Kaidou narrowed his eyes, his thick fingers unconsciously tightening around his Spiked Club. The wrinkled old woman's face simulated by the Den Den Mushi filled him with disgust, but he knew this woman called Kurozumi Higurashi wouldn't contact him without reason.
Then Kaidou recalled that in the original timeline, it was also this woman Kurozumi Higurashi who invited him and proposed cooperation with Kurozumi Orochi, which led to his invasion of Wano Country. In this life, due to his strength and reputation, Kurozumi Higurashi had contacted him several years earlier - it seemed the plan for Wano Country was about to begin.
"Help me?" Kaidou deliberately let out a contemptuous sneer. "Kurozumi Higurashi, do you really think you're worthy of helping me?" His tone was full of disdain.
The Den Den Mushi immediately transmitted that signature eerie laughter: "Yeeheehee, don't be so quick to refuse. Although I'm indeed not as strong as you, I'm quite skilled in intelligence gathering." Kurozumi Higurashi's voice suddenly lowered. "There's an excellent strategic location in the New World, easy to defend but hard to attack. No major pirate has set their eyes on it yet, making it perfect for your base."
Kaidou's previously lazy eyes suddenly turned sharp. He put down his sake gourd and asked in a deep voice: "Specific location?" The brief question revealed barely concealed anticipation.
"Wano Country." Kurozumi Higurashi uttered the name word by word, her voice carrying a hidden excitement.
"Wano Country?" A meaningful smile appeared on Kaidou's face as he lightly tapped the table with his fingers. "If I remember correctly, that's your country. You actually want an outsider to invade your own homeland?"
There was a brief silence from the other end of the call, followed by Kurozumi Higurashi's low, hoarse voice: "Exactly. I hope to use your power to overthrow the Kouzuki Family's rule and help the Kurozumi family regain control of Wano Country. In return, we can allocate part of the territory to you as your base."
"You think such conditions are enough to buy me?" Kaidou let out a cold laugh. "Are you underestimating me?"
Kurozumi Higurashi emphasized her tone: "Wano Country is rich in Sea Stone, all of which can belong to you. You should know very well the strategic value of Sea Stone in the Grand Line."
"Worororo, Sea Stone is indeed good, but it's far from enough." Kaidou's voice suddenly turned dangerous. "If you want me to deal with the Kouzuki Family, you need to offer something more substantial. You should know that Wano Country isn't easy to conquer - those samurai are notoriously difficult to handle."
"What else do you want?" Kurozumi Higurashi pressed urgently.
A flash of greed appeared in Kaidou's eyes: "The Zoan-Type Snake-Snake Fruit, Mythical Creature Type, Eight-Headed Serpent Form - this Devil Fruit should still be in your possession, right?"
The Den Den Mushi's expression instantly froze, and Kurozumi Higurashi's laughter abruptly stopped. After a moment, her voice turned unusually cold: "Kaidou, how do you know about this Devil Fruit?"
"Worororo, Kurozumi Higurashi, don't take everyone for fools. During the God Valley incident, with your Imitation Fruit ability, I don't believe you didn't take the opportunity to acquire some good things." Kaidou directly exposed the other's disguise.
Kurozumi Higurashi took a deep breath. "Kaidou, though I don't know how you learned that I originally obtained this fruit, this Devil Fruit has already been eaten by someone."
"Eaten?" Kaidou wasn't particularly surprised by this. After all, in the original timeline, it seemed that as soon as the Rocks Pirates disbanded, Kurozumi Higurashi returned to Wano Country and found Kurozumi Orochi, giving him the Snake-Snake Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Yamata no Orochi Model to consume.
"If the Eight-Headed Serpent Devil Fruit is gone, then so be it." Kaidou's voice suddenly rose. "However, I believe that as an ancient country, Wano must still possess other Devil Fruits! In that case, from now on, all Devil Fruits or Devil Fruit users in Wano Country belong to the Beasts Pirates."
Kaidou stated directly. Wano had always been his future target—not to mention the hidden Ancient Weapon Pluton and its easily defensible terrain, the mere fact that this country possessed several Mythical Zoan Devil Fruits made it worth seizing.
"Agreed. When can you return to the New World?" Kurozumi Higurashi didn't hesitate much about Kaidou's demand. Her current goal was to revive the Kurozumi Family, and she didn't particularly care about Devil Fruits.
"I'm currently in the West Blue and can directly cross the Calm Belt to return to the New World." Kaidou thought for a moment. "Let's do this: we'll meet at Corrigan Island in the New World one month from now to discuss how to invade Wano."
After ending the call, Kaidou stood on the deck, gazing at the turbulent sea as he fell into deep thought.
This advance into Wano was several years ahead of his original plan, but his current strength was far beyond what it had been in the original timeline. Still, Kurozumi Higurashi's invitation had indeed disrupted his initial strategy.
Originally, he planned to sail through all four blues, recruit more promising subordinates, then find a place to train intensively for a year or two before conquering Wano with absolute power. Now it seemed he needed to adjust his plans—first invade Wano with those fools from the Kurozumi Family while securing Wano's several Mythical Zoan Devil Fruits. Then he could wait for King, Queen, and Bullet to improve their strength before making further moves.
Meanwhile, in the dilapidated Kurozumi residence in Wano Country, Kurozumi Higurashi slowly put down the Den Den Mushi. Standing in the dust-covered corridor, she looked through the broken window lattice toward the brightly lit Flower Capital in the distance, her eyes gleaming with hatred. The Kouzuki Family's rule had lasted too long, and now, the opportunity for revenge that the Kurozumi Family had waited for so many years had finally arrived.
"Kaidou..." she murmured the name softly, her withered fingers tightly clutching the hem of her garment. "I hope you can become the sharpest blade of vengeance for the Kurozumi Family."
"One month later..." A cold smile curled at the corner of Kurozumi Higurashi's lips. "It's time to completely change the centuries-old structure of Wano Country. And the Kurozumi Family's vengeance shall be repaid."
Moonlight filtered through the clouds outside the window, casting mottled shadows on the worn-out tatami. Kurozumi Higurashi's figure appeared particularly gaunt in the moonlight, yet radiated a chilling determination. She knew this transaction would completely alter the fate of Wano Country, and the moment of revenge the Kurozumi family had awaited for decades was finally approaching. After hanging up the phone, Kaidou stood on the deck, gazing thoughtfully at the turbulent sea. This operation would fundamentally reshape the landscape of the New World.