this point, Kurozumi Higurashi seemed to already see the Kurozumi Clan seizing the Shogunate, letting out a hopeful laugh.
"Wororororo. What do you all think?" Kaido couldn't be bothered to comment on Kurozumi Higurashi's calculations, but he still asked for his crew's opinions.
"The plan itself isn't bad. It's just that the Beasts Pirates don't seem to gain any benefit from it. On the contrary, we'd be directly helping the Kurozumi Clan eliminate their strongest enemy," King said after a moment of thought.
Kurozumi Higurashi hurriedly added, "Once we control Wano Country, the Clan Head will confer upon Lord Kaido the title of 'Guardian Deity King of the Nation,' permit the Beasts Pirates to establish an arms factory in Wano, and hand over all Seastone business to you."
Bullet crossed his arms, a fighting spirit gleaming in his eyes. "I'm not interested in any of that. I just want to know how strong this Kozuki Oden really is."
"Muhahaha! This plan offers us no advantage whatsoever, Captain Kaido. In my opinion, we'd be better off directly assaulting Wano by force. It'd be a perfect chance to test my newly developed weapons," Queen laughed, a cigar dangling from his mouth.
"That won't do! Wano's domestic military strength is still considerable. And if we drag Wano into a full-scale war, the benefits we'd reap would be minimal," Kurozumi Higurashi hastily objected.
Urouge interjected with confusion. "Is this Wano Country already under the Kurozumi Clan's control? How is it that your people are everywhere?"
"Our Kurozumi Clan was once the most powerful family in Wano Country. We once came within a hair's breadth of seizing the Shogunate. Though we've fallen from grace now, we're still not to be compared with ordinary people," Kurozumi Higurashi stated proudly.
"Kishishishi! Planning to seize a country the moment we arrive in the New World? That's our Captain for you," Moria said.
***
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