Meanwhile, Konoha itself was also quietly changing in response to Sunagakure's actions.
Since being stripped of his position as Root's leader and placed under house arrest for framing Hatake Sakumo, Shimura Danzō had been forced to remain at home.
Even so, Danzō had not been completely isolated from the center of power. He still gathered intelligence and maintained Root's influence through his own covert methods.
When Danzō learned that Sunagakure had invaded and successfully occupied the Land of Rivers, he was greatly invigorated.
As Konoha's most staunch Hawk, Danzō's views were utterly different from the cautious, stability-seeking policies of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.
He believed that, as the strongest shinobi village in the ninja world, Konoha should use the current situation to expand its territory through war and seize more resources and benefits.
"With Konoha's strength, we should have been the greatest beneficiary of this war," Danzō sneered. "The balance among the Five Great Shinobi Villages should be broken. The other shinobi villages are not even worthy of being mentioned alongside Konoha."
Danzō scoffed at Sarutobi Hiruzen's peaceful policies. He believed this was Konoha's perfect chance to flex its muscles. Only by launching a war as soon as possible could they completely suppress the other shinobi villages through force and secure Konoha's dominant position.
Although he had been removed as Root's leader, Danzō still retained enormous influence over Root.
Many Root shinobi he had indoctrinated remained loyal to him. Even during his house arrest, they continued to contact him in secret and relay intelligence from the outside world.
Through these loyal Root shinobi, Danzō kept track of the ninja world's latest developments and plotted in secret.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's order placing Danzō under house arrest was effectively meaningless. Much of Root's power remained under Danzō's control.
To Danzō, the house