Selling and Buying a House

Having made his decision, Kyohaku Uchiha no longer hesitated. He knew full well 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 close against his body, and leaned on his cane as he made his way step by step toward the Housing Management Center of the Konoha Administrative Department.

The journey felt especially long for his current body. The steady, stubborn tap-tap of his cane against the ground drew the eyes of many passersby. He ignored those gazes, whether sympathetic, curious, or merely indifferent, focusing all his attention on keeping his balance and planning his route.

The administrative hall teemed with people. Villagers and ninja came and went endlessly, handling all manner of business. His appearance there was particularly conspicuous. He headed straight for the window marked "Property Affairs," where several people were still waiting in line.

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, yet possessing unusually calm eyes. The man could not help but pause in surprise.

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

Kyohaku raised his head and spoke in a deliberately practiced voice tinged with timidity and grief. "Hello, sir... I-I'm Kyohaku Uchiha. My parents... passed away not long ago. I want... I want to sell my family's 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 there alone, seemingly understanding 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."

"Mm..." Kyohaku lowered his head, his voice becoming softer. "That place... is full of memories. I'm a little scared. I want to move somewhere smaller." The reason was perfectly reasonable, neatly explaining the impulsive yet sorrowful decision a child might make.

The clerk sighed and expressed his understanding. He quickly reviewed the papers and confirmed that the ownership was clear. "A detached property on the edge of the Uchiha Compound... It's in a good location," he assessed. "At current market value, it should be worth around 1.2 million ryo. If you're certain you want to sell, we'll need to complete some procedures, and there will be a small agency and registration fee. The proceeds 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 swiftly. 1.2 million ryo was far beyond his expectations. He looked up, his eyes pleading. "Sir, I can handle it myself. Please help me process it. Could... could most of the money be given to me in cash? I want to keep it for later." He needed to keep as much cash under his own control as possible, avoiding having it placed under "management" again or frozen.

The clerk looked troubled, but when he saw the child's stubborn yet sorrowful eyes, as well as the Uchiha surname on the documents, he eventually nodded. "All right. The rules don't actually make it mandatory... But kid, make sure you hide the money well. Don't spend it carelessly." Muttering on, he began handling the tedious paperwork.

The entire process went more smoothly than Kyohaku had expected. The Uchiha name proved useful once again. No one deliberately made things difficult for an orphan who had just lost his parents, especially over 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 portion in banknotes. 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 cheap. Before long, he settled on a small house for sale near Konoha's eastern gate. It was far from the clan districts and bustling areas, close to the edge of the village. Its residents were a mixed and relatively transient lot, making it exactly the low-profile environment he needed.

The price negotiations went smoothly. The old detached house with a small courtyard was ultimately sold for 750,000 ryo. After completing the transfer procedures and paying the deed tax, he still had exactly 500,000 ryo remaining when he held the freshly issued property deed. It was a massive sum, more than enough to support his life and training for a long time.

He informed no one. He did not even return to take one last look at the home that would soon no longer belong to him. Instead, he hired a passing porter and paid him well to carry a small, already-packed travel bag to the new house. Inside were only a few changes of 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 his remaining loose change. He abandoned all 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 utterly unlike the orderly, lively Uchiha Compound. The streets were narrow and quiet, the houses somewhat old, but every household had its own 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 aged, though its structure seemed sturdy enough.

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 earth. In the distance, he could faintly hear the indistinct sounds of the eastern gate guards changing shifts, while farther still lay the rolling mountains in the direction of the Valley of the End.

There were no Uchiha fan crests here, no familiar eyes, no old belongings full of memories. Everything felt strange and distant.

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

Safe. At least, safe for the moment. He had successfully separated himself from the shadows of the past, gaining a relatively independent starting point and a considerable amount of money.

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

From this day onward, this would be Kyohaku Uchiha's new starting point. A nest far from the environment that had shaped him, 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 all he had to do was make proper use of them, survive this difficult game of life, and then... win.