The Land of Rain was a small country northwest of the Land of Fire. Its territory bordered three great nations: the Land of Fire, the Land of Earth, and the Land of Wind.
As a result, whenever war broke out, the Land of Rain, being a small country, often served as a buffer between the three nations and became a battlefield for their competing interests.
It was also because the country was small and sparsely populated that its political system differed from those of the Five Great Nations.
In a large nation like the Land of Fire, the Daimyo generally oversaw matters related to civilian life and governance, while the hidden village was responsible for external warfare. In peacetime, it took on missions to help the people of the Land of Fire and those of a few friendly neighboring countries with their problems. Tasks such as suppressing bandits were generally entrusted to the village.
Although the daimyo nominally had the authority to appoint the leader of a hidden village, the "Kage," in practice the village's jonin would usually choose one of their own and submit the name to the daimyo, who would typically give only a symbolic nod of approval.
In the great nations, political authority was shared between two figures.
But the Land of Rain was different. It had only one person in charge: Hanzo of the Salamander, who held the title of Demigod.
Sanpo City stood in the southeastern corner of the Land of Rain. It had once been one of the country's centers of trade and commerce. Its prosperous economy had attracted merchants from the Land of Fire, the Land of Wind, and the Land of Earth, making it an important town in the Land of Rain.
That was how Sanpo City got its name. Now, however,