The domineering Uchiha drove the Third Hokage mad!

Chapter 239 We'll strike again when all living beings are weary of war.

The stench of blood had not yet dissipated from the Fire Kingdom's palace, which was already crowded with armored soldiers and nobles.

The four princes stood around a huge map of the Fire Kingdom's territory, the air thick with the tension of power struggles.

The moment Hiruzen Sarutobi's body was carried out of the sleeping quarters, the "spoils division meeting" had already begun.

"Now that our eldest brother is gone, his nine cities should be divided among us brothers. I want the two cities in the north. Do you have any objections?"

The second prince, Yuan Shiqiang, spoke first. He was burly, his armor still stained with the blood of battle. His gaze swept over the cities marked on the map, carrying an undeniable air of dominance.

He had dozens of nobles standing behind him, including supporters sent by the daimyo of the Land of Earth, which gave him even more confidence.

The third prince, Enichi Takashi, sneered, pointing his finger at the map of the territory: "Second brother is indeed impatient, but there are rules even for dividing cities. You can't just decide based on your word, can you? I also have the support of the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning. These two cities closer to the east should rightfully belong to me."

He was thin, but his eyes were exceptionally sharp, clearly indicating that he had planned this all along.

The fourth prince, Yuan Shixing, spoke calmly and deliberately. He wore a brocade robe embroidered with the totem of the Wind Kingdom, and his tone carried a touch of elegance: "What my two elder brothers say makes sense. The division of cities must take into account the actual situation. My mother is a princess of the Wind Kingdom, so the two western cities should belong to me!"

The three princes each held their own version of events, pointing at the cities on the map of the territory. Only the fifth prince, Yuan Shihong, stood in the corner, his expression calm, as if the struggle had nothing to do with him.

The second prince, Yuan Shiqiang, asked with a hint of probing, "Fifth brother, why aren't you saying anything? You also have a share in these nine cities."

Upon hearing this, the fifth prince, Enichi Hong, bowed deeply, adopting an extremely humble posture: "My three elder brothers are aware of my situation. I know I am not capable enough and have never thought of vying for the position of daimyo. No matter which elder brother becomes the new daimyo in the end, I will do my best to assist him."

He pointed to the map: "These two small southern cities are located in remote areas with barren land. They are of little help to your great cause. If you don't mind, please give me these two cities. I only ask to live a peaceful life. From now on, I will give 30% of the taxes from the five cities under my command to you every month in exchange for your protection."

Upon hearing this, the three princes were slightly taken aback.

They never expected their fifth brother, Yuan Shihong, to be so humble and to voluntarily withdraw from the competition for the title of daimyo.

The second prince, Yuan Shiqiang, was the first to react, instantly lowering his guard. After all, one less competitor and a free resource every month was a good thing for him.

He laughed heartily: "Fifth brother is quite sensible! Since you put it that way, these two cities are yours! From now on, you can develop your career in the south. With us here, no one will dare to bully you."

The third and fourth princes also nodded in agreement.

In their view, Yuan Shihong's initiative to back down not only eliminated one threat but also earned him a reputation for "brotherly harmony," so why not?

Moreover, those two impoverished towns had no impact on their struggle for core power.

Yuan Shihong bowed again to express his gratitude, a humble smile on his face, but a glint of shrewdness flashed in his eyes.

He knew perfectly well that the Land of Fire was now a place of great turmoil, and that the three princes were backed by powerful nations, and that a greater conflict would inevitably erupt over power sooner or later.

Although the south is barren, it is far from the sphere of influence of the three major powers, which is just right for him to develop in secret.

Soon, Yuan Shihong, along with a small number of followers, left the capital and headed to two small towns in the south.

His early departure made the atmosphere in the hall even more tense.

"Now, only one city remains."

The third prince, Enichi Takashi, fixed his gaze on the "Daimyo Prefecture," the capital of the Land of Fire, in the center of the map. This city was not only the political center of the Land of Fire, but also a symbol of power. Whoever controlled the Daimyo Prefecture would have the legal basis to become the new Daimyo.

The second prince, Yuan Shiqiang, slammed his fist on the table, his tone forceful: "The Daimyo Prefecture should rightfully belong to me! I have the support of the Land of Earth, and the strongest military force; only I can defend the capital!"

The third prince, Enichi Takashi, immediately retorted, "Why should it belong to you? The Land of Lightning has already promised to send troops to help me stabilize the Land of Fire. Only by handing over the Daimyo Prefecture to me can we gain the trust of all other nations!"

The fourth prince, Yuan Shixing, retorted sharply, "You have powerful backers, but don't I? The daimyo of the Land of Wind is also willing to provide me with his full support!"

The three princes each held their own version of events, and the argument grew increasingly heated, even accusing each other of "coveting power...disregarding the safety of the Land of Fire...!"

Their supporters also spoke up, defending their respective princes, and the atmosphere in the hall instantly plummeted to freezing point.

Seeing that the argument was deadlocked, the second prince, Yuan Shiqiang, drew his longsword from his waist, pointing the tip at the ground: "Further words are useless! Whoever has the stronger fist, Daming Prefecture belongs to them! If you're so capable, let's meet on the battlefield!"

The third prince, Enichi Takashi, was not to be outdone. He summoned his ninja squad, and chakra fluctuations spread throughout the hall: "Fight then! Do you think I'm afraid of you?"

The fourth prince, Yuan Shixing, quickly advised, "I propose that Daming Prefecture be jointly managed by the three of us, with the profits divided equally among the three parties. After we determine the winner, we can then decide the final ownership of Daming Prefecture."

The second prince, Yuan Shiqiang, gritted his teeth: "Joint management? That's one way. Third prince, what are your thoughts?"

The third prince, Enichi Takashi, nodded and sheathed his weapon: "Alright, I agree. After all, if war breaks out in Daimyo Prefecture, the destruction and losses caused by the war will ultimately be heartbreaking!"

The three princes exchanged glances, then began to divide up Daming Prefecture and deploy troops in the surrounding area.

Inside the palace of the King of Water, Uchiha Mitsunori observed the changes in the daimyo of various countries through his eye technique, the Eye of God.

A glint of light flashed in his eyes: "This is getting more and more interesting. The turmoil in the Land of Fire has attracted the attention of the ninja nobles, so they haven't stopped us. The release of the movie 'The Legend of Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama' has made our 'unification ideology' propaganda much smoother."

Nara Shikaku stood to the side, nodding in agreement: "Perhaps this is destiny. However, the Fifth Prince, Enichi Kou, is a clever man. He withdrew from the competition early and secretly accumulated strength. Perhaps he will become an important pawn in our subsequent plans."

Hiashi Hyuga's expression was serious, and his voice was steady: "That's right. Let them be in chaos for a while, and wait until everyone is tired of war before we make our move. Only then will the time be truly ripe for us to unify the ninja world."

Uchiha Mitsunori raised an eyebrow, deep in thought: The turmoil in the Land of Fire alone is probably not enough. The ninja world needs a major villain to highlight their role as the unifier of the ninja world and the savior the masses have been waiting for.