Crude Methods, Obvious Effects

Kakashi, who had been inexplicably beaten, could only shift the blame to Obito.

However, his suffering seemed far from over.

That damned Uchiha Sōgetsu was slowly walking towards him with a swagger that disowned all kin. "Son of White Fang, is this all you've got?"

"Shut up!"

Kakashi spat out blood from his mouth, his eyes bloodshot as he glared at him. "You don't understand anything!"

Bang!

A charged punch landed directly on Kakashi's abdomen.

With about seven or eight ribs broken, he coughed up a mouthful of blood. Uchiha Sōgetsu grabbed him by the hair and threw him back.

Kakashi, utterly humiliated, rolled more than a dozen times on the ground before being violently pinned down. His head smashed against the ground, half his face sinking into the dirt.

"Kakashi, your father died protecting you."

Uchiha Sōgetsu stood on his head, looking down at him. Kakashi, distorted by rage, retorted word by word, "If White Fang saw you now, complaining at home and acting this way in impotent fury, he would probably be even more disappointed, wouldn't he?"

"Don't you dare mention that guy's name!"

Kakashi gnashed his teeth, his eyes filled with intense hatred. "You don't understand anything. He broke the ninja's iron rule himself. He deserved it!"

Under Spiritual Vision, Uchiha Sōgetsu observed that Kakashi's mind was completely chaotic. He used the power of his words to implant a Psychological Suggestion: "Rules are for those who cannot survive without following them."

"You talk a big game, but what about you?"

Kakashi retorted through gritted teeth, "Aren't you living by the rules too?"

He couldn't help but recall his father's lonely and disappointed expression in the room that day, and the pool of blood on the floor when he finally pushed open the door.

"Wasn't that guy, White Fang, a strong person?" Kakashi roared in anger, forcefully breaking free and rolling aside. He grabbed his father's short sword with his left hand. "If that's true, then why did he die? Tell me!"

"In the Ninja World, rules are the iron law!"

"A ninja who can't complete a mission is trash. He should be... he should be discarded!"

He blindly swung his father's short sword, tears streaming from his eyes, like a hedgehog bristling with helplessness and despair.

Such a chaotic sword attack posed no threat to Uchiha Sōgetsu. He clenched his fist and smashed it hard into Kakashi's face.

Boom!

Kakashi was sent flying by the punch, crashing into the wall.

The short sword fell to the ground. He slid down powerlessly, his eyes vacant, his gaze hollow as if devoid of emotion.

Uchiha Sōgetsu slowly walked over and squatted down, looking at him. "Are you calm now?"

"They all said... my father was trash and caused the village great losses."

Kakashi lowered his head, tears falling one by one. The emotions suppressed in his heart erupted completely. He sobbed, "Tell me, did my father really do something wrong? Are they really right? Is a ninja who can't complete a mission truly trash?"

"Don't mind them. Those are the words of failures."

Uchiha Sōgetsu stroked his hair, his voice softening. "The strong never say what the world is like; they emphasize what the world should be like."

"Strong people... should emphasize what the world should be like."

Kakashi's originally hollow eyes seemed to gain a hint of color. He repeatedly mumbled the sentence.

Suddenly, the words seemed to touch something within him.

It was like a ray of sunlight piercing through a sky shrouded in gray fog, directly illuminating his gloomy inner world.

"The reason White Fang died is simply because he wasn't strong enough."

In the depths of Uchiha Sōgetsu's pupils, swirling vortexes appeared, like the shadows of the Abyss.

"White Fang... wasn't strong enough."

Suddenly, Kakashi's spirit faltered. He seemed to have lost all his defenses, his eyes vacant and hollow, falling into a state of absent-mindedness.

Through step-by-step guidance, leading the other party into a state of 'Hypnosis,' Uchiha Sōgetsu's voice would now be imprinted like a brand deep within the other's soul.

Although the method was troublesome, it was stable.

This way, the hypnotized target would act according to his will without realizing it.

However, at his current Sequence 6 level, he couldn't perform very deep hypnosis, such as making the target harm themselves or act against something important to their Subconscious.

"White Fang's death made you angry, and you resent the rules and iron laws you once firmly believed in."

Uchiha Sōgetsu said gently, "Deep down, you've begun to doubt whether White Fang's actions were correct, whether everything he sacrificed his life for was worth it. You even suspect that the spread of rumors was fueled by someone behind the scenes, and that the teammates who betrayed your father were part of a deliberate 'trap'."

"But you know you are still weak. Even if you knew or guessed, you couldn't change anything or avenge your father."

"So, you decided to suppress all your hatred deep inside."

"You believe what Uchiha Sōgetsu said is right. The weak have no right to talk about the world, nor the right to change it. Therefore, you will become strong."

"It was Uchiha Sōgetsu who made you recognize the truth of the world and helped you find the right path. He is your guide and your goal."

"You will trust him without reservation, Kakashi."

That gentle voice seemed to find a tacit understanding and resonance with Kakashi's innermost thoughts.

It was like being immersed in a warm ocean, unconsciously accepting the voice and seeing it as the truest thought in one's heart.

"Remember the words above, this is your subconscious projection. When you wake up, forget that I ever spoke to you, forget the unusual behavior you'll exhibit later, and deep down, develop a reliance on Uchiha Sōgetsu, unconsciously accepting his ideals."

After speaking, he snapped his fingers.

Snap!

Kakashi's unfocused gaze suddenly regained its clarity.

He looked at Uchiha Sōgetsu before him, a strong sense of recognition surging from the depths of his heart, coupled with intense anger towards the person responsible for his father's death.

"You're right, my father wasn't wrong. This world is wrong. I won't let his sacrifice be in vain. I need to become stronger, strong enough to be like you said!"

Kakashi suppressed the raging inferno within him, maintaining an unusual calmness on his face. "Uchiha Sōgetsu, thank you very much. Your words have made me see this world clearly!"

"You don't need to thank me, it's what I should do."

Observing his reaction and confirming the successful implantation of the suggestion, Uchiha Sōgetsu smiled and said, "Since the treatment is over, I should be leaving now."

"Thank you for your trouble, Mr. Sōgetsu."

Kakashi said politely, "I look forward to our next meeting."

"The consultation fee is one hundred thousand Ryo, thank you for your patronage."

Uchiha Sōgetsu smiled and extended his hand. Hypnosis was hypnosis, but the consultation fee couldn't be less.

The next day, Minato's team, having heard the news of Kakashi's recovery, immediately came as a group to visit him.

However, the moment they pushed open the door, Rin and Obito were startled.

What the hell, who is this?

The person before them, with a face swollen like a pig's head and wrapped in bandages, was really Kakashi?

Even Minato, usually known for his calmness, couldn't help but have his gentle smile falter slightly.

After careful identification, the distinctive white hair and cold eyes finally allowed Obito to confirm that this pig-headed guy was indeed Kakashi!

"Uh, Kakashi?" Obito asked tentatively.

"Mm."

Kakashi responded coldly.

"Kakashi, who beat you up to this state?"

Although Obito showed a concerned expression, his uncontrollably upturned lips undoubtedly betrayed his true thoughts.

Looking at Kakashi's appearance, Minato's mind suddenly recalled yesterday's scene.

"Mm, it took a bit of effort, but the result is good."

Uchiha Sōgetsu smiled and gave him a thumbs-up. "Kakashi has successfully overcome his trauma, don't worry!"

Wait, a psychologist. Is this how people overcome trauma?!

Although the method was a bit crude, it couldn't be denied that the effect was quite significant.

Minato Namikaze felt a deep sense of doubt.

December 24th, Sunny

Everyone had an apple on their desk, but I didn't... I went to ask HR: "Why don't I have an apple?" HR hesitated for a moment and said: "I forgot about you."

Heh