Torrential rain fell over the Land of Rain day after day, with scarcely a clear sky to be seen. As a result, a gloomy chill hung over the entire country. There were no smiles on the people's faces as they walked through the rain in straw raincoats and bamboo hats, or stayed shut inside their homes. While ninja from other shinobi villages could travel openly, those of Amegakure Ninja Village still lived as they always had, seemingly wary of one another.
The leader of Amegakure Ninja Village was called Besa. He had been an outstanding assassin during the Warring States Period, and after Amegakure Ninja Village was founded, his seniority had earned him the position of its second leader. He remained in power to this day. A traditional ninja through and through, he was always wary of people from other countries. Consequently, every policy Amegakure Ninja Village adopted leaned toward isolation and conservatism.
That day, Besa received a letter from Konoha Ninja Village. It came from the village's new leader, the Third Hokage, Kazemori Masaki, who had held office for nearly a year. It began with warm greetings, including inquiries about Besa's health. For the foremost of the Five Great Shinobi Villages to greet the leader of a small shinobi village so warmly was rather incredible, but that was precisely the impression Konoha Ninja Village gave people.
In his letter, Kazemori Masaki wrote that, considering the harsh conditions in the Land of Rain, Konoha Ninja Village wished to establish a fraternal bond with Amegakure Ninja Village out of concern inspired by the spirit of ninshu. Mutually beneficial cooperation would help both Konoha Ninja Village and the people of the Land of Rain, and he hoped Besa would give the proposal serious consideration.
"Look at this. Such high-minded words, when all