The three hundred-plus Anbu ninja made the training hall feel very crowded.
After all the Anbu ninja had assembled, Danzō showed no intention of speaking.
Before long, Sarutobi Hiruzen emerged from the shadows and stepped onto the podium.
Yellow Dog quickly stood up, only sitting down again after Sarutobi Hiruzen had taken his seat.
Danzō remained motionless.
Sarutobi Hiruzen smoked his pipe, looking over the hall full of Anbu ninja, and said:
"Anbu ninja, the Second Great Shinobi War has ended.
Konoha, after several difficult wars—the Land of Hot Water War, the Land of Grass War, the Land of Rain War, the Land of Earth War, the Land of Rivers War, and the Land of Whirlpools War—has finally won this great shinobi war.
Konoha, from top to bottom, has suffered heavy losses. Among them, the Anbu bore the greatest sacrifices.
Missions with dangerously low survival rates were carried out by our Anbu.
Assassination missions deep behind enemy lines were carried out by our Anbu.
Ambushes targeting enemy jōnin or even elite jōnin were carried out by our Anbu.
The casualty rate in the Anbu was twice that of regular shinobi.
Now the war is over. Finally over.
You are all outstanding ninja willing to burn your lives for the village, the most resilient ninja in the shadows of Konoha's great tree.
After the war, the majority of Anbu ninja should not continue to hide in the darkness.
You can return to the sunlight, continue to shine and contribute to Konoha as ordinary Konoha shinobi.
Anbu ninja leaving the service will each receive an additional A-rank mission reward.
Now, the departure scrolls and rewards for the Anbu ninja will be distributed."
The Hokage's assistants quickly distributed 280 scrolls to the designated ninja.
Many Anbu ninja hadn't known about the large-scale Anbu streamlining. The moment they received the scrolls, their eyes showed panic.
They opened the scrolls and found their own ninja records, which had been taken by the Anbu upon entry, along with their mission history since joining the Anbu.
The mission history only listed the number of missions, not the specific details of the Anbu tasks.
On the day they became Anbu ninja, their ninja records were transferred from the Hokage Building to the Anbu. Now, they had their records back.
Taking these records to the Hokage Building to register would allow them to become regular shinobi again.
Some were reluctant, others felt relieved.
Finally, they no longer had to carry out Anbu missions with extremely high mortality rates. As regular shinobi, they could lead genin teams, reunite with their families, and stroll or fish without restraint.
Sarutobi Hiruzen stood up, and even Danzō stood up.
Everyone looked at the podium, unsure what the three leaders were about to do.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's powerful voice echoed through the hall.
"Your service records in the Anbu are the most unique experiences of your shinobi careers.
The Hokage Building will mark you as the most trustworthy ninja.
On behalf of Konoha, and also the Anbu, I thank you for your arduous efforts and sacrifices during the war.
Where the Konoha leaves dance, the fire also burns eternally.
Whether in the Anbu or within the village, you are the dancing leaves, the burning flames.
Remove your masks, young ones.
Next time we meet, it will be in the Hokage Building to assign you village missions."
The training hall floor was very hard.
Tears falling on it made soft pattering sounds.
Many of the Anbu ninja who removed their masks had two lines of tears on their faces.
No matter what their time in the Anbu had been like—whether filled with grievance, fear, terror, or resilience—at this moment of parting, it all turned into nostalgia.
Yōkō remembered when Squadron Leader Black Gorilla retired; he had tried to remove Black Gorilla's mask, but Black Gorilla said to wait.
The next day, when Yōkō went to the medical tent, he saw Black Gorilla's mask placed neatly on the pillow.
Yōkō adjusted his own fox mask, wondering in what manner he himself would eventually leave Konoha.
Those who had removed their masks lined up to hand them over to the Equipment Department ninja at the side. After bowing to the Third Hokage, Anbu Head Danzō, and Deputy Head Yellow Dog on the podium, they left the Anbu.
After the long farewell, the training hall suddenly felt empty.
A footstep sounded from a dark corridor to the side.
Orochimaru, wearing his long robes, slowly walked out.
His slender eyes swept over everyone present before he walked to the podium and sat down next to Danzō.
Orochimaru was one of only three people here who didn't need to wear a mask.
Danzō's expression visibly relaxed a little.
Yōkō somewhat understood Danzō's thinking.
Danzō's most important task now was to collaborate with Orochimaru, using experimental methods to enhance his own power.
Authority, prestige—these things were illusory. True strength was real. Once strength improved, authority and prestige would naturally follow.
Danzō hadn't opposed the Anbu reform too much.
The atmosphere in the training hall grew more solemn with Orochimaru's appearance.
Sarutobi Hiruzen said:
"Next, we will proceed with the Anbu streamlining reform.
The Anbu will be divided into the following departments.
Root, commanded by Head Danzō, including Orochimaru, has 10 formal members in total. Responsible for training new recruits for the Anbu and Root, as well as certain covert missions.
Four Divisions.
The Black Ant Division is the Intelligence Division, responsible for relaying my commands and organizing intelligence.
The Golden Eagle Division is the Guard Division, responsible for guarding key people and objects within the village.
The Lynx Division and the Fox Division are the Assassination Divisions.
Additionally, the Anbu has auxiliary organizations like the Scrolls Department and the Equipment Department."
The various departments and divisions stood in separate lines.
On the far left was Root, which now had only six members besides Orochimaru.
Three had died in the Land of Whirlpools—unfortunately, all at Yōkō's hands.
Next were the four divisions.
Black Ant, Golden Eagle, Lynx, and Fox stood at the front of their respective lines, with their team members behind them.
From what Yōkō knew, Black Ant was from the Nara clan, Golden Eagle was from the Hyūga clan, Lynx was from the Shimura clan, and then there was himself, Yellow Dog's direct subordinate.
Feeling a bit sorry for Yellow Dog... he actually trusts me quite a bit. Pity that I... never mind, I'll just keep pretending to be Yellow Dog's man.
The Scrolls Department handled jutsu distribution, mission scroll archiving, and similar tasks.
The Equipment Department was responsible for manufacturing fake forehead protectors and vests of other villages, providing standard-issue ninja swords, kunai equipment, and other logistical support.
With this, the Anbu reform was officially complete.
Yōkō had become an Anbu Division Captain.
After the higher-ups left, Yōkō went to Yellow Dog's office.
"Lord Yellow Dog, are there any missions recently?"
Yellow Dog said, "Yes, a very important mission."
Assistant Butterfly brought a scroll and handed it to Yōkō.
Yellow Dog said, "I'm sending you to the northeastern border of the Land of Earth.
Our spy in Iwagakure has sent back intelligence. Iwagakure suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Kumogakure, due to an unexpected outburst from Kumogakure's Two-Tails Jinchūriki.
Kumogakure's Tailed Beast Sealing Technique might have achieved a qualitative breakthrough. They can not only deploy Jinchūriki on the battlefield as super-weapons but also safely retrieve them.
Fox, go to the northeast of the Land of Earth, try to investigate the battlefield traces, see if you can gather some intelligence.
Additionally, you are to capture several ninja skilled in Earth Release; the Root laboratory needs them."
"I understand." Yōkō nodded, then said:
"Lord Yellow Dog, after the Anbu streamlining reform, can we promote some people to Special Jōnin?
The current Squad Leaders are not the same in terms of prestige as the previous ones.
In my division, both Hippo and Yak are Special Jōnin. I'd like to recommend White Ram and Spotted Deer for promotion to Special Jōnin."
Yellow Dog said, "Agreed. Let's treat this mission as their assessment task. If they complete it excellently, you and I will jointly recommend them for promotion to Special Jōnin."
***
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(Chapter End)