Turn Fifteen

Late that night, Gideon traveled back to his starting peninsula again. He was beginning to understand just how annoying it is that the Library is immovable. Nearly every day he will continue to have to fly for hours to return to the Library to keep the Celestial Dragons in hiding and try to whittle down their numbers.

Once back, Gideon waited for midnight to pass before doing another round of cycle casting. Hitting each of the remaining one hundred and sixteen Celestial Dragons once each. The end result of the casting saw only two more names crossed off and a +58/+58 boost to all of his creatures.

Gideon then turned to Vali and ordered, "Get five hundred thousand of your subordinates together. They will be used as the only targets for Devout Invocation at the world broadcast today. It's better for the World Government to underestimate us while still showing overwhelming power. Five hundred thousand new soldiers who are as strong as a newly promoted captain every day is scary. But not terrifying enough that the whole world needs to unite against us."

"Really? Five hundred thousand soldiers are more than most countries' entire militaries. That isn't enough to unite against us?" Vali asked with incredulity.

"No, you must remember that the three Admirals each have the power to kill millions of people a day. Just the fact that those people are slightly stronger means nothing. We would only need to be ganged up on if they had the strength of commodores. Then the numbers would add up to enough to take an Admiral more than a day to exterminate. No, they will all be focused on finding our secret, protected executive officer who can piggyback his fruit from my fruit to slowly strengthen my summons," Gideon informed her. "He is what makes us a threat to unite the world against, but simultaneously too valuable to destroy. It would be far better to kidnap him and find a way to use his powers to strengthen their own forces."

"You think that will distract them?" Vali asked.

"Not for long, but enough so that our conquest of West Blue will be complete. Meaning our enemies will have to launch their invasions from over the Redline or through the New World's Calm Belt. The only groups with that power will be the Four Emperors and the World Government. So long as I don't appear to continue my conquest into other seas, they will accept that stalemate," Gideon said. "By time I'm ready to continue, they will have no chance at resistance even banded together."

"Even with the World Government's forces amassed at our border? You think they will slow their assault?" Vali questioned.

"The real question is if they think they have the forces to take Reverse Mountain from fifty million angels before I can transfer my two known Admiral-level fighters to assist. Though the last approximation said only a million total forces are gathered in the base. So fifty-to-one odds against you when you are already sailing single-file up the mountain? I don't even think Akainu would be stupid enough to lead that charge." Gideon said, dismissing the possibility. "Anyways, I would like to be back in Ilisia before six, so please make the arrangements."

"Alright," Vali said as she walked off.

It wasn't until ten in the morning that Ilisia welcomed Morgans and the staff he brought with him. The ship, pushed by dozens and guarded by hundreds of angels, touched down in port amidst cheers from Morgans' civilian fans. While Gideon and Lucas entertained Morgans, Morgans' subordinates took over for their branch office to do the finishing touches of the live broadcast set-up.

As noon arrives, Gideon is up on stage next to Morgans. There are camera Mushis ready to get a view over the whole square. The middle is filled with all the tokens for Gideon's display. While the edges are crowded with thousands of civilians waiting to see the press conference in person.

Morgans begins his high-energy introduction to the millions watching across the world, "Welcome to all the viewers to the world broadcast of the World Economy News Paper! As usual, we have Big News to share! Today we are here to witness another scuffle between the World Government and the up-and-coming West Blue Empire. It started as a feud over the West Blue Empire controlling the top of Reverse Mountain to prevent pirates and other criminals from passing through the passageway. Which caused a declaration of war from the Marines to the West Blue Empire. Then came the tree escalations. Firstly, the West Blue Empire expanded its territory into kingdoms under the banner of the World Government. Secondly, the Five Elders ordered Admiral Kizaru to assassinate Emperor Gideon, which failed so spectacularly that Kizaru was repelled and nearly killed. Thirdly, Emperor Gideon ordered one of his generals to destroy the capital of the World Government, Mary Geoise. Now, Emperor Gideon is calling out the World Government for defamation! I was called by Emperor Gideon and asked if I wanted to spread Big News, of course, I was happy to agree! I want all parties to know that the World Economy News Paper, as always, remains neutral amidst the news we are reporting. Now, without further interruptions, Emperor Gideon!"

Gideon begins with "Thank you, Morgans, for hosting the world broadcast on such short notice. I apologize for the inconvenience, however, I needed to clarify the falsehood of recent malicious libel against me and my Empire. The World Government has knowingly and purposefully reported lies against me and spread them throughout the world. In this broadcast, I will clear up the largest of the circulating slander against me and my empire.

"Firstly, I am not a necromancer. I have no power to raise the dead and force them to fight for me, that power belongs to Shichibukai Moria under the World Government's employ. I am a summoner. I use the power of my devil fruit to convert energy into soldiers in images of my highest subordinates. This power of mine is far more like the power of Big Mom's Cracker with his Biscuit Soldiers than Moria's zombies. The reason my summons do not have intelligence is that they are better this way. Good soldiers follow orders. Perfect soldiers follow any order without hesitation. Mindless summoned soldiers do not need to be grieved by their loved ones, so their loss affects only the army they fight for. The World Government understands this. They are already working on turning slaves into cyborgs that can only think enough to follow the orders of the World Government. With the expected cost of each to be equal to a battleship and only having the power of a Rear Admiral, these soldiers feel lacking.

"Secondly, my subordinates and I are not, nor have ever been, pirates. That is the same lie that the World Government accuses any group of that won't bow their heads and worship the Dragons as gods. Many groups take the title of pirates as a badge of honor that they are considered dangerous enough to be worthy of note by the World Government. However, the West Blue Empire does not want to be degraded to the level of pirates. We are a government with our own civilians, military, and justice system. We are far more sophisticated than any pirate group and more sophisticated than the World Government. Which is why they are targeting us. They know with a better example to be compared against, the people of the world will soon turn away from the World Government and turn to us or build their own system superior to the World Government.

"Thirdly, I do not use human sacrifices for anything. Yes, there is a high-ranking official in my empire who can use their power to strengthen my summons. My summons start out with power equal to a newly promoted Navy Headquarters captain. The strongest of my summons said official has affected is roughly equal in power with a newly promoted Rear Admiral.

"Fourthly, the so-called 'servants' that my people 'kidnapped' were slaves that we rescued and most are here in Ilisia as freed civilians of my empire. Instead of remaining in Mary Geoise where they were tortured for sport by the Dragons.

"Now, I cannot prove all of what I say is true. But I can prove I'm not a necromancer through a simple display of my devil fruit powers. Behold..."

Gideon takes the hidden card Devout Invocation in his hand and channels mana into it, purposefully overfilling the card with mana so it glows bright white. As the spell activates, Gideon selects all of his gathered summons in the square below him as the targets. The scene from the cameras glows as a white light appears around all the soldiers and then condenses above their heads. The white lights take the shape of angels.

Gideon allows the tiredness he felt finally bleed through as he continues, "... my angels. I can summon this many angels every day if I wish."

Morgans takes a step forward and asks the question on every viewer's mind, "How many is that, Emperor Gideon?"

"Five hundred thousand," Gideon answers while flashing a smile at the cameras. "Now, as we still have time, I will prove another of my points. Please come up, share your stories."

To the stage, a wide assortment of people appear. Two children, a few of the elderly, and a half dozen somewhat fit adults. They all appear to be malnourished to a degree. One by one, they come to the central Mushi and share a part of their story as the Celestial Dragon's slave. Physical and psychological tortures of all kinds appear out of their mouths with them usually showing scars or bandaged wounds as proof.

After they all were through, Gideon asked, "Please, show... it. Remember, you will not be judged, punished, or discriminated against in any way for it, not in the West Blue Empire."

All but two of the former slaves turned around and adjusted their clothing to show the world their mark. Gideon continued, "This is called the Hoof of the Soaring Dragon. A brand that all slaves of the Dragons' have had to have seared into their skin since the inception of the World Government. Thank you, you can all leave now if you wish. That was the mark that formed the Sun Pirates."

All the former slaves scurried off the stage.

"I have one last thing to announce," Gideon declared. "The West Blue Empire will live up to its namesake. Within a month, we will hold all the territory of the World Government in West Blue. Within a year, all territory of West Blue will exist under the banner of the West Blue Empire!"

The summons guarding the different Mushis across the square simultaneously turned off the transmission at this point. Leaving the crowds across the world staring at a blank screen with Gideon's final declaration in their minds.