The situation within the Land of Fire hung on a knife's edge. Conflict between the Daimyo Mansion and Konoha Ninja Village seemed inevitable, and neither side could compromise. This left the local lords who had not yet been drawn into the Daimyo Mansion's camp deeply uncertain about which side to choose.
Legally, they ought to obey the Daimyo Mansion's orders and wage war against Konoha Ninja Village. Emotionally, however, they felt they should not turn against the village, since doing so would bring them no benefit. The Daimyo Mansion's conduct was clearly suspicious, too, casting doubt on its motives.
Fortunately, Konoha Ninja Village soon spared them that dilemma. The village did not insist that they come to its aid; remaining neutral was enough. It was especially adamant that the border lords stay neutral and remain vigilant against outside invasion.
Whatever happened between the Daimyo Mansion and Konoha Ninja Village, this was an internal conflict within the Land of Fire. Minimizing losses was the wisest course, and they absolutely could not give other countries an opportunity to exploit their weakness. With Konoha Ninja Village concentrating on the Daimyo Mansion, its border defenses would weaken, making the border lords' assistance necessary.
The border lords naturally agreed. They already had excellent relations with Konoha Ninja Village, as their main duty was guarding the borders, which required close cooperation with the village during wartime. After the Second Shinobi World War, Konoha Ninja Village had removed the nobles who had held them back. Apart from the land it needed for itself, it had granted all the rest to these border lords.
The border lords trusted Konoha Ninja Village deeply. They did not believe the village would betray the country, and they agreed with its accusation that "Tobi" was a treacherous minister and its call to