BSWS CH-26 Aftermath of the Wave Massacre

With the demise of Gato and his Thugs, the tension was let out of everyone that was present on the bridge. Zabuza, Haku, and Kakashi simply collapsed from their exhaustion and injuries. They were wondering what to do with Zabuza and Haku when Tazuna volunteered to house them in his home.

Naruto made clones to carry them all there. Sakura told them to go ahead and that she will join them a bit later. Once she was alone, she finally allowed her calm exterior to fade as her face reflected the feelings she had been suppressing for so long. Nausea, guilt, and horror at her own actions surfaced as she tried to avoid having a panic attack.

While she would do the same if given a chance to go back and redo things, this was the first time she had truly killed a person like one would kill poultry fowl. There was no explanation or time for realization for her victims. It was just a moment of shock and pain before it was all over.

Sakura deliberately made herself watch the result of her slaughter. She had done this deliberately, partly to show her prowess to Kakashi and others, and partly to make herself used to the bloodbath that was a part of shinobi life. She made herself get acclimated to the blood and death that was present on the bridge because of her.

It took around half an hour before she could move. It took another hour for her to be composed enough to wash away the blood and gore with a weaker version of Water Style: Giant Vortex. Once she was done with that, she sat there and meditated.

-x-x-x-x-

Later that night, two figures arrived on the bridge next to Sakura. She glanced slightly at them for a moment before going back to sitting calmly while watching the full moon in the sky. The two figures decided to join her in watching the moon and sat on the bridge, leaning against the sides of it.

After a while, Sakura turns to look at them, "So you both are leaving then?"

Zabuza simply nodded at her while Haku gave her a smile. Zabuza currently looked like a mummy with a number of bandages on him. Haku must have been covered in bandages too, but they were hidden beneath his clothes.

"I wanted to thank you for saving us," Zabuza Said hoarsely and hesitantly as if he was being forced to dig out his organs with a blunt and rusted spoon "I can say for sure that both Haku and I would have died on this bridge if not for you."

"It is fine. I just hope to not see you return back to your mercenary ways. Or even if you do, at least make sure to not oppress common people like this." Sakura said.

"We don't do this out of a desire to cause pain." Haku said while defending Zabuza "We do this because.."

"...Because you need money for the Rebellion?" Sakura asked. Zabuza and Haku looked at her alarmed.

"How do you know that kid?" Zabuza asked, a slight coldness coming to his voice.

"Let's just say Gato told me more than he knew…" Sakura made an excuse as she could not tell them her true source of information. As she expected, Zabuza relaxed on knowing it was from Gato.

Sakura's bluff turned out to be on the mark that Gato probably knew about Zabuza's need for money. Otherwise, there was no way that a terrifying Jonin like Zabuza would serve someone like Gato.

"Hmm, no harm in confirming then. Yes, we are part of the rebellion." Zabuza nodded.

"You know, you really should change your headband in that case." Sakura said, "An unmarked headband is a dead giveaway that you are not truly a cast-out ninja."

"Well, the headband is our pride." Zabuza said while touching it "We rebel Mist Ninja don't consider ourselves cast out hence none of us have marked our headbands."

"Anyway. If you are leaving, I guess you will need this back." Sakura said as she threw a scroll at him. Zabuza caught it with a lazy swipe of his hand as he stood up along with Haku.

"I guess we will see you later then, Leaf Girl." Zabuza said as he cracked his neck and knuckles "Don't go off dying before that. I have a debt to repay, and the Demon always pays his dues. Though not many can claim to have kept me in their debt."

As Zabuza left, Haku stayed back for a few more moments. "Goodbye Sakura," Haku said as he finally left.

-x-x-x-x-x-

A few miles away from the Land of Waves.

Zabuza and Haku stopped by a certain hill near the coast. They made a few hand signs and flared their chakra in certain patterns. Following the end of the chakra fluctuation coded message, a particular part of the hillside slid down and revealed a cave entrance.

Zabuza and Haku went in and traveled to the back of the cave. There was a man-made set of stairs carved into the floor of the cave's end, going downwards. They traveled along the stairs and reached a vast cavern, that seemed like was leftover inside of a volcano that had solidified.

Suddenly a bunch of shinobi emerged from various hidden entrances and gathered in the cavern. In the lead was a gorgeous female in her late twenties with a voluptuous body. She had brownish-orange hair that was tied in a side-ponytail, with a thick lock of hair covering her right eye.

"Well, Well, Well," the woman said as she sauntered to Zabuza with a smirk on her face "Our Infamous Demon Vice-Leader didn't die after all. I thought you would when I heard the news about how badly the Copy Ninja and his team beat you on their first encounter with you."

"Shut it, Mei," Zabuza said "I am back and also resolved the dispute with Leaf Shinobi. Hence they should not pursue us this time. Plus they don't know about me being part of the Rebellion. For them, I am just a mercenary."

"Hmm, we can only hope that is true oh Great Demon-sama," Mei said with a smirk before getting serious "Jokes aside, I don't see Kubikiribocho. Don't tell me the Leaf has it now? That is one of the only two Swords we have right now."

"No, I have it. However, the blade is broken so I will be wiping out some Bandit Groups across the continent to sate its thirst." Zabuza said as he took out the scroll and showed her "Anyway, I am going to rest. We can leave after half a day, just to make completely sure no one is following us."

"Whatever you say Demon-sama," Mei smirked and disappeared along with the rest of the Mist Rebellion Shinobi. Zabuza and Haku went to their shared quarters in the cavern and finally relaxed. They could not even relax amongst compatriots as Mist was a very competitive place. If Zabuza shows weakness then Kubikiribocho could be taken away from him.

Thinking of Kubikiribocho, Zabuza unsealed the scroll. To his surprise, along with the broken Kubikiribocho, a pile of tightly bound ryo bundles fell out. The amount of money there could easily be in tens of millions. Even Haku was surprised at this as he came and stood in front of it.

"Sakura…" Haku muttered after a while.

"That little Leaf Brat…" Zabuza muttered while fighting hard to prevent a small smile from emerging beneath the face bandages. He then noticed that the marking on the scroll had transformed to display a certain message.

'A Parting Gift to ensure Successful Endeavors. - A Concerned Friend.'