[He considers it from a partly selfish perspective. All of his friends here are now deprived of him. And beyond that, Gai and Neji are deprived of extra time with each other.]

Ah... I suppose that is so, in several ways. [He frowns and focuses his eyebrows.] But he is subject to the war back home now. And... I am sure that you were looking forward to challenging him again in a place like this.