CELLULAR REPAIR SEQUENCE: 47% COMPLETE
HOST CONSCIOUSNESS RETURNING
INITIALIZING USER INTERFACE...
The first thing Ethan noticed wasn't the pain—though there should have been pain. Lots of it. Instead, it was the strange blue text floating in his vision like some kind of augmented reality display.
MEDICAL PROFICIENCY SYSTEM - VERSION 1.0
Welcome, Dr. Ethan Graves
System Status: ACTIVE
Host Condition: STABLE
"What the hell?" Ethan muttered, blinking hard. The text remained, crisp and impossible.
The hospital room came into focus slowly. Generic beige walls, the steady beep of monitors, the antiseptic smell that had been his world for over a decade. But something was different. Everything seemed... sharper. More detailed. He could make out individual dust motes floating in the afternoon sunlight streaming through the window.
"Dr. Graves! You're awake." A familiar voice made him turn his head. Dr. Sarah Kim, one of the ER residents, was checking his chart. "How are you feeling?"
Ethan blinked, and the blue text shifted in his vision:
ANALYZING MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL...
Dr. Sarah Kim - Emergency Medicine Resident
Stress Level: HIGH
Fatigue: 73%
Recommended Treatment: Caffeine supplementation, 8 hours rest
Ethan's eyes widened. The information floated next to Dr. Kim's head like a video game character sheet, but she showed no sign of seeing it.
"I... fine. Considering." He rubbed his eyes, hoping the display would disappear. It didn't. "How long was I out?"
"Three days. You suffered significant trauma—broken ribs, internal bleeding, severe concussion. The good news is your recovery has been progressing well. Better than expected, actually."
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
Emergency Healing Protocol: SUCCESSFUL
Cellular regeneration increased by 400%
Bone density restoration: 97% complete
Neurological function: ENHANCED
Experience Gained: +50 XP
Ethan's mouth went dry. This had to be some kind of hallucination. Brain damage from the accident. Except... he felt better than he had in months. The chronic back pain from long surgeries was gone. The headaches from stress and exhaustion had vanished.
"The surgeons did excellent work," Dr. Kim continued, making notes. "Dr. Rodriguez handled the internal repair, and Dr. Patterson set your ribs. You should be able to go home in a day or two if your recovery continues at this rate."
She didn't mention anything unusual. No impossible healing rates or miraculous recovery. Just... normal medical care with good results.
"Any complications I should know about?" Ethan asked carefully.
"Nothing significant. Your body's responding very well to treatment. Your immune system seems particularly robust—we were worried about infection, but your white cell count has been perfect." She smiled. "Sometimes the human body surprises us with its resilience."
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
Achievement Unlocked: "First Revival"
Reward: +1 to all medical skill proficiency
New Skill Available: "Diagnostic Insight Lv.1"
After Dr. Kim left, Ethan stared at the interface that apparently only he could see. A character sheet appeared in his vision:
DR. ETHAN GRAVES - LEVEL 1
Medical Proficiency System
Health: 95/100
Stamina: 78/100
Focus: 82/100
SKILLS:
Surgery (General): Level 15 → 16
Diagnostics: Level 12 → 13
Emergency Medicine: Level 10 → 11
NEW Diagnostic Insight: Level 1
SYSTEM POINTS: 50
ACTIVE EFFECTS: Enhanced Healing (48 hours remaining)
This was insane. Impossible. And yet...
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
Tutorial Mode Activated
Would you like to learn basic system functions?
[YES] / [NO]
Ethan found himself mentally selecting "YES."
TUTORIAL: MEDICAL PROFICIENCY SYSTEM
The Medical Proficiency System enhances your natural abilities as a medical professional. Key features:
1. Enhanced diagnostic capabilities (visible only to you)
2. Skill progression through experience
3. Physical and mental performance optimization
4. Advanced medical knowledge access
IMPORTANT: System interface and enhanced abilities are PRIVATE. Others will perceive your improvements as natural skill development.
WARNING: Overuse may result in fatigue. Maintain discretion to avoid suspicion.
So whatever this was, it would remain his secret. Others would just see him getting better at his job—which, honestly, he desperately needed.
A soft knock interrupted his thoughts. Dr. Webb stepped into the room, looking tired but relieved.
"Ethan. How are you feeling?"
"Like I got hit by a truck. Literally." Ethan managed a weak smile. "But I'll survive."
Webb pulled up a chair. "We need to talk about what happened before your accident. The situation with your cases."
The blue display flickered with new information:
ANALYZING SUBJECT...
Dr. Marcus Webb - Chief of Surgery
Emotional State: CONCERNED, GUILT
Health Status: Mild hypertension, stress indicators present
Ethan could see details he'd never noticed before—the slight tension in Webb's shoulders, the way he favored his left side slightly when sitting. Nothing dramatic, just... more information than he'd ever processed before.
"I know I was struggling," Ethan said carefully. "The Chen case, the others... I wasn't performing at my best."
"That's an understatement. But..." Webb hesitated. "Sometimes these things happen in cycles. Doctors go through rough patches. The important thing is recognizing it and getting back on track."
"You're not suspending me?"
"I'm giving you another chance. When you're medically cleared, you'll start with simple procedures. Supervised at first. If you can show me you've got your edge back..." Webb shrugged. "Everyone deserves a second chance."
DIAGNOSTIC INSIGHT ACTIVATED
Subject shows signs of chronic stress, elevated cortisol levels
Recommendation: Monitoring advised, no immediate intervention required
Ethan nodded, keeping his expression neutral despite the flood of information his enhanced perception was providing. "I appreciate that, Marcus. I won't let you down."
"See that you don't." Webb stood to leave, then paused. "Take this time to rest. Really rest. Whatever was eating at you before, deal with it. The OR will be here when you're ready."
After Webb left, Ethan lay back against his pillows, processing what had just happened. The system had given him detailed medical information about Dr. Kim and Dr. Webb, but neither of them had noticed anything unusual about his behavior or questions.
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
Tutorial Complete
Full System Access: UNLOCKED
Advanced Features Available:
- Enhanced Focus Mode (3 uses per day)
- Skill Point Allocation
- Medical Database Access
- Performance Analytics
Remember: Your abilities appear as natural talent to observers
Ethan smiled for the first time in weeks. Whatever this system was, wherever it had come from, it might be exactly what he needed. A chance to become the surgeon he used to be. Maybe even better.
But first, he needed to understand what he was dealing with. And he needed to be very, very careful about how he used it.
The last thing he wanted was to go from being known as a failing surgeon to being seen as some kind of medical freak.
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
Objective Updated: Return to Active Duty
Recommendation: Practice new abilities in controlled environment
Stealth Mode: ACTIVE
Next milestone: Successfully complete first surgery with system assistance
Ethan closed his eyes and focused on the interface. Time to learn what he could really do.
And time to make sure no one else ever found out how he was doing it.
End of Chapter 2