The Kinkaku force was closing in on them. As they tree-hopped at full speed, dozens of plans were being formed and promptly discarded in Tobirama's mind.

There was no way that all of them were going to survive this. Taking a deep breath, Tobirama finally made a decision, and signaled his students to stop at the upcoming clearing.

"One of us has to stay behind." He revealed without any preamble. Hiruzen, being his smartest student, was quick to grasp the logic behind his words. "I'll stay, sensei. I'll do my best to hold them off."

Tobirama shook his head. "As long as I'm alive, none of you will play the sacrificial pawn. You are the future of Konoha, and as my duty as Hokage and your sensei states, I'll be staying behind to provide distraction. Hiruzen, I wish for you to lead the village as the Sandaime, as it is unlikely that I'll make it. Now, make haste for Konoha and inform the village of this betrayal. I do not want any arguments." He held up his hand putting an end to the protests he knew were sure to come.

After taking a last look at his students, Tobirama turned back, intent on taking out as many members of the Kinkaku Force as he could, giving his students the best chance to make it back home alive.

Almost two hours later, Tobirama was lying face-down on dirt, bleeding from more injuries that he cared to count, more importantly with the entirity of Kinkaku Force dead by his hands. An ordinary ninja would have given up long ago, but he was Tobirama Senju. As long as he was breathing he could mould chakra.

Hiruzen was still a chunnin. Despite his high intelligence and knack for tactics, it would be difficult for him to manage Konoha's administration and military, especially with war on the horizon. Tobirama had immense faith in his student, however he didn't wish to leave him to flounder.

He thought back to the incomplete seal he had been working on in training ground 44, for long distance teleportation, which was far more likely to blown him to pieces than perform its intended function. Nonetheless, he was dying anyway. he didn't have anything to lose. He drew the seal on the ground with his own blood (there was plenty available), and activated it, being completely prepared for instant vaporisation.

He was surprised to feel the familiar sensation of being teleported by Hiraishin, albeit longer and more nauseating. A few seconds later he fell on his face again, this time thankfully on grass (which was a lot softer than Kumo's rocky terrain). He tensed up for a moment before sensing the chakra of Hashirama's mokouton imbibed in trees sorrounding him, and relaxed. He was aware that he wasn't going to survive unless he recieved urgent medical attention, and flared his chakra in the standard Konoha code for 'Medical Assistance Required'. He hoped someone stupid or brave enough to train in the inner areas of training ground 44 would be able to sense it.

It looked like his luck was shining that day because only after a minute he felt someone approaching. With effort, he rolled over to face his would be saviour, and was surprised to see Kagami's face looking back at him, when he had just left his student near the border of Lightening Country, which was two days away from Konoha, even at shinobi speed. He was about to question his student regarding this when the blood loss finally caught up to him and he lost consciousness. The last thing he saw was Kagami's panickd face as he took in the severity of Tobirama's injuries.