Epilogue

After looking at the door, which rattled several times as someone knocked on it, Naruto pushed his computer away, rubbed his eyes, yawned, and said, "the door's open, Yugao."

There was a moment's pause before the knob turned and the door opened, allowing a purple-haired woman of extraordinary beauty to enter. Yugao hadn't changed much in fifteen years. The only difference was that she no longer wore her Anbu gear, which made sense as she was no longer a member of the Anbu. She was carrying a stack of papers.

"These are the reports from the Shinobi Academy," she said, walking in and setting the pile on his desk. "I've already created copies for the filing department. Here." She placed a small USB drive on top of the paper. "The documents are also in here as backups."

"Thank you." Naruto took the USB and inserted it into his computer. As the files began uploading, Naruto asked, "how is the newest batch of ninja?"

Yugao paused, her head tilting before answering. "They are about the same as usual. There's a fifty-fifty mix of kids from shinobi and non-shinobi families. It's not unexpected that the kids from shinobi families are better, but thanks to the new library that allows children from civilian families to study the basics, the kids who don't have any ninja background are keeping up well enough."

Yugao paused again. Naruto waited on baited breath, watching as the woman smiled. She was doing this on purpose, telling him everything about what he didn't want to know and keeping him from knowing the one thing he did want to know. He wondered if this mischievousness came from spending so much time with Koyuki and Mei.

"Our daughter, of course, aced all of her entrance exams."

Naruto grinned. "Of course she did. She's our daughter, after all."

It had been ten years since Naruto became Hokage. Having been inaugurated at 19 years of age, he was the youngest person to ever hold the position.

Several changes had taken place after his inauguration. The first was that no children under the age of thirteen was allowed the enter the Ninja Academy. All children who entered spent one year mastering the basics and increasing their physical abilities, another year learning their chosen specialization-ninjutsu, genjutsu, medical jutsu, fuinjutsu, kenjutsu, etc.-and another two years learning teamwork by taking D-rank missions and sparring with their jonin-sensei.

Since there was no need for children to go out into the field anymore, all children graduated at the age of sixteen. Even geniuses were not allowed to graduate before that. Naruto didn't think it was appropriate or healthy to have children graduate early and experience what being a true ninja meant.

The latest reports from his science department claimed that children who become injured to violence too early often become unstable. Having seen the results of those reports in Sasuke, Naruto was inclined to believe them.

"Whose class did Kirisaka end up in?" asked Naruto.

"Yugito's."

A soft ping alerted him to the USB finishing its upload. "Hmm… I'm not sure how that's going to turn out."

"I'm sure Yugito knows better than to show favoritism," Yugao said. "She didn't show it when she had Kirai in her class."

"I guess…"

"Also, I don't think I need to remind you, but the bi-annual Allied Nations meeting is happening later today," Yugao added.

"You don't need to remind me." Naruto smiled dryly. "Don't worry. I'll be sure to have all the paperwork done before then."

After leaning over to give him a kiss, Yugao left the office; she had her own duties to attend to as the head of the Ninja Academy. Naruto was a little disappointed. Had it not been for the bi-annual meeting later today, he would've probably been able to seduce her into having sex on the Hokage's desk, which happened to be one of his favorite places to have sex. Seriously. Few things were kinkier fucking on the desk where the previous Hokages did their paperwork.

After he finished his paperwork, Naruto stood up, put on his haori, and left the Hokage's Office.

As he walked through the Hokage Tower, Naruto was greeted by the ninja and office workers who passed him. He waved and smiled back. It wasn't long before he reached a circular room that was lit up with glowing seals. As he stepped into the center, the seals activated and Naruto disappeared.

He reappeared in another room that looked identical. Walking out revealed that he was no longer in the Hokage Tower. Several guards stood waiting for him, their uniforms featuring a long black jacket over a tan flak jacket. Their headbands bore the symbol of the Allied Nations.

"Lord Hokage," one of them greeted. "Please allow us to escort you to the meeting room."

"Thank you."

The meeting room was a large, circular room built within a massive tower located in the heart of the Elemental Nations. Several windows offered a beautiful view of the cityscape. A round table sat in the center of this room. There were a number of people already present.

"Naruto!" Koyuki leaped from her seat and greeted him with her usual enthusiasm. She was wearing a mauve dress that gave her the refined heir of a ruler. Her long blue hair curled at the end. The only makeup she wore was lipstick, which meant her natural beauty was visible for all to see.

Konan, who stood up seconds later and with a much calmer disposition, greeted him in a less rambunctious manner. In other words, she didn't use her tongue when they kissed. "It's good to see that you're actually punctual this time."

"Don't say that like I'm not usually punctual," Naruto said with a pout. He surreptitiously wiped the lipstick from his mouth while Koyuki quickly reapplied hers. "Last time I ran late because Kirai had painted the Hokage Monument."

"That sounds familiar for some reason," Koyuki teased.

Konan smiled. "Can't imagine why."

"Yeah." Naruto grinned as he swiped his nose. "He takes after his old man."

"I hope that doesn't mean our world is doomed," Gaara said with a smile. He was sitting on the opposite side of the table, next to the leaders of Claw and Fang country.

"Not doomed," Naruto corrected. "Just in trouble. How are the kids?"

"They are doing well," Gaara said calmly. "They've been asking me about when Uncle Naruto will visit them next." He frowned. "I'm not sure what you did to make my children love you so much, but you're all they talk about."

The mischievous smile Naruto wore was the kind he gave everyone when he had a secret. "I couldn't say."

"I'm sure," Gaara said.

Gaara looked more or less the same as he always had. He was a little older, his face a little more mature. His Kazekage robes suited him well.

Outside of Mei, Konan, and Koyuki, he was Naruto's staunchest supporter. It had been thanks to their combined efforts that the Allied Nations had become what it was today.

Naruto took his place between Konan and Koyuki. They conversed about non-work-related subjects, namely about their kids. Yahiko and Nagato were both with their nannies since they weren't old enough to be left alone. Naruto had once offered to use shadow clones, but Konan had rebutted that decision by asking him what would happen if his clones were accidentally dispelled, which was her way of saying that he was clumsy. Sosetsu was in his final year at the ninja academy in the Land of Spring. Like all of his kids, Naruto had taken to training their son personally when he had time. Sosetsu excelled at hyoton-based ninjutsu and kenjutsu.

"He'll be taking his graduation test soon," Koyuki was saying.

"I'll have everyone take some time off from our duties so we can watch the graduation," Naruto said. "We'll surprise him by having the whole family get together."

Koyuki's grin matched his. "That would be nice."

"Speaking of the whole family getting together," Konan began, "what time should we head over for dinner tonight?"

"Hmmm…" Naruto crossed his arms and tilted his head as more people arrived. Mei walked in and noticed them. She waved, but since there were so many people now, she couldn't walk over and begin chatting. "How about… we just pick up the kids and head over right after this meeting?"

"Can't," Koyuki said. "I still have some work that I need to finish."

"And I need to file some papers in Amegakure," Konan added.

"Unfortunate," Naruto sighed. "Looks like I'll be traveling alone."

Soon after they finished their conversation, the meeting started. Naruto leaned back in his chair as the orator, old man Mifune, began the meeting by presenting the daily reports on all of the Allied Nations' assets and revenue.

It was going to be a long meeting.

XXXXXXXXXX

Naruto arrived home later that evening. He hung up his haori on the coat hanger by the door, then did the same with his Hokage hat. Walking further inside, Naruto wondered where his family was until he heard the sounds of combat coming from the backyard. Entering the backyard through the sliding door in the kitchen, Naruto found Yugito and Yugao watching two of their children as they spar.

With her long hair unbraided and descending past her shoulders, Yugito studied their kids with a keen eye as she held Darui against her hip. Their youngest child was only six months old. He couldn't even speak yet.

Grinning, Naruto began to stealthily sneak up behind her in a ninja-like manner.

"I hope you're not trying to sneak up on me," Yugito said.

Naruto paused. His hands, which had been raised to block her eyes, stopped. Darui looked at him with big, cobalt eyes, as though wondering why he had stopped moving.

"Of course not," Naruto said, at last, lowering his arms.

"That wasn't a very smooth save," Yugao told him.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Walking to stand beside Yugito, he placed a kiss on his wife's cheek and ruffled Darui's blond hair. The little one gave him a toothless smile. Grinning in return, Naruto turned to look at his other two kids, who were locked in an intense sparring match. "Kirisaka has improved a lot."

"Kirai is still better, though," Yugito said.

"He's also older and stronger," Naruto said.

"Kirisaka has flexibility on her side," Yugao interjected. "However, we haven't started teaching her anything too complicated."

Naruto spent another minute watching Kirai and Kirisaka spar. Being older and a boy, Kirai was a lot bigger than Kirisaka. He was taller than Naruto was at that age. His wives often joked that it was because he didn't eat ramen every day. By contrast, Kirisaka was about a head shorter than Naruto had been. While Kirisaka's hair was a light purple, Kirai's was pure blond and looked like a giant-ass lightning bolt sitting on his head.

Cupping a hand to his mouth, Naruto called out, "All right! That's enough, you two! You should get cleaned up. The rest of the family is all coming over. You don't want to be all stinky when your brothers and sisters arrive, do you?"

"Ah! Dad!" Kirisaka was the first to respond. She rushed and jumped at him, a purple-headed missile. Naruto caught her and spun so they wouldn't fall.

"Were you watching us, Dad? Did you see? I'm getting stronger! You saw, right? You did!"

Chuckling as he rubbed her head, Naruto said, "I did see. You're getting much better. You'll only continue to improve now that you've entered the academy."

"It's still not enough to beat me," Kirai said. Kirisaka responded by pulling down her eyelid and blowing him a raspberry.

"You two should head for the shower. Everyone's coming over for dinner soon."

"Right," Kirai said while Kirisaka responded with an enthusiastic, "okay!"

The two entered the Namikaze Estate, presumably heading for the bath. Naruto watched them go alongside Yugao and Yugito.

"Kirisaka totally gets her personality from you," Yugao said.

"I don't know," Naruto began, "Was I that much of a chatterbox?"

"Yes," she said.

"So harsh."

"We're also going to get cleaned up," Yugito said as she grabbed Yugao's arm and began pulling her along.

Yugao and Yugito both went into the bathhouse. Since Naruto had already taken a bath at the Hokage Tower hours before the meeting, he didn't follow them. It would have ended with them getting messy again anyway.

He went back into the estate and walked down to the Hiraishin room, which was a lot like the ones used by the Allied Nations except smaller. His original intention had been to great Konan, Koyuki, and Mei when they arrived. However, he was too late. Mei had already arrived with their daughter.

"Naruto," Mei greeted. Naruto grinned as he leaned down and gave her a kiss. His lips lingered longer than was perhaps strictly necessary, which of course made their daughter wrinkle her nose.

"You two are disgusting," the five-year-old Kushina said.

"Oh?" Naruto said, raising an eyebrow. "I guess that means you don't want kisses anymore, since they're so gross."

"Hmph!" Kushina blushed and turned her head. "I didn't say you couldn't kiss me. I just said that you two are disgusting. You shouldn't stick your tongues in each other's mouths like that. Honestly, how shameless can you two be?"

Naruto grinned while Mei giggled. Kushina pouted at them both, but she stopped when Naruto pushed her red hair from her forehead and kissed her. Her face turned a shade darker than her hair when Naruto picked her up. As she buried her face in his neck, he looked at Mei.

"Yugito and Yugao are in the bathhouse if you want to mess with them."

The way Mei's eyes lit up was disturbing, but he didn't say anything. "Thank you for letting me know. I think I'm going to go… say hi."

"Just don't keep them there for too long," Naruto called after her. Mei didn't say anything. She waved a hand over her head and disappeared around a corner. Naruto sighed and glanced at his daughter's hair. "Wanna go see if Kirai and Kirisaka can play with you?"

"Okay," Kushina said in a muffled voice.

As Naruto wandered up the stairs to find his other two children, he thought about the past few years of his life. Each day had been more fulfilling than the last. He didn't know if it would last forever, didn't know if peace would truly reign for an eternity, but he also knew that, should the time ever come to take up arms and fight, the younger generation would be ready for whatever came their way.

Naruto Namikaze was making sure of it.