Chapter 172 - 67: The Deep Defense System
The outcome of the Third Shinobi World War is well-known to everyone: Konohagakure, with its overwhelming strength, swept through its rivals and emerged as the dominant force in the ninja world. From then on, it reigned supreme.
However, the cause of the war remains a mystery. The original manga did not provide any specific explanation, and opinions on various Hokage forums are divided, each with its own reasoning. Among the relatively plausible theories, two stand out.
The first theory involves Jinghang. The Third Kazekage was assassinated by Sasori of the Red Sand, and his body was taken to be turned into a human puppet. With no trace of him alive or dead, Sunagakure was thrown into chaos, leaderless. In a rush, Rasa assumed the position of the Fourth Kazekage. To divert internal conflicts, he chose to launch an invasion against Konohagakure.
The second theory is similar to the first. During the chaos in Sunagakure, Kumogakure, advocating military expansion, seized the opportunity to attack Sunagakure. Meanwhile, opportunists from various villages initiated unjust wars to achieve their own goals.
In any case, the causes of the war are all tied to Jinghang's "death." Furthermore, there are two universally acknowledged facts about the Third Shinobi World War.
1. Legends Born from the War
This war brought forth a group of formidable figures and countless legendary stories that would be talked about in the ninja world for years to come.
For example, the Third Raikage single-handedly fought against ten thousand Iwagakure ninjas for three days and three nights, ultimately sacrificing himself heroically.
Or Minato Namikaze, who fought on two fronts: on one side, he left Killer B and the future Fourth Raikage helpless; on the other, he led Kakashi to destroy Kannabi Bridge, giving Konohagakure a significant advantage over Iwagakure, earning him the moniker "Yellow Flash."