The Land of Rain was exactly as its name suggested; a land where it rained all year round. The weather was perpetually gloomy, and torrential rain poured down endlessly, shrouding the entire nation. Facing such weather, no one could possibly be in a good mood. Furthermore, the incessant heavy rain severely impacted agriculture, and the impoverished life caused the people of the Land of Rain to lose the smiles on their faces.
Fūmori Masaki and Danzo Shimura, acting under Tobirama's orders, led twenty-one people through the Land of Rain on their way to the Land of Wind. Fūmori Masaki chose people he was familiar with, such as Satomi and Hyūga Kei, while Danzo also selected subordinates he knew well. Upon arriving in the Land of Rain, this was the scene Fūmori Masaki witnessed. He adjusted the bamboo hat he was using to shield himself from the rain and let out a soft sigh.
As the First Great Ninja War progressed, other small nations could not remain on the sidelines. Moreover, the major powers intended to use these small nations as buffer zones for the war, so the Land of Rain was similarly mired in the quagmire of war, unable to escape.
Although the concept of the "righteous war" and the diplomatic methods proposed by Fūmori Masaki had influenced some of the Land of Fire's decisions, problems still arose during execution. The Samurai Corps in the Land of Rain had coerced the Land of Rain into providing supplies to maintain their own needs under the guise of righteous causes, causing the Land of Rain to harbor a great deal of dissatisfaction. It was only due to the power of the Land of Fire, and the fact that they were not as excessive in their actions as the Land of Wind, that it had not yet erupted.
If not for the new approach provided by Fūmori Masaki, the actions of the Land of Fire would have been even worse than they were now, and the Land of Rain would have truly become a "Crying Land." However, the current Land of Fire was only maintaining a facade of friendliness; if they were not careful, they would still push the Land of Rain to the point of being unable to tolerate it any longer.
A more serious problem was that most people failed to see the benefits brought about by uniting with small nations; as long as the situation was not critical, they would always appear slack during execution. In the later stages of the campaign in the Land of Lightning, friendly actions toward the Land of Rice Fields had already become somewhat negligent. If not for the presence of both Tobirama and Fūmori Masaki, the rate of regression would likely have been even faster.
On the side of the Land of Rain, without a heavyweight figure in charge, the problems with execution were even greater. It was only after Fūmori Masaki arrived here in person that he discovered this. If not for the comparison with the Land of Wind, the Land of Fire's declaration of a righteous war would have slapped their own faces loudly.
"Good grief, to think they would slack off to this extent. If they really push the Land of Rain to rebel, it will be troublesome," Fūmori Masaki muttered to himself.
"Is that so? I think this is fine. I've always felt that your approach to other nations was too generous, Masaki!" Danzo said upon hearing this.
"But the results are very good. Haven't you seen it with your own eyes?" Fūmori Masaki said.
"Only for a short time. Who knows if these small nations will become insatiable after getting a taste of sweetness? It might just bring trouble upon ourselves. The current level is just right," Danzo shook his head.
"Danzo, your hostility toward other nations is too deep. If you don't correct it, it will surely lead to unnecessary trouble in the future," Fūmori Masaki sighed.
This personality of Danzo's was useful at times, but problematic at others. This mindset of relying on violence and disliking gentleness would push away potential allies and even turn unrelated people into his enemies.
"What's wrong with staying vigilant against other nations? Masaki, you must remember your position; don't give your sympathy to the enemy," Danzo mildly reproached.
"I understand, but sometimes, violence is not a good way to solve problems. Facing different problems, one must adopt different solutions. I think this is the correct attitude," Fūmori Masaki said.
"Perhaps, but I believe violence is the fastest way to solve problems," Danzo said.
"That is why you should correct this attitude," Fūmori Masaki said. The current Danzo was still devoted to the public good, but if he did not correct his mindset, he would sooner or later go astray. As fellow disciples, he still hoped to save Danzo.
"Masaki, I have my ideas, and you have yours. As for whose ideas are more accurate, I think time will tell," Danzo said.
"Very well, let time prove it then," Fūmori Masaki nodded.
Although the Land of Rain was plagued by frequent warfare, under the intentional control of the Land of Fire, a route allowing for rapid travel to the Land of Wind had been cleared. Fūmori Masaki and his group set out from this route, heading toward the border of the Land of Wind.
The rain poured down like a waterfall. The group was running rapidly, water sliding down their bodies, and the only sounds in their ears were the splashing of water being trampled and the sound of the rain. As they were traveling in silence, Fūmori Masaki's gaze narrowed slightly, and Hyūga Kei from the squad shouted at the same time: "Careful, there's someone ahead."
Everyone immediately stopped in their tracks. Their sudden stop sent a large amount of rainwater splashing to the sides. They looked ahead cautiously, and slowly, a squad appeared before them.
They were dressed in Ninja uniforms with cloaks over them, and wearing something resembling respirators on their faces. This was the typical attire of an Amegakure Ninja. In other words, the ones blocking their path were Amegakure Ninja, although it was also possible that they were disguised Ninja from another nation; as Ninja, they naturally possessed such means.
"Konoha Ninja?" the leading Amegakure captain asked.
"Yes. May I ask what business you have? I believe the Land of Fire and the Land of Rain do not intend to break their alliance," Fūmori Masaki said in a calm tone.
"Even so, we must be careful, because we don't know if you Ninja from the major powers will suddenly stab us in the back." This Amegakure captain chuckled, "You must be new here. The Konoha Ninja who operated here before knew the rules."
"I see. It is only natural not to trust people from other nations. If you wish to monitor us, please feel free, but do not interfere with our operations. Our target is Sunagakure; they are your enemies, and we are going to help you deal with them." Fūmori Masaki said, glancing at Danzo beside him as he spoke.
Danzo gave a soft snort and rolled his eyes at Fūmori Masaki. Did Fūmori Masaki think he was an impulsive person? Although he indeed harbored hostility toward the Amegakure Ninja and worried about their fickleness, he was not someone who would strike out indiscriminately.
The Amegakure captain frowned slightly. This newcomer from Konoha was quite composed. Faced with their sudden obstruction, not only did he show no intense emotions, but his tone remained calm from beginning to end, and he was very polite. Even the way he spoke made it seem like he was looking out for them. Honestly, he had a somewhat favorable impression of this Konoha Ninja.
"It would be good if all other Konoha Ninja were like you. May I ask what your name is?" the Amegakure captain said with some emotion, then asked politely in return.
"Fūmori Masaki." After stating his name, Fūmori Masaki immediately asked, "Courtesy demands reciprocity; what about you?"
"Hanzou." After saying this, the other party stepped aside, preparing to let Fūmori Masaki and his group pass. Although they would follow to see if these Konoha Ninja had any other intentions, as long as they didn't act rashly, they would not attack the Konoha Ninja.
Upon hearing this name, Fūmori Masaki was slightly stunned. This Amegakure Ninja before him was actually Hanzou, the man who would be known as the Demigod in the future!