Onepiece: I Am Aizen, The Strongest Admiral

**Meanwhile, After Leaving Whitebeard's Territory**

Aizen stood on the deck of his ship, his calm demeanor unshaken as the wind carried the salty scent of the sea. Reaching into his coat, he retrieved a small Den Den Mushi, its beady eyes blinking as it came to life with a familiar tone.

*Bru-bru... bru-bru...*

After a moment, the call connected.

"Aizen, brat! Are you done with your business? Need me to come smash some skulls for you?" Garp's unmistakably loud and carefree voice boomed from the other end, his tone laced with a mix of curiosity and amusement.

"No need, Vice Admiral Garp," Aizen replied, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Everything has gone according to plan. If anything, the trouble has already been resolved."

His tone was calm, almost disarming, but there was a sharp edge to his words that only those who knew him well could detect.

"Resolved?" Garp's voice turned curious. "With you, that probably means something big. Don't tell me you've been up to something crazy again, brat."

"Not at all," Aizen replied smoothly, his gaze drifting to the horizon. "I merely paid a visit to the Whitebeard Pirates and... had a brief conversation with Pops."

"What?!" Garp's shout nearly made the Den Den Mushi tremble. "You went onto Whitebeard's ship? That old geezer didn't try to do anything to you, did he? If you're missing an arm or a leg, just tell me—I'll be there in no time to knock some sense into him!"

Aizen couldn't help but chuckle at Garp's dramatic reaction. "Relax, Vice Admiral. Everything went smoothly. I've already left the Moby Dick and am on my way back to the branch."

Hearing this, Garp let out a relieved sigh before his tone turned skeptical. "Still, why would you get on Whitebeard's ship in the first place? That's not exactly a stroll in the park."

Aizen hesitated for a moment, then decided there was no harm in revealing part of the story. "Pops was curious about me. He extended an invitation to join his crew."

"What?!" Garp's reaction was immediate and explosive. "That old fool actually tried to recruit you? Did he lose his mind?"

"Yes, but I declined." Aizen's response was as nonchalant as if he were discussing the weather.

There was silence for a moment before Garp burst into uproarious laughter.

"BAHAHAHAHAHA! Whitebeard, trying to poach you? That's rich! I'd pay good money to see the look on his face when you turned him down!"

Aizen smirked, imagining the scene as well. "He took it surprisingly well. Pops is... an interesting character, to say the least."

"Well done, brat!" Garp continued laughing, the sound echoing through the Den Den Mushi. "Rejecting Whitebeard to his face—classic! I bet that riled him up good."

Despite Garp's laughter, there was a flicker of seriousness in his tone when he spoke again. "But honestly, this shows just how much of a monster you've become, Aizen. For someone like Whitebeard to extend an invitation... he must've seen something extraordinary in you."

Aizen's smile didn't waver. "I'm just doing what I must, Vice Admiral. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Well, keep it up, brat. You're our Marine's future, after all. The Old Man is counting on you."

Aizen's eyes gleamed with a quiet confidence. "Understood. I'll be returning to the branch shortly. Until then, take care, Vice Admiral."

With that, the Den Den Mushi went silent.

As Aizen tucked the device away, he glanced back at the horizon, where the silhouette of the Moby Dick was now a distant memory.

"Whitebeard, you played your part perfectly," Aizen murmured to himself. "But this is just the beginning."

Unbeknownst to Garp, Aizen's departure from the Moby Dick wasn't a simple escape. Every move he made had been calculated, every word spoken designed to plant the seeds of his ultimate plan.

**Back on the Moby Dick**

Pops sat on his massive chair, his expression thoughtful. The crew had gathered around, their curiosity palpable.

"Father, why did you let that Marine brat go so easily?" one of the captains asked, his frustration evident. "We should've taken him out while we had the chance!"

Whitebeard let out a low chuckle, his piercing gaze sweeping over his crew. "You fools... if you had one-tenth of that brat's cunning, you'd understand why I didn't."

The crew exchanged confused glances, but none dared to press further. Pops leaned back, his eyes narrowing as he watched the horizon.

"That brat... he's something else. A Marine like him will change the tides of this era."

The captains fell silent, the weight of Whitebeard's words sinking in. Only Hunting Shadow seemed to grasp the full extent of what Pops was implying.

"That kid isn't just strong," Hunting Shadow thought, his expression darkening. "He's dangerous. If we don't keep up, he'll leave us all in the dust."

The Moby Dick continued to drift across the seas, but in the minds of its crew, the shadow of Aizen lingered—a storm that promised to reshape the world.