Board Thread:Naruto Discussions/@comment-27090764-20151018105549/@comment-24815383-20151018201526

It had to be after the 3rd war, though the part where Haku meets them I believe is anime-only, and not manga-canon.

But still the fact that after the 3rd war is very broad, as there is roughly a 13 year long period between the end of the 3rd war and the start of the series.

Though I believe it happened after the Kyubi incident and after Orochimaru left.