The Grand Duelist

Several days passed since then and the understanding that Joseph and Alice had about the Curse of the Condemned has finally reached levels that they basically memorized its unique traits.

The Curse of the Condemned was always within the blood of anyone born from this place.

It could appear in any stage of one's life, and once it appeared...

There was no cure for it and the one afflicted by the Curse would turn into a Mutated Monster if they didn't commit suicide before the Curse took their life.

It was indeed a despicable curse that didn't only cause physical suffering, but also mental and psychological torment to its victims.

Within these several days, the injuries of the twin sisters flared up to the extent that the Curse now covered their entire lower body, crippling their ability to do most of their daily tasks.

Such a scene saddened Joseph, but he was also mesmerized by the determination and the struggle that these twin sisters were doing just so they could live as long as possible.

"Is there really no cure to this Curse?" Joseph whispered into the air.

Alice revealed a wry smile.

She turned her head to look at the set of clothes that she was wearing; these were made by the twin sisters before they were rendered incapable of various movements by the Curse in their bodies. 

She really wanted to help these twin sisters, but knowing that a curse came from a deity; the so-called Compassionate God. How could a mere mortal like her undo a Curse that came from a genuine god?

Any mortal could never have such an ability...

They were never even qualified in the first place!

Joseph glanced at Alice and found that she was surrounded by the aura of darkness emanating from the bodies of the twin sisters.

Ever since the Curse of the Condemned flared, the bodies of the twin sisters generated thick miasma that suffocated any living creature around it.

Even plants weren't spared, and that also included Alice.

But Joseph was an exception for he had a passive that pardoned him from any abnormal statuses that weren't a result of a natural phenomenon.

He remained unharmed from the miasma.

The twin sisters were pleasantly surprised by this fact.

"Kuya Joseph... I'm sleepy..." Hulie turned to look at Joseph.

This young little lass who looked so energetic just a few days ago now looked decrepit similar to an old man that was about to die.

Dark circles could be seen under her eyes and her skin wasn't so taut anymore, wrinkles spread across her entire body and she was so thin that her cheeks looked hollowed.

If not for the fact that her crimson eyes still shone with the intense light of her desire to live...

Joseph would think that she was really about to die.

Witnessing the transformation of the cute lass into a feeble child who struggled to even sit down.

Joseph gnashed his teeth, enduring the sour sensation rising up from his stomach to his throat as he revealed the same kind of smile that he had always shown to the twin sisters since he awakened in this place. 

"Oh, Hulie? You are sleepy? Okay, okay, Kuya will stay here and tell you a story, all right?"

"Yaaay!"

Hulie gave an energetic answer, but since she was so weak. Her answer sounded like a silent croak.

Alice momentarily closed her eyes.

Pain flashed across her face, but she hid them all behind a facade. When her eyes opened once again, she stared energetically at Hulie as if she wasn't enduring the pain of the miasma constantly eroding her body...

Joseph glanced at Alice and seeing that she didn't have the intention to leave...

He didn't stop her from staying. Instead, he turned to look at Julie and asked.

"Julie, you look like you also want to listen. Come here, the story that I will tell today is not a story that is only suitable for children..."

"It is also suitable for an adult like you, hehe. This is a fun story, it features a young teenage girl wanting to escape her dull and boring life... This is a story of adventure, sacrifice, and romance... Don't you like a story like that?"

Julie was taken aback when she heard Joseph's words. But from the looks of it, she didn't have any intention of denying what he had just said.

Turning to look at the excited Hulie, she took a deep breath and snuck close to her sister.

Pulling Hulie into an embrace, she turned to look intently at Joseph and gestured for him to speak.

"Hahaha... That is more like it, all right. Let's start!" Joseph's lips lifted into a wide smile. He cleared his throat and started speaking, "Once upon a time, there was a talented young woman whose fate stolen from her hands by her lover whom she trusted..."

"The once most talented youth of the Xia Clan suddenly lost everything. She was despised, hated, and has now become the laughingstock of the Xia Clan..."

"But what do you think she did in response to these?" Joseph suddenly asked a question.

Julie and Hulie were taken aback by the sudden question. But after a few moments, Hulie recovered from her reverie as she exclaimed in excitement, "She fought back!"

Joseph nodded her head, "That is right! She fought back! She didn't let her powerlessness get in the way of her dreams and ambitions!"

"Yes, she may not be talented anymore, but she worked hard! She worked at least ten times more than the average person, only through this way could she compare to the others..."

"This her story, and this is how she became the Empress of the Cosmos!"

"This is the story of the Empress's Domination!"

Joseph became excited when he found out that the twin sisters were now invested in the story that he made up.

Soon, he created an intricate, yet interesting plot which combined into a compelling narrative that even Alice was interested to know about what would happen next.

Unfortunately for her, the twin sisters were already asleep...

No matter how much she wanted to know more about the story, there were more pressing matters that they had to attend to.

Alice stared at the twin sisters who slept in the embrace of each other.

She then turned to look at Joseph and a rare look of pleading surfaced on her face.

"Joseph..."

This was the first time that he called Joseph by his name.

"We must save these two, no matter what."

Joseph nodded his head.

He didn't need Alice's reminder for he knew that he must do whatever that he could possibly do so that he could save the lives of these twin sisters. After all, they were his benefactors.

But that wasn't the only reason why Joseph was willing to go for the extra mile.

It was also because he was now fond of these twin sisters.

The days that they spent together may be short, but they made Joseph feel the warmth that he had longed for ever since both of his parents died...

Now, he was unwilling to just let them die under such a despicable curse.

"From what I can see, the essence of this curse is dark energy. The energy of darkness can only be harnessed by devils or those gods that govern over the elements of nature..."

"The opposite of darkness is light, and light is affiliated with Divinity. What if we use the Divinity of the Grand Duelist and tackle this curse?" Joseph proposed.

Although Joseph was still a pre-mature Grand Duelist.

He could utilize the Divinity of the Grand Duelist to his advantage by transporting the twin sisters into the Arena of the Gods, Colosseum...

The Colosseum is the Grand Duelist's Domain. I don't think that the lingering Divinity of the Grand Duelist in that place will let such a vile curse survive within its territory. Joseph thought this way, so he proposed an idea to Alice.

But unexpectedly, Alice shook her head and said.

"It seems like you still do not know, but the Divinity of the Grand Duelist isn't gentle at all. It's incredibly sharp. If we used that method of yours, we may be able to annihilate the curse, but that also includes annihilating Julie and Hulie."

Joseph turned serious, he wasn't surprised at all by this revelation.

"Also, if we managed to somehow control the Divinity of the Grand Duelist in that place, then we will also need to pay attention to the brilliant light and shockwave that will inevitably appear once we get out of that place." Alice continued.

"Why?" 

"We do not know if the God of Everything that Moves and Exists is observing this place..."

"We don't know if 'He' is constantly looking after this place. That is the reason why I am denying your proposal." Alice deeply sighed at the end of her sentence and she didn't say anything anymore.

Joseph also looked devastated, "Is there really no other way for them to be released from that Curse?"

"There is," Alice revealed a rueful smile.

Joseph stared at her and when he saw the light of sadness within her eyes.

He immediately understood what she meant.

That's right, there existed a method that could immediately purge the curse from the twin sisters.

But...

"Suicide..." Joseph whispered into the air. He glanced at the twin sisters and thought.

Be strong, you two... The world out there is for you to explore so, please...

Please do not give up...

Joseph and Alice retired for the day. Plagued by the problem of saving the twin sisters from the curse, they found themselves unable to sleep peacefully throughout the entire night.

...

Within the depths of the City that was perpetually hidden from the sun.

The residents that lived most of their life in the dark were now gathered in a place that could barely be considered as a City Plaza.

Standing in front of several hundred residents were the City Chief, the First Elder, and the Second Elder.

They were the oldest residents of this city, and it was unknown how they didn't acquire the Curse of the Condemned.

Right now, these elders wore solemn expressions on their faces.

When the crowd saw their serious expressions, they were filled with trepidation and anxiety. 

"Uhm... Honorable Elders... All of the residents are now gathered here."

A middle-aged man spoke up.

The City Chief nodded his head, he slammed his staff onto the ground and a sound that pierced through the souls of everyone rang out.

"From now on until I say so, no one shall lie!"

He shouted, his words turned into an Imperial Decree that could never be violated for everyone who was here.

"There is a problem..."

"In the past few days, despite doing our best in finding those two traitors, we are still unable to find them. What is going on? Is there someone in here that knows where they are hiding?" The City Chief swept his gaze across every resident, and suddenly...

Two residents stood up and said in a monotonous voice.

They were Erika and Jacob.

The other was a best friend of the twin sisters, while the other was a known pursuer of Julie.

"Honorable City Chief, I have an idea where they are hiding." Jacob was the first one to speak. His tone was polite, but when he moved towards the City Chief. His movements were mechanical as if he was a puppet connected to a string.

"Good, good boy... Erika, you also come here. Whatever information you have may help us pursue those traitors."

The City Chief revealed a kind smile.

The residents were delighted by the honesty of the two and they all started clapping. Some even directly kneeled, and praised the God of Everything that Moves and Exists, while some bawled their eyes out for some reason only known to them.

The two approached the City Chief and revealed everything that they knew about the underground base.

Apparently, the place was supposed to be a secret that should only be kept by the four of them.

It was a place where they would secretly gather to play whenever the City Chief forbid them from coming out of their houses. After all, they were children and in this place perpetually hidden from the sun, entertainment was lacking so it was easy to get bored.

"Mhmm... So, that is the reason why that underground place is built?"

"I see... Who helped you build that place?" The City Chief asked once again.

Jacob replied in a mechanical voice, "It was my father."

"Oh, it was your father? I see..." The City Chief glanced at the Second Elder. The latter nodded his head and took out a yellowish-golden flag from out of nowhere before he approached Jacob's father who was kneeling while praising the God of Everything that Moves and Exists.

"You are indeed a devotee of the Creator... But sadly, your son has committed a mistake so I will have you return to the Kingdom of the Creator at this instant. Are you prepared?" The Second Elder revealed a grieving look. 

Jacob's father stared at the Second Elder, he kowtowed, slammed his head three times onto the ground before he said.

"Yes... I am a devotee of the Creator! The God of Everything that Moves and Exists! I am always prepared! A devotee is always prepared for his return to the Tenebrous Kingdom of the Creator!"

Tears continuously dripped down his eyes as the Second Elder chuckled and moved closer to him.

His hand blurred and in the next moment, blood gushed out from the neck of Jacob's father like a fountain.

His eyes widened, but it wasn't because of shock and trepidation for his incoming death...

It was due to excitement and glee that he was finally about to enter the Tenebrous Kingdom of the Creator.

He soon collapsed and his body mysteriously vanished from the eyes of everyone.

"See, he vanished! He has now returned to the embrace of the Creator!"

The Second Elder pointed at the original location where Jacob's father was and the residents who saw what happened cried out in glee and devotion...

"The Creator is always merciful!"

The residents continuously chanted.

The Second Elder retreated towards the City Chief's side. The flag he held in his hands pulsated like a heartbeat and a faint glow of darkness surrounded it like a wave.

"You did a good job." The City Chief praised him.

"I am not worthy of your praise, honorable City Chief." The Second Elder bowed his head.

"But we will not rest yet... We still have a hunt to commence."

The City Chief revealed a light smile on his lips.

"This time..."

"Let's see if those traitors can still escape from our hands!"