Glancing at Danzo sitting in his specially modified cell, Nawaki couldn't help but grumble under his breath:
"I really don't get what the Hokage is thinking. At a time like this, he still went out of his way to give this old guy a comfortable, private cell."
This wasn't the first time Nawaki had vented about it.
Danzo was here to serve time, not enjoy a luxurious prison experience. It was a complete waste!
Even if the funding came from the Shimura clan, the decision to agree to such ridiculous conditions made no sense.
Shinobi are human too, and even the most dedicated guards can't stay on duty 24/7. Nawaki was no exception.
He needed breaks to handle personal matters, eat, and rest. To ensure proper oversight, the village had assigned a squad of jonin to assist him, along with ANBU operatives providing additional security.
Given these precautions, Danzo escaping seemed impossible—unless, of course, there was an inside collaborator.
The thought of a mole made Nawaki chuckle bitterly.
Since taking on the duty of guarding Danzo, he felt like he'd become paranoid, seeing potential traitors everywhere.
Yet, after so much time, nothing had happened.
The only thing he'd managed to do was exhaust himself mentally.
After finishing his meal, Nawaki planned a short nap.
He stretched out in the rest room, propping his legs on the table and crossing his arms over his chest. Closing his eyes, he muttered, "When this mission is over, I'm taking a long break. This is ridiculous!"
It wasn't long before he drifted into sleep.
But barely an hour later, the piercing sound of an alarm shattered the peace of the prison.
Nawaki jolted awake and burst out of the room.
"What happened?!"
"No idea! The alarm's coming from the main entrance!"
Konoha's prison had its own monitoring system. If triggered, alarms would echo throughout the facility, signaling either an external attack or a major breach.
An external assault seemed unlikely, making a prison break the most probable cause.
Please, let nothing serious have happened.
Without pausing to gather more information, Nawaki rushed toward Danzo's cell. But a sinking feeling of dread was already growing in his chest.
On his way, he saw several unconscious guards sprawled across the floor. That alone told him the situation was dire.
Ignoring the fallen shinobi, Nawaki focused on reaching Danzo's cell as quickly as possible.
When he finally arrived, his worst fears were confirmed.
The ANBU operative assigned to watch Danzo had been dumped inside the cell, unconscious.
Danzo himself was nowhere to be found.
The squad assisting with security? Gone as well.
Staring at the empty cell, Nawaki's frustration boiled over. He wanted to slap himself for the careless thought he'd had earlier: Danzo escaping would require inside help.
Now, the scenario had played out exactly as he'd dreaded, slapping him in the face—hard.
The prison descended into chaos.
The successful escape of a high-profile prisoner had thrown everyone into disarray.
To make matters worse, the alarm had stirred up the other inmates, causing unrest.
For the guards, maintaining order among the prisoners took precedence over pursuing Danzo.
A full-blown riot loomed, threatening to overwhelm the limited prison staff.
Konoha's prison held some of the most dangerous individuals, and if they revolted, the situation could spiral out of control.
In the original timeline, there had been a prison riot that allowed numerous inmates to escape, creating havoc throughout the village.
Faced with a choice—chase after Danzo or stay to suppress the prisoners—Nawaki made a reluctant decision.
Cursing under his breath, he chose to remain behind. If he left, the prison could devolve into an even greater catastrophe.
He quickly dispatched messengers to inform the Hokage's office.
At the Hokage's office, Tsunade, the Third Hokage, and the two elder advisors were in the middle of a discussion about hospital supplies.
The urgent knock at the door startled everyone before an ANBU operative entered without waiting for permission.
"Hokage-sama, urgent news! Shimura Danzo has escaped from prison with the help of collaborators. He killed two guards during the breakout and has successfully fled.
"The alarm has triggered unrest among the inmates, and the situation is escalating."
The Third Hokage's face turned pale as he shot to his feet—no, jumped to his feet.
"What did you say?! Danzo escaped?!"
What is that old fool thinking? Does he plan to defect?!
This would make him a target for a village-wide manhunt.
The advisors, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, were equally stunned. Their minds buzzed as if struck by a hammer.
Meanwhile, Tsunade's reaction was less shocked and more… amused.
She let out a dry laugh, her tone dripping with sarcasm. If the situation weren't so serious, she would have taken this opportunity to mock the Third Hokage mercilessly.
This is the man you've been bending over backward to protect? Was it worth it?
"Yes, Hokage-sama," the ANBU operative continued, kneeling on one knee and speaking quickly.
"Danzo orchestrated his escape with the help of a newly assigned support team. He made his move while Nawaki-sama was on a break."
Grass is a plant…
The Third Hokage felt his heart sink.
The jonin support team had been personally selected by him.
At the time, it seemed like a trivial matter, and Tsunade had agreed to his decision.
But now, it was clear he'd inadvertently placed Danzo's allies in charge, allowing the man to escape.
The Hokage realized, too late, that they had underestimated Danzo's deep network of loyalists.
"Deploy reinforcements to the prison immediately," the Third Hokage commanded, his voice trembling with anger.
"Ensure the prisoners are kept under control. I'll personally lead the effort to recapture Danzo."
His frustration boiled over, and blood surged to his throat. A spray of crimson escaped his lips as he coughed violently.
Just hours ago, he had arranged for Danzo's cell to be upgraded for comfort, selected a team of trusted jonin to assist Nawaki, and given every consideration to the man's welfare.
And now?
Danzo had thrown his goodwill to the ground, grinding it underfoot. The shame of it was unbearable.
Abandoning his pipe on the desk, the Third Hokage stormed out of the office.
Tsunade pinched the bridge of her nose, exhaling deeply as she watched him leave.
The elder advisors turned their gaze to her, prompting an irritated response:
"What? Do you expect me to chase after Danzo too?"
"Cough, no, no, that's not what we meant," Homura stammered.
Their confusion stemmed from Tsunade's uncharacteristic calm. Normally, she would have been livid and lambasting the Third Hokage by now.
Instead, she simply looked… resigned.
Rolling her eyes dramatically, Tsunade addressed them:
"Why don't you both prepare Danzo's wanted notice instead? If the Hokage fails to capture him, we'll issue the bounty immediately.
"Set the reward at 30 million ryo for now."
Once the bounty was issued, it would circulate both within the village and to bounty hunters outside.
Whoever returned Danzo—alive or dead—would claim the reward.
Takuya: Finally! After so long, Danzo's jailbreak has arrived!
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(P)(S): If you're interested, you can read up to 50+ Chapter at Patreon com/ Emik01.