Talent Reborn
Episode 40: Beyond Copying
The Limits of His Ability
Haruto's hands trembled as he stared at the unconscious patient before him. The wounds on the man's body—some fading, some appearing as if by some unseen force—made no medical sense.
His ability had always allowed him to copy any talent he witnessed. But now, for the first time, he felt something else.
A restriction.
No matter how hard he tried, no matter how many techniques he had absorbed, nothing worked. His ability refused to replicate the knowledge he needed to save this man.
Why?
Ayaka's voice broke through his thoughts. "Haruto, his pulse is dropping again!"
He snapped back to reality. Now wasn't the time to hesitate. Even if his ability wasn't working the way he wanted, he was still a doctor. He had to rely on something else.
His own skill.
Trusting His Own Hands
Haruto took a deep breath. His ability had always been his safety net, but now it was time to prove that he had grown beyond just copying.
His mind raced through everything he had actually learned—from textbooks, from real experience, from his own mistakes.
Analyzing the patient again, he noticed a subtle detail—his body was rejecting normal treatment. The fluctuations in his vitals weren't random; they followed a pattern.
A cycle.
"This isn't a normal injury," Haruto muttered. "His body is resetting itself in intervals. If we treat him at the wrong time, his system rejects it."
Ayaka's eyes widened. "Then we have to time the treatment?"
"Exactly." Haruto grabbed a scalpel. "We wait for the exact moment his body stabilizes—and then we act."
The First Step to True Mastery
Seconds stretched into eternity as Haruto watched the patient's vitals. He counted the rhythm of the fluctuations, waiting for the right moment.
Then—
Now!
His hands moved swiftly, making precise incisions to drain internal bleeding. He sutured wounds at the exact moment the man's body reached equilibrium, ensuring no rejection.
Sweat dripped down his brow. Every movement was a gamble, relying not on talent, but on his own instincts.
And finally—
The patient's breathing evened out. His pulse stabilized.
Haruto stepped back, his heart pounding.
He had done it.
Not by copying someone else—
But by trusting himself.
The Path Forward
Elias watched from the sidelines, arms crossed. "You're finally starting to get it, aren't you?"
Haruto looked up, exhausted but determined.
"What do you mean?"
The older doctor smirked. "Talent can only take you so far. But true mastery? That's earned."
Haruto tightened his fists.
For so long, he had relied on his ability as a crutch. But today, he had proven something.
He was growing.
And if he wanted to become a true doctor, he had to go beyond copying.
Because in the end—
Talent alone wasn't enough.
End of Episode 40.