HARDY EMPIRE

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The Battle of Iwo Jima, known as one of the most brutal battles on the Pacific front, lasted from February 19 to March 26, 1945. The entire island was almost reduced to scorched earth. The battle resulted in 6,821 American casualties and 21,865 wounded, while the Japanese suffered 22,703 deaths and 1,083 surrenders.

During this fierce battle, Sergeant Tom Hardy, a member of the Marine Division, displayed exceptional bravery, personally taking down over a dozen Japanese soldiers. However, during a charge with his team, he was struck by a bullet that pierced his chest. When he regained consciousness, he found himself on a medical ship receiving treatment.

Tom Hardy was born in 1921 and was 24 years old at the time. Orphaned, with only a middle school education, Hardy had served as a soldier for five years, participating in numerous battles that had forged a resilient character.

The nurse assigned to care for Hardy was named Catherine, the youngest and most beautiful of the dozens of nurses on the ship. She changed Hardy's dressings, disinfected his wounds, applied sulfa powder, and bandaged him up before helping him lie down.

"Sergeant Hardy, I believe you'll recover soon," Catherine said with a comforting smile.

"Thank you, Miss Nurse."

A few days later, the medical ship, now full of wounded soldiers, set sail for Hawaii. Hardy discovered that his injuries, initially deemed severe, were healing at an extraordinary rate. There was no inflammation, the wounds scabbed over within two days, and within ten days, only scars remained. After half a month, he was completely healed—a recovery rate ten times faster than that of an average person.

Hardy didn't dare tell anyone about this, fearing he might be treated as a medical anomaly. He speculated that this rapid healing might be some sort of inexplicable phenomenon. The two aspects of his identity—his memories and his sense of self—were still merging, causing Hardy to feel disoriented at times. Seeking medical advice, he was prescribed sedatives by the ship's doctors, who suspected it might be a form of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Despite being almost fully recovered, Hardy offered to help the busy nurses, which they gratefully accepted. His assistance lightened Catherine's workload considerably, and in the process, Hardy made many new friends among the patients.

Half a month later, the ship reached Hawaii Harbor. Hardy underwent a physical examination, and the doctor, noticing his remarkable recovery, dismissed it as unremarkable due to the sheer volume of patients. Hardy also visited the psychiatric department, where he was diagnosed with post-war trauma syndrome and advised to undergo a month of psychotherapy.

During his stay at the hospital, Hardy reconnected with Catherine. Already close, Hardy was charmed by her dimples and invited her to dinner at a downtown Honolulu restaurant. They enjoyed a pleasant evening, strolling along the beach, and eventually spent the night together at a hotel.

In the morning, Catherine went back to work while Hardy remained in bed, feeling significantly better after their night together. Hardy recalled reading somewhere that love is the best remedy for emotional wounds, and now he truly believed it.

Standing naked in front of the hotel bathroom mirror, Hardy saw a well-built man with six-pack abs, a muscular physique, short black hair, and deep-set eyes. He grinned, understanding why women found him attractive.

For the remainder of his treatment, Hardy spent most nights with Catherine, who indulged his fantasies. However, good times always come to an end, and one day, a second lieutenant approached Hardy.

"Sergeant Hardy, your injuries have healed, and the military is ready to assign you back to active duty."

Hardy immediately refused. He was unwilling to risk his life again, despite his remarkable recovery abilities. A bullet could still bleed him, and a headshot would be fatal.

Determined to retire, Hardy visited the psychiatrist, who diagnosed him with PTSD and issued a certificate allowing him to leave the military. A few days later, he received a modest retirement allowance of a few hundred dollars and a combat medal. After bidding Catherine farewell at the hotel, he boarded a ship to Los Angeles.

Once there, Hardy felt uncertain about his future. He had noticed discrepancies between this world and his memories, such as the president being someone named Johnson instead of Harry Truman. He also observed unfamiliar companies and celebrities. Even the newspapers mentioned events that seemed straight out of movies, like the wedding of Vito Corleone's daughter from *The Godfather* and the prosecution of Al Capone, a plotline from *Boardwalk Empire*.

Hardy began to suspect that he had somehow entered an alternate world influenced by film and television.

He decided to settle down first and understand this world better before making any decisions about his future. The cruise ship arrived in Los Angeles, and Hardy took a bus back to his hometown in Orange County. He rented a small apartment and soon found a job as a waiter in a local pub.

His working hours were from 3 PM to 11 PM, which gave Hardy plenty of time during the day to pursue his interests. He started running in the mornings, exercising to maintain his physical condition.

There was a boxing gym near his home, and Hardy signed up to practice boxing in the mornings. Over time, he discovered that his physical recovery abilities were extraordinary. After a tough workout, any strains, bruises, or minor injuries he sustained would heal after just a night's rest.

Even more serious injuries, like the time he broke a rib while sparring with Garcia, the gym's strongest fighter, healed within just three days.

Additionally, Hardy had become much more sensitive to danger, possibly due to his time on the battlefield. After more than two months of training, his physical fitness, endurance, and combat skills had all improved significantly.

Yesterday, during a sparring match with Garcia, Hardy managed to knock him out within three minutes, leaving the fighter dazed and bleeding.

Hardy had become the strongest boxer in the gym. The coach suggested that Hardy should pursue a career in boxing, as he had the potential to become one of the best fighters in the United States, earning a substantial income.

However, Hardy declined. He had greater ambitions and didn't want to be limited to just being a boxer.

In addition to practicing boxing, Hardy occasionally practiced his marksmanship. He had developed strong shooting skills during the war, particularly in quick-draw techniques. He had learned from a fellow soldier from Texas, who had won a fast-draw competition back in his home county.

Hardy purchased a second-hand Colt revolver for $45, which came with a holster, and he would occasionally practice shooting in the fields, sometimes bringing home small game.

Although he lived a peaceful life, the world continued to move forward, with significant events unfolding daily.

On August 6, 1945, the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, followed by another on Nagasaki on August 9. Japan announced its unconditional surrender on August 15, and the surrender was formally signed on September 2, marking the end of World War II.

But these events had little to do with Hardy now. He was just an ordinary American, working as a pub waiter, navigating his new life.

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