Note: First chapter of a two-chapter release.

THE END WAR – THE END

The Imperial Palace

Naruto is starting to grow tired of shaking people's hands now, but he is happy to do it one more time as one last comrade approaches him. It is Head General Clyde. As Naruto shakes his hand he thinks back to the time that the three of them met. Naruto, Hinata, Clyde, they met to discuss the possibility of Naruto intervening in Homeworld. The three of them could never have imagined how far that intervention would go, what the three of them would achieve together.

Clyde stands back and bows to Naruto and Hinata.

"Hey Clyde, you don't have to—" Naruto begins.

Naruto stops when he looks over Clyde's shoulders and sees that everyone is bowing. The army that helped to fight Furst Jonas has lowered itself before he and Hinata, the 3rd Empress and Emperor of Homeworld.

"We're nothing like Jonas," Naruto says. "We aren't going to make you bow to us."

"You may stand Clyde," Hinata says.

Clyde remains bowing. "I appreciate that my empress, my emperor, but we do not bow to you because you are forcing us to, we bow to you because we choose to."

The people of the now-free Homeworld remain bowing before their new Imperial Family for one minute before rising. It is a symbol of the respect they have for Hinata and Naruto, respect and admiration they never felt for their predecessor. Homeworld has returned to a time where loyalty is not demanded, it is earned. Nobody has earned that loyalty more than the new imperials.

When Clyde rises he smiles warmly to his friends. "Empress Hinata, Emperor Naruto, I have the honour of being the first Head General of the Military to address you. Believe me, it is an honour that I will remember for the rest of my life. First can I tell you how proud I am to have witnessed part of your story, to have fought alongside you. The Homeworld Military has never known freedom, just oppression and duty. To have been involved with your rise, even just a small bit, it has been the most meaningful thing I have ever done.

"I would like to ask you in my capacity as Head General, where do we go from here? What happens now?"

"I have been giving that a lot of thought," Hinata says. "I believe that Homeworld should not be governed by the strongest, but by those the people choose. We should never again allow strength to determine privilege. I decided some time ago that the Imperials' and the Royals' job shouldn't be to make decisions for Homeworld, our job should be to protect it. Do you agree Naruto?"

Naruto nods. "I do. On this journey I have met many people without any energy who have worked hard all their lives to make things better for the people of Homeworld. People like Mayor Lang Zhou of CheoCho. I can fight but I could never run a city as well as she can. I am willing to defend Homeworld for the rest of my life but deciding how to move forward should be left in the hands of people like her."

Clyde smiles. "So you are turning Homeworld into a democracy?"

Hinata confirms this. "Yes, I am. Having witnessed your leadership skills first-hand it is my hope that you put your name forward as a candidate for the highest leadership role Head General Clyde."

"I would be honoured, my Empress, my Emperor."

"Then you will remain empress and your job will be to protect the people?" Enri asks.

"Yes. That has always been my ambition."

"I see. Will you take the Imperial Palace as your official residence? Okarin has long been the home of the Imperial Family."

Hinata looks at the throne building. "I intend to visit this place often, to establish an official residence nearby, but not here. The Imperial Palace doesn't belong to the Imperial Family, it belongs to the people of Homeworld, that is what father always taught me, that is what I believe. Whoever the people choose to lead them, be it Clyde or anyone else, this place will be theirs from now on."

"I see."

"Besides," Hinata says, glancing at Naruto. "I plan to spend a lot of my time elsewhere anyway. I think that Ewoa sounds nice."

Enri smiles. "I think that is a good choice."

Hinata takes Naruto's hand. The day he thought she died seems like a distant memory now. Since Sarada summoned them here they have endured so many bumps in the road, they have navigated so many obstacles. They have been separated many times but have always found their way back to one another. No matter what Homeworld and this war has thrown at them they have remained together, they have succeeded together. To finally end up back with one another after everything, it feels like they have earned their happiness.

"So, what do we do?" Sarada asks Boruto.

"As the 9th generation leaders of the Hidden Leaf Village? We have to find somewhere to create a new village, somewhere for the shinobi to stay. When they came to this world they had no idea how much they would have to sacrifice. They had no idea they would be here this long. They have given up so much so that we could succeed. I think we owe it to them to create a new home, to ensure that they can live peacefully at long last."

"That's what we do as the 9th generation?"

"Yes."

"And what do we do as Uzumaki Boruto and Uchiha Sarada?"

Boruto sighs. "I don't deserve to be happy after everything I have put you and the villagers through. I wouldn't blame you if you exiled me from the village forever."

"Is that what you want Boruto?"

"Of course it isn't what I want. I want to start righting the mistakes I made, just as my teacher did in the past. I know that isn't easy, that it requires a life of sacrifice beyond what we would expect from an average shinobi. Helping the village under those circumstances can be difficult. I guess Sarada, what I'm saying is, I don't expect you to forgive me, I don't expect you to be with me after everything I have done. But I would… I would… I would be honoured if you let me build a future together with you, both for the village, and for us."

"You can really be an idiot sometimes," Sarada says before hugging Boruto tightly. "Let's build that future together."