0:00 Naruto and Erica were somewhat already brothers in a sense. At least uncle and 0:05 nephew. After all, Naruto had him be the best man at his wedding. But let's be real, we want to know what would have 0:12 happened if Eraka were more involved in Naruto's life. I know. I want to know. I 0:17 guess this is more or less what if Eraka raised Naruto, but I think a little extra emotion could be packed in. So, 0:23 why don't we let the two boys bond at a level even deeper than the original story? I hope you're ready for it 0:29 because we're about to start. But before we do, I would love to tell you welcome to the Amagi. Only 25% of our viewers 0:37 are subscribed. So, if you're a fan of the video, please like and double check if you're subscribed. And with that out 0:43 of the way, let's get into the video. Eraka stood at the graves of his parents. He once had a happy life. He 0:49 once had a mom and a dad, and they would eat supper together, talk together. They were shinobi, so the idea that one could 0:56 die was always on the table, but they never thought about it. In fact, Erica had already become a genine by this time 1:02 and was aware of just how mortal he was. They all knew that times were coming 1:07 when one of them might not come home. Would his mother be left without a husband? Would his father be left 1:13 without a wife? Or was it possible that both mother and father would see their own child pass on without them? Erica 1:20 secretly wished that the final option was the one that happened. He would rather die himself and leave behind his 1:26 parents than suffer without one of them. Well, things were worse. He hadn't just lost one of them. He'd lost both. That 1:33 was hard. The hardest thing he'd ever done, the most negative feeling he'd ever felt. He felt as if his heart had 1:40 been ripped open, torn aunder. He felt as though his heart was destroyed, that he might never recover. And as he stood 1:48 there looking at his parents' grave, he felt the tears running down his cheeks. 1:53 What made it worse was that Hirozen was coming up behind him. Why did it have to be the Hokag of all people? Really? Of 2:00 all the people who could find him in a moment of weakness, breaking the Shinobi code. It had to be the Hokag himself. It 2:07 seemed as though life were cruel, and it would continue to be cruel to him. And so he quickly raised his hand and wiped 2:13 away the tears from his eyes as though this might somehow mask that he had been crying. As he turned around to face the 2:19 Hokag, he smiled and told him he was glad to see him. Hi could already tell. 2:24 Red puffy eyes, some subtle wet spots that just barely glistened in the sun. Even if these signs weren't present, the 2:31 fact the boy rubbed his face in front of the graves a moment ago told Hiazen everything. If Erica had done nothing, 2:37 Hisen would still assume the boy to be crying because Eraka was human and humans have a very finite amount of 2:44 strength. As the two talked, Era kept spouting the same patriotic stuff they had taught him to say in school about 2:50 how proud he was to have dead parents, as if anyone could be so thrilled to be all alone. It was then that Hirin hugged 2:57 him and told him it was okay to cry, to be sad, and that he was not dishonoring their memory by wishing they were still 3:03 here. Era broke down and cried. Perhaps Hirozen, too. Or perhaps he had already 3:09 cried away all of the tears he could ever accumulate in a lifetime. Hi was an old man and had been around for many 3:16 years. He had served in every Shinobi World War in history, saved for the period of time before the foundation of 3:23 the village. At this point, he wasn't even sure he could cry anymore, but he was filled with compassion for those who 3:29 could and those who did. As he pat Erica on the back, he heard Erica speak. Lord 3:34 Third, I don't know what to do. His questioned what he meant and Erica explained. He said, "I don't know how to 3:41 go back to that house. It's so empty. There's nobody there but me. It's too big for me." His understood, "How about 3:48 this then? I will find you an apartment where you can live by yourself. The house will still be in your name, but 3:54 you will have your own home without reminders. We can grab some of your things and get you set up." Erica 4:00 nodded. "That sounds like a good idea," he said. "But I don't know how much it 4:06 will help. I've never been on my own. I've never lived by myself. When I wake up at night and it's so dark and 4:12 nobody's around, when I have a problem and no one's there to talk to me about it, what am I supposed to do?" Here 4:18 isn't let out a sigh. That was an issue indeed. There was more to being human 4:24 than just going to work every day. Life could be tough and it wasn't good for a man to be alone. Especially if this man 4:30 were as young as Erica. But who could he stay with? As Hirozen thought about it, an idea came to his mind. He could stay 4:37 with No, that's not a good idea, is it? Naruto was a lonely child himself. He 4:44 was a baby that nobody wanted. Hi was doing his best to keep him up until Naruto could live on his own. But if it 4:51 was true that Eraka needed someone, then again, Naruto was host to the very beast that killed Erica's parents. Hi couldn't 4:58 ask that of him. Or so he thought. Suddenly, as if out of the blue, as if 5:04 something had forced words out of his mouth, he spoke, "Why don't you live with Naruto?" Hi suddenly flinched, as 5:10 though this were the worst thing he could have ever said to him. But didn't react in a mad way. He spoke. Naruto, 5:18 who's that? Now Hien was in hot water. He had to explain who Naruto was. And it 5:24 would sound like the most insensitive thing ever. Imagine asking to have the vessel of a boy's parents' killer live 5:31 with said boy by the graves of the parents killed by what lived in the vessel. It was horrendous. And yet Hisin 5:40 said so anyway. Well, Naruto is the Ninetailes ginuriki. He could see the 5:46 shock, skepticism, confusion, and perhaps even offense written on Erica's 5:51 face. His began to explain, "I know that Naruto possesses the Ninetailes within 5:56 himself, but he is not responsible for what the Ninetailes did. He gave up his 6:01 body to protect the village, and because of that, literally nobody wants anything to do with him. Everyone knows someone 6:08 who was killed by the Ninetales, and so everyone in the village hates the boy in some way, shape, or form. He has nobody. 6:16 Aren't you afraid though? Eraka asked. Aren't you afraid that in the middle of taking care of him, I'll become tempted 6:21 to seek revenge on the Ninetailes by hurting the child? Hi shook his head. No, Erica. I do not fear that because I 6:29 know who you are. You're hurting, but you're not cruel, nor are you a monster. 6:34 You're just a boy with nobody to talk to who's lonely. And Naruto is just the same. He is a mere infant, small and 6:43 sweet, not yet understanding of the kind of world he will soon come to inhabit. Erica thought about it. I don't think I 6:50 can do that, sir. Erica said. Here nodded. I won't force you to. I just 6:55 thought you might like to know. Naruto's parents were killed by the Ninetailes, too. Era was shocked. They Here is aa 7:02 nodded. Yes, they were killed, too. Naruto is forced to live with the beast 7:08 that killed his parents. He houses it. He doesn't know the pain of not having 7:13 parents. And I'm sure he's going to hurt over this someday, too. But I think you can help him. You can coach him. Get him 7:20 through this. Erica thought about it. How old is he? Only about a month old. 7:26 Eraka shook his head with doubt. I don't know if I'm equipped to care for him, Lord Third, he said. I don't know that I 7:33 have the skills to care for a child that age. Hi nodded. We can help you learn 7:39 and we will provide you with everything you need. You can even consider this a special mission for you since Naruto is 7:45 technically a VIP for the village. Eraka thought about it deeply. It was clear that he still had fear in his heart. So 7:53 Hirozen put his hand on Erica's shoulder. Would you like to come see him? Eraka looked at Hirzin as the 7:59 elderly man smiled. I'm sure meeting him for yourself will help you make up your mind, he said. Erica nodded. All right. 8:07 And so Hisin brought Erica to the location of the child. The little baby was just sleeping in a crib all to 8:13 itself. Well, I guess he is cute. Rather blonde to be honest. Not a natural hair 8:19 color for children around these parts. Here nodded. Indeed. He inherited it from his father. It was then that made 8:26 an assumption. Minato Namakazi. Here isn't looked to the boy, very astute. 8:32 See to it that nobody else hears that repeated. Even Naruto? Erica questioned. 8:37 Silence passed between them for a moment. Hi nodded. Even Naruto. Eraka 8:43 continued to think about it. He was never a fatherly person. Maybe the older brother type, but he was always an only 8:49 child. His parents had him and then were finished for the rest of forever, it seemed. And even still at school, he 8:55 wasn't popular. The only time he had any sort of positive interaction with people was when he was making a fool of 9:01 himself. And even then, they weren't laughing because he was the next Jim Carrey or something. No, they were 9:06 laughing at him because they thought he was a screw-up. They most definitely weren't laughing with him. They were 9:11 laughing at him. And perhaps in some way, Erica understood that, but felt it was better to be the laughingstock and 9:18 laugh with everyone who made fun of him as opposed to being ignored entirely. He was out of the academy now and in a 9:25 small squad with other Genine. And perhaps they were closer than others. But all the same, he still felt alone. 9:31 And yet sitting before him was the chance to have a real bond, something other than the old thumbs up from mom 9:37 and dad. A real bond with another boy, someone to relate to, someone to do all 9:43 those things that boys did with each other. Eraka had the chance to have a positive impact on someone's life and 9:48 ensure that they didn't experience the same things he did or worse. This boy was the gentury of the thing that killed 9:55 Erica's parents and that would make it very very hard. But if he didn't do it, who would? This boy also lost everything 10:03 to that beast inside of him and would continue to lose everything. If Erica could give back a little, could be a 10:09 crutch to help the boy stand in the winds of adversity, then maybe he should. He spoke. Lord third, I don't 10:15 know how to take care of an infant. I'm honestly I'm only 10, so I don't even know if it should be legal for me to be 10:22 a guardian to the boy. I will make it legal, Hisin said in the most Emperor Palpatine way. Eraka smiled awkwardly 10:29 and then continued. I don't know if I'll succeed or if I'll be enough, but I would like to try, he said. I would like 10:36 to try to be this boy's older brother if you would allow it. Hi put his hand on the boy's shoulder. Good. You will 10:42 receive all the necessary things. Education on how to take care of a child, proper funding, and all the 10:49 items, toys, clothes, food, and needs the child may have. Further, we don't 10:54 expect you to take care of the child 24/7 365. We understand that you are 10:59 young, have responsibilities and other needs that may have to be satisfied to keep you healthy. And as such, anytime 11:06 you have a need, you merely call me and I will send someone to watch over the child for you until you're ready to 11:11 continue. Eraka nodded. Harrison hugged him. I want you to know I'm proud of you. And further, I would like you to 11:18 know that this isn't about pushing the responsibility off on you. This is about you and the child's need for 11:23 companionship. I want to foster a bond between the two of you, which will help you both continue through life without 11:30 feeling like you have no support. You both have each other and you have me. Eraka nodded. Thank you. After this, 11:37 things grew awkward fast. Eraka began to take classes for parenting, which was 11:42 awkward because the class was a group thing. He was far from the only young person there. But even with teens there 11:48 among the other adult members and fathers, it was strange to have a 10-year-old. Half the time, Erica found 11:54 himself being doted on as much as the other babies. He eventually developed the nickname Angel Erica because they 12:00 thought he had to have been an angel to be caring for a child he had no connection with, especially at such a 12:05 young age. So despite how awkward it was and the fact that every time it reminded him that he was practically a baby 12:12 himself, it did make learning easier as the teacher was instructing him and the other women. And whenever Erica failed 12:19 to pick up on what was happening, such as how to properly change a diaper or when to feed him. One of the things 12:24 Erica struggled with were disciplinary tests and behavior regulation. But this was expected because Erica was still of 12:30 the age to need discipline and behavioral help. What was worse, he was learning about developmental milestones 12:36 and common expectations and he was still in half of them. He was having to understand a lot of things. He began 12:42 growing up fast. The teachers tried to soften everything for him, but they couldn't let vital information slip away 12:48 from the other women just because Erica was in the room. So Erica ended up learning about a lot of things that 12:53 probably degraded his feelings of confidence in himself as he was brought into perspective just how young he was 13:00 and just how far away from being truly responsible he was. The sweetest thing to happen occurred with a 27-year-old 13:06 woman named Suki. She had a fresh daughter of her own and was hopped up on all the hormones that came with it. The 13:12 moment came at Erica's lowest when his doubt crept to panic levels of terror. Can you imagine being in a parenting 13:19 class and seeing a little boy with what he called his baby brother suddenly burst into tears realizing he can't do 13:24 it? Well, that's what happened. Erica was so scared that he couldn't take care of Naruto would fail and accidentally 13:31 cause some sort of neglect or abuse because he didn't know what he was doing. It went to show just how big of a 13:36 task this was and how mismatched Erica was to the task. But that was the reason why Hisin put Erica in a group class 13:43 instead of private tutoring because someone like Suki was there. And honestly, she wasn't the only one 13:49 either. Suki would coddle Erica and tell him everything was going to be okay. This only further cemented Erica's 13:55 nickname as Angel because in his weakness, he showed his heart and through his fear, he displayed his love. 14:03 Only someone who truly loved a child could be so afraid of accidentally hurting it. This awkward group that 14:09 included the most unassuming of people, ended up becoming perhaps the most successful parenting class that the 14:15 teachers had ever seen. The women, particularly Suki, were quick to offer their phone numbers to Erica, building 14:21 him a support group and offering to be his friends. This was strange. In school, Eraka never had friends. But 14:28 here in a parenting class, he ended up becoming friends with men and women old enough to be his own parents, or at 14:34 least aunts and uncles, with the youngest being about the age to be an older sibling. He ended up having more 14:40 fun with these men and women than with the other kids in the academy. He never expected to find friends in the most 14:45 unlikely of places, but their care for him grew to near familial levels, and Erica began to feel like he had parents 14:51 again, or at least aunts and uncles who had helped fill the roles that his parents left behind. Eraka wondered if 14:57 Hien had planned this all from the start and if this were exactly what he had intended to happen or it could all be a 15:03 happy accident. Either way, Eraka's ability to take care of Naruto increased and he began to become more confident in 15:09 it. But slowly, Eraka found himself falling in love with the child. Hi couldn't have been more proud. And on 15:16 the occasions where he would visit, he would say such. He would knock on the door at about 11:00 a.m. only to have 15:22 the door opened by Erica, bedaded and still in his pajamas, letting out a yawn and a rub of his eye. "Oh, I'm sorry, 15:29 Erica. Did I come at a bad time? Were you still sleeping?" Eraka shook his head. "I needed to get up anyway," he 15:36 said. He let Hirozen in. "Is everything okay?" His asked. "Yeah, Naruto just had 15:42 a bad bout of collic last night, and I couldn't get him to sleep until about 5." Hi nodded. I see. I'm sorry to hear 15:49 about that. I won't stay long. Then you can get more sleep if you need. Erica shook his head. Nah, I got things to do 15:56 anyway. His shook his head. No, I'm going to send someone to do those things for you. You're already working so hard. 16:04 You need rest, too. You're still a growing boy. I don't want to compromise your health. Erica smiled. Maybe a day 16:12 off wouldn't be so bad. Just one night. His smiled. You've got a deal. I'll send 16:17 Kakashi. He'll get whatever groceries you need and watch the child tonight. Believe it or not, he's actually really 16:23 good with babies. It's like some natural instinct for him. Erica wanted to laugh, but fell into a yawn instead. One that 16:31 caused his nose to burn and transition into a sneeze. God bless you, Erica. 16:36 Thanks, Erica said. No, I'm serious. God bless you, Hisan said. You've taken so 16:42 seriously to this task. It reminds me of what the next generation of Shinobi can do. Your heart and your strength amaze 16:49 me sometimes. You seem to understand what it is to be a Shinobi. Ninjas 16:54 aren't only warriors. They're farmers. They're family men and women. Shinobi 16:59 are duty bound to their neighbors to do what is best for them. Protecting, helping. Acts as small as walking 17:06 someone home, helping a woman cross the street, or even picking up trash for the community. These small acts go farther 17:13 than others think they do. Which is why they're such important parts of the shinobi way. And right now you're being 17:19 a real shinobi. Taking care of a child that has nothing to do with you. It tells me that you understand duty. It 17:26 makes me so proud of you, Erica. Here isn't hugged the boy to give all the positive reinforcement as possible. 17:33 Erica deserved it. Looking at the fridge, he spoke. I see you've made friends with the people at the parenting 17:39 classes. Have they been treating you well? he asked. "Oh yeah, most definitely," Erica said. "They offer me 17:45 advice and support whenever I have questions or doubts. They're a blessing to me." His smiled. This is what a 17:51 village should be. I know I'm not the best leader this place has ever seen, but when I see things like this, I 17:58 sometimes think that maybe I'm not so bad. The village is still at peace, and kindness still exists. If that's all I'm 18:05 protecting, then I consider it a victory. Hisin pulled out an envelope and sat it on the table. This is this 18:12 month's rent, water, electricity, cable, other expenses, and even a bonus for you 18:18 for being such a champion. A little extra for any emergencies Naruto might have. And further, if you ever run into 18:24 an emergency that you cannot afford, give me a call, he said. Now, where's the grocery list? Hi asked. Eraka pulled 18:31 it off a pad of paper. Here, he said. He handed it to Hien, who looked it over. Good. Interesting. I'll give this to 18:38 Kakashi and he'll pick it up. All expenses covered by me. Shook his head. 18:43 You don't have to do that, sir. Eraka said. Hi nodded vehematly. Oh yes, I do. 18:50 You can't be the only one going out of your way for Naruto. That's why I included a sizable bonus in there for 18:56 you alone. I want you to take that money, go out and buy whatever you want as a treat. Get you one of those Shinobi 19:03 Station gaming consoles or buy a couple of television series. I know you like anime, so you can always get something 19:10 with that. Whatever you do, just promise me you'll spend the bonus on yourself, not on Naruto. All right. Eraka smiled. 19:17 Thanks. Here isn't Pat Erica's head. My phone is always open. Just in case you 19:23 have any needs or in case you just want someone to talk to or visit. I'll come whenever I have time. Okay. Thanks, 19:30 Lord. Here in he said. Herein hugged the boy tightly. You do make me proud, Erica, he said. He then turned around 19:37 and left. About 2 hours later, there was a knock at the door. Erica opened it up to see a boy about 4 years his senior. 19:44 He was holding grocery bags in both of his hands. Eraka looked at how bound by plastic they were and then spoke. "How 19:51 did you even knock on the door?" "I have a noggin, you know," Kakashi said. "You going to make me stand here holding bags 19:56 all day, or will you let me come inside?" Era stepped out of the way. Kakashi entered the apartment and sat 20:02 the groceries down on the floor. So, where is the kid anyway, sleeping in his room? Still, Kakashi asked. Eraka 20:09 shrugged. It was a late night last night. He didn't want to sleep, so I'm letting him catch up. Kakashi nodded. 20:15 Right. Gotcha. He does need to get up soon, though. Even if he's cranky, else he won't sleep tonight. You mind if I do 20:22 that? Erica shook his head. Kakashi walked to the room and slowly lifted the baby up. As he did so, Naruto seemed to 20:29 blink back to awareness. Kakashi pulled him over and amazingly Naruto didn't cry. "He likes you," Erica said. "I 20:36 don't know why babies do, they just do," he said. As Kakashi bounced Naruto 20:41 around, Eraka spoke. "I'm going to go get lunch started." "Get the baby something to eat." "Have you had lunch 20:47 yet, Kakashi?" Kakashi looked back. "No, but I'll eat what I brought. Don't worry 20:52 about me." Eraka nodded. After lunch, Era and Kakashi talked a bit. getting to know about each other. Eraka told him 20:59 everything he might need to know about Naruto. Kakashi absorbed it like a sponge, getting the child's routine down 21:05 pat. Eraka hit the hay early that night. Every so often, he was awakened by crying. Kakashi, who was sleeping on the 21:12 couch, would get up and get to the baby's room and quiet him down quickly. Despite these few interruptions, Erica 21:17 was able to catch up on the sleep he was missing out on and ended up waking up the next day full of energy. burning 21:23 like a firecracker. He relieved Kakashi of duty to which the tired Jonian quickly made his escape. "I don't envy 21:29 you," Kakashi said. "I've been in the Anboo for a while, completed some missions, and done a lot of the hard 21:35 things. I even stayed up all night on some occasions. Last night was harder than any of those missions," he said. "I 21:41 wish you luck because in my eyes, you're going to need it." Kakashi left. Eraka looked back toward Naruto, who was 21:47 already looking in his direction. "Ready for breakfast, Naruto?" This routine was honed and perfected, altering only to 21:54 incorporate the milestones. Sleeping through the night became a thing after about Naruto's third month with Erica, 22:00 give or take a week or two. When Naruto began to talk, things got a lot easier. He was walking on his own and talking, 22:07 able to understand speech. This made taking care of him far easier. As the years went by, Naruto was becoming more 22:13 proficient at taking care of himself and requiring less of an eye to watch him. This allowed Erica to return to his 22:19 duties as a shinobi and even further allowed for him to become a tunin during the exams to which Hirozen so graciously 22:25 offered to allow Naruto to watch his big brother from the Hokag's viewing box. They all went out to celebrate when 22:32 gained the title of tuning. And it was at about this time that Naruto began to enter the academy. Eraka was about 15 22:39 now. And as Naruto continued to study under the other teachers, Naruto seemed to fall behind. This upset Iraka because 22:46 he knew Naruto was actually brilliant. He would tutor him as he came home with bad grades and found that Naruto wasn't 22:52 as unintelligent as others treated him. He was hyperactive. He had ADHD. That 22:58 didn't make him stupid. He was really smart. He just struggled with one of the more important parts of school, that 23:04 being attention and keeping still. When he was trying and focusing so hard on sitting still, his mind would just space 23:11 out and try to instinctively find a way to entertain itself, which accidentally led to him missing out on vital 23:17 information, ranging from conversation to lectures. Naruto even explained to 23:22 Erica how it happened to him. He said, "I start out paying attention and then the teacher says something interesting 23:28 and my mind begins to wonder how it works, picking it apart. Like when you're on Wikipedia and find a link to 23:33 another page that'll explain more about what you're reading about." It's like that the teacher says something interesting and I begin to think about 23:39 it and by the time I realize I've gone off track, I've missed so much of what the teacher said and I failed tests. 23:45 Eraka could understand this. Naruto was talking about being too curious for his own good. Just watching him as he sat at 23:51 the table, Naruto's foot was tapping, leg bouncing all the time as though he were wanting to walk. His center finger 23:58 on his left hand tapping the table as though his hand and leg were sending telegraphs to each other. Naruto's studying type was different than others. 24:04 And perhaps some schools neglected to acknowledge that kids weren't stupid. They merely learned differently. Setting 24:11 a book out before Naruto or bringing up a page on Wikipedia, Naruto could pour over it. And if allowed to follow every 24:17 trail he wanted to at that moment, Naruto could learn very quickly. He didn't need to fit into the education 24:23 routine of the state. He needed the education routine to be tailored to him to optimize his potential, which was 24:29 being wasted. Such knowledge challenged Erica's way of thinking as he began to understand that no two kids were the 24:35 same. They were their own individuals who learned at their own pace. The enemy of education was discouragement. If you 24:42 didn't believe you could learn, you would stop trying, only going through the motions. That was toxic to learning. 24:49 Kids needed room to be who they really were. Inquisitive minds that followed breadcrumbs in a journey of their own 24:55 making instead of a one-sizefits-all approach. people looked down on homeschooling in some cases. But the 25:01 more Erica thought about these things, the more he realized that when Naruto could set his own pace and was free to 25:06 learn the way that he knew was right for him, he would make more progress in one month than he normally would in a whole 25:11 semester. And he would enjoy it, too, and maybe he'd begin to believe that he was smart, that maybe he could do it. 25:18 There was so much more to learning than just stuffing ahead full of information so fast that it became white noise. 25:24 There was an emotional aspect. Sometimes the approach of schools were perfect for some kids. Some kids learned fast. Some 25:31 kids were perfect for the way current schools did things and that was wonderful. But the admission that everyone learned differently and that 25:38 everyone studied at their own pace was integral to optimizing teaching for children. The issue was figuring out the 25:45 best way to create a system for this. Oftent times schools were filled with tired adults who maybe were very happy 25:51 individuals but got socially drained because as Erica knew raising one kid was hard enough. Imagine controlling an 25:58 entire classroom of rambunctious pre-teens with hyperactivity disorders. Not to mention said teachers were often 26:04 severely underpaid and expected to provide their own supplies out of pocket. The school system was all shut 26:11 to heck. And it wasn't because the teachers were bad and it wasn't because the kids were bad. It was because times 26:16 had changed, people had changed, and the economy had changed. What worked once simply was not working anymore, and it 26:23 was putting strain on everyone, which was why it was in the news so much. Erica began to study this because the 26:29 longer he spent tutoring Naruto, the more he realized that other kids were struggling, too. It ended up that after 26:35 school, Erica would offer to tutor the other kids alongside Naruto, and was astounded with how truly intelligent 26:41 each one was. In their own unique way, they learned and grew more intelligent. 26:46 All Erica had to do was listen to them and their needs, not scold them or treat them like embarrassments. Just recognize 26:53 when they were having a problem and then work with them to build both confidence in their own intelligence and then help 27:00 them find the proper answer to why they were struggling. Eventually, one day during the winter, Naruto came home 27:06 bloody and bruised, and Erica was left to treat him. He asked why he was hurt and Naruto said some of the kids at 27:13 school were bullying one of the Huga kids and when he stepped in they beat him up. Eraka asked if he told the 27:19 teacher. Yeah, I told the headmaster but he well I don't think he likes me. A lot of adults don't actually so he didn't do 27:26 anything. As soon as Erica heard that, he grabbed a coat. Naruto, I'm going to be going out for a while. Be good. Watch 27:32 TV and keep some ice on those bruises, okay? Be a good boy and I'll bring you home something special for dinner. Okay, 27:38 Naruto called out to him. Eraka closed the door behind him and made his way to the school. He found the headmaster's 27:44 office. He was pissed indeed, as every parent or guardian might be, but he recognized that being angry would solve 27:51 nothing and would only impede progress. So, he took a few deep breaths and remembered why people treated Naruto as 27:57 he did and began trying to empathize with the headmaster before even knocking. He doesn't hate Naruto, he 28:03 just hates the Ninetales. He doesn't understand how to separate the two in his mind. Be calm. Be respectful. He 28:09 knocked on the door. Please come in. A man's voice spoke. Eraka opened the door and saw the face of the man who had once 28:16 been his teacher. It's good to see you again, Sensei, he said. The pleasure's mine, the headmaster said. Erica then 28:22 stood and began to speak. Sensei, I heard some troubling news from my little brother, Naruto. He said someone or a 28:29 group of kids attacked him on the way to the academy. The headmaster seemed immediately uncomfortable. Indeed, he 28:36 told me such. Erica, remaining respectful, kept his voice calm. My little brother said there was no 28:42 administrative action taken. Is this true? The headmaster nodded. There wasn't enough proof to go off of, and 28:48 honestly, even if there were, the children would merely bully Naruto more, the headmaster said. This was BS, and 28:55 Erica knew it. Naruto would be bullied either way. But Eraka kept his tone clear. Sir, if I may, Naruto wasn't the 29:02 only one to be attacked. I'm equally concerned for the little Huga girl. I was told she was being bullied because 29:08 her eyes were different. The girl didn't mention anything to me about it, he said. Erica nodded. I understand, but I 29:16 do suspect her father will learn of it soon, and he may be down here as well. If he were to come down here and 29:21 corroborate Naruto's story, would that be enough to take administrative action to discipline the responsible parties? 29:27 The headmaster began to show a bit of discomfort, thinking that Hiyashi Huga might come down to the academy and 29:32 demand discipline. It would be, but we're currently in the middle of an investigation which should be wrapped up 29:38 shortly. If things turn out to be true, the children responsible will be disciplined. But the question is, if you 29:45 want them to, it may just incur more wrath on Naruto. Eraka understood this, 29:50 but spoke. This is true, but as a teacher, it's important to teach every child about boundaries and consequences. 29:57 Bullying is a habit to be broken as soon as it's seen. If it isn't, they might carry it into their adulthood, and it 30:03 may evolve from merely conduct issues into criminal activity. To safeguard every child's future, it's important for 30:09 bullying to be strictly prohibited. If they're allowed to get away with it, they're just as likely to do it again as 30:14 they would if they were punished. The headmaster nodded. You're correct, Mr. Umino. I will take action against the 30:20 offending parties pending the end of our investigation. Well, that quote unquote investigation wrapped up the moment 30:26 Erica left the room. Erica knew that Naruto and himself probably had no respect with the staff of the academy, 30:33 but he knew that Hiashi Huga did, and Hiashi would not suffer to see his daughter bullied. As one of the most 30:39 influential people in the village, his word was basically law. And so, these bullies were punished. And of course, 30:46 they did harass Naruto again. But with more consequences coming their way, this battle of attrition ended with them 30:52 realizing that the more they retaliated, the worse it got for them. This whole situation caused Erica to realize how 30:58 important the children were to Konoha. The future was built upon the next generation. And as such, he felt it was 31:05 his mission to provide proper education and development to the children in the ways he knew was right. And so when 31:11 Naruto would attend the academy during the daytime, Eraka was also attending classes to help him get a degree as well 31:17 as licensing to become a teacher at the academy. By the time he was 19, he was already working there. And by the age of 31:24 20, he was assigned the role of home room teacher. With this, he could keep track of Naruto and the other kids. From 31:30 here on, he began attempting to get more involved in the teaching game, where he proceeded to help create tailor-made 31:36 programs for each of the children based on similar learning styles where he would create study groups for them and 31:41 tutor them. It became obvious that Erica was passionate about his work, not just for the sake of salary, but because 31:48 these kids meant something to him. Hi was pleased when he saw this and as such he continued to fund Erica and even 31:55 allowed him to take up a position as an official ambassador of the education system of Konoha. He was well on his way 32:01 to becoming a tokobatu jonian of education and ended up becoming very popular with the staff, always offering 32:08 teachers a helping hand and filling in for them when they needed time away. Erica always followed their lesson plan 32:13 though when he did. He understood he didn't know everything about the subjects they were teaching, so he followed their plan. Though, he did try 32:20 to add his spin on it to make things easier for the children. Because of this, the average grades of students saw 32:26 a rise that hadn't been this high since about the time that Jeriahs and Orochi Maru were in the academy. By the time 32:32 Naruto was 12 and Erica was 22, Naruto had passed the academyy's final test. As 32:37 Ika stood in the classroom, he was a bit nervous. He didn't know who Naruto's teammates or Jonine would be, and he 32:44 worried that they wouldn't know Naruto well enough. That was until a knock on the door jam revealed it to him. Looking 32:50 back, he saw Kakashi standing there. "Oh, hello, Kakashi. It's been a while since we've seen each other." Kakashi 32:56 offered what little smile he could from behind the mask. "Nar's doing well, I take it." Kakashi asked. Iraka nodded. 33:03 "Indeed." Kakashi offered a nod of satisfaction. I just wanted to let you know I've been chosen to be Naruto's 33:10 Jonin. He's going to be on a team with myself, Sakura Harono, and Sasuke Uchiah. I just wanted to come by and get 33:17 your blessing. Let out a sigh of relief. I'm not going to lie. I'm glad to hear 33:22 that. I'm sure Naruto will be as well. Kakashi stood away from the door frame he was leaning against. I just wanted to 33:28 come and let you know, give you some peace of mind. I know Naruto means a lot to you, and I promise I'll take care of 33:34 him. Thank you, Kakashi. I trust you will. You've got a heart about you. You may not always recognize it, but all the 33:40 kids around you do. That's why they love you so much. Kakashi smiled again. 33:45 Maybe. Well, anyway, you have a good day. Kakashi walked away. 33:51 But something still bothered him. When he began this mission with Hirozen, he began to wonder if he could ever truly 33:57 love Naruto. And now that Naruto was going off on his own, Erica felt as though he would cry. Looking back on the 34:04 journey, Era realized how much he had changed for the better since all of this started and how happy Naruto was. He 34:11 knew that if he had to do it all over again, he would do it without question. It was a bittersweet moment watching 34:16 Naruto go off with Kakashi and others. But as Naruto turned back to look at Erica, he smiled and waved. Naruto was 34:24 going to be okay, and that's what mattered to Erica. That was all that mattered. And that's where I'm going to 34:30 call it for now. I loved being able to tell this story for you all. I've said this before and I'll no doubt say it 34:36 again. My favorite stories to tell are the ones that inspire emotion within me because I know that if I can feel these 34:43 characters in a way that seems like they're living, breathing people, then I'm sure you can, too. It always makes 34:49 me so happy when I get to write them a happy ending, even if their lives are full of struggles. I know it can't and 34:56 isn't always like that, but I guess I just have my preferences for stories. But honestly, I want to know more about 35:02 your preferences. I don't just make these whatifs for myself. I make them for you, too. And I'd love to know more 35:09 about your tastes. It'll help me improve even more. So, leave a comment down below to tell me what you enjoy and what 35:15 you love. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and ring the bell to be notified when we drop more videos like 35:20 this. Anyway, until next time, peace out.