Konoha Ninja Village and Kumogakure Ninja Village chose the Land of Rice Fields as the location for their exchange. After the sweeping changes on the Eastern Front, the Land of Rice Fields was relatively safe, with no infiltration by Kirigakure Ninja Village for the time being. Still, the place stirred memories in the older ninja on both sides. Twenty years ago, they had fought one another here, never imagining that they would become allies today. Even though the two sides had maintained good relations in recent years, the change still felt somewhat surprising.
The middle- and lower-ranking ninja of Kumogakure Ninja Village knew nothing of the deliberations undertaken by the Third Raikage and the other leaders. While carrying out their guard duties, they had simply been told that they would be forming an alliance with Konoha Ninja Village. Given their past relations, most were not particularly surprised by the decision. Only a few who fancied themselves knowledgeable about conflicts between nations found it unexpected.
The ninja responsible for transporting the goods were people who had once harbored grievances against Konoha Ninja Village: the Kumogakure ninja who had participated in the first Joint Chunin Exams, Sora's students—Chikku, Lan, and Yi. They were now special jōnin in their village, only one step away from becoming jonin.
Although Kumogakure Ninja Village had adopted many practices from Konoha Ninja Village, there were still differences. For example, brotherhood built on unity and bonds was part of the Land of Lightning's traditional culture, so Kumogakure Ninja Village placed great importance on the traditional three-person team and had never abandoned it. Its members went everywhere together. Konoha Ninja Village, however, had almost entirely moved away from keeping three-person teams together. Their members remained in contact, but could be sent to different places.
On Konoha Ninja Village's side,