( Meanwhile, around Poseidon's Palace. )
" Found ya... " Ragna approached Ragna Hundred, he found him as he had to fall from meters high.
" Thank goodness you're in the 'Zone'... "
" Guess your physical status is heightened as well as your power output percentage. " Ragna says this to Hundred who is still frozen in his 'Zone' state.
" Giving a nice extra buff to survive this 'Fall Damage'. " Ragna sighs in his relief, he smirks while witnessing the palace itself is drowned in blood.
" Even as a god, with all those powers, you will always have to choose. "
" Thank goodness he chooses Blood, kuku. "
...
( At the same time. )
[ Poseidon's Palace, Blooded Domain ]
"( So it's true... ) " Twelve dodges the attacking 'Bloodfiend Hydra'.
"( After Hercules defeated it in the 12th Timeline, he- )"
" Don't space out! " Poseidon screams to him, he summons more of the Blooded Hydra's head.
< [Blood-binding Summon, Bloodfiend Hydra] summons more heads. >
"( 'Blood-binding Summon'... )"
"( That title intrigues me... )" Twelve still dodges the attack, he's on the evasive right now.
"( Because I thought the Hydra was made from the Deviant Monarch Typhon and Echidna. )"
"( But, since it was here using Poseidon's Blood, does it mean the creature made a contract with him, before? )"
"( Hm... )"
"( No, the last time I checked on the 12th Timeline, the 'False Hydra'* I fought with Carla shows it has no intellect and does not seem to be sentient at all. )"
"( Back then, the 'False Hydra' came out of nowhere within the sea and caused havoc to every country on Earth, making them fear the ocean, even making them have to retract all ocean activities. )"
"( Wait, after thinking about this... )" Twelve began to remember this sudden memory, trying to connect it to the present as he looked at the 'Bloodfiend version's head.
" Keuh...!? " Twelve see it now, he finally connects it, and...
" False Hydra!!!? " Ragna Twelve shouts to the thing as the head is coming to attack him.
Feeling annoyed, Twelve immediately jumps at the attacking heads, gripping his fists, and decides to be offensive this time, using his Black Shadow Strength to punch over the Hydra's heads.
* BAM! *
After destroying many of the heads, Twelve lands in front of Poseidon who controlled it. Looking at him with sharpened eyes and some annoyed grunt.
" So it's true..., 'Grand Commander'... "
" What happened in the 12th Timeline, it's- " Twelve grunts as he charges over Poseidon.
" You should've not done that. " Poseidon says as he creates [Blood Spikes] from the ground.
" Mph! " Twelve uses his shield to defend himself, he looks for a darkened place near the spikes and goes there.
As time goes on, Poseidon stops summoning the spikes and makes it all disappear.
" Huh? " Poseidon sees around, he sees no Ragna Twelve.
" What? " Poseidon is confused when using his eyes around, he is startled to ever think someone could just disappear from such a surprising strike.
" I thought I make sure the timing is correct... "
" The moment I did that, if it weren't for his shield, his body would be nothing more than a human 'Satay'*. " Poseidon tells this while still looking around.
"( I better increase my senses over the blooded waters here... )"
"( My [Hydro Sensory] ability should've done the trick, after all, my Hydro Sensory is the very thing why I can rule and protect the very oceans from the surprising Universal Threats from the Gates. )"
"( Using this ability, I could know every creature in the world, for using 'Hydro Sensory' means I could tell any beings for what they are or where they go as I sensed the very waters that filled their body. )"
"( Sweats, Tears, Pees, Salivas, and even their Blood. )"
"( I could sense them clearly by sensing those things. )"
"( As long my foes had any kinds of water-based liquids produced in their inner flesh, I could easily track them... )"
"( That's always been the case... )"
"( But... )" Poseidon begins to grunt by himself as he senses...
"( Nothing!? )"
"( I, with my advanced [Hydro Sensory]... )"
"( Senses... )"
"( Nothing!!! )" Poseidon gets pissed as he decided to make the Blood around him go havoc, creating waves, tsunamis, all things he could do to make Ragna Twelve go out from his hiding place.
"( NOTHING!? )" Poseidon is getting more confused, even after he creates the oceanic havoc of blood and destruction.
"( I see no blood spilled, hear no screams shouted... )"
"( Something's wrong, where did he... )" Poseidon looks around again, checking his surroundings.
"( I've made sure no one escaped as I imprisoned us all in this place, with Blood. )"
"( So how could he, how- )"
"( Wait... )" Poseidon stops the havoc, he exhales and inhales another wind of breath, taking some time as he lets things go calm and serene.
" Ah, ah... "
" How unsightly of me, how ungodly... "
" To think I would storm the waters just because I couldn't find one annoying fish... "
" I forgot, that you also can do the power of water... "
" Even with my dominion over it, I believe there should be a chance you can still use it. "
" For I too felt that your power is not from the Gift of the Divine, but more of a- "
" Mmm... " Poseidon tries to guess, as he is in deep with his thoughts.
Using his Divine Intellect, Poseidon began to recall what he knew from Ragna Twelve back in the 12th Timeline, remembering everything that he should've considered as an advantage over him.
"( Captain Ragna Orion 'Mamoru' Kent, he is different... )"
"( Unlike most soldiers, only he had interests in scientific experiments, making him have to participate in some experiments. )"
"( Well, since he can't ascend beyond the ranks of Captain thanks to his 'Ungraced' status, I believe he chose to move to the Divine Hunter Research Department, didn't he? )" Poseidon thinks about this.
" Hmph, that could be the thing, experiments, mmm... "
" Right, Captain Kent!? " Poseidon calls to the empty place, he says many things to root Twelve out.
...
( Meanwhile. )
" Tsk tsk, Poseidon. " Ragna says while as he recovers Ragna Hundred.
" I see you chose to use yourself as a Bait. "
" Ah, reminds of old times, haha. "*
" Well, indeed, to hunt those who were unseen, the only thing to draw them out is to make yourself in the light. "
" Whilst preparing yourself the energy to strike them down. "
" Smart move, as expected from a god, kuku. " Ragna chuckles.
" Guess the smarter the enemy sometimes the better, right? " Ragna smirks.
" But... "
" Despite all those smart strategies, Poseidon... "
( At the same time. )
As Poseidon waits for Twelve to show himself, suddenly.
* Stab *
< [Item: Divine-Enchanted Deviation Slayer Sword, Dainsleif] >
< Item Class: SS >
< Type: Sword >
...
" Are you willing to take the risks, I wonder? "
_________________________________
Extra:
*'False Hydra':
A Monster Ragna Twelve and Carla Twelve defeated back in the 12th Timeline. The monster is one of the Hydra's heads that survived after the Hercules Labor, it survives and finally takes a form almost like the original but weaker as it was defeated too early.
* 'Satay'.
Satay is a popular Southeast Asian dish consisting of skewered and grilled meat, typically served with a flavorful sauce. It is particularly associated with Indonesian, Malaysian, and Singaporean cuisines, though variations of the dish can also be found in other parts of the region.
*" Ah, reminds of old times, haha "
Ragna (Current) remembered his old times as 'Bait' in the first chapters.