Konoha's thunderous internal upheaval was like a massive boulder cast into the deep waters of the Shinobi World. The ripples it stirred rapidly spread to every major nation, churning an already turbulent situation. Forces once suppressed by Konoha, those bearing grudges against it, and those simply coveting profit all turned their eyes toward the greatest village in the Shinobi World, which had just undergone "internal strife."
Land of Earth, Iwagakure.
Ōnoki of Both Scales's small body hovered in midair, his brows drawn so tightly they nearly formed a knot. In his hand, he held the latest encrypted intelligence scroll, detailing Konoha's change in leadership, Danzo's imprisonment, Root's dissolution, and the sidelining of the Third Hokage's faction.
"Hiruzen Sarutobi... has finally stepped down." Ōnoki's voice carried a trace of barely perceptible sentimentality, though there was far more cold calculation in it. "Minato Namikaze... a mere brat who rose to power through the Flying Thunder God and the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki. Can he really stabilize the situation?"
He slowly descended and walked over to the enormous map of the Shinobi World, pointing at Konoha's location. "Purging their internal ranks may consolidate power, but it will also create temporary unrest and a vacuum in military strength. Especially Danzo's Root... it wasn't merely filled with dirty work that couldn't see the light. There were plenty of useful 'tools' in there as well."
An Iwagakure Jonin asked in a low voice, "Lord Tsuchikage, do we... have an opportunity? Konoha has just rotated its defenses along the Land of Grass front. Perhaps..."
Ōnoki abruptly raised a hand to cut him off. His small eyes gleamed with the shrewdness of an old schemer. "An opportunity? Perhaps. But the risks are even greater! Don't forget Minato Namikaze's speed on the battlefield, and don't forget that the Legendary Sannin are