Redrich closed his left eye, pointing his gun at the core of the Hard Rock Golem's body, in the centre of its chest. He aimed and shot at it three times, each bullet landing perfectly, and staggering it every time it landed.
But, those shots didn't stop it completely.
Harlock charged at the golem and swung his massive fists with such strength that he even managed to create large fractures in its stony skin.
It was these fractures that served as Redrich's opportunity, and he shot at them several times in succession, creating further breakage, before the Hard Rock Golem struck down with its fists and pummelled the ground which Harlock stood on.
Fortunately, however, Harlock leapt back, unscathed.
"Ha, you're merely lucky that your experiences have hardened both your mind and your body to such a degree. Though, I can easily bridge such an advantage with my weapon mastery." Redrich said.
He shot several more bullets, reloading them as fast as he output them, and eventually, a large enough crack formed in the golem's skin.
"Young man, you only have an advantage because the Hard Rock Golem is known for its horrible slowness, not because of your so-called weapon mastery."
"Hmph!"
The Hard Rock Golem roared, and despite the cracks in its body, it swung its arms irately, very nearly catching the both of them off-guard.
It swung again, and almost hit Harlock square in the chest, but even though he managed to block the hit, the powerful blow sent him flying away. Meanwhile, Redrich pulled out another secret blade and dashed forward, avoiding the enraged attacks.
"The Hard Rock Golem doesn't discriminate, I see, daring to punch even the elderly!"
Redrich took the chance to mock Harlock, who had made a firm dent in the stone wall after being sent flying. Harlock groaned and bared his teeth, feeling revved up for the first time in a long time.
He felt afraid, and that fear made him even stronger.
However, he wouldn't get the chance to show off his real capabilities, as Redrich had already landed on the Hard Rock Golem's head, and prepared to finish it off extravagantly.
But, before he could do that, the young man who had just been in an inner conflict had finally woke up, shown by the red gleam of his pupils gradually fading. He stood up and pulled off something amazing just by instinct.
He performed a strange stance, and with the sudden bright glow of light exiting his body, he lunged forward at the Hard Rock Golem, exerting a powerful red energy so strong that it caused smoke to emerge out of the small cavern's entrance.
Then, as the dust cleared away, Redrich, who was mostly unharmed similarly to Harlock, stared at the young man who emanated a powerful aura.
"…I've finally controlled it, after all these years. Thanks to you both."
Hara smiled as he said that. He had never seen these two men before in his life, but they seemed friendly, for the most part. And, they inadvertently helped him escape his trance.
"What can I do to thank you two? I'll do anything to repay this favour."
"…You… you make it sound as if you've been somewhat aware of the entire time you've been in this cave. Have you?"
"…Well… for the most part, I have. My body, on the other hand…"
Hara chuckled awkwardly.
"I've been training and doing nothing else. All for the sake of fighting those monsters that killed everyone that I ever knew."
"…Everyone?"
Harlock approached Hara, and let a small tear drip.
"…Don't you remember me?"
Hara looked confused for a moment.
"Remember…?"
But then, he slowly began to recognise the forty-something-year-old man in front of him. He had a sense of familiarity about him that came from the depths of Hara's soul.
"…You were young, so I get if you don't remember me, but I still remember you. You were just like the other kids in the village, who admired the hero, Hasker. And… I remember this one time, when you were interested in my empty book, right?"
Harlock held up the mystic arts book in his hands, which also looked oddly familiar to Hara at that moment.
And then, Hara's eyes widened. He suddenly remembered that journal that contained the mystic arts depictions and scriptures, and then slowly but surely, memories came flooding back.
This old man's journal and the book that contained the mystic scriptures were surely the same book, but how? And, what was even more confusing was that this meant that this man was the sole survivor, apart from himself, who survived the massacre.
Hara immediately hugged him, and tears streamed from his face. The reunion of the sole two survivors was bittersweet and short-lasting but stung for both of them all the same.
"…Interesting. It seems this "Harlock" is truly someone worth keeping by his side. I don't think I'll need to worry about him anyway. But, what I do need to worry about is the prying eyes watching us." Redrich said.
"And, what's burdening me the most right now is the first clear objective we must consider, for me, for him, for the Lightbearers, and the future. We must root out the diseases poisoning the nearest cities. Only then will we get the "freedom" we must obtain before we can enter the cursed parts of Scantid?"
"It looks like I'm going to be busy figuring out a way for us to enter Haintas City."
Meanwhile, as Redrich discussed the future with himself, from a nearby tree branch up high above the ground, a winged figure peered into the small cavern. Someone wearing white robes, adorned with golden garments that honoured an [Unknown God], with a small sacrificial sword.
"That "Four Sons of Divinity Alliance", and now this… everyone is truly trying to entice me. Entice us. But, the holy order shall not be tempted. Not yet. Because the cogs aren't turning anytime soon."
"The Old Gods and the New Gods. Once the plan is set in motion, varying ideas similar to these two beliefs shall clash, and the Last Continent will be split into many pieces. This is the only way for humanity to regain its former glory. What will be caused by this will make way for a new "perfect" world order, just like in the old times."
"And then, we will be the victors in the end, with our solidified positions."
"It is truly fascinating, however, how the Ancient World, which is inferior, managed to perfect something so strange. A balance between strife and conflict creating an equal harmony."
The winged figure suddenly stepped down from the tree branch and imitated the sound of a bird. Moments after, a flock of birds came at their call.
"The New Gods shall fall, daring to usher in the age of humanity's destruction. And then, we shall all live in "harmony". An equal society, balanced by strife and conflict. One future does sound better than the other, doesn't it, fellow harbingers of Hermes?"
The birds cawed in response. The winged figure fed a strange, greenish substance in a vial to them, and these crows immediately began to morph.
The newborn creatures screeched horribly, awaiting the three of them down below to emerge back above ground.
"The first test of [Mutation Vial 0-001] begins now."