The war didn't start with a single spark. It was a roaring inferno long before the world realized what was happening. When Susanoo claimed dominion over the shinobi world, he didn't bring unity or peace; he brought division, suspicion, and chaos. His philosophy of "the strong shall rule" was more than a creed it was a declaration of war. His manipulation set the stage for a fractured world, and it didn't take long for his influence to pit the five supercontinents against one another.
Before Susanoo's rise, the supercontinents had their tensions but maintained an uneasy peace. The Academies of Arakusa worked tirelessly to foster alliances and broker truces between rival nations, while Hyogan, with its harsh but disciplined lifestyle, stood as a bastion of resilience and cooperation. Hirokaze, though distant and often isolated, traded resources to sustain its desert populace. Yominochi, cloaked in shadow, respected the delicate balance of power, and Kaijuro, though untamed, rarely interfered with the politics of the others.
But under Susanoo's rule, trust eroded. His whispers of betrayal and weakness spread like poison through the veins of diplomacy. Neighboring clans began to question the loyalty of their allies. Minor skirmishes broke out over resource disputes. These skirmishes escalated into raids, then sieges, and finally into all-out war.
Arakusa, the heart of the shinobi world, allied with Hyogan out of necessity. Arakusa's diverse shinobi population made it a melting pot of techniques and strategies, but its strength lay in unity and adaptability. Hyogan, with its unyielding warriors accustomed to the frozen tundra, brought raw power and discipline to the table. Together, they formed a formidable alliance that could match any enemy.
Arakusa's brilliance and Hyogan's brute force created a balanced approach to combat. The combination of fire and ice techniques allowed for devastating coordinated attacks. Arakusa's population ensured a steady influx of new recruits, while Hyogan's elite training hardened them into effective warriors.
Hyogan's harsh climate and terrain made logistics difficult, especially when supplying troops. Arakusa's diversity, while a strength, occasionally led to internal disagreements.
Yominochi and Hirokaze formed their alliance out of shared disdain for Arakusa's influence and Hyogan's rigid discipline. Yominochi's shadow manipulators thrived in deception and stealth, while Hirokaze's shinobi wielded wind-based techniques that could devastate entire armies. Together, they sought to dismantle the Coalition and claim dominance.
Yominochi's stealth tactics allowed for precision strikes on key targets. Hirokaze's wind-based techniques disrupted enemy formations and sowed chaos on the battlefield. Their shared hatred of Arakusa provided a unifying motivation.
The alliance was tenuous, built on mutual hatred rather than trust. Hirokaze's desert terrain made it difficult to launch sustained campaigns.
Kaijuro remained unaffiliated, a wild card in the chaos. Its forces were small but ferocious, striking at weak points and retreating before reinforcements could arrive. Kaijuro's shinobi didn't care for alliances or strategy they fought for survival and dominance, leaving destruction in their wake.
They have highly mobile and unpredictable forces along with deep understanding of the natural world allowed them to utilize their environment effectively. But they lack the numbers to sustain prolonged engagements. Their attacks often alienated potential allies.
The war's brutality defied comprehension. Entire villages were razed, and forests once teeming with life became barren wastelands. Rivers ran red with blood, and the cries of the dying echoed across the continents.
Arakusa and Hyogan....
Starting Forces: ~150,000 shinobi.
Current Forces: ~90,000 shinobi (60,000 lost).
Key Losses: The Battle of Frosted Peaks saw 15,000 Hyogan shinobi perish in a desperate defense against Yominochi invaders.
Yominochi and Hirokaze....
Starting Forces: ~120,000 shinobi.
Current Forces: ~75,000 shinobi (45,000 lost).
Key Losses: The Storm of the Wastes cost Hirokaze 10,000 shinobi in a failed attempt to breach Arakusa's borders.
Kaijuro....
Starting Forces: ~30,000 shinobi.
Current Forces: ~20,000 shinobi (10,000 lost).
Key Losses: The Siege of Kogane Village decimated one of their strongest battalions.
The war's impact wasn't limited to shinobi. Civilians bore the brunt of the destruction, with countless lives lost.
Estimated Civilian Death Toll: ~50,000.
Entire regions were evacuated, creating massive refugee crises.
"Battle of the Frosted Peaks"
This pivotal battle saw Hyogan forces repel a massive Yominochi assault on their northern stronghold. The terrain worked in Hyogan's favor, but the sheer numbers of the enemy nearly overwhelmed them. Victory came at a steep price, with the loss of one-third of Hyogan's forces.
"Storm of the Wastes."
Hirokaze launched a devastating sandstorm attack on Arakusa's border defenses, hoping to cripple their supply lines. While the attack caused significant damage, Arakusa's quick-thinking strategists turned the tide, using wind jutsu to redirect the storm back at the attackers.
"Kaijuro's Siege of Kogane Village."
Kaijuro forces besieged and destroyed the small Arakusa village of Kogane, cutting off a vital supply route. The village's defenders fought bravely but were ultimately overwhelmed.
The war's origins can be traced back to a single event: the Assassination of the Arakusa Envoy. A prominent Arakusa diplomat was killed during peace talks with Yominochi, sparking outrage and demands for justice. Yominochi denied involvement, blaming rogue shinobi from Kaijuro. However, the truth was far more sinister.
Unbeknownst to all, the assassination was orchestrated by Susanoo himself, a calculated move to plunge the world into chaos. By planting evidence implicating multiple factions, he ensured that no one would trust the other, igniting a war that would consume the world.
Now, after years of bloodshed, the world teeters on the edge of collapse. The supercontinents are fractured, their resources drained, and their people exhausted. And through it all, Susanoo watches, reveling in the destruction he has wrought.