Where there is light, there must be darkness.
This was a firm belief that some people upheld throughout their lives.
"Minase, long time no see!"
Stepping into the logistics department, Veigar greeted the figure he hadn't seen in years, a solemn expression on his face.
As the Commander, he naturally needed to exude the authority befitting the role.
"You, you're! Akuto."
Minase, seeing Veigar re-enter the Anbu, thought for a moment and then recognized Veigar's identity.
"It's me! However, I hope from now on you'll address me as Commander!"
"Commander?"
Amidst Minase's bewildered and disbelieving gaze, Veigar pulled out the Anbu Commander appointment letter.
A document signed by Minato and stamped with the Hokage's seal was presented before Minase, instantly causing him to blanch in shock.
"You, no. You really are... the Commander!"
"Authentic!"
Veigar, his expression unchanging, put away the document and directly commanded Minase:
"Notify all Anbu ninja to gather in the base's plaza in fifteen minutes. Those who fail to comply will be stripped of their rank!"
A cold and authoritative voice left Veigar's lips. Minase, recovering from his shock, realized Veigar had already left.
"Yes, Commander!"
Immediately, Minase responded loudly.
Outside the door, a faint smile curled on Veigar's lips.
Fifteen minutes later.
Underneath the Konoha Hokage Residence, in the plaza of the Konoha Anbu headquarters, a dense crowd of Anbu ninja had gathered.
Standing at the very front of the plaza, facing roughly two-thirds of the Anbu's strength, over thirteen hundred of Konoha's elite, almost all were present, with the exception of a few on outdoor missions, those maintaining their posts, and a small number of absent Anbu ninja.
Veigar, still only a 14-year-old child, showed no hint of fear.
"From now on, I am your Commander. Any objections?"
There was no stirring speech, no authoritative tone, just a plain, unadorned statement.
No one responded; not even a single sound was made. This was the discipline of the Anbu.
"Since there are no objec—"
Veigar, about to continue speaking, was interrupted by a sudden challenging voice.
"I object!"
Hmm?
With not an ounce of displeasure in his heart, calm as still water, Veigar turned to look.
"How are you qualified to be our Commander? I refuse to accept this!"
The Anbu ninja wearing a monkey mask fearlessly met Veigar's gaze and slowly stood up.
"Besides him, does anyone else object?"
Speaking to himself, Veigar didn't even acknowledge the standing Anbu ninja.
"Step forward, all of you."
"I'll give you a chance. No matter what method you use, as long as you defeat me, I will resign as Commander and recommend one of you to Lord Fourth as the new Commander."
Because of Veigar's words, the entire plaza instantly stirred, with a portion of the ninja itching for action.
"Veigar!"
Within the crowd, a silver-haired figure, roughly Veigar's age, stared at Veigar with eyes full of concern.
"I also object. I don't believe you're worthy of being our Commander."
"I object..."
"I..."
"And me!"
...
One after another, over 130 people directly confronted Veigar, vocalizing their disapproval.
"Anyone else?"
After waiting for a moment, Veigar asked again.
Shinku Yūhi, the Anbu Intelligence Department Squad Leader and one of the Third Hokage's trusted confidants, wearing an animal mask, gazed at Veigar's delicate young face, a silent question forming in his mind.
"What exactly do you intend to do?"
The squad leaders of the Action Department, Interrogation Department, Logistics Department, and several other departments also harbored the same question.
Being in the position of squad leader, they were naturally not fools; their abilities, tactics, and intelligence were all among the elite of the elite.
They understood the principle of the nail that sticks out getting hammered.
Moreover, they were Hiruzen's people. Although they disagreed with the Commander appointed by the Fourth Hokage, they weren't in a hurry to show it.
They keenly wanted to know how Veigar would handle the current situation.
"I'm giving you all a chance now. Come at me, all of you. If you defeat me, you can remain in the Anbu."
Suddenly, a ripple of commotion spread through the plaza.
Whoa...
Almost all the Anbu ninja exchanged glances, unable to believe Veigar would say such a thing.
They all knew that if the Anbu ninja who had stepped forward couldn't defeat Veigar, their only outcome would be expulsion from the Anbu.
The monkey-masked Anbu who had initially stepped forward now felt caught between a rock and a hard place.
But he thought about having over 130 people on his side, coupled with his inner covetousness for the Anbu Commander position, and steeled his heart.
"We have over 130 people! Do you think we're afraid of just one of you?"
Veigar was completely unmoved by his words, and addressed the other Anbu ninja:
"Step back a bit and give them some space."
In a short while, a cleared area appeared in the plaza, with 134 Anbu ninja who opposed Veigar's appointment standing within it.
"Come on! This is your last chance."
1 versus 134. Veigar remained calm and composed.
"You're asking for death!"
"Kill him!"
The monkey-masked Anbu ninja charged forward, drawing his ninjatō from his back and rushing towards Veigar.
"As long as I defeat you, the Anbu Commander position will be mine for the taking!"
It is valuable for a person to possess self-awareness.
Ignorance is bliss?
This is a complimentary saying, yet it can also be derogatory.
Fearlessness is also an evaluation of the ignorant.
"Kill!"
"Kill!"
"Kill!"
...
Over 130 Anbu charged simultaneously. Veigar's expression remained unchanged.
"Die!"
The monkey-masked Anbu roared internally just as his ninjatō was about to strike Veigar.
Whoosh.
He vanished. Veigar vanished.
His strike missing, the monkey-masked Anbu ninja immediately became vigilant, searching for Veigar's figure.
"Where is he?"
Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu.
Leaping up and standing above everyone, Veigar rapidly formed hand signs.
In an instant, 133 Shadow Clones abruptly appeared.
"What?!"
The simultaneous appearance of over a hundred Shadow Clones startled everyone present.
With this move alone, Veigar had already surpassed them. But what shocked them even more was yet to come.
Whoosh.
All the Veigars in mid-air vanished simultaneously.
"Ah..."
In a flash, screams erupted across the plaza.
"How is this possible...?"
The monkey-masked Anbu ninja stared at Veigar, who had clearly been in mid-air just moments before but now stood behind him, unable to believe any of this was real.
How could the difference in their strength be so vast!
However, the intense pain from his body, and the Shinigami Blade piercing through him, forced him to believe.
"Perish."
All the resistors, and the Veigar standing beside each of them, holding the Shinigami Blade that pierced their bodies, uttered the same word at the exact same time.
Ninja Art: Memory Erasing Jutsu.