The Grand Duelist

System For Assassination...

Kuya probably gave this story for me to read knowing that I am not a minor. The contents of this story are sometimes quite raunchy, but they were nevertheless entertaining. Even though there were some parts that felt somewhat unnatural and forced, that sense of something not making sense was quickly replaced by glee if one kept on reading it. 

The fight scenes are extraordinary, and I always loved the idea and loving family depicted by the author of the story. But, I really did not expect that Kuya would recommend such a story like this to me... It had a lot of bad, ermm... Should I say, scenes that are not only incredible but somewhat steamy to read?

There were a lot of times that it made me feel weird, so I can't really understand Kuya's thought process when he recommended me this book that felt like it was made for adults that knew more about the world of uhm... between men and women...

But going along about what I know about Kuya. I think he does not have any bad intentions towards why he gave me this book... probably? Hehehe, sorry Kuya but I am not really that sure.

Although one thing that I can say for sure is that you gave me this book so that I can learn more about certain things.

That fact alone makes me happy since it shows that you really do care for me even though we only met each other recently...

Right now, I am probably not in this world anymore, but I will still fulfill my promise to you, Kuya. I will still fulfill the promise that I will give you a review of what I think about this favorite book of yours. Hehehe, I think that I really am biting more than I can chew here.

This is the first book that I touched and read, and I am quite sad that I will never be able to accompany it to its end. But the main protagonist's adventure with his wife and daughter really touched my heart.

Is this definite proof that people always desired for something that they lacked?

Hehe, I don't know...

All I know is that this book is certainly good.

Although I can see that this book is not for everyone. Hahaha, Kuya. You should've really given me a book that is not as raunchy as this. What if I became a bad woman in the future? Hmmph, whose fault would that be? Hahaha, here I am talking about my future again when I clearly have no future.

This despicable curse... It seems like I really am condemned to die along with it. But oh well, ever since I knew that I had the curse. I knew that I must cross that bridge, one day or another.

It's just, that I can't just help but feel that this curse is unfair...

I am supposed to have a good life ahead of me.

If not for this curse, I would eventually fall in love with someone, have kids with him, and then die surrounded by my granddaughters and grandsons. But now? Thinking about my future has never been so painful than ever before...

But you gave me hope to live, Kuya.

When I drank that blood of yours and felt the curse disappear.

I felt hope that I could survive the curse and live on.

But I was wrong... 

The freedom that I felt was ultimately just an illusion.

The Curse returned once again and it was far stronger than before.

The throbbing headache and the pain that I feel deep within my bones which made me feel like I was constantly being poked by a thousand sharp needles was hellish. But I knew that I have to assume a facade.

I cannot bother you, anymore Kuya. I cannot have you feel sad because of me. I can't have you blame yourself for making the curse momentarily disappear and have it reappear stronger than before. I cannot ask for your help anymore, Kuya... I have accepted my fate.

I have decided.

In the next few weeks, I will write everything that I can think of in defiance to this cruel fate that the God of Everything that Moves and Exists bestowed upon me. 

I will write, I will keep on writing and even if I feel tired. I will rest, but I will not stop writing. I will not stop until I feel the inevitable approach of death. Until then, I will write as much as I can. 

Hehehe... I should really stop now. I really am stupid. I do not want you and Ate Alice to cry, Kuya. But here I am, writing this tearjerker of a letter. I really am the worst...

But Kuya, I hope that you can accept my apology. I only wrote this so that I can fulfill the promise that I have towards you in regards to giving a review to your favorite book. But not only that, but I also want this book to serve as my final farewell letter and goodbye to you, Kuya and Ate Alice.

The time that we spent together may not be so long. But the love and care that I felt from the two of you surpassed anything that I ever felt in this world. Maybe, the love that papa and mama gave to me ever since I was born could surpass the love that I felt from the two of you, but...

Right now, in the face of my inevitable death...

I can say that these memories that I have with you, Kuya Joseph and Ate Alice are incredibly priceless enough for me to brag about it when I ascend to the Tenebrous Heaven of the true God and creator of this world. Not that bastard, God of Everything that Moves and Exists of course...

After all, if he really is a Compassionate God.

Would he really let his followers suffer like this? 

If I found myself in his Tenebrous Heaven, I would do my best to escape and once I do, I will never come back! Hmmph, that bastard will never make me stay there!

Even Hulie agrees that he is such an asshole.

Yes, my beloved sister Hulie agrees...

Yes, that Hulie who had never cursed even once in her life actually called that fake Creator as an asshole! It was really such a scary, yet thrilling scene since a bolt of lightning could strike us from the heavens since we blasphemed a supposed to be God!

But I was actually somewhat happy that Hulie and I blasphemed that God. After all, when we saw that there was no bolt of lightning coming towards our way. We were finally reassured that the God of Everything that Moves and Exists is not even a god.

But I am not really that sure actually, I don't know.

Maybe he's just too lazy to deal with us that are about to die? 

But anyways...

I hate that asshole and fuck him!

Sincerely, Julie Gutierrez, co-written by Hulie Gutierrez.

Next page...

Title: Defying Fate? (Tentative, not final, yet, but this is my first book hehehe, so Kuya... if you are reading this please do not roast me too much, all right? I know how sharp your tongue can be... Especially whenever you tease Ate Alice!) 

From Kuya's stories, Cinderella went from rags to riches. But from my experience, whenever you are high up there. Fate is more than happy to kick you down. An unexpected curse turned Juliet's life around from having a bright future into a bleak one, leaving her to succumb to her inevitable fate and wait for her Prince Charming to rescue her- Obviously not!

Like a bird flying once again, Juliet defeats the curse and climbs her way back to the top, to a place that she had all this while and she deserved, she will take revenge against those who wronged her, while bagging a handsome knight in shining armor all the way towards her journey back to the top!

Joseph flipped for the next page of the notebook and he found nothing written in there.

But on the next page, Joseph found a compendium of ideas. There were all sorts of decent concepts written in there, but some of them were crossed out such as the idea of making the female lead act like a damsel in distress.

"This..." 

Joseph glanced at Alice whose head laid on his shoulder as she let out stifled sobbings. 

The reason why Julie didn't manage to write the first chapter of the book was probably due to the fact that she wanted to write this first book of her with the best idea possible.

That should be the reason why there was no first chapter...

But such a realization didn't give any comfort to Joseph.

Instead, he felt even more sad and depressed.

Alice realized the same and she tightened her grip around Joseph's hips. 

Joseph closed the notebook and stared at the tombstone where the two sisters were buried underneath. In the end, despite the promise that they made towards Joseph and Alice. They weren't able to see the beauty of the outside world and Joseph wasn't able to fulfill his promise.

"Why... Why did the two of you have to die..."

A sour sensation soared towards his throat and he couldn't hold back his tears anymore.

Taking a look at the tombstone, there were six lines written on the epitaph.

The best elder sister, 

The best younger sister,

The ambitious writer,

The hopeful doctor,

Both lay here without pain anymore,

Finally free, forevermore.

Joseph's knees gave up and he kneeled on the ground.

Alice went along with him. 

None of them said anything for they just hung their heads low towards the direction of the tombstone...

After several hours of kneeling. Joseph finally stood up. Alice followed suit and the two stared at each other. Their faces were a wreck with the tears and mud that decorated it, but within their eyes was a light, clearer than ever before. 

Holding each other's hands, they nodded without saying anything before turning around. Heading for the direction of the cave where they spent the past several weeks along with the two sisters.

They silently went into the room and sat beside each other on the stone bed.

After several minutes of silence. Joseph finally spoke his first words after hours of silence.

"We will go." 

"Go? Where?" Alice finally spoke up too.

"To them." Anger and ruthlessness momentarily flashed within Joseph's eyes.

Seeing this light, Alice finally understood what he was talking about. Even though it would probably be incredibly dangerous to fight their enemy within the very City of those enemies. Alice didn't say anything in objection to his proposal...

She merely gave a small smile.

"I will follow you, wherever you may go."

Joseph nodded his head in appreciation. 

"Are you not curious as to why I want to go there?"

Alice maintained that smile on her face as she replied, "Yes, I am curious. But I have a vague idea as to why you want us to go there."

Joseph turned to look at her with interest, "Oh?"

"Mhm... You want us to go there to give them a warning and also claim reparations, right?" 

"Yeah... I now don't care about the reasons why the City Chief and those elders fooled their own citizens. All I know is that they must die. Those old bastards must die! Only after that can I escape peacefully from this place knowing that no one will dare desecrate the bodies of Julie and Hulie."

"And also that bastard Gelial, someday..."

"I will kill him with my own hands!" Joseph declared. Afterwards, the two of them went out of the cave and walked towards the direction of the City Perpetually Hidden from the Sun.