Rain Village is a lower shinobi village, being allied with Grass, Leaf, Sand and Waterfall. As such it participates in the Chuunin Exam with these countries. In the Chuunin Exam Naruto participated in, no Rain team made it beyond the second exam test. Hidden Rain will do missions for countries outside its borders, with Wagarashi clan member Kyuuroku hiring Rain ninja to help him win the Todoroki shrine race in the Tea Country. The years of strife the country experienced finally drove it and the village to civil war. This embarrassing situation only increased their desire for secrecy. The two factions involved in the civil war were not completely clear, however one side was apparently led by Pein of Akatsuki.