DC: A Cop in Gotham

Chapter 18: Poison Ivy strikes

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After clearly seeing the style of the watch, Dean raised his hand to throw the Omnitrix back into the pool without hesitation.

But when he swung his arm, he didn't hear the expected sound of the watch falling into the water. Instead, he felt a heavy weight on his right wrist.

"Thank you very much! Isn't this thing locked to Ben's DNA? Why is it directly bound to my hand?" Dean exclaimed.

He looked at the Omnitrix, which had automatically fastened itself around his wrist after touching it. At this moment, the screen of the Omnitrix glowed red, entering charging mode. The red light illuminated Dean's face, filling him with a sense of despair.

The Omnitrix, an artifact of Benjamin Kirby Tennyson, the protagonist from Ben10, appeared to be just a large watch. But in reality, it could transform into various portable forms according to the user's needs.

The power level of young hackers from the DC universe was not any lower than that of their Marvel counterparts, and the Omnitrix was the supreme creation of Azmis, the smartest among them. Even in its damaged state, it was undoubtedly a powerful artifact.

But why was Dean considering throwing away this buggy artifact? It was simple. The Omnitrix was a dangerous tool capable of destroying an entire Earth, or in the worst case, even humanity. If something went wrong with it, the destruction would not be limited to Earth—it could potentially affect the entire DC multiverse.

Let's start with the two most basic functions of the Omnitrix: transformation and capture.

Transformation: The Omnitrix allows the user to transform into an alien race whose DNA it has already acquired. The process is not just genetic rewriting—Omnitrix creates components of the transformed race to replace the user's body.

Capture and Scan: The Omnitrix can capture and scan new DNA samples, uploading them to its genetic database, unlocking the transformation of that race's DNA. When using the Omnitrix, the user transforms into the most outstanding individual of the target race.

For example, if Dean were to obtain a DNA sample from Superman, say a piece of his hair or a used glass, he could transform into a Kryptonian. Not only that, but he would transform into the most powerful version of that species. What was even more terrifying was that the Omnitrix could *copy* itself.

Although the copied Omnitrix would be a degraded version with far fewer functions than the original, the potential for chaos was staggering. Imagine a small watch that could create a Kryptonian army.

The DC universe was filled with countless powerful characters, and who knew if someone might replicate the Omnitrix, unleashing havoc on an unimaginable scale?

But now, the deal was done. Who would have thought the Omnitrix would attach itself without asking Dean's permission? Worse still, the Omnitrix had a self-protection system that prevented it from being removed. Once it was on, it couldn't be removed by any ordinary means unless by its creator, Azmis.

He tried to unfasten the watch, but it seemed to be a part of him now, fitting tightly to the curve of his wrist.

Reluctantly, Dean exited his conscious space and returned to reality.

Both Damian and Dick noticed the shift in Dean's demeanor.

"You seem down, almost like a kid who crashed a party," Dick remarked, putting his arm around Dean's shoulders. He noticed a new, high-tech watch on Dean's wrist, though it looked a little worn.

Dean raised his head, his eyes dull. "If there was a button, and if you pressed it, there would be a fifty percent chance of either destroying the world or saving it. Would you press it?"

Nightwing and Robin exchanged a glance, then responded simultaneously, "I would."

Dean was taken aback by their quick responses.

"Dean, I don't know why you're asking this, and I don't want to pry, but I'll tell you this," Nightwing said, his voice serious. "When you're faced with a situation like that, the chances of failure are higher than you think."

He clenched his staff tightly, recalling years of experience. "But if you have a button like that, then I suggest you protect it. At least you'll still have an option."

"Having the right to choose is a privilege, Damian. You should remember that," Nightwing added, looking at the younger boy with a firm gaze.

This was the kind of thinking Batman used when designing contingency plans for various scenarios—giving himself more options when it mattered most.

Damian, who was only twelve years old, didn't fully grasp this concept. He believed that power was the key.

He poked the Omnitrix on Dean's wrist. "Is this your secret? It looks like a watch picked up from a junkyard, but it's full of advanced technology. Let me guess—alien technology?"

Dean raised his right hand, blocking Damian's touch. He was genuinely worried that Damian might accidentally trigger the Omnitrix's self-destruct function.

The self-destruct power of the Omnitrix was proportional to its charge. A few days of charging could be enough to destroy all the galaxies in the known universe. Dean didn't want to think about how Batman might react if something went wrong.

Dean was not being paranoid—kids had a knack for causing chaos. Just recently, someone's world had been destroyed due to carelessness.

Seeing Dean's deliberate avoidance, Damian stepped back silently, sensing that he hadn't found Dean's weakness yet.

"I overheard your conversation," Damian said, his voice cool. "The next stop is Indian Mountain. We'll deal with the mastermind before sunset. At night, it's time for bats to make an appearance."

Dick couldn't help but smile at Damian's words, knowing full well that his actions would likely worsen his relationship with Batman. However, he also understood that only through experience would Damian learn the consequences of his choices.

As for the potential risks? Well, Nightwing was there to help. Everything would be fine.

"Don't look at me. The police car assigned to me got soaked in sea water." Dean said, shaking his head.

Dean stepped aside, revealing the police car, which had been soaked and had an orange starfish stuck to its windshield.

Nightwing whistled as he pulled out his keys. A blue-black sports car appeared behind him, its design reminiscent of the Batmobile, though stripped of the bat theme.

"Take a seat. The car's equipped with an automatic driving system," Dick said with a grin.

Dean climbed into the car, sitting in the back seat with Damian. As they drove, Dean began explaining to Damian about Manaphy and the Legendary Pokémon. He kept the information about Manaphy's true identity concealed—he didn't want too much attention on her, especially with so many people already watching her closely.

The Omnitrix only took seven minutes to fully charge, but Dean's damaged version still glowed red as they got out of the car.

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But why did they stop before reaching Indian Mountain? The answer was simple: Dean and the others encountered someone blocking their way.

A thick vine, as massive as a stone statue, suddenly stretched across the road. Fortunately, Nightwing's car had the same automatic driving system as the Batmobile, and it also had manual correction, allowing him to stop in time.

However, another car traveling alongside them wasn't so lucky.

"Get out of the car quickly—there are no weapon systems," Nightwing called out, rolling from his car to the ground as he drew out a long staff. From the way the road was being blocked, Nightwing already had a good idea of who the enemy was.

The savagely growing vines carried their mistress toward them.

"Poison Ivy," Nightwing muttered, his voice filled with disdain. "Who freed you from Arkham?"

Poison Ivy glanced at Nightwing dismissively before locking her eyes on Dean, who was now running quickly.

To be more specific, she was eyeing Manaphy.

"No one saved me, Nightwing. I simply choose not to stay locked up. When I don't want to be imprisoned, no one can imprison the power of nature!" Poison Ivy declared, her voice dripping with venom.

Green light shot from her eyes, and the asphalt road was overturned by the plants sprouting underneath her control.

"Hold her off, Robin!" Dean shouted to Damian as he ran ahead. "I'm going to save those people."

"I'll take care of her!" Nightwing called back.

Nightwing's car wasn't equipped with weapon systems, but it did have hidden compartments filled with weapons and equipment. Damian, ever resourceful, selected a katana and two incendiary bombs from inside.

Standing in front of Poison Ivy, Damian's breath quickened. This wasn't his first time facing Poison Ivy, but it was the first time he was up against her alone. Without Batman by his side, the responsibility was his to shoulder.

Damian slashed through the vines that stretched toward Dean, cutting them with one precise motion. "If you want to touch him, you'll have to get through me first!" he said, his voice filled with determination.

The front of the car that collided with the vines was half-crushed and started smoking. Dean watched as the airbag deployed in the car, helping to save the people inside.

"Manapju, use Bubble Light!" Dean called out.

"Mana!" Manaphy responded, taking a deep breath and releasing a burst of foam that tightly wrapped around the front of the car. Dean used the Hoshikudaki technique to pry open the deformed car door and dragged the unconscious man and woman out.

Dean quickly administered first aid, thanks to his police training. Fortunately, the airbags had deployed in time, and neither of the victims had sustained life-threatening injuries.

"There's no immediate danger to life," Dean confirmed.

[Successfully rescued two people and received 4 points.]

The system prompt confirmed that the two were safe.

"Mana Mana!" Manaphy called, warning Dean.

Dean's immediate thought was that it was the other way around—he should be the one warning *her* to get out of the way.

Before he could finish his thought, Damian was knocked aside and landed directly on top of Dean, sending both of them tumbling five meters away.

Dean gritted his teeth as pain shot through his ribs. "I told you to leave her to me, Robin!"

Damian scrambled to his feet, pulling out an incendiary bomb and tossing it toward the giant piranha-like plant that Poison Ivy had summoned. The bomb landed, but its spark was quickly snuffed out by the acidic digestive fluid flowing from the piranha's mouth.

"I saw it!" Dean yelled as the two rolled apart to avoid the next strike. A vine fell down, instantly cracking the ground beneath them.

Dean broke into a cold sweat. Was this really Poison Ivy? Who gave her the superhuman hormones and steroids? Her power was far beyond what he remembered.

"This is insane!" Dean muttered as he grabbed Manaphy and ran to the side. Poison Ivy quickly abandoned her pursuit of the two Robins and chased after him instead.

"Give it to me!" Poison Ivy demanded, her voice wild with greed.

Dean slapped his forehead in frustration. "Of course, it's Manaphy you want." He grumbled as Poison Ivy advanced toward them.

"Manaphy, Manaphy, you're as popular as the rumors say," Dean said sarcastically as he backed away.

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