Epilogue
A number of days had passed.
In the middle of the morning light, Boruto was playing games as usual.
He was starting from the first level, with a new character.
Beside him, his still-bandaged mother was mending his clothes. It was the jacket that had gotten tattered when he’d protected Sarada.
Next to his mother, his dad was reading the newspaper, as well as being a partner for Himawari’s playfulness.
“…Mom.” Boruto said, “You can just leave it like that.”
“Eh?”
“It’s cool like that.”
Boruto’s character inside the game died. It was Game Over. Well, that was part of playing.
Next, he had to go apologise to Shikadai and the others, and ask them to keep him company while levelling up.
“Mom, I mean my jacket! I’m heading out now, so I need it!”
Boruto grabbed his tattered jacket, and exited the house.
Hinata watched him go with a very, very content look on her face.
It was the usual scenery of heading out to work.
It was the same road as always.
But, inside Boruto, everything felt like it had changed.
“Boruto, are you going on a mission after this?” Naruto asked from next to hi with a grin.
“Yeah…” Boruto replied, and said sincerely, “Dad, you too, do your best with work.”
“I will!”
The two of them both reached out at the same time, and bumped theirfists together.
And then, they both leapt towards their own directions and took off.
Just that was a terribly happy thing.
Starting the Chuunin Exams over from scratch was a lot of trouble.
While the true identities of Momoshiki and Kinshiki were going to be investigated without pause while Sasuke, redoing the everything from the last exam was going to be a lot of work, even when it came to just arranging the line up of examiners.
“Redoing the Chuunin Exams is going to be troublesome as expected.” Shikamaru said in the middle of the Hokage office. He was making an openly annoyed face, and smoking a cigarette. ”Definitely not gonna be able to go home tonight.“
"It’s been decided how Katasuke will be dealt with, too.” He continued, “Well, a demotion and punishment…perfectly valid stuff. If he turns over a new leaf, then he’ll be allowed to work with his colleagues again. I’m not gonna let him be in peace. He’s gonna be worked to the bone.”
“He better properly take on the missions from the genin!” Naruto laughed, and looked down at his schedule packed to the brim with plans.
“Speaking of…” Naruto said, “I thought about this a bit and…well, I’m the Hokage and the Hokage is the leader so…would it be okay if…I got to decide on a vacation?”
“…Have you…been listening to anything I said…?” Shikamaru stared at Naruto with a stunned look on his face, cigarette smoke drifting out his mouth.
“…No chance, huh….?”
“Just two days.” Shikamaru said.
He was doing Naruto a big favour.
’…so basically, it was something that I was taught really well.’
Boruto was projected on the TV at Naruto’s side.
Since that incident, Boruto had become a young hero. Society was a fickle thing, so the booing event was totally waved off, and now everyone was praising the young hero who’d put himself at risk by facing unknown invaders to atone for his wrong-doings.
‘While still a genin, you became a reason, alongside the Gokage, that the Ninja World was saved from a major crisis. Was your reason for becoming so within what you were taught?“
Boruto proudly nodded. He probably felt awkward in front of the pretty newscaster. Well, Naruto could understand that.
'What do you think is the most important thing for a shinobi?’
'Teamwork and willpower!’
'I see! That’s lovely.’
'It’s what my dad said though…’ Boruto gave an embarrassed grin.
Next to Naruto, Shikamaru said "That look of his is just like you,”, but Naruto ignored him.
“He’s supposed to say the Seventh there, not dad! He knows that, and yet-”
On the screen, Boruto pointed at his head.
’…Not just here…’ He said, and moved his thumb to point at his body, his tattered clothes.
Ah…
Naruto finally understood that his words had gotten through.
'It’s meaningful if you make sure your body understands it too.’ Boruto said.
'I see. Then, what about we hear your enthusiasm for the re-opening of the Chuunin Exams?’
'This time, I’ll do things right!!’
On the screen, Boruto’s tiny rasengan shone brightly.
Boruto, Sarada, and Mitsuki were looking down at the village from the top of the Hokage Monument.
Konohamaru was going to herd the target towards them soon.
“Since then, you’ve really become popular, showing up in the news and on tv, you’ve gotten really busy, huh, Boruto.” Mitsuki said.
He wasn’t being sarcastic. He was just stating the facts.
“Even though you cheated…” Sarada grumbled, giving Boruto a sharp side glance.
He couldn’t even begin to count how many times he’d heard her say that if things were going to turn out like this, she should’ve just jumped through the gate to help her dad too.
“I’ve already apologised for that countless times, haven’t I?” Boruto said, “Cut me some slack!”
The Boruto that was projected on the tv screen in the street suddenly disappeared with a poof.
“Kage Bunshin…” Sarada muttered. “…Then are you really the original?!”
“Obviously I am!” Boruto snapped.
“Please do things well this time, both of you. Boruto, you’re the Seventh’s son, and the Fourth’s grandson…”
“…Hey…Boruto.” Maybe those words had caused some thought to occur to Sarada, because now she was staring intently at the boy. “About becoming the Hokage, you too…”
“About becoming the Hokage, I…”
“You?”
Sarada’s eyes were watching him intently.
This time, Boruto didn’t feel timid, or ashamed.
It was because he’d finally understood what he wanted to become.
What he wanted to be, so he could be himself and throw out his chest in front of her.
“I don’t wanna be the Hokage!”
“Eh!?”
“?!”
Sarada obviously goggled, and even Mitsuki’s eyes grew wide.
“I’ll just…” Boruto said to Sarada. “When you become Hokage, I’ll be a support-role for you… I’ll protect you well!”
Sarada turned bright red.
“E- e- eh?”
“For me, the Hokage’s just a rail. Just because my grandpa and dad were Hokage, doesn’t mean that I’ll go down the same road as them, yknow!”
Boruto glanced down at his father’s face carved in the rock beneath his feet, and the face of his grandparent carved next to him.
“Sarada…my goal is to be a shinobi like your dad! I’ll go down my own ninja way!”
Boruto’s eyes were blue and shining.
They were the same colour as the morning sky.
Sarada had always been looking at those eyes.

Sasuke looked over the two of them, and gave a smile that he never showed anyone but Sakura. Then, he disappeared into the darkness again.


“You two are sure getting along well huh…I’d appreciate it if you gave my parent some respect too yknow.”
Perhaps Mitsuki had gotten tired of his team-mates playing about. His words were sarcastic this time.
“Speaking of, we never heard who your parent was huh…who in the world is he?”
“Wha? I didn’t tell you?” Mitsuki tilted his head. “…He’s called Orochimaru.”
“!!”
Sarada’s facial expression changed.
It was natural. That name held deep connections to the Uchiha family.
“Who?” Boruto was the only one at a loss.
“…Uhh…you’re saying you’re…that Orochimaru’s…son?” Sarada asked
“Yup.”
“Is he…your papa? Or, your mama?”
“Huh?” Boruto was totally at a loss.
“Well, it’s fine either way, isn’t it.” Mitsuki said, shrugging.
“Who in the world is Orochimaru?!” Boruto yelled, “Whaddya mean either way is fine?!”
“Calm down now. Look, the target’s come.”
A brutal panda bear was rampaging down main street, the decoy Konohamaru luring it in….or rather, just plain being chased by it.
“Looks like that panda that escaped from the zoo is causing chaos!!”
“No, it’s definitely a bear!!”
Pandemonium was taking place below.
“Let’s go, Boruto, Mitsuki!”
“Yeah!”
“Yes!”
The three of them took off.
They were heading towards the future.
Their future, which nobody else decided.

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