Kurozumi Higurashi stood before Kaido, her wrinkled face etched with determination. She tilted her head back slightly, meeting the tall man's gaze directly. Her voice was hoarse yet forceful. "Kaido, my plan has been meticulously crafted over many years. Every step has been carefully considered. If we proceed according to this plan, we can take Wano Country with minimal cost."
Kaido lounged lazily on a large rock, casually taking a hefty swig from his sake gourd. Amber-colored liquor trickled from the corner of his mouth, dripping onto the fabric covering his chest. He wiped his mouth carelessly, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. "Is that so?" He set down the gourd, his thick fingers lightly tapping the rock's surface. "We can go with your plan in broad strokes, but..."
"But what?" Kurozumi Higurashi's brow instantly furrowed, clear displeasure appearing on her wrinkled face. She subconsciously took half a step forward, then forced herself to stop, tightening her grip on the serpent-headed cane in her hand.
Kaido grinned, revealing rows of gleaming white teeth that looked especially menacing in the sunlight. "Helping you take out Kozuki Oden is fine," he said slowly, his voice low and full of pressure. "But once it's done, you'll need to take on his appearance and cede the position of Daimyo of Kuri to me."
"Impossible!" Kurozumi Higurashi blurted out almost immediately, her voice trembling slightly with agitation. She subconsciously touched the cane hidden in her sleeve, her knuckles white from the force of her grip. "Although my Mane Mane no Mi allows me to mimic anyone, the illusion would be discovered if maintained for too long. Once exposed, decades of planning by our Kurozumi Clan would be ruined!"
Kaido waved a dismissive hand, the sake gourd swaying in his grip with a dull sloshing sound. "Then make it quick," he said, a calculating light gleaming in his eyes. "From what you just said about Kozuki Oden, the guy's a free spirit." He paused, a meaningful smile spreading across his face. "A guy like that could very well fight me, become 'good friends' afterwards, then hand over Kuri to me before setting out to sea with a few companions to seek adventure. That sort of thing would be perfectly normal for him."
Kurozumi Higurashi fell silent, her wrinkled fingers unconsciously stroking the serpent-shaped ornament atop her cane. Her gaze shifted uncertainly, clearly engaged in an intense internal struggle. Seeing this, Kaido took another swig of sake, his Adam's apple bobbing with the swallow.
"That way, it wouldn't raise much suspicion, and we could smoothly take over Kuri," Kaido continued, his tone brimming with undeniable confidence. "Isn't this perfect? You mentioned earlier about finding a territory for my Beasts Pirates to use as a main base. I think Kuri is an excellent place." He stood up, his tall figure casting a long shadow. "Afterwards, I can build my arms factory there."
"But..." Kurozumi Higurashi still hesitated, unease coloring her voice. "I'm still worried about being discovered."
"Wororororo!" Kaido suddenly laughed heartily, the sound shaking dust from the ceiling. "Relax, old hag." He leaned down, bringing his face close to Higurashi's, a dangerous light flickering in his eyes. "So what if you're discovered? By then, Kozuki Oden will already be dead. Even if the mimicry is found out, only his retainers would be the ones to notice." He straightened up, his tone turning casual. "At that point, we just eliminate them. The plan proceeds as before."
Kaido spread his arms wide as if outlining a grand blueprint. "I get Kuri to build my arms factory and Wano's Seastone trade. Your Kurozumi Clan gets the entire country of Wano. This way, your Kurozumi Clan can achieve full restoration." His voice was full of persuasion. "Isn't that what you've always wanted?"
The look in Kurozumi Higurashi's eyes gradually hardened. She took a deep breath, seeming to come to a decision. "Fine," she gritted her teeth, her voice low and resolute. "We'll do it."
"Wororororo!" Upon hearing this, Kaido roared with laughter, the sound echoing through the spacious hall. "Then here's to a fruitful partnership!"
At that moment, Sebastian and Gavin immediately brought over two bowls of sake, handing one each to Kaido and Kurozumi Higurashi. The liquid in the bowls gleamed with an amber hue in the sunlight, emitting a potent aroma.
Kaido took the bowl, raising it high over his head with gusto. "After drinking this alliance sake, we conspire to take Wano together! Wororororo!" His voice was deafening, saturated with the scent of ambition.
"Agreed." Kurozumi Higurashi also raised her bowl, a flash of determination in her eyes. She threw her head back and drained the bowl in one go. Sake trickled down her wrinkled chin, dripping to the ground with a soft patter.
Kaido watched this with satisfaction, then slammed the empty bowl onto the ground, where it shattered with a crisp sound. "From this day forward," his low voice carried undeniable force, "Wano Country is ours."
Afterwards, Kaido and Kurozumi Higurashi discussed further details: when to land in Wano, when to eliminate Kozuki Oden.
Night had fallen. Kaido stood alone on the deck of the Beasts Pirates' ship, letting the biting sea wind lash against his face. Under the moonlight, his tall figure looked exceptionally eerie and terrifying.
Suddenly, a rush of wind announced King's arrival as he descended from the sky on his black wings, landing steadily beside Kaido. He lowered his voice and asked, "Big Brother Kaido, are we truly going to cooperate with that old fox, Kurozumi Higurashi?" His tone held clear misgivings.
The atmosphere on the deck instantly grew tense. Queen puffed on his cigar, Bullet polished his weapon, and Urouge, Moria, and the others stopped what they were doing. Everyone's gaze was fixed on Kaido, awaiting his reply.
Kaido grinned widely, revealing a ferocious smile. "Of course, we cooperate. We drank the alliance sake. It's not like we can back out now, can we?" His laughter echoed in the night sky, yet it held not a shred of warmth.
King silently observed Kaido's profile. As the subordinate who understood Kaido best, he knew full well that things were never that simple.
Sure enough, Kaido suddenly stopped smiling, his gaze turning sinister as he looked out over the dark sea in the distance. "Once we've secured our footing in Kuri..." A murderous glint flashed in his eyes. "...a mere region like Kuri won't be enough. How dare those small fries presume to be my equals? What does the Kurozumi Clan amount to?!"
"Wororororo!" Kaido suddenly burst into a mad laugh that made the deck tremble. "King, Queen, I have the complete plan laid out. If all goes smoothly, the entirety of Wano Country will fall into my hands!"
King gave a slight nod, a knowing smile curling at the corner of his mouth. This was the ambitious, insatiable ruler he had chosen to follow.
Under the moonlight, the flag of the Beasts Pirates snapped loudly in the sea breeze, as if foretelling the storm of bloodshed to come.
***
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