Higurashi and Semimaru, along with Orochi and the samurai they had secretly cultivated, were hurrying towards the Azure Dragon.
Why seek the dragon and not the serpent?
Because they knew Kaido.
And though they resided in Wano, they kept abreast of news from overseas, knowing that Kaido was the captain of the Beasts Pirates.
Traversing town after town engulfed in flames, Orochi couldn't suppress a sense of trepidation and unease.
When he witnessed the dragon and serpent soaring through the sky, the terrifying aura nearly caused him to soil himself.
If not for Higurashi's constant urging, claiming to know the captain of these pirates and assuring him that they would be safe, and Semimaru's chest-thumping guarantee that his Barrier technique would absolutely protect him, he would never have dared to meet such fearsome figures.
When the group arrived at the site of Kaido and Oden's battle, the scene that unfolded before them sent shivers down their spines.
Oden, who had been undefeated throughout Wano, was now kneeling on one knee, disheveled and battered. His Ame no Habakiri was planted in the ground, his left hand gripping the hilt tightly.
His right hand hung limply at his side, blood gushing forth in torrents.
It was clear his right hand was ruined.
Enma lay silently nearby.
What chilled every male present to the bone was the gruesome sight between Oden's legs, where blood also flowed freely, staining the ground crimson.
He had just been struck in his "Little Oden" by Kaido's spiked club, resulting in a complete and utter devastation.
Without his right hand, Oden could still fight with his left, wielding Ame no Habakiri!
But without his "Little Oden," Oden lacked the strength even to stand.
In the distance, Kin'emon, the weakest of the group, had already been slain by King. The samurai who claimed to be able to cut fire had ultimately been burned to a crisp by King's flames.
Only Ashura Doji remained, standing alone, his body riddled with wounds.
Scorched marks from flames, gashes from longswords, blood flowing ceaselessly.
It was likely he would fall soon as well.
King's strength was unlike anything seen before. He had not only awakened Conqueror's Haki but had also received training from both Kaido and Noro.
Given time, mastering Conqueror's Haki infusion, he could stand at the very pinnacle of the sea!
Ashura Doji and Kin'emon couldn't even break King's defense, let alone defeat him.
Kaido, carrying his Hassaikai over his shoulder, grinned savagely as he approached Oden step by step.
"Wororororo… You're quite durable, aren't you? Stand up again!"
Oden struggled even to speak. An excruciating pain radiated from his lower body, engulfing his entire being, filling his heart with boundless agony and despair!
He couldn't win. He couldn't win at all!
He couldn't even defeat one of them!
Higurashi and Semimaru, witnessing Oden's wretched state, felt a surge of elation.
The Kozuki Family has finally met its end!
Orochi, watching the scene unfold, found his fear replaced by wild joy.
If Kozuki Oden had fallen, could he become the Shogun of Wano?
Higurashi and Semimaru hurried forward, their faces plastered with fawning smiles. "Captain Kaido."
Kaido cast a cold glance at them. "What is it, Higurashi and Semimaru? Do you two old geezers intend to stop me?"
Of course, he had noticed them, but the Kurozumi Family was too weak to warrant his attention.
Higurashi quickly bowed, offering a servile smile. "Captain Kaido, you jest! How could we dare to stop you? We have come to propose a collaboration."
Kaido chuckled, intrigued. "Collaboration?"
Even though Kaido hadn't unleashed any of his aura, the Kurozumi Family felt an invisible mountain pressing down on them, making it difficult to breathe.
Higurashi wiped the cold sweat from his brow, speaking respectfully. "Captain Kaido, as you can see, Oden has fallen. No one in Wano can stand against you. But the Kozuki clan has controlled Wano for centuries, holding immense prestige among the populace."
"You are outsiders from overseas. The people and samurai will surely rise up against you, making it difficult for you to control Wano."
"Oh? Then tell me, what should be done?" Noro, carrying his Sun Eater halberd over his shoulder, strolled over leisurely.
After killing Ushimaru and Hyouzou, Noro had returned to Kaido's battlefield.
Oden had only just fallen here!
Kaido had engaged Oden from the start, while Noro had first set fire to Wano, then killed Kozuki Sukiyaki and a host of samurai, and finally Ushimaru and Hyouzou.
By the time he returned, Kaido had only just defeated Oden.
Noro and Kaido were roughly equal in strength, so the so-called second strongest samurai in Wano was not even in the same league as Oden.
Higurashi and Semimaru quickly turned, bowing deeply to Noro. "Vice-Captain Noro."
Noro's gaze swept over the two gaunt old men before him.
Having watched the anime, he knew who they were and what their abilities were, even without Kaido's introduction.
Higurashi was a user of the Mane-Mane Fruit, and Semimaru was a user of the Bari Bari no Mi.
Speaking of which, the Mane-Mane Fruit was one of the Fruits Noro desperately wanted.
Not for himself, but for his woman.
Bon Clay had said when transforming into Nami that the Mane-Mane Fruit changed even the body structure during transformation.
In other words, with the Mane-Mane Fruit, one could experience all the different women on this sea.
Even if you were perverted enough to want to experience the taste of Master Kaido, it was possible.
With both the captain and vice-captain of the Beasts Pirates present, Higurashi was, in truth, somewhat apprehensive.
But with things as they were, he could only muster his courage and say, "Our suggestion is that someone from the Kurozumi Family become the Shogun of Wano. The Kurozumi Family is one of the Five Great Families of Wano, so the people and samurai will not have too much resistance."
Kaido narrowed his eyes, planting his Hassaikai on the ground, sending shards of stone flying, and scoffed, "Your Kurozumi Family truly dares to dream. The Beasts Pirates fought so hard to take Wano, and you want us to hand it over to you!"
The two were startled, waving their hands frantically. "No, Captain Kaido, you misunderstand."
Seeing Kaido and Noro watching them with arms crossed and knowing smiles, Higurashi gathered his thoughts and continued to explain,
"It's like this. We have many samurai we have secretly cultivated. If you can support Kurozumi Orochi in becoming the Shogun of Wano, we can be at your service, helping you control Wano."
"Your crew can reside on Onigashima next to Wano, while the Kurozumi Family will only be the public rulers of Wano. The true rulers will be you."
Orochi also nodded and bowed, his eyes filled with intense desire.
A puppet Shogun was still a Shogun!
Kaido, hearing this, raised an eyebrow and turned to Noro. "Vice-Captain, what do you think?"
Noro shrugged. "Kill them. They are not worthy of collaborating with us."
Kaido grinned. "Wororororo, that's what I thought too."
With that, Kaido lifted his Hassaikai and swung it at the Kurozumi Family.
Bang!
With a deafening crash, Kaido's club struck a blue, transparent barrier.
Semimaru crossed his fingers, forming a specific hand gesture. The circular barrier enveloped them like a dome.
Even with the protection of the barrier, Orochi was terrified by Kaido's actions, collapsing to the ground and scrambling backward.
Higurashi feigned composure. "Kaido, you cannot break the barrier. You cannot harm us."
===
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