"This is the story of a lone wolf woman doctor." "University hospitals' medical offices were losing power, and even medical care which engages in life plunged into an era where the law of jungle prevailed." "To fill the critical shortage in the medical field, freelance - that is, lone wolf - doctors emerged." "For example, this woman." "Averse to groups, averse to authority, averse to constraints, a medical specialist's license and her self-honed skill are her only weapons." "Surgeon Daimon Michiko." "Also known as Doctor X." "Welcome, and thank you for coming, Professor Kusakabe." "I feel most honored to be greeted by everyone." "Welcome back, Kusakabe-kun." "It's been a long time, Professor Hiruma." "We've been looking forward to seeing you!" "That's so bogus..." "It's really been a while." "Nice to meet you." "Professor Kusakabe." "I'm Jounouchi." "Ah..." "So you're that Jounouchi-kun who sent me that passionate love letter." "I'm honored to meet you." "Thank you." "Even these lovely flowers are overshadowed by your beauty." "What the heck are you doing." "Massachusetts International Medical University is that prestigious school that produced many Nobel Prize winners, right?" "Yeah." "Even there, Professor Kusakabe's one of the best." "They say once he holds a scalpel, God descends into his body, and he's famous world-wide as possessing God's hands." "When he was at this University Hospital," "I heard he used his reputation as a genius at will." "The fact that we were able to invite Professor Kusakabe from the U.S." "is due entirely to Executive Manager Hiruma's capability." "This surgery demonstration of Kusakabe-kun will be broadcast live to university hospitals nation-wide." "I'm sure his technique will receive great praise." "This is like a dream come true." "I read it." "I can't wait to see what kind of brilliant technique the genius will show us." "But it's a glorious triumphant return, isn't it?" "." "I'm proud to have a senpai like him." "Professor Ebina and Professor Kusakabe are peers, your know..." "I'll try to be more careful." "Mind if I come in?" "Professor Kusakabe!" "What does a world-famous surgeon want at a place like this?" "This place holds fond memories." "I'm taking a look around the hospital." "This room hasn't changed at all." "During our resident days, Ebina sat here." "And this...is where I sat." "Oh my God!" "Luck is on my side!" "I get to sit where Doctor Kusakabe used to sit." "There's something grim about sitting next to each other, isn't there?" "That just goes to show you how cruel life can be." "I'm sitting where Professor Ebina used to sit..." "Get out of my way." "I've heard about you." "Are you Doctor Daimon who's using my line without permission?" " Line?" " "I never fail."" "I'm the one who used that line first." "I own the rights to it." "Can you please refrain from using it from now on?" "That's amazing!" "Here you go." "However, if you're using it to pay homage to me," "I don't mind at all." "I will not refrain from using it." "I will not pay homage." "Move." "What the heck." "Her "I never fail" was a rip-off." "She's just a copycat." "He's truly a shady character!" "Where on earth is there a doctor who never fails." "Except for me." "Don't put yourself in the same class as Professor Kusakabe." "He hugged her and rendered her spineless..." "Hey, watch where you're touching..." "Don't be ridiculous." "Professor Kusakabe happens to be the only doctor I respect." "It's not just his surgical skills." "His consideration for the staff, thoughtfulness towards his patients." "Everything about him is first class." "They say it's that character that nurtured his exceptional talent and got him on the cover of the American magazine "Times."" " I saw that too." " Cover...so what?" "It means he's not like you." "Now, now, now, now, now!" "So what did you write in this love letter?" "A divorcée with a child, looking for a lover~!" " Yes~!" " Mai...!" "I asked him to let me be the anesthesiologist for the live surgery demonstration he's performing." "Listen." "You see," "Professor Kusakabe's the best surgeon in the world." "It's not every day I get to stand in the same operating room with him." " That's why I dared to..." " Hiromi." "Good for you." "You drummed up business all on your own." "A far cry from Michiko." "But I'm doing it for free." "Doesn't that go without saying?" "There are lots of doctors who'd be willing to pay to be there to see Professor Kusakabe's surgery." "You're disgusting." "Totally unprofessional." "There's no way I can ask for a fee." "Try to learn a little from Michiko." "What's with that quick turnabout." "What's with that smile..." "But Executive Manager Hiruma sure made a bold move, didn't he?" "It must've cost him a fortune to get Kusakabe to come." "Does he cost that much?" "Add the fees for Mic-chan and Hiromi-chan, and multiply that by 10." "That probably still falls short." "For real?" "He figures he'll recover the cost, right?" "At this time, with the division chief election coming up," "Hiruma will get credit for his political skill for bringing over a world-renown surgeon." "Plus, the number of outpatients will increase for sure." "But there's a rumor that Kusakabe's "I never fail" should be taken with a grain of salt." " Really?" " Like what?" "They say there's a secret behind" " Kusakabe's 100 percent surgery success rate." " Like what?" "That, I don't know." "That's called the commoner's jealousy." "How can there be a secret behind God's hands." "You know what?" "Those might actually be magic hands~." "I bet you used some kind of a magic trick, didn't you!" "I'm looking for Kusakabe-san." " This way please." " Thank you." "Sorry." "Drafting the paper took longer than I expected." " That's okay." " For commoners like me, pounding out papers is still a way of life." "Is that the list of surgery demonstration candidates we gave you?" "Yeah." "I'm thinking about going with this patient." " Esophageal cancer, huh?" " Stage III." "That's so like you." "To choose the most difficult surgery." "It doesn't have to be me with other patients." ""It doesn't have to be me," huh?" "You haven't changed." "You've always been like that." "It doesn't have to be me." "It has to be me." "That was always your criteria." "That's probably why" "I wasn't able to survive within the organization without making waves." "I'm just one of the losers." "Cut that out." "You have an outstanding natural talent." "That's why you weren't comfortable in an organization." "Geniuses are incompatible with commoners." "All your colleagues who started at the same time know that." "Old friends are great." "You unabashedly shower me with praise." "Welcome back." "Good wine." "By the way, that woman doctor called Daimon..." " Daimon?" " What's her background?" "I heard she traveled all over the world practicing medicine, but who knows if that's really true or not." ""I will not do it," "I never fail,"" "that's all she keeps repeating like a fool." "She's just a disgustingly arrogant part-timer." "I see..." "Why do you ask?" "I met her once before." "A live surgery demonstration?" "W-what is that?" " The surgery will be open to be viewed." " Your surgery is going to be broadcast to hospitals and universities all over the country." "No way." "I'm just gonna be put on public display." "In exchange, a world famous distinguished doctor will perform your surgery." "This is Professor Kusakabe from Massachusetts International Medical University who will be your surgeon." "I'm Kusakabe." "Professor is a great surgeon who's known as having God's hands." "Then that's all the more reason." "I operate a ramen shop, you know." "I don't have the money to pay such a distinguished doctor." "If you agree to cooperate, the hospital will bear all expense." "All expense?" "The surgery will be an invaluable link to the future of medicine." "You're saying my body can lead to advancement in medicine?" "Yes." "Ah~ What do I do." "What's there to agonize about, Gomi-san!" "Having a great doctor with God's hands perform your surgery is like winning the lottery, isn't it?" "That's right!" "And if it's free to boot, there's no reason to hesitate." "Dad!" "God came down to bless us." "God..." "Okay, I've decided!" "I'll leave it to you, Sensei." "Cure me for sure, okay?" "I promise." "Because I never fail." "He said it..." "Are you serious about doing it for free?" "Preoperative Conference" "Hey, feel this." " Why is it so fast?" " Isn't it, though?" "This might be the biggest event of my life." "You're acting cheap, Jounouchi." "The patient is a 50-year old male, Gomi Ichiro-san." "Esophageal cancer, Stage III." "We're planning to perform a subtotal esophagectomy with gastric tube reconstruction ." "What?" "!" "If that's all you're going to do, why bother broadcasting it live?" "If it was me, by doing a transhiatal esophagectomy with reconstruction using the colon," "I can do it much faster and brilliantly." "Daimon-kun." "Hold your tongue." "Professor Kusakabe is doing us a favor by coming all the way from the U.S." "What was that?" "Transhiatal esphagectomy?" "A delicate surgery like that...huh?" " What if it should fail?" " I... never fail." "All right." "Then I shall do VATS-E and HALS-G." "Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery for Esphagectomy, along with" "Hand-Assisted Laparoscopic Surgery to reconstruct the gastric tube." "Of course, much faster and yet more brilliantly than you." "VATS-E and HALS-G are the most advanced techniques, right?" "They're techniques that require great skill." "With VATS-E, the difficulty level is high, however, it's minimally invasive." "The incisions are small, with a shorter recovery time." "With HALS-G, it's possible to work on the surgical area as if an abdominal incision was made by inserting the left hand through laparoscopy." "I'm the one who never fails." "That's just phenomenal." "Oh yes, that's our Professor Kusakabe." "This indeed is surgery worthy of a live demonstration, isn't it?" "It'll be a good learning experience for the medical staff too, right?" " Gyoi." " Gyoi!" "Daimon-kun." "You can learn a lot from Professor Kusakabe too." "Then go ahead and give it a try." "What's with that condescending attitude!" "Throw her out of here!" "Hey, wait a minute." "Wait!" "You can't just...hey..." "You're acting cheap, Daimon." "I apologize for all the rude things she said." "That's all right." "I actually don't dislike assertive people like that." "You're wonderful, just as we thought." "That's our Professor Kusakabe, indeed." "Very broad-minded." "Our imposing figures will be broadcast at university hospitals across the nation." "This is what you call being in the limelight." "I'll handle the video." "I'll do a good job, you can count on it." "You're participating as his assistant, right?" "I'm Gomi-san's primary doctor, after all." "Don't miss this opportunity." "More than you being division chief, I want to go to Massachusetts." "As your wife." "Executive Manager." "We're ready to go on air." "Oh, okay." "Thanks." "This is the moment your powerful capability will resound throughout the nation as the person who brought Professor Kusakabe to this stage." "But you're sure a good natured fellow." "You started the same time as Kusakabe-kun, right?" "That being the case, isn't it normal to feel some resentment?" "Not at all..." "I'm proud to be one of his peers." "Rather than feeling proud of someone, if it was me, I'd want to be in a situation where people are proud of me." "We will now begin the thorascopic esphagectomy, together with reconstruction of gastric tube by HALS." "Vitals, blood pressure in the 100's, heart rate in the 60's, sinus." "Thank you." "Scalpel." "First, 5 skin incisions will be made on the right chest to insert ports." "The usual surgical position of the patient is left lateral decubitus, however, for this surgery, Professor Kusakabe has chosen the prone decubitus position." "It is said that with this position, improved vision and maneuverability with the thorascope can be achieved." "Not bad." "Not bad at all..." "This menchi's good." " Pull back the greater omentum" " Got it." "But he's certainly brilliant." "It's as if he's a maestro." "Detachable bipolar." "Coagulation in the left gastric artery." "I feel as if I'm listening to an aria." "That's a good way to put it." "Dad..." "We will now perform esophagogastrostomy." "Bring in the gastric tube." "Linear stapler." "Suction." "Confirming gastric tube in the thoracic cavity." "Anastomosis complete." "We will proceed to close the incisions." "Trocar." "Stapler." "Suture done." "Complete." "That was truly brilliant." "Everyone, it was educational, wasn't it?" "Let's give him a hand." "This is indeed the work of God." "God was here!" "Thank you!" "Thank you so much!" "Thank you...!" "I can't take this anymore...he's so lame." "Thank you for designating me to be the anesthesiologist." "I learned a lot." "Thank you very much." "I've always thought that an anesthesiologist was like a maestro to a surgeon." "Maestro..." "You mean like a conductor of an orchestra?" "Yes." "Under the precise baton of anesthesiologists, we, surgeons, play the music." "It's the anesthesiologist who controls the surgery." "That's never even occurred to me." "You were truly an outstanding maestro..." "or rather, maestra." "I was able to do good work." "Thank you." "I entrust you with Gomi-san's postoperative care." "Oh, if anything happens, you can reach me here." " All right." " Good night." "Excuse me, Professor Kusakabe..." "Awesome...!" "See you~ Maestra Jounouchi." "Hey, were you eavesdropping?" " No, I was not." "I had it erased." "Liar...you heard every word." "As the saying goes, seeing is believing." "Kondo-kun, wasn't Kusakabe-kun's surgery today a good learning experience?" "Certainly." "It was a rare invaluable experience." "Professor Kusakabe, thank you very much." "We're going to need Kondo-kun to keep improving his surgical skills." " For my daughter's sake too." " Your daughter?" "You know, this guy... he's trying to make a pass at my precious sheltered daughter." "You could say he's an incorrigible scheming wolf." "Make a pass?" "Please, what will people think?" "Well, however, a man with some ambition has a more promising future, huh?" "Indeed." "Isn't it about ready?" "Mine too." "Pardon me..." "Well, anyway, speaking about ambition..." "Uh...we're having a division chief election soon." "That's what I heard." "Something to the effect that Division Chief Takano got transferred?" "That's right." "He got transferred." "So the division chief's seat became vacant, and that's why we're having another election." "Back in the old days, come election time, there were many with burning ambition who came out to win, but now, these days, it's become really quiet." "So I'm slightly at a loss as to who I should recommend." " Here you go." " Thanks." "It's hot!" "Dang, it's hot." "Personally, I evaluate aspiration to improve oneself more highly than ambition." "A man who's active worldwide sure lives up to his reputation, doesn't he?" "Kusakabe-kun, if I could get someone like you to come to the University, you'd be the division chief right away." "I mean, like right now." "Thank you." "Shall I get you some vegetables too?" "Oh...it's mine." "Excuse me." "Who is it?" "Marilyn-chan from Massachusetts?" "It's Jounouchi-kun." "Professor Kusakabe, Gomi-san's condition took a sudden turn." "What's his condition?" "Temperature 38.2, heart rate 120." "He's having chest pains." "That's not unusual after surgery." "It's nothing to worry about." " But..." " Let's wait and see for a while." "All right." " Is everything all right?" " Yeah." "There was nothing wrong with the surgery." "Entrusting postoperative care to a freeter was my mistake." "There's no way the genius Kusakabe-kun would make a mistake." "Ebina-kun, give me some more meat." "Gyoi." "Excuse me." "You'll feel better right away, Gomi-san." " Sensei..." " He's fine." " Don't worry." " But..." "Are you sure he's all right?" "!" "He's only getting worse." "Did the surgery fail?" "That's not the case at all." "So that's how you do it~." "What are you doing, reading a book on magic." "Michiko, are you thinking about changing jobs?" "Here." "What is it?" "There's nothing written on it." "I will not do it." "Oh, that's amazing!" "See?" "This is the trick." "It's written here." "Oh, I see." "Everything he does and says is flim-flam, that dude called Kusakabe." "It actually rings." "Your cell phone." "It's the woman who was rendered spineless by the flim-flam man." "Hello." " Something's wrong with Gomi-san's condition." " Something's wrong?" "Neither his fever nor his rapid heart rate is coming down." "Professor Kusakabe said it's a condition that happens often after surgery, but... there's something that bothers me." "What is it?" "During the surgery..." "Where are you going?" "He's settled down a bit after I gave him some antibiotics." "See anything?" "Everything's fine up to this point." "The scene in question's coming up." "Confirming gastric tube in the thoracic cavity." "One more time." "So that's what happened." " Huh?" " You'll find out after the tests tomorrow." "You were used as the magician's assistant." "Let me see it one more time." "Professor Kusakabe!" "Professor Kusakabe!" "I'm leaving on the 16:00 flight." "I have patients waiting for me back there too." "The 3 days I spent here were productive." "Can I ask you to examine Gomi-san, as well as consider a second surgery?" "A second surgery?" "Yes." "Depending on the test results, please postpone your departure." "Complications after surgery happen all the time." "I did my best and the surgery was a success." "I was flawless." " But..." " I do not make mistakes!" "Jounouchi-kun, you're a very capable anesthesiologist." "If you're so inclined, I'd like to invite you over to Massachusetts International Medical University." "Think about it." "If you'll excuse me." "Mediastinitis due to anastomotic leak?" "!" "(inflammation of tissues in mid-chest due to ruptured suture)" "White blood cell count and CRP level are both rising." "A CT scan of the chest area revealed inflammation of the mediastinum." "But Professor Kusakabe's sutures were flawless." "I was watching up close too, but" "I've never seen such perfect sutures." "It's true the sutures were perfect." "A blackish discoloration from right below the anastomotic region extending to 3 cm to the posterior, and perforation in one section was observed through the endoscope." "This is gastric tube necrosis due to obstructed blood flow." "Are you telling me that necrosis of the reconstructed gastric tube has already begun?" "If left untreated, Gomi-san will die from septic shock." "He needs a second surgery at once." "Don't be ridiculous!" "That would make it look like there was a problem with" "Professor Kusakabe's surgery." "Not only that," "Executive Manager Hiruma's reputation as the person who invited Professor Kusakabe" " can be damaged as well!" " What does that matter?" "It matters greatly!" "It's the most important thing!" "A second surgery today right after the surgery that was broadcast nationwide yesterday?" "No way!" "You've got to be kidding!" "If you insist on doing it, do it secretly 3 months from now!" "Calm down!" "Calm down!" "Let's calm down, Office Manager." "Look, Office Manager... well, these unpreventable, um..." "complications after surgery happen all the time, no matter how good the surgeon is." "Right?" "Executive Manager Hiruma, pardon my outburst..." "I understand how you feel." "I really do." "Anyway, if you insist on performing a second surgery, let's wait for a suitable time and then uh..." "let's do it." "You don't care if he dies?" "Executive Manager Hiruma." "What do you think about letting Daimon perform the second surgery?" "What?" "!" "What are you talking about, Professor Ebina?" "However, with one condition." "Condition?" "Dad!" "Dad!" "Dad..." "Dad!" "Dad!" "Dad!" "This is as far as you can come." "Save my father!" "Please don't kill him!" " Don't worry." "I'll save him." " Really?" "I never fail." "It's Ebina." "We decided to perform a second surgery." " What?" "!" " A commoner saves the genius." "How's that for a change, huh?" "Hey... hey!" "Differential lung ventilation, vitals stable." "Blood pressure 120 over 65, heart rate 95." "Whenever you're ready." "We'll perform an emergency mediastinal drainage." "Scalpel." "Hooked forceps." "Rib shears." "We'll rinse the mediastinum." "Saline." "Saturation decreasing." "I'll regulate it with anesthesia but please hurry." "Don't worry." "Get the drain ready." "This surgery was performed by Executive Manager Hiruma, yourself." "And Executive Manager Hiruma will surpass the hands of God and will become the new hands of God." "If that happens...there will be an ever bigger surge of outpatients." "Professor Ebina, you certainly have a wicked mind." "Ebina-kun, you're unscrupulous to the core." "But when that unscrupulousness goes too far... it's pleasurable." "Gyoi!" "Go, Daimon." "Why second surgery..." "Kusakabe-kun, watch carefully." "Saturation 99 percent." "It's stable." "Removing the necrotized gastric tube." "Monopolar." "Next, we'll perform the supercharge technique, along with reconstruction with the colon." "Reconstruction?" "!" "Aren't reconstructions usually done when inflammation has settled down and the physical condition has stabilized?" "We've been administering antibiotics before mediastinitis even occurred." "Let's get him in a supine position." "Scalpel." "Hooked forceps." "This is a surgery that's normally split into two separate surgeries!" "Yes." "First, for drainage and resection of the necrosis." "And a few months later, the second reconstruction surgery." "How can that woman do it all at once!" "She's the antithesis of God's hands... demon's hands." "She's precisely... the devil." " Blood loss?" " 450 cc." " Watch for..." " hemorrhage, hemorrhagic effusion from the drain." "Done." "Kusakabe-kun." "You can rest assured I won't do anything to undermine your position." "Have a safe trip back to the U.S." "Gomme syrup...is it?" "The brain gets dry after a surgery." "Only those who perform true surgeries can understand that sensation." "I don't wish to be lumped together with you." "That was a brilliant surgery." "Just for you," "I'll allow the use of "I never fail."" "You still have the nerve to say that?" "After you failed." "Failed?" "My surgery was flawless." "Even if it was, it's meaningless if the patient isn't cured." "I'm saying that's why you failed." "Gomi-san had mediastinitis due to anastomotic leak." "That's not possible." "The sutures were flawless too." "Yes." "The anastomotic leak was caused by something else." "During the surgery, you took your eyes off the monitor for just an instant, didn't you?" "That's because you realized the reconstructed gastric tube you touched with your right hand was starting to get cold...wasn't it?" "The anastomotic leak was caused by obstructed blood flow." "You didn't dare mention that because..." "Because what?" "You were scared~." "Right?" "To fail in surgery." "There's a secret behind your "I never fail."" "Just like magic." "Secret?" "You don't do anything that could possibly fail." "That's your secret." "Please don't ever say "I never fail" again." "I'm the one who's going to be inconvenienced." "Professor Kusakabe." "I decline your invitation to go to Massachusetts." "A magician's assistant..." "I will not do." "She ripped off my "I will not do."" "Well, if you'll excuse me too." "Wait a minute. 4 years ago, you were at a cancer center in New York, weren't you?" "The patient's name was Daniel Jack." "He's a famous singer." "Don't tell me you've forgotten." "I don't know anything about it." "You may remember the name of the disease." "With metastases to remote organs such as lungs and liver, it was esophageal cancer, Stage IV B." "In other words, the patient could only wait for death." "Naturally, I gave up on him." "However, one surgeon did a complete resection, and and cured him completely." "Her name was..." "Doctor X." "It was you, wasn't it?" "I don't know what you're talking about." "Professor Hiruma." "Thank you for using the services of both Daimon and Jounouchi this time around." "Here's a melon." "And here's the bill." "What is this... what is this outrageously exorbitant amount." "It's only fair that we get paid more than Professor Kusakabe." "Otherwise, it wouldn't be worth our while to work behind the scene." "There's talk around town that there are patients who are already referring to you as not only God's hands, but Buddha's hands." "Buddha's hands?" "Really?" "Of course, this time as always," "I will have Daimon and Jounouchi carry the secret to their grave." "If you'll excuse me." "Wait a minute." "Yes?" "Next time, when you hand me the bill for the two of them..." "Yes?" "Bring me two melons." "I apologize for not realizing that." "I like it." "I like eating the whole thing." "Massachusetts was a good opportunity." " You should've gone." " Why?" "People like you are better off working in an organization." "To survive as a freelancer... you don't have the skill." "Look here." "I'm the maestra who conducts your surgery." "Don't forget that." "If you didn't have me around," "I bet you can't even say "I never fail" so assuredly." "You're just a "she might end up making a terrible mess" type of doctor." "Be quiet!" " Eh?" " Not "eh"!" "Will you be quiet." "Averse to groups, averse to constraints, a medical specialist's license and her self-honed skill are her only weapons." "Vitals." " Blood pressure in the 100's, heart rate in the 70's..." " Sinus." "Scalpel." "Surgeon Daimon Michiko." "Also known as Doctor X."