Prince of Gluttony: Born from Betrayal

Deep beneath the Academy in a secluded room, a single crystal ball rested on the table. Its surface shimmered faintly in the dim torchlight. The mysterious man leaned over it, hands brushing its smooth surface, and the faint hum of power filled the chamber.

Through the crystal, distant scenes flickered into view. Abel moved among the halls, confident and proud, yet unaware of the true chains the orb had placed upon him. The mysterious man's eyes, obscured by shadow, followed his every motion. The orb had been meant to awaken Abel's innate nature, to bring forth a perfect embodiment of the Sin Series through Conqueror, the fusion of Wrath, Envy, and Lust.

For a moment, the mysterious man's lips curved, thinking the experiment might succeed. But as he watched Abel act, pride twisting into arrogance, desire overriding strategy, a shadow crossed his expression. Abel was flawed. The orb had amplified his tendencies, yes, but it had not produced the apex of what was intended. The raw power of Conqueror was present, but Abel's instincts were weak, messy, uncontrolled. He lacked subtlety, focus, and the ruthless precision that the mysterious man required.

A soft sigh echoed through the chamber. "No," the man muttered, almost to himself. "You are not enough."

The crystal pulsed faintly as if resonating with his disappointment. Abel's actions continued, but the mysterious man's mind was already calculating the adjustments, the corrections, the next step in the experiment. This was not failure for good, only a lesson in patience, though he would not tolerate repeated mediocrity.

Abel had potential. He had fire. But he was a child playing with tools far beyond his comprehension. And the mysterious man, hidden in the shadows, would make sure that this failure was noted, measured, and corrected.

The mysterious man straightened, letting his gaze drift from Abel to the network of small, hidden lenses scattered across the Academy. Tiny cameras, nearly invisible to anyone not looking for them, captured corridors, training grounds, and private chambers. Through them, he watched another subject, Cain.

Cain moved with a precision and confidence that Abel lacked. Every motion, every subtle adjustment of posture, was calculated, almost effortless. The changes since his return from the Abyss were evident, but it was more than that. The mysterious man felt a pull, a deep fascination rising in him as he observed the prince's control over his newfound power.

This was not raw, unrefined energy like Abel's. Cain wielded it with elegance, almost like a conductor shaping the flow of an orchestra. The way he gathered, compressed, and released mana was unlike anything the mysterious man had anticipated. It sparked a hunger in him, a burning need to understand every mechanism behind it.

He leaned closer to the crystal ball, the faint glow reflecting in his hidden eyes. Cain's potential was not just great. It was terrifyingly precise. Every instinct, every reaction, hinted at layers of adaptability and intelligence that made the man's pulse quicken with anticipation. This was no ordinary subject. This was a being to study, dissect, and if the conditions were right, push to the edge of what was possible.

The mysterious man allowed himself a slow smile, his disappointment in Abel fading under the new intrigue. Cain's existence, his power, his very essence, became an irresistible puzzle. He would learn what made the prince tick, how his mind and body responded to extremes, and how far he could be pushed before breaking or transcending.

For the first time in a long while, the mysterious man's focus sharpened completely. Abel was a failure, but Cain was the experiment that promised to redefine everything. Every lens, every hidden camera, every silent observation was now dedicated to one goal: to understand Cain and, if possible, harness the full measure of what he had become.

The man's whisper filled the chamber, barely audible over the hum of the crystal. "Interesting. Very interesting indeed."

He let the thought linger, the hunger to study Cain growing unstoppable, a need that would not be sated until every secret had been laid bare.

The mysterious man reached up slowly, letting his hands brush the edge of the hood that shrouded his face. The shadows shifted as he pulled it back, revealing a face that was far younger than the aura of power he radiated. Sharp eyes glimmered in the dim torchlight, calculating and bright, and his features were smooth, almost deceptively so, betraying nothing of the years or the schemes that had shaped him.

If Gaius had been present, recognition would have struck him instantly. Felix Lockstead. Once a disciple of Gaius, once trusted, once a student of knowledge and discipline. And then a traitor, a name whispered in fear and anger among those who remembered the betrayal. The Hero of Knowledge, they had called him. Brilliant, unyielding, and ruthless in pursuit of understanding.

To the ordinary eye, however, to the students walking the halls of the Academy, he was someone entirely different. Felix Stone, Vice Principal of the Academy, a man who walked among them with authority and composure, a figure of guidance and order. No one could imagine that beneath the calm facade lay the same mind that had once turned on his mentor, that had sought secrets far beyond the reach of ordinary men.

Felix let his gaze drift back to the crystal ball, to the images flickering within. Abel, foolish, brash, imperfect. And Cain, precise, potent, unknowingly stirring a fascination that Felix could not resist. Every instinct in him screamed to probe deeper, to dissect, to understand the true scope of Cain's power.

The room remained quiet except for the faint hum of the crystal. Felix's expression softened slightly, almost imperceptibly, as if weighing each possibility, calculating the trajectory of what he intended to do. To the students below, he was simply Vice Principal Stone, a figure of respect. To those who knew his history, he was a predator cloaked in civility.

Felix leaned closer, letting the crystal capture every subtle detail, every nuance of movement. Cain was no longer just a curiosity. He was a key, a challenge, and potentially the most valuable experiment of all. Felix Lockstead, Hero of Knowledge, traitor and manipulator, let the thought echo silently in his mind.

This was far from over. The experiment was only beginning.