Shinobi World War

The **Shinobi World War** (忍界大戦, *Ninkai Taisen*) was the first major conflict between shinobi following the foundation of the Shinobi Union. It is sometimes referred to as just the **Great War** (大戦, *Taisen*) because of its destructiveness. The loss of human life over the four years of war was catastrophic and estimated at about 40 million across the entire shinobi world.

## Overview

### Causes

After coming to a new reality from his world, Tenshiki Ōtsutsuki attempted to establish a world without the problems prominent in his own. Following the deaths of Kaguya and Isshiki Ōtsutsuki, he established the shinobi village of Arashigakure and the shinobi country of the Land of Storms in order to serve as an example for the entire world how a shinobi system could be run. Over time, dozens of shinobi nations came into being, including the Six Great Shinobi Countries. The shōgun of the Land of Storms established the Shinobi Union to prevent the breakout of war that had been so prominent in Tenshiki's original world. However, the Union's efforts weren't entirely sucessful.

The larger shinobi nations (i.e., the Land of Earth, Land of Lightning, and Land of Water) sought to expand their influence and territory by bullying the small nations around them. This led to suspicion among the remaining nations of Fire and Wind that these countries would eventually seek to invade. Both sides began stockpiling weapons and jutsu in case war came. Meanwhile, on Takamagahara, Tenshiki considered stopping the conflict before it began. But he was stopped from doing so by his three daughters who remined him of Hayashiki Ōtsutsuki's words—humans would fight and kill, but the intervention of the gods would just make things worse. Fighting did eventuall break out with the assasination of the Second Kazekage by Anbu from the Land of Water. No longer able to ignore the build-up of tensions, both sides declared war on each other.

### War & Ramifications

Much of the war was fought in the Land of Rain and Kusagakure. The exact details of the war are unknown; but the fighting was so intense and bloody that eventually all parties in question asked for an armistice. All knew the fighting would eventually begin again but needed time to recouperate and lick their wounds. Kirigakure bore the brunt of most of the sanctions from the resulting agreements for being the village that continued fighitng the longest, thus prolonging peace.

Several Kage died in the fighting, as well, including the First Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi. One of his students, and a hero of the war, Jiraiya, was made the Hokage in his place. The surviving Kage, or the replacements of dead Kage, immediately began training the next generation of shinobi for the eventuality of a new war in the immediate future. During this time, the Shinobi Union was temporarily disolved, as no nation could come to the floor and negotiate with one another.

## Casualities

Nearly 40 million people died in the Shinobi World War. Among the most noteworth casualties were:

* The Second Kazekage
* The First Hokage: Hiruzen Sarutobi

## Trivia

* The world wars on Earth-10 take place much later in the timeline and resemble the real life world wars. The Shinobi World War strongly resmembles the First World War in causes and casualties.