The Laughing God was satisfied. With Hogg's promise, he was suddenly filled with boundless hope for the future. Seeing that the fleet had already started moving out of the Webway, he was about to leave at once.
But before he could turn around, Hogg slapped him across the face and ordered the fleet to change course and back up a little, then close the Webway gate they had just opened.
He'd never seen a fleet retreat before. Through the thick dimensional barrier and the Webway built by the Old Ones, those three gazes were hard to make out. But that only made the blue mollusk even more anxious.
It wasn't just those three fools who were baffled. Cegorach was even more confused. Then he saw Hogg gazing at him through misty dog eyes, wearing an expression like he was about to die.
"Hogg, what's wrong? Why are you dragging the ships back?"
"Shut up! I, Hogg, have never come second to anyone in my life. Even if I lose, I'll lose with dignity. See those red lights around us? I'm keeping my speed down this time, so stand still and behave!"
Crimson lightning crackled in Hogg's dog paw. As he rubbed his paws together, more and more Psionic Energy gathered there. Hogg used up the last of his remaining Psionic Energy reserves to make an Amulet for this Joker, who shared his foul odor. It was exactly the same size as the one he'd given the Slann.
"Take it!"
At first, Sillago didn't want it. After Hogg finished making the Amulet, the entire dog looked much more listless, reduced to a half-dead corgi—one who really was about to die.
Hogg hated this sort of back-and-forth, like someone politely refusing a New Year's cash gift three times before finally accepting it.