**Chapter 69: Moving the Uchiha Clan into Luxury Mansions**

The land of the Uchiha Clan!

Hmm. This is exactly the kind of thing the Uchiha would say.

Kakashi didn't have much to say—after all, he was alone now.

As for the other clans, even if they had opinions, they were probably keeping them to themselves.

Uchiha Reijin wasn't the kind of person to listen to others' suggestions.

This guy liked to act on his own.

"If that dethroned king isn't dead yet, he's probably being hunted."

"And if we wanted to make contact with him, it wouldn't be easy."

Kakashi said with a bit of frustration. There was no way the current king would let King Riku off the hook.

King Riku's existence was a threat to their power.

If they caught him, they likely wouldn't leave behind a body.

"It's fine. He's not dead yet."

"He's probably preparing for a comeback as we speak."

"For now, let's buy a few houses in Dressrosa."

"Living in the forest makes me feel like we're turning into savages."

Reijin glanced around at their surroundings, somewhat helpless.

It felt like the priority was to get out of this primitive state.

Tenzo could restore his chakra and build two wooden houses.

But building enough houses for all the Uchihas and others to live in? Reijin felt it would take a small army of Tenzos to pull that off.

Even though he called it "training the kid's abilities," there was no point in pushing it this far.

"Buy houses? But we don't have any official identity. Won't we raise suspicion by suddenly showing up?" 

Kakashi scratched his head. They had too many loopholes in their cover story.

In this world, they were nobodies—complete blanks.

Any background check would immediately reveal something was off.

"Yeah, identity is a tough issue. Handling a couple of people is one thing, but this many? It'll draw too much attention."

"Forget it! Let's settle everyone down first."

Reijin frowned slightly. A group of unknown people suddenly appearing in this world would definitely attract the attention of the World Government and the Navy.

There wasn't much he could do about it. If they had fewer people, he could have just given them random identities. But with so many, let the World Government investigate.

Reijin changed into a fresh short-sleeve shirt and shorts.

Meanwhile, Kakashi's one eye remained covered by his eyepatch.

They looked like they fit right into the pirate world.

They called Nara Shikaku and Uchiha Izumi to join them.

The four-person team set off for Dressrosa.

"Sir, this villa is perfect for you. There's a garden park in the back, a popular spot for young couples in love."

"For just six million Berries, you can live in one of the finest villas."

"I'm sure in this country full of passion and romance, you'll be quite popular."

The sales agent, trying hard to impress, enthusiastically explained the villa's perks to Reijin.

The young man in front of him was clearly a top-tier customer.

Upon arriving, Reijin casually tossed him a gold nugget the size of a finger.

In that moment, the agent wished he were a woman so he could offer himself and live a life of luxury with Reijin.

"This place isn't bad."

Reijin was quite satisfied. The location was excellent, almost in the center of Dressrosa, and not far from the coliseum.

"And?"

The sales agent looked at Reijin hopefully.

"Are there any other houses for sale nearby?"

After all, he wasn't the only one moving in—there were others, too.

He couldn't bring the entire Uchiha clan, but he could at least bring a few people to familiarize themselves with the area.

"This area is fully occupied! It's a highly competitive district," the sales agent said with a troubled look.

*Thud!*

A gold nugget the size of a fist dropped into his hand.

The agent's eyes instantly turned into the shape of coins, amazed by the generosity of the man in front of him.

"Don't worry about it being full. I'll offer 30% more than the asking price and buy ten houses," Reijin said confidently. "If you can pull this off, your commission will be guaranteed."

Money was the least of Reijin's concerns right now. Thanks to the Kazekage's contributions of gold, there was more than enough to secure homes for the entire Uchiha clan.

"I'll make it happen!" the agent quickly assured him.

After finalizing the payment for the villa, Reijin took a tour. The villa wasn't huge, only three floors, but the best feature was the view of the flower garden out back.

Countless couples embraced in the garden, the air thick with the sweet and sour scent of love. It was one of the distinctive touches Doflamingo had brought to the country.

"Shikaku, from now on, you and Kakashi will gather information in the city. I need to locate the king who was overthrown," Reijin said, turning to Shikaku by his side. 

"You can mobilize the other clans as needed. Just find him quickly."

The Nara clan were known for their intelligence, and Shikaku knew exactly what he had to do in this unfamiliar world. 

"I understand. But, Lord Reijin, I'd like to request that you release Shikamaru," Shikaku said, looking up at Reijin seriously, having already prepared himself mentally for this moment.

"You are in no position to make demands of Lord Reijin!" Uchiha Izumi stepped forward, her gaze icy as she glared at Shikaku.

Those children were their leverage—there was no way they'd hand them over so easily.

"Shikamaru is a brilliant child. His intelligence rivals my own," Shikaku explained, maintaining his composure. "I want him to understand this world so that he can assist you in the future. The knowledge we have from the ninja world doesn't fully apply here, and he needs to be reeducated."

Shikaku had placed his bet. He had no other choice, being under someone else's roof. Seeing Tsunade again had been a disappointment—she turned out to be weak, easily controlled by Reijin. And with the Aburame clan already siding with the Uchiha, Shikaku saw an opportunity.

He knew Reijin didn't need the older generation; the goal was to indoctrinate their children into serving him. Rather than let Reijin do it himself, Shikaku decided to offer Shikamaru first. Perhaps, if they ever returned to Konoha, Reijin would treat their clans more leniently.

Come to think of it… how is Konoha doing right now? 

Shikaku suddenly felt uneasy, recalling the village elders and their typical behavior. He had a bad feeling.

"You've made the right choice," Reijin said with a sudden smile, his eyes flashing with a swirling pattern.

Two figures appeared in front of them—Uzumaki Karin and Nara Shikamaru.

"You can take this girl with you as well," Reijin handed Karin over to Shikaku.

Karin, looking anxious, quickly asked what was going on. She felt a sudden fear, thinking Reijin no longer had use for her. 

She desperately wanted to prove her worth, but all she had was her chakra.

"Follow him and learn. I want you to become my advisor in the future. But in your free time, you must return. I'll teach you taijutsu and ninjutsu properly," Reijin said, patting Karin's head gently, his face softening into a warm smile.

"Really?" Karin's eyes lit up, more excited about learning taijutsu from Reijin. Her face flushed with happiness, looking as though she had just fallen in love, like the couples in the garden.

Shikaku's heart sank. He could already tell this wouldn't be easy.

(End of Chapter)