Kazekage Ninja: The Rise of the Hidden Sand

"Who else could claim they’re as exhausted from being in prison as I am? Probably no one in the entire world."

Lying on his bed with his legs crossed, Aotu Tailuo muttered to himself in a low voice.

Indeed, ever since Yahiko left, Aotu Tailuo’s prison break plan had officially kicked off, leaving him constantly on the move, never catching a moment’s rest.

Fortunately, much of the groundwork had already been laid. He had spent time building his authority and leadership among the inmates of the Abyss Prison. He had established a connection with and gained the trust of Kazama Xu in the Black Prison. He had incited riots to observe the guards’ response patterns and the prison’s defensive arrangements.

And now, after a year had passed, the effects of the fake chakra-weakening drug were gradually wearing off. Just as Lord Rasa had said, Aotu Tailuo noticed a significant improvement in his overall chakra reserves and a marked enhancement in his strength. He was now at the peak of quasi-Kage level, just a step away from true Kage-level power. It was time to act.

Through coded correspondence with Yahiko, Aotu Tailuo outlined his prison break plan. The assistance he required was straightforward: three doses of the antidote to the chakra-weakening drug and a sand ship for extraction.

Upon receiving Aotu Tailuo’s letter, Yahiko didn’t hesitate. Despite Amegakure’s meager finances, he spent a fortune on the black market to procure three doses of the antidote and a second-hand semi-automated warship decommissioned by Sunagakure’s standing army. The antidotes cost 1.2 million ryo, and the ship a staggering 38 million ryo. Yahiko was willing to pay any price to secure Aotu Tailuo’s allegiance.

The antidotes were smuggled into the prison via mail, though not in an obvious manner. The liquid antidote was extracted and sealed inside the hollow shaft of a calligraphy brush. Of course, this operation was carried out with the tacit consent of certain members of the Abyss Prison’s management.

Obtaining syringes, however, was trickier. The only place in the entire prison where syringes could be found was the infirmary. Yet, for someone like Aotu Tailuo, who had established himself as the "big boss," this was hardly a challenge. After issuing the order, his subordinates quickly procured two clean syringes within a day. How they managed it didn’t concern him; he simply rewarded them with two packs of cigarettes, then used the syringe to pierce the brush shaft and extract the antidote. Two doses were ready.

For the next five months, Aotu Tailuo was a whirlwind of activity, utilizing his unique position to coordinate every detail. This was a grand chess game, and no mistakes could be afforded. Today marked a critical step in the plan.

"Stop standing there like a fool. Come over and massage my legs. Have some sense, will you?"

Aotu Tailuo barked at Yamada Shuji.