Selling a House and Buying a House

Once he had made his decision, Uchiha Kyohaku did not hesitate any longer. He knew that delay would only bring more uncertainties. Early the next morning, he changed into his cleanest clothes, carefully tucked the 100,000 ryo compensation payment against his body, and made his way toward the Konoha Administrative Department's Housing Management Center, leaning on his cane one step at a time.

The journey felt especially long for his current body. The steady, stubborn tap-tap of his cane against the ground drew quite a few glances from passersby. He ignored those looks of pity, curiosity, or simple indifference, focusing all his attention on keeping his balance and planning his route.

The administrative hall was bustling with people, with villagers and shinobi coming and going to handle all kinds of business. His appearance here was particularly conspicuous. He headed straight for the window labeled "Property Affairs," where several people were still waiting in line ahead of him.

When it was his turn, the middle-aged clerk behind the counter saw a black-haired child with a slightly pale face, leaning on a cane but possessing unusually calm eyes, and could not help but pause.

"Kid, what do you need? Where are the adults in your family?" the clerk asked instinctively.

Kyohaku raised his head and spoke in a tone he had deliberately practiced, carrying a trace of timidity and sorrow. "Hello, sir... I-I'm Uchiha Kyohaku. My parents... passed away not long ago. I want... I want to sell our house." He carefully took out the property deed and his identification papers from his clothes and handed them over.

"Uchiha?" The clerk accepted the documents and checked them carefully, his expression growing more serious. He looked at Kyohaku's right foot, then at the child standing alone, as though he understood something. His tone softened considerably. "I see... My condolences, child. Are you sure you want to sell the house? This isn't a small matter."

"Yes..." Kyohaku lowered his head, his voice becoming softer. "That place... is full of memories. I'm a little scared. I want to live somewhere smaller." It was a reasonable explanation, perfectly accounting for an impulsive yet grief-stricken decision a child might make.

The clerk sighed and expressed his understanding. He quickly reviewed the documents and confirmed that the ownership was clear. "A detached house on the edge of the Uchiha clan grounds... It's in a good location," he assessed. "At current market prices, it should be worth around 1.2 million ryo. If you're sure you want to sell it, we'll need to process some paperwork and charge a small brokerage and registration fee. The money from the sale will be deposited into a designated account, or... for such a large sum, it would be best to have a guardian accompany you?"

Kyohaku calculated quickly in his heart. 1.2 million ryo was far beyond his expectations. He raised his head, his eyes pleading. "Sir, I can handle it myself. Please help me process it. The money... could I have most of it in cash? I want to keep it for later." He needed to keep as much cash under his own control as possible, lest the funds be "managed" for him again or frozen.

The clerk looked somewhat troubled, but when he saw the child's stubborn yet sorrowful gaze, as well as the surname "Uchiha" on the documents, he finally nodded. "All right. The regulations don't actually make it mandatory... But kid, make sure you hide the money well. Don't spend it recklessly." Muttering on, he began handling the cumbersome procedures.

The entire process went more smoothly than Kyohaku had expected. The Uchiha name worked in his favor once again. No one deliberately made things difficult for an orphan who had just lost his parents, especially in such a reasonable transaction. In the end, after all fees were deducted, he received exactly 1.15 million ryo in cash drafts and a small amount of physical cash. Added to his original 100,000 ryo, his total funds reached the enormous sum of 1.25 million ryo.

Without lingering, he immediately checked the property listings for sale in the same hall. His goals were clear: secluded, quiet, with a courtyard, and inexpensive. Before long, he settled on a small house for sale near Konoha Village's eastern gate. It was far from both the clan districts and bustling areas, close to the edge of the village, with a mixed population and relatively high turnover. It was exactly the low-profile environment he needed.

The price negotiation went smoothly. The old detached cottage with its small yard was ultimately sold for 750,000 ryo. After completing the ownership transfer and paying the property tax, he still had exactly 500,000 ryo left when he held the freshly issued deed in his hands. It was a massive sum, enough to support his life and training for a long time.

He did not notify anyone. He did not even return to the home that would soon no longer be his for one final look. Instead, he directly hired a passing porter, paid him well, and had him carry a small bag of luggage that had long been packed to the new house. The bag contained only his few clothes, all the scrolls and notes his father had left behind, several photographs of his parents together, and a heavy iron box containing 500,000 ryo in cash and the remaining loose change. He abandoned all the other furniture and belongings. A clean break, swift and decisive.

When he stood outside the low wooden gate of his new home, leaning on his cane, the setting sun stretched his shadow long behind him. This place was completely different from the orderly bustle of the Uchiha clan grounds. The streets were narrow and quiet, the houses somewhat old, but every household had its own separate courtyard and kept a certain distance from the others.

He pushed open the creaking gate, revealing a small but fairly tidy courtyard. In one corner stood a half-withered old tree. The house itself had only one floor and looked rather aged, but its structure seemed reasonably sound.

The porter set down the luggage, curiously looked over the strange child and the secluded house, then took his money and left.

Kyohaku stood alone in the middle of the courtyard and looked around. The air carried the scent of grass, trees, and soil. In the distance came the faint sounds of the eastern gate guards changing shifts, and farther still lay the rolling mountains in the direction of the Valley of the End.

There was no Uchiha fan crest here, no familiar gazes, no old possessions filled with memories. Everything felt strange and distant.

Yet when he took a deep breath, what he felt was an unprecedented sense of relief.

He was safe. At least, safe for now. He had successfully separated himself from the shadows of the past and gained a relatively independent starting point, along with a considerable amount of funds.

Leaning on his cane, he walked into the empty, dust-covered house. His footsteps echoed through the rooms.

From today onward, this was Uchiha Kyohaku's new beginning. A nest far from his original environment, where he could quietly accumulate strength.

The enormous sum of 500,000 ryo and his father's legacy of knowledge were all the cards he had.

And what he had to do was make good use of all of it—to survive this harsh game of life, and then... win.