"You say that, but however old you are, are you older than those two old geezers, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo?"
"Hahaha, you can't compare us like that. Those two were older than me to begin with."
"True. Let's drop that. So, have you gotten used to life without being a ninja?"
Sakumo spoke with a touch of wistfulness.
"It's been pretty good. Only after faking my death and getting away did I realize that life could be so rich outside of missions. It didn't have to be all fighting and killing.
"But maybe I'm still a ninja at heart. After living like this for long enough, I sometimes find it dull."
"Tsk, if you're bored, come visit me in the Land of Grass. What's the fun in staying in Konoha all the time? You ought to get out and see the world. It's much more exciting than Konoha."
"Really? Then I'll come visit when I have time. You can show me what I've been missing."
"No problem. Come find me, and I guarantee you'll have a good time."
"Hahaha, it's a deal."
While the two chatted, the second round of the exam began, and the candidates entered the Forest of Death in batches.
There, in the Forest of Death, they would undergo a practical combat test.
"The exam's started. Those kids you brought along are pretty strong. Kakashi told me about them. The three strongest all have kekkei genkai, and apparently there's even an Uchiha among them."
"Yes, just one Uchiha. Nothing special. Konoha used to have the entire Uchiha Clan, after all. They just couldn't hold on to it."
"Yes. It's today's Konoha that couldn't hold on to it."
Sakumo looked toward the Forest of Death with a touch of melancholy.
"But Konoha wasn't supposed to be like this.