Arknight : The Rise of The Grand Detective

Howard worked in silence.

The dim basement was a gallery of grotesque artistry, the corpses of Feilong's men suspended in their cocooned prisons, their bodies twisted into unnatural shapes.

But the work wasn't done. Not yet.

He moved with the same meticulous precision as a craftsman, peeling open the torsos of the fallen.

Their flesh parted like silk under his touch, exposing the hollowed cavities within.

A single vial of powder.

A pinch beneath the ribcage.

A careful stitch, drawing the wound back together like a seamstress working fine cloth.

Howard stepped back, admiring his handiwork.

An ideal disguise for tricking the authorities.

Laced within their remains was a silent confession—the very drugs they peddled, now fused within them.

By the time the authorities arrived, the Feilong would not only be dead criminals; they would be exposed as traffickers who worked with Varen.

Satisfied, he lifted his gaze to the ceiling.

With a flick of his wrist, the cocoons reeled upward, their hosts swinging like grotesque lanterns in the dim light.

It was time.

Howard turned to Heixian.

"Remove your shirt."

The gangster hesitated, but the weight of Howard's command left no room for protest.

He obeyed, peeling off the sweat-stained fabric to reveal his scarred torso.

Howard flexed his fingers. His hand expanded, the bones contorting and lengthening into a monstrous claw—serrated, inhuman.

Then, without warning—

A single slash.

Heixian howled, staggering back as fresh pain seared across his chest.

Blood welled up from the wound, tracing deep grooves in his flesh.

Howard withdrew his hand, watching as Heixian clutched at the injury, his breath ragged.

"After I signal you, you will call the police. Tell them you were attacked. Give them this location"

Heixian swallowed hard, nodding. He didn't dare refuse.

Howard left him there, trembling, and ascended back to the spies.

***

Howard exhaled, the breath curling into mist as his body shifted once more.

The Lich originium energy within him stirred, reaching into the abyssal void beyond time and space.

A rift split open before him, an eerie, pulsating gate forming in the center of the room—dark tendrils coiling around its edges like ink dissolving in water.

A pathway to the backstreets.

Jin Yao, still weak but upright, stared at the portal in disbelief.

Tears streaked down his face, his expression one of raw, unfiltered gratitude.

"You saved us..." His voice broke.

Howard placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Guide them through," he instructed. "Find Lin Kojui. Tell him everything."

Jin Yao swallowed his emotions and nodded, gathering the other survivors.

They limped forward along with the workers, vanishing one by one through the void.

Howard stood watch until the last of them disappeared, the gate flickering before sealing itself shut.

***

Now, the final task.

Howard moved methodically, sweeping through the compound like a phantom, ensuring no traces of his interference remained.

He started burning some of the drugs. He scattered the rest on the site and on the gangs to create a scene.

He then removed the workspace to avoid implicating those exploited workers.

He then checked the The surveillance cameras and corrupted them.

Howard's blood arts infused them, rewriting their recordings, ensuring no visual evidence remained.

And finally the The DNA that can be traCED on the bodies was Altered.

His Arts transfigured every bloodstain, every trace of organic material, reshaping it into meaningless fragments.

Only the selected shelves remained—a careful manipulation to avoid tampering with the delicate balance that would prevent any unforeseen butterfly effects.

Everything else? Obliterated.

With the final pieces in place, Howard raised his hand.

The signal was given.

***

Heixian, still clutching his wounded chest, fumbled with his phone. His fingers were slick with blood as he punched in the emergency number.

"We've been attacked!" His voice wavered, barely keeping itself together. "

We—God, I don't even know what it was! We need police! Now!"

Howard watched, impassive, as Heixian finished the call.

Then, he stepped forward.

"This is your only chance, Heixian." His voice was calm, but there was weight behind it—an unspoken finality. "

If I ever find you tangled in the underworld again…"

He let the sentence linger, unfinished.

But Heixian understood.

Howard turned away, pulling a cigarette from his coat.

He flicked open the lighter, the flame momentarily illuminating his sharp features before he took a slow, deliberate drag.

Then, without another word, he stepped into the shadows—

And disappeared into the night.

There was an emergency destination he had to reach.

***

The neon glow of The Ends of Earth flickered against the wet pavement, casting elongated shadows across the alleyway.

The bass thumped from inside, a slow, rhythmic pulse like the heartbeat of the night itself.

Howard stepped in, and the world shifted.

The scent of alcohol, sweat, and cigarette smoke thickened the air.

Laughter and the occasional drunken cheer blended with the hum of old jazz playing from the speakers. A place like this wasn't just a bar—it was a sanctuary for those who lived in the cracks of society.

The usual clientele lined the counters and booths: Lungmites nursing their paychecks in liquid form, others chatting in hushed tones, and drifters trying to drink away whatever ghosts clung to them.

Howard took it all in before his gaze landed on the bartender.

A penguin, oversized T-shirt draped over his small frame, casually wiping down a glass with the air of someone who had seen it all.

Howard walked to the bar and took a seat.

"Whiskey. Black Fang, neat."

His voice cut through the ambient noise.

The penguin glanced up, his beady eyes scrutinizing Howard for a moment before he nodded and turned to grab the bottle.

"Didn't think I'd see you here," the penguin muttered, setting out a glass.

Howard smirked. "Life's full of surprises, Emperor."

A beat passed. Then—

Click.

The barrel of a gun was suddenly inches from Howard's forehead.

Howard didn't flinch. His senses flickered outward.

One. Two. Three.

Multiple presences. Surrounding him.

To his left, a Lupo with short black hair leaned lazily against the counter, but her posture was deceptive.

The sword at her side rested against his neck, the faintest pressure teasing at his skin.

To his right, a red-haired Sankta, her sharp features betraying a mix of amusement and caution.

Her fingers lingered near the trigger of the firearm holstered at her thigh.

And in the middle—

A blue-haired Sankta with black horns, standing between them, radiating the kind of authority that didn't need to be announced.

The Emperor grinned from behind the bar.

"Well, damn, look who walked into my joint."

Howard let out a slow exhale. This was not how this was supposed to go.

He sighed.

"Well. This is awkward."

The tension in The Ends of Earth was palpable. The music, the chatter, the distant clinking of glasses—all faded into the background as the barrel of a gun hovered in front of Howard's face.

Emperor's expression didn't change.

"So tell me, detective," the penguin said, voice casual but laced with warning, "why the hell are you here?"

His flipper never wavered from the trigger.

"And before you say some slick bullshit, know that if you so much as blink the wrong way, I won't hesitate to put a bullet between your eyes."

Howard exhaled through his nose, calm despite the overwhelming hostility.

"Relax," he said, voice steady. "I'm here for an important discussion."

He slowly reached into his coat pocket.

The reaction was instant.

Exusiai's gun was out in a flash, aimed dead center at his chest.

Mostima didn't move as fast, but her grip tightened on her staff, ready to strike. The blade at Howard's throat pressed closer, the slight bite of metal warning him against any sudden movement.

But Howard wasn't stupid. He didn't rush. He didn't panic.

With deliberate care, he withdrew a small package from his coat and placed it on the bar counter.

No sudden moves. No tricks.

The moment Emperor saw it, his eyes flickered with recognition. His grip on the gun loosened just slightly.

"Well, damn," he muttered.

The others exchanged confused glances.

Clearly, they had no idea what Howard had just handed over.