Amegakure, nestled in the crevice between the Land of Earth, the Land of Wind, and the Land of Fire, is part of the Rain Country, a nation not known for its strength—indeed, it could be considered weak.
Yet, Amegakure boasts a powerful ninja of great renown.
Known as the demigod, Hanzo of the Salamander.
During the Second Shinobi World War, Hanzo, in his middle age, dominated in battles against Konoha's Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade, even bestowing upon them the title of the "Legendary Three Ninjas."
Power is the foundation of all, and even within the humble confines of Amegakure, Hanzo's formidable reputation is enough to deter ninjas from the three major nations from attempting any antics within this village.
Amegakure is perpetually drenched in rain, enveloped in an atmosphere so thick it seems to seep into everything.
At this moment, two uninvited guests, cloaked in red clouds and black robes, their heads adorned with straw hats, quietly entered this village devoid of tourists.
"What's with this rain?" One of them frowned upon being drenched, as if sensing something amiss.
His eyes were bound with black cloth, yet the shape of his face and the youthful contour hinted that he was quite young, despite the unnaturally pale skin he revealed.
"This is a jutsu disguised as rain, akin to the barriers of Konoha; anyone caught in the downpour can be sensed by that guy," remarked his masked companion, seemingly indifferent.
"A jutsu?" Despite the blindfold, the first man surveyed his surroundings, "A sensing jutsu that covers such a vast area of the village? What kind of scale..."
Before he could finish his thought, someone appeared before them in an instant.
It was a woman, her deep blue hair short and dull, her delicate features enhanced by a slightly cold expression that added an air of striking beauty.
Like the two men, she wore a black robe embroidered with red clouds.
"It's you."
Upon seeing the masked man, she furrowed her brows slightly.
"Take us to see him. I have something for you to arrange."
The masked man's voice deepened, carrying a more serious tone.
"...Follow me."
The woman nodded, leading the two towards the village center.
The most bustling area of Amegakure lies in its heart, a commercial street that appears no different from others, save for its lesser vibrancy.
The man with the blindfold observed the surroundings without restraint; to onlookers, a blindfolded person scrutinizing the area would seem strange. However, at the sight of the blue-haired woman, they held their tongues.
As they crossed through the center of the village, they approached a high platform, the place where one could truly see the entirety of Amegakure.
Much like how Hanzo once stood there, ruling and monitoring the village.
The woman guided them to a secluded courtyard, passing through a dimly lit passage before reaching the high platform.
A man with orange hair stood with his back to them, gazing down at Amegakure from the edge.
"...You've come this time, so it seems you're confident?" As they drew near, the orange-haired man turned, revealing a face marked by several black rods piercing through his nose and ears, his expression cold and lifeless.
What drew more attention, however, were his eyes, their pupils bearing spiraling patterns that suggested a power capable of seeing through all.
"Pain, let me introduce our new comrade from the organization," the masked man said, stepping forward to lean against the wall, gesturing towards the man with the black cloth, "Uchiha Shisui."
"The Shisui known for his Body Flicker Technique from Konoha?" The woman instinctively gasped upon hearing the name.
Shisui, still blindfolded, was shocked to recognize the eyes of the woman, for they were none other than the legendary Rinnegan of the Sage of Six Paths!
"The Uchiha clan from Konoha?" Pain gazed at the blindfolded Shisui, suddenly launching an attack while the latter was caught off guard.
But as Pain raised his hand, Shisui's figure had already vanished from sight. A shuriken flew down from the sky, hurtling toward Pain's forehead!
Yet before the shuriken could reach Pain, Shisui watched as it was suddenly deflected by an unseen force, hurtling back towards him at a faster speed.
But Shisui's Body Flicker Technique was no mere boast; almost instantly, as the shuriken rebounded, he disappeared again, reappearing behind Pain, his hands forming the Tiger hand seal.
This was the hand seal for Fire Release!
The blue-haired woman was about to leap in to intervene, but Pain spoke first: "Konan, no need to engage."
Slowly turning around, Pain faced Shisui, who also relaxed his hands from the seal.
Throughout this exchange, the masked man remained silent, observing the events unfold.
"Impressive Body Flicker Technique, but if this is your full power, you'd be better off dying here painlessly," Pain said, looking at Shisui's released hands before turning his attention to the masked man. "Are you sure adding him is enough to deal with the Fourth Mizukage of the Land of Water? Don't forget how you escaped last time."
"Hmph, I don't know why that beast inside him has grown so much stronger, but…" The masked man scoffed, "It's only to that extent; last time, he merely pretended to be under my genjutsu during the ambush. There won't be another opportunity this time."
"Doesn't matter; as long as you feel it's sufficient," Pain interrupted the masked man, "As before, I will hold off the others from Kirigakure and cover for you and him to capture the tailed beast. If we fail again, I'll consider going myself."
"Of course, if it comes to that, I'll have to take matters into my own hands. And considering the actual strength of the tailed beast exceeds previous intel, our current personnel might not suffice," the masked man said, showing no objection to Pain's leadership tone, then turning to Konan. "Konan, we need to accelerate the recruitment of new members."
"..." Seemingly disliking being referred to as Konan, she shot a cold glance at the masked man and Shisui, dismissively stating, "Just do your part."
With their conversation concluding, the masked man and Uchiha Shisui left Amegakure under the cover of night, embarking on their journey towards the Land of Water.
"You don't seem to have the authority in the organization that you claim. At least, the two members we met today didn't seem to care for you much," Shisui remarked as they traveled through the night, the black cloth over his eyes not hindering his movement.
"Of course; after all, we're just using each other," the masked man paused suddenly, taking in their surroundings. "Let's rest here for today; I'm tired."