One Piece: Kaido's adopted son, starts with the Eight Gates Formation.

"Have you imagined it many times?"

"From the moment I sensed the anomaly above the Seireitei, I've been thinking about this." Aizen tilted his head slightly; because his body was completely bound, this was the extent of his movement. "You did something quite interesting. You extinguished Yamamoto's Bankai?"

"Yeah. His fire is too hot, and it's too noisy."

Aizen chuckled. "Indeed, he's always been noisy."

Kaido stood behind, sizing up Aizen. He didn't recognize the man, but he could sense that even with his entire body sealed, the aura emanating from him was still unsettling. It wasn't the oppressive force of power, but something more subtle.

It's like you can never figure out what he's thinking.

"You're Aizen?" Kaido shouted. "You don't look like a bad guy."

Aizen shifted his gaze to Kaido and observed him for two seconds.

"You are his father." This is not a question, but an affirmative statement.

"That's right! I am Kaido! Kaido of the Beasts! This is my son!" Kaido pointed at Lynn with one finger, his face full of pride.

"A dragon raised an entity powerful enough to rewrite the world." Aizen's smile seemed to deepen slightly. "Fate is truly wondrous."

"Don't give me that nonsense." Kaido wasn't buying it.

The white-bearded man stepped forward, leaning on his naginata, and looked down at Aizen. The two locked eyes for a moment.

"You are a very intelligent person," said the white-bearded man.

"Thank you for the compliment."

"But the smartest people often die the fastest," the white-bearded man said calmly.

Aizen did not answer that question, but instead turned his gaze back to Lynn.

"You came to see me, which means you're interested in my news. You've already obtained the Spirit King—I can sense that his presence has vanished from the Spirit King's Palace. You've created a substitute."

"You could even sense being locked up so deep inside?"

"Although the Avici Hell isolates my spiritual pressure and physical body, it does not isolate my senses. The existence of the Spirit King is the cornerstone of the Three Realms, and his changes cause overall fluctuations in spiritual particles. Even here, I can perceive it."

Lynn took a bite of her lollipop.

"So what exactly did you want by sending me that message?"

Aizen paused for a moment. He wasn't hesitating, but rather choosing the most appropriate words.

"I want to go out," he finally said, without any attempt to hide it.

"Isn't that obvious?" Akainu sneered from behind.

Aizen ignored Akainu and continued speaking to Lynn: "Being imprisoned in this white cage for twenty thousand years—though only a few years have passed so far—is a punishment more unbearable than death. I'm not afraid of death, but I'm afraid of boredom."

"What's it to you?" Lynn tilted her head. "You're not one of my people."

"So I can be."

This statement silenced everyone present for a moment.

Hyosube Ichibei gripped the lollipop tightly.

Aizen continued, "You possess the most powerful strength I've ever seen, but your subordinates—though also very strong—have shortcomings in certain areas. For example, intelligence gathering, strategic planning, and—dealing with those trivial matters you find 'uninteresting'."

"You want to be my strategist?" Lynn's expression didn't change much.

"I want to be your tool." Aizen's voice was calm, not like he was bargaining. "You use me, and I'll handle things you don't want to handle. In exchange, I gain freedom—not complete freedom, but freedom 'within your permitted limits.'"

Lynn didn't answer immediately. He floated in mid-air, sucking on his lollipop, staring at Aizen for a long while.

Aizen didn't urge him, and just waited with a smile.

His patience is limitless. The fact that he hasn't gone insane after being locked up for so many years shows that his mental strength is truly extraordinary.

"How many of the things you just said were true?" Lynn suddenly asked.

Aizen's smile paused for a moment.

It was very brief. So brief that no one noticed except Lynn and the redhead.

"It's all true," Aizen replied.

"Liar," Lynn said. "That statement you made, 'I want to be your tool,' is a lie. You don't want to be anyone's tool."