At that moment, the Konoha Shinobi had the same thought. They had long known how precarious the situation in the capital was. Once the two sides fell out, they would be the first people Tobi sought to bring under his control. Their group included the children of two members of the Konoha High Command, a candidate for the Hyuga Main Family, and an heir to the Aburame Clan.
But they could not leave too early, so they remained in the capital, waiting for their chance. The best time to leave would be just before the conflict erupted.
Of course, the Konoha Shinobi could not leave the capital entirely on their own. Without people outside to support them, they might run into trouble along the way. As public debate grew increasingly heated, they began contacting those outside.
Their contact was Hatake Sakumo, whom the village had stationed near the capital. He had been sent there precisely so that, when the conflict erupted, those outside could help the people inside escape. To that end, Hatake Sakumo had discussed evacuation plans at the camp more than once.
After Senior Princess Qianji's visit, everyone felt that the time was drawing nearer. They asked Hatake Sakumo whether they could leave the capital. They needed the agreement of those outside before they could make their escape.
After much deliberation, Hatake Sakumo decided that, since even Senior Princess Qianji found the atmosphere in the Daimyo Mansion strange, they really could not wait any longer. It was about time to leave, and he sent a letter telling them so.
That night, the Konoha Shinobi gathered to discuss leaving the country immediately. Asuna unrolled the scroll before everyone. The ciphertext on it had been written using Lightning Release. Once decoded, its full contents were laid before them.
This was