Hatake Sakumo's imposing presence vanished the instant Soji and Kakashi entered the hall.
For a moment, Soji doubted whether what he had just seen was real.
"Soji, Kakashi, why did you two come to Daimyo City together today? I was quite surprised when the servants reported it," Hatake Sakumo said with a smile.
There was no falsehood in Sakumo's words.
Normally, whenever Kakashi came to see him, he would send a letter ahead of time.
This time, he had come without a word, and with Soji in tow no less. It truly caught him off guard.
"Sakumo-senpai, it's been a long time. I'm sorry I haven't come to visit you all this while. But from the looks of things, you seem to be doing quite well here." As he spoke, Soji surveyed the surroundings.
"That's thanks to you, Soji." Hatake Sakumo shook his head with a laugh, not denying it.
Honestly, living in Daimyo City of the Land of Fire was indeed far more comfortable than staying in Konoha.
Over the years, both the Third Hokage and Minato during his tenure as Hokage had written to ask him to return to Konoha.
But Hatake Sakumo had refused them all.
The Daimyo of the Land of Fire had truly treated him well. Not only was he free of any restraints, but his residence had been arranged according to the standards of the city's highest-ranking nobles.
At first, Hatake Sakumo had found such treatment rather uncomfortable, but over time, he gradually got used to it.
If there was one downside to living here, it was that he could not often see his old friends from Konoha or his own son.
Thus, over the years, they had mostly kept in touch through letters.
At most, when old friends from Konoha passed through Daimyo