During the Second Shinobi World War, Konoha did not achieve victory on the Rain Country battlefield. Therefore, Jiraiya, one of the Sannin of Konoha, naturally could not stay in the Rain Country.
Consequently, he would not continue to teach Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan, nor would he continue to impart his ideals to them.
With Hanzo's influence within the Rain Country, it was only a matter of time before he discovered Nagato's Rinnegan without the protection of a strong individual like Jiraiya.
Therefore, Hanzo did not see the Akatsuki organization as a threat to his rule over the Rain Country, but rather as a raw gem with the innate Rinnegan bloodline, suspected of possessing Uzumaki lineage, and worthy of his cultivation.
Thus, it was only natural that these three teenagers were taken in as disciples by Hanzo.
"Hanzo-senpai, you misunderstand. Suna and Ame are allies, so we would never do anything to harm the Rain Country. We are merely passing through."
Hanzo scrutinized Shimizu for a long time.
"I've heard that you've developed a new Kekkei Genkai and fought your Kazekage to a standstill."
Hanzo asked Shimizu.
"The Kazekage-sama was merely yielding."
Shimizu replied to Hanzo.
Hanzo was silent for a moment, seemingly contemplating something.
"Could Hanzo-dono also yield to us juniors? We still have a mission to carry out."
"Your mission shouldn't be urgent, right?"
Hanzo continued to ask Shimizu.
Shimizu raised an eyebrow.
Hanzo's words meant…
"Has the Rain Village encountered any problems that require assistance from Suna? Hanzo-senpai can send a letter to the Third Kazekage-sama. If the request is reasonable, I believe the Third-dono would not refuse an ally's request."
"No, it's not a major issue, but I believe it would be best if you handled it."
"Oh? What does Hanzo-dono have in mind…"
"The few of you should spar with me here, just a friendly match. In exchange, I can…"
Hanzo paused.
He originally intended to offer assistance with Shimizu's mission.
However, considering that they wanted to conceal their identities, they probably didn't want others to know the mission's details.
Moreover, the fact that Shimizu and three other Jonin were dispatched suggested that it was not a simple mission. Sending others might result in losses or even involvement in conflicts between major countries.
"Allow you to enter Ame's intelligence room to view all the information the Rain Country has collected, at least those that don't involve the Rain Village's crucial secrets."
"I agree, but I hope that the Rain Village will not disclose anything about our appearance here today."
Shimizu thought for a moment before speaking.
After a brief period of observation and contemplation, he roughly understood what Hanzo might be planning.
He guessed that it was to show Nagato and the others what a top genius from a major country of similar age looked like, to broaden their horizons and give them some pressure that could be transformed into motivation.
This was harmless and wouldn't cause them any losses, at most wasting a little time.
But compared to the benefits, it couldn't be considered a waste at all.
The Rain Country was a neighboring country to the Grass Country.
During the Second Shinobi World War, Hanzo went all the way to the Land of Iron to establish the Rain Country as the sixth great power.
The Grass Country happened to be located between the Rain Country and the Land of Iron.
This indicated that during the Second Shinobi World War, the Grass Country was likely flattened by Hanzo once, but due to the intervention of Konoha and Iwa, Hanzo's forces were forced to retreat.
If Hanzo had been born seventy or eighty years earlier, with his abilities, he could have established a great ninja village like the five First Kage.
He suffered from being born too late.
Hanzo had definitely considered annexing the Grass Country, and he would definitely have a lot of information about the Grass Village.
At least it wasn't within Suna's sphere of influence, with only a few peripheral secret bases used to collect and transmit information from various parts of the ninja world.
"The three of you go first. Sparring with a top-level expert like Hanzo is a good opportunity for training. Otherwise, if Hanzo-senpai and I fight, I'm afraid it will be difficult for anyone other than Yekura to intervene."
Shimizu took a step back, letting Maki and the others go first.
Hanzo was known for guiding younger generations. He bestowed the title of Sannin, and Shimizu had also received Hanzo's sword technique notes.
Even if there was a reason, and Hanzo's actions were related to the situation at the time, no one could deny that before he became the dispirited person he was in the original timeline, he was still a man of great ambition and magnanimity.
Perhaps it was because he was able to get to where he was today, thanks to the guidance of some more distant predecessors.
For Shimizu, fighting and exchanging knowledge with a strong person of this level could bring certain gains, and for young Jonin like Maki, it would be even more valuable to receive guidance from the most top-level figure of this era.
"Hanzo-senpai, then we'll have to be impolite!"
Maki looked eager to try.
A person's name, a tree's shadow.
Hanzo was a big shot whose strength could be compared to the Five Kage in the eyes of everyone in the ninja world, so Maki was naturally very excited.
Hanzo didn't use his full strength from the start, and didn't even draw his blade. Instead, he let Maki and Sata demonstrate a few moves to show their strength before using the sickle's chain to tie them up and throw them aside.
It was only when dealing with Yekura that Hanzo became serious.
"Wow, what amazing ninjutsu!"
The orange-haired boy, shrouded in a black robe, widened his eyes, watching the fireballs dancing wildly in the field, evaporating everything.
"She looks only three or four years older than us."
The red-haired boy looked at the movements in the field with his Rinnegan, somewhat woodenly.
"Is this the great genius ninja from a major country that Hanzo-sensei wants us to catch up to…"
The blue-haired girl held a paper umbrella, staring intently at Yekura, who was struggling to support herself against Hanzo, with a hint of longing in her eyes.
"Konan, you will definitely become such a powerful female ninja too!"
Yahiko said to his companion with a smile.
"Scorch Release: Vapor Consecutive Kills!"
"Water Release: Water Wave Hand!"
The scorching Scorch Release and the waterfall-like torrent of Water Release collided, evaporating large amounts of steam, a vast expanse of white, obscuring the line of sight, with faint sounds of metal clashing within.
Soon, the white mist dissipated, and Hanzo held his sickle in one hand, horizontally in front of Yekura's neck.
Shimizu had also teleported in front of Hanzo at some point, using his sword to block Hanzo's sickle.
