(Brendan POV)
Ok… This really sucks.
This whole beach thing was supposed to be a vacation, why does it feel like the only one that isn't getting any vacationing is me?
I couldn't even go into the forest to collect firewood before something had to happen.
Just as I took a few steps into the forest, there was a burst of Quarks that engulfed the entire island. I had immediately backpedaled and ran back to Master, which resulted in me crashing face first into an invisible wall.
I could see the beach just several steps in front of me with Master on the other side and yet, there's this invisible barrier that is stopping me from crossing over to Him.
I've been hitting and shouting against the barrier for a good few minutes but Master had shown no signs of having heard me, continuing with His setting up of the barbecue pit calmly.
I stopped my efforts after a while, frowning to myself.
This whole situation is strange. If I, the least gifted Practitioner amongst Master's disciples, could sense the Quark burst, why does it look like Master didn't sense it? Especially since Master had claimed to have felt it yesterday even further away from where He is now.
Stepping away from the barrier, I watched on as Master fanned the flames of the barbecue pit to life, grinning at the spectacle. The flames were the only source of light in the darkness and it bathed the area in a warm, orange glow.
Master then placed a few cuts of meat on the grill, watching it sizzle on the grill.
There was something odd about the scene but I somehow can't put my finger on it.
It was only when I saw him start eating the cooked meat did I realise that the person I was seeing was not Master at all.
Master would have waited for us to return before even thinking about partaking the food by Himself, there is no way that Master would start without us.
I cursed under my breath, a little ashamed that it took me this long to figure out that I was merely staring at an illusion all this while.
Sighing to myself, I moved away from the barrier to face the forest, knowing that it was pointless for me to be here.
My thoughts were to find the origin of the Quark blast, the barrier would most likely be sustained by whatever is over there and all I would need to do is probably just break it or something.
I double checked that my storage ring was still firmly on my finger before setting off to the forest's depths, the only clothing on me still being my swim trunks.
It was a relatively long trek and I had all but left the beach behind me, the sound of crashing waves barely audible from where I was.
Truth be told, I'm merely moving in a straight line towards where I remember the blast to be, the forest being way too dark to see past several feet in front of me.
That was when the voices started speaking.
"Hmph… We do not need a male disciple here," the unmistakable voice of Senior sister Lian Li's came from a distance away.
I stopped in my tracks, turning my head in the direction of the voice to find nothing but inky blackness.
"Ara ara? Such mediocre talent. Do you really believe yourself to be worthy of being Master's disciple? How arrogant. He should just disappear."
I turned to face the opposite side and of course, there was no Senior Sister Manami there either.
"Big brother Brendan is bad… Papa should throw big brother Brendan away."
The harsh words of little Cai Hong cut through the air, as though she was right on top of me.
"A man and yet harboring such unclean thoughts for Master… You truly are the lowest of the low."
I shook my head slightly upon hearing Senior Sister Eris's accusations.
"A boy with such a common background… Your Family is even using Master's name too. You are nothing but a leech unworthy of Master's presence."
Ouch, Senior Sister Diao Chan's words are harsh as always.
"Weak… So weak. I can barely even stand your presence Brendan, how do you live with yourself?"
I had nothing to refute against Senior Sister Kiyomi's words. Compared to her, my Techniques were clearly lacking in every single department.
"Huh? My dearest Onii-sama actually took someone like you in? You are clearly taking advantage of Onii-sama's kindness!"
Even Master's sister huh, how thorough.
I continued my way towards my goal, my gait slower and heavier as compared to before.
I barely took ten steps away before a figure appeared in front of me, his body emanating a soft glow that made him seem as holy as the God that he was supposed to be.
Master's figure turned around to face me, his white Master's robes flowed gently even when there was no wind.
My steps did not slow as I continued on my path.
He shook his head at me, "Without me, you are nothing, Brendan. So pathetic and weak… I don't even know what I saw in you back then to take you in. Clearly that was a mistake on my part."
My eyes remained glued straight ahead as I approached him, each step getting me closer and closer.
"Talentless and useless… All you have are your little potions that you keep throwing around, do you think that actually puts you on the same level as everyone else? Even Cai Hong has more talent than you do."
I was only a few meters away from him now.
"Leave you alone and what can you do? Nothing. Just like what you are worth, Brendan. Absolutely nothing. Your life is completely meaningless."
I finally reached him but instead of stopping, I just simply walked past without even glancing at him.
He was clearly shocked at my actions and took a moment before he managed to turn around to address me at all, letting me walk a few more steps in that time.
"Brendan! How dare you ignore me, you useless boy!"
I stopped and turned my head slightly to smirk at him, "So noisy. You think you can make me despair by showing me all these thoughts and voices? That won't work on someone like me who has already known and acknowledged my own weaknesses."
Turning my body to face the apparition that was masquerading as Master, I pointed a finger at him while tilting my chin upwards.
"I'm assuming you managed to read my memories to guess what might unsettle me, but you've chosen the wrong group of people to pass yourself off as. My senior sisters wouldn't waste such thoughts with me. Master's benevolence and divinity also knows no bounds, something like you can never replicate that."
The apparition looked like it wanted to say something but I interrupted him by gesturing to myself dramatically, "As disciples of Master, recognising His divinity is something of a second nature to us. Without a barrier blocking my senses, I could tell you were fake before you even fully appeared."
Well, that was a half lie, I'm still not on the level of my senior sisters yet in recognising Master's presence, but this one was at least obvious enough that I could tell straight away.
Obviously not liking my taunt, he lashed out at me, roaring in rage.
His hands turned into giant claws and swiped in an arc, cleaving through me with impunity.
The triumphant look on his face quickly disappeared when he realised nothing had happened to my body.
I grinned at him, my mirage disappearing to reveal my real body standing a few metres behind.
"Your first mistake was allowing me to get close to you," I laughed, stretching out my hand to reveal two empty bottles before pointing at the trail of liquid I had poured behind him. "Your second mistake is looking down on alchemy. You… Are already dead."
My grin grew wider as I watched the apparition explode into dust, the thing not even managing to get a scream out.
Without much ceremony, I stored the empty bottles back into my ring and continued on my way, not glancing back for even a moment.
