Chapter 85: The Pinnacle of Tempest Kick

The swirling purple roses descended, striking the solid ground and shattering violently. Countless sharp blades of wind scattered in every direction, dense and chaotic, like the clamor of ten thousand birds taking flight at once.

Blood splashed amidst the dust as the figures blocking the path screamed and collapsed.

"Ah! What is this?!" The rebel leader who had taunted Claire cried out in terror as a blade of wind severed his arm, blood erupting from the wound. But his scream was cut short almost immediately as another razor-sharp edge sliced across his neck.

Spurt! Blood fountained upwards as a head flew high into the air before tumbling back down!

In moments, the dust began to settle.

Click…

Claire landed lightly on the ground. The street fell deathly silent. The crew members behind her stared at the scene before them, swallowing hard, their eyes filled with horrified awe and fear.

The street resembled a scene from hell. Not a single enemy remained standing amidst the scattered limbs and pooling crimson blood. The walls on either side were splattered with gore, resembling grotesque, vividly red flowers.

"S-So… strong!" one crewman finally managed to stammer after staring, mouth agape, for a long moment.

"Yeah! Yeah!" The others nodded frantically in agreement.

Just as they were about to move on, the sound of numerous heavy footsteps echoed from further down the street. Two fierce, heavily built men approached, followed by over a hundred subordinates.

"Useless trash. Couldn't even handle one woman," one of the burly men grunted, pausing with a cigarette dangling from his lips. Both men fixed fierce, identical glares on Claire.

"It's the Fierce Tiger and Liu She brothers!" one of Claire's crew members quickly identified them. This group was one of the island's three major powers before the Black Serpent takeover; the other two had been eliminated during the initial conquest. "Damn it! The Boss let them off, and this is how they repay his kindness—with betrayal!" The crewman spat, glaring angrily at the approaching group.

"What, did Black Serpent run out of men?" the brothers sneered in unison, their eyes sweeping mockingly over Claire and her contingent. "Sending a woman and this bunch of rabble?"

"Come at me together," Claire suddenly stated, her voice calm. She lifted her gaze slightly, looking at the opposing group, her eyes like the clear, still surface of a deep pool. Her flat tone held no trace of emotion, yet the words resonated clearly in everyone's ears.

The twin brothers' faces instantly darkened, twisting into savage snarls.

"Kill her!"

Both roared simultaneously and charged, heavy sabers raised high, swinging down towards Claire. Their hundred-plus men surged forward as well, clashing with Claire's crew.

The heavy sabers seemed weightless in the brothers' hands, whistling through the air as they unleashed a dense flurry of sharp, intersecting trajectories.

Schwing!

The street cracked under the force. Fierce Tiger, one of the brothers, leaped forward, closing the distance in an instant. His saber swept horizontally towards Claire's waist with incredible speed!

"Shave!" Claire's expression remained serene as her body vanished from the spot.

A loud crash echoed from behind Fierce Tiger. He spun around sharply, just in time to see his brother, Liu She, who had been a step behind, being forcefully stomped into the ground by a long, fair leg! The impact shattered the pavement beneath Liu She, creating a crater that continued to crumble outwards as Claire applied more pressure.

"Brother!" Fierce Tiger roared, his eyes burning with fury. He turned and leaped towards Claire, launching a massive fist at her.

The punch whistled through the air. Claire tilted her head slightly, her smooth, dark hair flowing with the movement. Killing intent flared sharply in her eyes! Her waist twisted at an impossible angle, displaying astonishing flexibility, allowing the massive fist to fly harmlessly past, just above her eyes. Her hair danced around her face as her gaze shifted subtly.

Her fair leg was already rising, a point of dangerous light gathering at the tip of her toe. Pushing off the ground with her standing leg, her legs opened like a crescent moon as her body floated upwards, spinning gracefully until she was instantly positioned behind Fierce Tiger!

A purple gleam pulsed at her toe as it descended towards Fierce Tiger's spine. The man's eyes bulged instantly, an overwhelming sense of mortal danger screaming from his instincts!

"Purple Lightning Tempest!"

Claire's eyes snapped open, seeming to flash with violet electricity as her cold, elegant voice announced the technique's name. The razor-sharp point of energy at her toe struck Fierce Tiger squarely on the spine!

"Gwah!" Fierce Tiger's body convulsed violently. The point of impact on his spine instantly caved inwards. He vomited a mouthful of blood, his eyes glazing over! Violet energy and crackling electricity erupted around him, enveloping his body. The intense current forced his back to arch unnaturally as consciousness fled him in an instant.

Claire landed lightly, the electrical discharge fading. Her high heel clicked softly on the solid pavement. She carried herself as if she had just performed a trivial task, her posture like that of a noble yet cold black-purple rose.

The Fierce Tiger and Liu She brothers, once among the most powerful figures on this island, now lay silently on the ground, defeated within mere moments at her feet.

Wilder had once remarked that Claire was the pinnacle of Tempest Kick users, far surpassing himself and other practitioners of the Six Powers. This was a small point of pride Claire held close to her heart. Today, she intended to wield that pride to protect his possessions. This place belonged to him, and no one would be permitted to cause even the slightest ripple of disturbance.

The slaughter was ongoing. The Bloody Rose bloomed across Apple Island as Claire ruthlessly issued the order for a complete purge.

The thick stench of blood filled the island air. Residents huddled fearfully in their homes, peeking through cracks in windows, watching the battle outside… no, the one-sided massacre. Only when the sun reached its zenith did the sounds of violence gradually subside.

At the site of the Black Serpent Merchant Guild's Apple Island branch office, the once-new building was now a pile of rubble. The Black Serpent flag lay snapped and broken. The Guild members who had been stationed here lay dead amongst the debris, their blood already coagulating in the cracks.

This was the scene that greeted Claire and her group upon arrival.

Surveying the devastation, Claire's eyes lowered slightly. Anger flickered within her, along with killing intent, but her expression remained predominantly calm. Scenes like this would only become more common in the future. To adapt, she had to learn to control her emotions—something Wilder had sternly told her one night.

The group stood in silence, observing the ruins, before beginning the grim task of clearing the rubble. Claire watched quietly until the figure of one of her crew members appeared at the end of the street.

"Miss Claire, this is the one who was spreading the rumors," reported the crewman—the same one who had detached from the group upon entering the town. He was now dragging an island resident who looked like a half-dead dog, sniveling, tears and snot streaming down his face. The crewman nodded towards Claire.

Claire acknowledged him with a nod, her gaze shifting to the resident who had collapsed limply on the ground.

"Who ordered you to do it?" Claire asked, her voice flat and even.

"No one! Nobody ordered me!... AHHH!!"

A sharp, broken knife plunged into the resident's thigh. Claire gripped the hilt, twisting it slowly, her eyes calmly fixed on his face.

"DON'T! Please, don't! I'll talk! It was—"

BOOOOM!

A tremendous explosion roared in the distance, cutting off the resident's confession. Claire's expression changed instantly. She snapped her head up, looking towards the source of the blast. Flames lit up the sky, and a massive mushroom cloud billowed upwards.

Her pupils dilated. Just as she was about to speak, another massive explosion erupted from right within the ruined branch office!

The immense shockwave struck without warning, sending Claire hurtling backwards violently. There was no time to react. Her crew members, including the rumor-spreader, screamed as they were instantly blasted away!

Dust and debris filled the air as thick smoke and raging fires began to rise from various locations across the island!

Meanwhile…