Maurice Gomez Skullduggery stood in the center of Hallowed Town's square, his yellow eyes glowing beneath his painted skull. The skeleton confectioner rolled a cigarette between his bony fingers. He had one dream that burned hotter than hellfire itself: win Hades' Championship and claim its twisted prize. With that victory, he'd crush every rival candy maker who'd ever doubted him. The sharp buzz of dark neon cut through the morning fog. Maurice looked up as a massive ranking board materialized in the square, its black metal frame crackling with energy. Green letters flickered across the surface, spelling out "Underworld Candy and Cake Conqueror Championship." Names appeared one by one, each contestant listed with their current standing. Maurice's name sat near the middle. Below it, scores from yesterday's practice round glowed in purple light. Above his name, seventeen other confectioners blocked his path to the top. Maurice took a drag from his cigarette and studied each rival's score. He needed to beat them all. The championship would take place in the Cerberus Confectionery Coliseum, where Hades himself would watch from his throne. Maurice flicked ash onto the cobblestones and cracked his knuckles. Every practice round from now until the final event would be displayed on this board for everyone to see. Time to start climbing. A crowd gathered around a kitchen stage that had appeared overnight. Dark Celtic patterns twisted across its surface, and ghost-like figures danced along the edges. Maurice pushed through the onlookers and stepped up to the counter. This was where contestants could practice their craft in public view, showing off skills before the real competition began. He pulled out a copper pot and set it on the burner. The flames underneath burned green and purple. Maurice measured out sugar and cream, his movements quick and sure. He'd use this stage to prove he belonged at the top of that board. The crowd whispered behind him, but he didn't care. Let them watch. Let them see what he could do. By the time Hades took his throne in the Coliseum, Maurice would be ready to claim his prize. The sugar bubbled in the pot, releasing sweet smoke into the air. Maurice stirred it with steady hands, feeling the texture change under his wooden spoon. This batch would be perfect. He poured the mixture onto a marble slab and worked it with quick, practiced movements. The crowd pressed closer, watching him shape the candy into dark skulls and twisted roses. When he finished, Maurice looked back at the ranking board across the square. His name still sat in the middle, but not for long. The Coliseum waited. Hades waited. And Maurice would show them all what a true confectioner could do.

Maurice stepped away from the public stage and headed toward his workshop. The crowd's whispers faded behind him. He needed to master the basics before the championship began. Sugar work was his foundation, but Hades demanded more than simple candy skulls. His workshop felt too small for what he needed to learn. Maurice grabbed his cane and left, walking through Hallowed Town's twisted streets until he found it. The entrance was a stone archway carved with spatulas and whisks. Inside, the Crypt Catacombs stretched into darkness. Ancient cooking tools hung from the walls, covered in dust and cobwebs. The spirits of dead chefs drifted through the passages, their transparent forms stirring pots that weren't there anymore. Maurice lit a cigarette and walked deeper into the tunnels. Shelves lined the walls, filled with recipe books bound in cracked leather. He pulled one down and opened it. The pages showed techniques he'd never seen before—sugar pulled into impossible shapes, chocolate that changed color in your mouth. These were the forbidden methods he needed. Maurice tucked three books under his arm and kept moving through the catacombs. By the time he emerged back into the street, smoke curled from his cigarette and ideas burned in his mind. The championship was coming, and now he had the knowledge to win it. But knowledge meant nothing without proper ingredients. Maurice walked until he found what he needed in a back alley. The Traveling Mobile Coffin Refrigerator stood there, a coffin-shaped machine of brass gears and black metal. Steam hissed from copper pipes along its sides. The contraption ran on coal, keeping its contents cold even in the underworld's heat. Maurice opened the lid and checked inside. Empty compartments waited for the rare ingredients he'd need between championship rounds. He'd have to stock it soon with items from the forbidden recipes. The machine's gears clicked and turned, ready to preserve whatever he brought. Maurice closed the lid and headed back toward his workshop. The books pressed against his ribs. The refrigerator would keep his ingredients fresh. Now he just needed to practice what those ancient pages had taught him. Night fell fast in Hallowed Town. Maurice reached the Coliseum and stopped. Towering spotlights flickered on around the arena, casting dark neon colors across the stone walls. Purple and green light washed over the entrance, bright enough to work by. He set his books down on a bench outside and opened the first one. The pages described a technique called Ghost Sugar—candy that held its shape but felt like air on the tongue. Maurice studied the instructions under the colored lights. The spotlights hummed and buzzed above him. He read until his yellow eyes burned, memorizing each step. When he finally closed the book, he knew what came next. Tomorrow he'd gather ingredients. Tonight he'd learned the first secret that would carry him to victory.