Old Man Yellow, you really know how to play.

Old Man Yellow, you really play a twisted game.

Time is like a cycle; you never know if that damned boomerang will strike your own chest in the next moment.

Those who toy with time are destined to be toyed with by time. Emperor's idea is simple: have Hogg set sail once more, pass through that magic circle to return to the past, and act as a trans-temporal assault dog to alter space-time.

But unlike the previous mission targeting The Four Ruinous Powers, this time the target is Emperor himself—or more accurately, having Hogg and his companion return to the era of ancient Terra, locate his younger self, and indirectly influence the current Malice during that period.

Once bitten, twice shy. Having experienced two trips, Hogg still couldn't fathom Old Man Yellow's logic. What kind of standing do The Four Ruinous Powers have? Why are you trying to get involved in their business?

Emperor, an old riddle-master, naturally wouldn't reveal the words Malice spoke in his fury. If he actually said them, he feared that even Hogg, his only rebellious son, would abandon him.

"Stop overthinking it. Go because I told you to. Isn't Dorn coming along? Just treat him like a timer, get the job done cleanly, and hurry back when the time is right."

"Dorn, remember to listen to your brother Hogg when the time comes. Don't open that foul mouth of yours when you meet people; I'm afraid those old friends might tear you both apart over such a trivial matter."

Dorn, entrusted with the heavy responsibility of being a timer, agreed readily. But being as blunt as he was, he naturally wouldn't let the error in Emperor's words slide:

"Father, biologically speaking, Hogg should be considered my younger brother. Unless you created us from back to