Hiruzen Sarutobi really had that vibe—the kind of "lord" seen throughout history, weak and easy to bully, constantly squeezed and manipulated by his subordinates, even lied to and humiliated in every possible way.
There had been far too many people like that throughout history, and without a doubt, such "lords" would drag their own factions steadily downhill. No matter how prosperous they had once been, internal strife would ultimately lead them into decline.
Though they still did not know what Konoha was actually like, anyone with knowledge of history believed that Konoha must be on the decline now. With an "incompetent" leader, there was simply no way to avoid it.
At the very least, Hiruzen Sarutobi in the real world thought so himself. He felt that the "himself" in the Light Screen footage was utterly pathetic.
Well, even though Hiruzen Sarutobi also felt that his own life in the real world had not exactly been all that impressive, that did not stop him from looking down on the "himself" in the Light Screen footage.
Just like keyboard warriors never admitted defeat, Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had read countless books, believed himself to be stronger than the "himself" in the Light Screen footage.
To say nothing else, Romance of the Three Kingdoms alone made him feel that his skill in political maneuvering far surpassed that of the "himself" in the Light Screen footage.
The image on the Light Screen suddenly shifted.
It moved to another place: a stretch of mountainous forest.
Heavy breathing rang out, and then a figure appeared.
A young man with red hair, wearing a red coat over Chaldea's white uniform, held a Japanese katana in his hand.
The moment he appeared, everyone in the real world recognized him.
After all, he was already an immensely famous figure