Slayer: Look directly at the Seraph, standing on the sun

"This intelligence was indeed hard-won." Danzo's voice was low, revealing a hint of suppressed anger. "I paid a heavy price for it. Almost all of my undercover agents were mobilized, but we still suffered unprecedented heavy losses. This blood is the blood of every single one of them. What do you think, Third Hokage?"

The Third Hokage accepted the intelligence report expressionlessly, his eyes as calm as a deep pool. Although he felt a surge of anger and regret deep inside, he didn't show it. As the Hokage of Konoha, his responsibility was heavier than ever. He knew the situation was critical and he couldn't afford to make wrong decisions out of fear.

“Danzo.” The Third Hokage spoke in a deep voice, his deep voice carrying an unquestionable authority, “Although this intelligence comes with such heavy weight, it reveals an important clue to us—the enemy’s movements.”

He paused, looked up at the map beside him, his gaze calm and sharp. "They've formed an alliance; the four-nation coalition is assembling much faster than we anticipated. We must respond as soon as possible."

Danzo stared nervously at the Third Hokage, but didn't speak immediately. The Third Hokage's composure left him speechless.

“Shinku,” the Third Hokage continued, “You will lead the village’s younger generation of ninjas to the former site of the Senju clan. There, we can hide temporarily and preserve the village’s existence.”

Danzo couldn't help but interject: "Third Hokage, if what you say is true, and the enemy has formed an alliance, are we going to send all the young ninjas to the Senju clan's old site? That's not where our true fighting strength lies."

The Third Hokage glanced at Danzo, his gaze still calm, but his tone carried a hint of determination: "If the enemy invades Konoha, the fate of the younger generation of ninjas will be more important than the battle itself. We must preserve them to pave the way for future counterattacks."

He took a deep breath and continued, "At the same time, I believe the enemy will inevitably choose Mount Kikyo as their point of attack. Mount Kikyo's terrain is easy to defend and difficult to attack, and their combined forces may now be concentrated there to launch a frontal attack."

Danzo frowned slightly, clearly feeling uneasy: "Mount Kikyo is indeed a strategic location, but do you really intend to go there yourself? As Hokage, you should defend Konoha and protect the village."

A cold glint flashed in the Third Hokage's eyes as he firmly replied, "The fate of Konoha is not something I can protect alone. The enemy's army has already assembled, and if the crisis at Kikyo Mountain cannot be resolved, Konoha will inevitably perish. What I can do is buy time and give the young ninjas a chance to survive."

Danzo was well aware of the Third Hokage's resolve, but his heart was still filled with worry: "Then, what about Konoha? If you leave, Konoha will lose the guidance of the Hokage!"

The Third Hokage shook his head helplessly, a hint of weariness flashing in his eyes: "This is a choice we have to make. If the enemy succeeds, we won't even have a chance to continue existing. Going to Kikyo Mountain can at least delay the enemy and buy Konoha more time."

The footsteps of battle drew ever closer. Meanwhile, at the outpost on Kikyo Mountain, Tsunade's face was deathly pale, her fingers gripping the edge of the table trembling slightly. She had received intelligence from the Third Hokage, knowing that the enemy's allied forces had assembled and could launch an attack at any moment.

"Damn it..." Tsunade cursed under her breath, looking out the window with a heavy heart. "Are they going to attack Konoha? How could it be so soon..."

Zhang Hai stood behind her, maintaining his usual composure. Unlike Tsunade, he didn't show anxiety; instead, his eyes were clear and calm, as if he had foreseen all of this. "You don't need to worry too much," he said calmly, a serene confidence in his eyes. "Everything has been arranged."

Tsunade couldn't help but turn back and look at Zhang Hai, her fear and helplessness evident in her eyes. "How can you be so calm? Our enemy is the Four Nations Alliance, commanded jointly by the Tsuchikage, Raikage, Kazekage, and Mizukage, with tens of thousands of ninjas. I can't even imagine their power."

Zhang Hai smiled slightly, his voice cold yet calm: "What you're worried about is Konoha, what you're worried about is yourself." He was silent for a moment, then suddenly looked directly into Tsunade's eyes, "But I don't have that responsibility. I'm just fulfilling my mission. Whether the village is destroyed or not, I don't care."

Tsunade was stunned, as if she couldn't believe it: "You... how can you be so cold-hearted?"

"This is who I am." Zhang Hai's tone remained unchanged. "I don't care about the village; I only care about my own goals and mission. Konoha is your responsibility, not mine."

A flash of anger crossed Tsunade's eyes, but she quickly calmed down. She knew she had to make a choice for Konoha and couldn't let personal feelings sway her.

"You go your way, I'll guard my village," Tsunade said softly, her tone carrying an undeniable determination.

Zhang Hai did not respond, but smiled slightly and looked into the distance. At this moment, the shadows of the enemy army could be seen gradually approaching in the sky above Mount Kikyō.

A mountain breeze swept through Mount Kikyo, carrying a hint of chill. Zhang Hai stood by the window of the outpost, gazing at the approaching enemy forces in the distance, his cold and resolute expression unwavering. However, Tsunade behind him appeared unusually uneasy, her fingers gripping the window frame tightly, her body trembling slightly.

"Why are you so calm?" Tsunade turned around, her voice tinged with pain. "Don't you care about Konoha?"

Zhang Hai turned around, his deep eyes devoid of any emotion. His voice remained calm, as if he were talking about something completely unrelated: "Konoha is not important to me, Tsunade, do you understand? I admit that I once made a promise to you, to walk a part of the road with you, but Konoha, this place is not the battlefield I chose." He walked closer to her step by step, his tone devoid of any emotion, "But you are different, you are very important to me."

Tsunade's chest tightened upon hearing this. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, but the turmoil within her remained unabated. She knew that Zhang Hai had never truly fought for Konoha; every step he took was for himself, and even at this final moment, he still demanded that she make a choice.

"Are you asking me to choose between you and Konoha?" Tsunade's voice was low, filled with undisguised pain. "You know perfectly well that my great-grandfather's dream and Konoha's nurturing are part of my life. I cannot abandon it for anyone, not even you."

Zhang Hai listened quietly, his gaze sharp as a blade, seemingly unaffected by her words.