Fujin was surprised due to a few reasons. For one, the basement was much larger than what Fujin expected. It was definitely larger than the base of the Hokage Building. It was one large and continuous room with a bunch of rooms lined along the walls. Except that, there wasn't any wall or pillar in the entire basement.
Fujin analyzed, 'The basement is so large. This would mean that it extends beyond just the Hokage Building. I guess even the basement of the Konoha Hospital is connected. So it could allow an alternate route of travel between the Hokage building and the Hospital.'
Another reason for his surprise was the dense amount of seals he sensed in the basement. He realized, 'No wonder I never found this basement. The density of the seals here is almost comparable to my house! And they should be stronger as well.'
And the last reason for being surprised was that he wasn't the only one. He looked at the ones around him and thought, 'I knew that I wouldn't be the only one. But I expected only a few or at max 20. However, there are more than 200 ninjas here! Looks like Hiruzen wants to increase the strength of the Anbu unit to a whole new level…'
The Eagle masked Anbu ninja said, "Stay here. Lord Hokage will arrive soon."
He flickered away after speaking. Fujin looked around himself. Almost everyone in the room was much older than him. However, his eyes landed on an acquaintance.
Teru too noticed Fujin and walked towards Fujin. He waved his hands and said, "I knew you would be selected as well, Fujin."
Fujin wasn't overly surprised to see Teru. After all, he had heard a lot about the Anbu from Teru and his strength wasn't weak.
Fujin chuckled, "I expected to see you here as well. But I didn't expect to see so many people here."
Teru nodded and replied, "Me neither. It looks like Lord Hokage wants to replace the loss of the Uchiha clan by training a huge number of Anbu ninjas."
Fujin nodded but couldn't help but think, 'I doubt training a couple of hundred Anbu will be able to replace the Uchihas. But I guess that this is better than nothing.'
Fujin asked, "Did you see Hoka here as well?"
Fujin didn't want to spread his chakra field here as it might seem insulting to others in the basement.
Teru shook his head and said, "No, Hoka is from the branch family of the Hyuga clan. He won't be invited into the Anbu."
Fujin was surprised to hear that. But after thinking for a few seconds, he realized that it was very logical. He replied, "I see. That sucks for him."
Teru nodded. He was about to speak when both Fujin and Teru looked in a direction. A huge chakra was being released by the Eagle masked Anbu. He announced loudly, "Stand properly in lines and hear carefully. Lord Hokage will be speaking a few words."
Hiruzen had appeared in the room. He stood at one end of the basement. Soon, everyone gathered in front of him. Hiruzen looked at everyone and thought, 'Good. All 234 accepted the invite.'
Hiruzen kept looking at everyone without speaking for over a minute. He made eye contact with every ninja in the room. Finally, he began saying in a serious tone, "I am glad that all of you have chosen to come here today. And I am sure that you would be surprised to see a large number of ninjas I want to induct into the Anbu."
Everyone nodded. Though many had speculations, no one knew for sure. Even the Anbu ninjas weren't entirely sure.
Hiruzen continued in a grave voice, "In the last month, we experienced one of the darkest chapters in our village's history, the Uchiha Massacre. The loss we have suffered is immeasurable, not just in terms of lives, but also in the trust and unity that once bound us.
We stand on the precipice of uncertainty, facing external threats that loom over us like dark clouds. Our enemies sense our vulnerability and seek to exploit it. Though I have managed to keep them at arm's length for now, they will still try to provoke us again."
Hiruzen stopped speaking and noticed the mood in the basement. Everyone's expression had become grim. Hiruzen began speaking once again. However, this time he heroically said, "However, they are gravely mistaken to think of us as weak. We, the shinobi of Konoha, are resilient. We have faced trials and tribulations throughout our history, and yet we have always emerged stronger.
It is in our blood, in our very essence, to rise above the challenges that beset us. We possess a fire that burns deep within our hearts, the Will of Fire! It is the legacy that has been passed down from generation to generation, and now, in this critical moment, it falls upon us to carry it forward.
The Uchiha Massacre has left a void within our ranks, but it is our duty to fill that void, strengthen our defenses, and ensure that no enemy looks at us with malevolent eyes.
In order to fulfill the void, I worked day and night to find the most talented Chunins in our village. All of you will be inducted among the Anbu ranks. You will receive proper training to become full-fledged Anbu members. And every single one of you will strive to reach the Anbu Captain position.
I have no doubts that every single one of you will reach the level of the Jounins. With 234 new Jounins, not a single enemy village will dare look at us with malevolent eyes. You shall become the shield that protects our village, the sword that strikes fear into the hearts of our enemies.
I have faith in each and every one of you, in your skills, your dedication, and your unwavering spirit. Together, we shall rise above the shadows that seek to engulf us. We shall write a new chapter in the history of Konoha, one of resilience, growth, and triumph.
Remember, my fellow shinobi, that our legacy is not defined by the tragedies we endure, but by how we rise above them. Let us stand tall, shoulder to shoulder, as we face the challenges that lie ahead. May the Will of Fire burn bright within each of you, guiding us towards a future where our village stands strong and our people thrive.
For Konoha, and for the fallen Uchiha, we shall honor their memory through our unwavering resolve. Now, let us embark on this journey together. From today onwards, I welcome you all into the ranks of Konoha's Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai!"
Hiruzen's words sent goosebumps throughout the crowd. They made everyone's blood boil. Even the hardened Anbu ninjas got excited and more patriotic than ever. Most of the trainees shouted together, "Yes Lord Hokage!"
Sweat gathered on Fujin's forehead. He stared at Hiruzen as he thought, 'Holy Shit! His speeches keep improving by the day. Even I felt goosebumps!'
He looked around himself. Everyone was maniacally staring at Hiruzen. A fire burned in their hearts and madness was visible in their eyes. Fujin gulped as he thought, 'Wow! One single speech might just end up creating 234 Jounins in Konoha.'
Hiruzen's face maintained a serious look. However, he was pleasantly happy with the sight in front of him. He thought, 'I haven't used this speech since the death of Minato. It's time to have another period of rapid growth. Along with these 234, I will work with the clans to create more ninjas at every rank. Only then can Konoha's army be properly reformed.'
Hiruzen waited for a few minutes for the excitement to calm down. He wasn't impatient about striking when the iron was hot. After all, he had just lit a fire in the hearts of everyone. He was assured that this fire won't die down anytime soon. Everyone will train hard for some time. Some might train hard for a few months before the fire dies down. While some might train hard for years and go even beyond the Jounin rank.
Finally, he said, "All of you will be divided into teams. You will be assigned under an Anbu Captain. The Captain will be responsible for training you for a few months and will also lead you in field missions."
He looked at the Eagle Masked Anbu standing behind him and said, "He is Eagle. He is the commander of all ninjas in the Anbu unit. If you have any issues, you can approach him."
He looked back at the crowd and said, "He will begin assigning you to Anbu Captains. Cooperate with him and begin your training as soon as you can. Konoha needs all of you to step up at this very moment."
Hiruzen took a step back and handed the reins to Eagle. Eagle quickly began guiding everyone to their respective Anbu Captains. He had already read all the files that Hiruzen sent him and memorized everyone's face, name and skills. Everyone was called here after he had finished assigning the teams.
