Talent Reborn
Episode 38: The Breaking Point
The Surge of the Wounded
Another explosion rumbled in the distance. The ground trembled beneath Haruto's feet as he rushed toward the triage area. More wounded were pouring in—civilians, soldiers, even enemy combatants.
The medical team barely had time to breathe between emergencies. Blood stained the dirt beneath them, mixing with sweat and desperation.
Haruto barely flinched as another stretcher was placed before him. The patient—a young man barely in his twenties—had a gaping wound in his abdomen. His pulse was weak.
"We need to operate now," Ayaka said, already scrubbing in.
Haruto nodded, but as he grabbed his scalpel, Elias placed a firm hand on his shoulder.
"We don't have enough supplies," the older doctor said grimly. "We need to prioritize."
Haruto's stomach twisted. He knew what that meant.
Triage.
They had to decide who lived… and who didn't get treated at all.
He looked down at the young man on the stretcher, then at the dozens of others in critical condition.
How could he decide?
For the first time in a long while, his ability was useless. Copying talent wouldn't help him choose who deserved to live.
The Choice That Haunts
Ayaka's voice was tense. "Haruto, what do we do?"
His hands trembled. Every doctor had to face this dilemma at some point. But standing in a warzone, watching patients die around him—
This was beyond anything he had ever prepared for.
Elias watched him carefully. "If you waste time on one patient, three others will die. Make the call."
Haruto's breath came short.
He could save this young man. But that meant turning his back on others who might have had a better chance.
His fists clenched.
Then, finally, he whispered, "Move to the next patient."
Ayaka's eyes widened, but she understood. The young man was too far gone. Trying to save him would mean losing others they could still help.
It didn't make the decision any easier.
As they stepped away, the young man's labored breaths slowed. His eyes, glassy with pain, locked onto Haruto's.
Then—
Silence.
Haruto felt something inside him crack.
But there was no time to grieve.
Because another patient was already waiting.
The Weight of Medicine
By the time the sun rose, Haruto had performed more surgeries in a single night than he ever had in a hospital.
But the weight of the lives he didn't save pressed against his chest like a crushing force.
Elias sat beside him, lighting a cigarette with shaky hands.
"You made the right call," he said after a long pause. "But that doesn't mean it gets easier."
Haruto didn't respond.
Because deep inside, he knew—
This wasn't just about medicine anymore.
This was about survival.
And if he couldn't handle this…
Then he had no right to call himself a doctor.
End of Episode 38.