81 The Begenning of the End #81

Lounging on my bed in the comfort of my apartment, I let my mind wander aimlessly, contemplating the mysteries of life while staring up at the ceiling. The idea of finding a new place had been on my mind for a while now. 

A bigger, more convenient spot sounded like a dream, but somehow, the time to make it happen had never quite materialized. Maybe tomorrow would be the day for some house-hunting adventures. But hey, I won't bore you with those mundane details.

Now, about that rendezvous with Poison Ivy... You're probably itching for the juicy bits, huh? Well, let me assure you, it went down smoother than a well-mixed cocktail. 

With my knack for acting and persuasion, it was practically a done deal from the get-go. Sure, Ivy initially eyed me like I was spouting nonsense when I pitched the idea of her gracing Livewire's talk show with her presence. But a little verbal finesse was all it took to steer her in the right direction.

I didn't bother lecturing her on the ethical pitfalls of using eco-terrorism to spread her message. There was no need to ruffle her green feathers that much. Instead, I painted a picture of the vast audience she could reach through Livewire's show, convincing her of the unparalleled opportunity to influence minds and hearts. 

I mean, come on, millions of eyeballs glued to screens worldwide – it's a platform begging to be utilized. And hey, if Ivy could sway even just one person, it'd be a win in my book. It definitely beats terrorizing folks with a leafy onslaught, wouldn't you say?

As the day wound down, I couldn't shake the thought that influencing just one person would be a worst-case scenario. I mean, picture this: two captivating villainesses advocating for Mother Earth? It's bound to strike a chord with more than a few souls out there. 

And once Poison Ivy catches a glimpse of the power of positive reinforcement over her usual leafy chaos, she'll be putty in my hands. What? You thought I went through all this trouble to boost Livewire's stupid talk show?

Who do you think I am? This operation is a meticulous setup designed to snare villains like Ivy and guide them onto the path of redemption, starting with the green queen herself.

Now, reforming someone as deeply entrenched in bitterness as Poison Ivy won't be a cakewalk, and reforming her public image was even more tricky. 

But hey, nothing's impossible, right? With the system at my disposal, the options are endless. Picture this: a miraculous seed that produces life-saving medicines, tended to by Ivy herself. Just one of the many ideas swirling around in my head. 

And Ivy's powers? They're a game-changer, capable of solving crises that have plagued the world for ages, even without help from the system.

Take those barren deserts lying around the globe, for instance. With Ivy's touch and a bit of work to develop plants that could thrive in such harsh environments, they could bloom into lush gardens, teeming with exotic plants and resources. 

Who in their right mind would pass up a deal like that? Even if it means vouching for Poison Ivy and working to clear her name of every crime she's committed? It's a no-brainer.

With my mind set on keeping Poison Ivy's potential to myself, I had no intention of handing her over to some country. I mean, who in their right mind would give up such a gold mine? Nope, she'd be working for me, and I'd be the one pulling the strings, negotiating on her behalf. 

It's all about striking a balance, getting those who want to tap into her green magic to play by our rules and enforce environmental laws to protect the planet. But hey, easier said than done, right?

I mean, imagine negotiating with entire countries. It's a bit like trying to wrangle a pack of alpha wolves. And what's to stop them from just swooping in and snatching Ivy away once they realize what she's capable of? In this dog-eat-dog world, governments are the top dogs.

But hey, no sweat. Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither is my empire of influence. It's a long-term plan, and I'll strike when the time is right. For now, though, it's back to my daily grind of checking out the daily deals in the system shop. Gotta stay sharp and keep building that power base, one deal at a time.

Navigating through the system interface, I found myself staring at the daily deals section. And what do we have here? The Random Bloodline, on sale for a whopping 90% discount, bringing it down to just 1000 points. Now, that's a steal.

But hold your horses, because this deal comes with a bit of a catch. It's basically like a gacha, where you roll the dice and hope for the best. Each purchase gives you a different bloodline, with its own strengths, talents, and maybe even a fatal weakness or two. 

Naturally, I had the option to not integrate with the randomly granted bloodline, but then again, there were no refunds, meaning my hard-earned points would go to waste. Talk about high stakes.

Now, normally, I'm not one to fall for the allure of gacha, but I've already done it once, so why not? I mean, who wants to risk their hard-earned points on a game of chance? But hey, when you've got a balance like mine—5600 points, thank you very much—you start thinking, "Why the heck not?"

You see, spending all that time duking it out underwater with the Jellyfish people really paid off. Turns out, being a war hero has its perks, including a nice little boost to the ol' point balance as word about me reached all the people in Atlantis, including the named characters, making them for their own opinions of me. 

And let's not forget about the fame and glory that comes with kicking Eclipso's butt and going on all sorts of wild adventures. Word travels fast, even in the surface world, and that means more points in the bank for yours truly.

With a shrug and a sense of resigned acceptance, I decided to take the plunge and see what this Random Bloodline had in store for me. After all, what's life without a little unpredictability? As I clicked the purchase button, my point balance took a hit, dropping down to 4600. The prompt message that popped up before me revealed my new acquisition: the Squirrel Scribe bloodline.

My initial reaction? Utter confusion mixed with a healthy dose of disappointment. Squirrel Scribe? What on earth was that supposed to mean? According to the description, it turned out to be some ancient scholarly lineage capable of communicating with squirrels and enlisting their help in transcribing documents. But here's the kicker—they could only write nonsensical poetry. Talk about a letdown.

I couldn't help but feel a surge of frustration bubbling up inside me. Seriously? Squirrels and poetry? What kind of twisted joke was this? I briefly entertained the thought of hunting down a squirrel and demanding answers, but quickly dismissed the idea as ludicrous.

But hey, I'd already dropped a thousand points on this nonsense, so might as well see it through, right? Steeling myself for whatever ridiculousness awaited me, I moved on to the next purchase, watching as my point balance dwindled even further.

And what did I get this time? Brace yourself—it was the Tickle Tornado bloodline. Just the name alone was enough to make me roll my eyes in exasperation and give me the urge to instantly dismiss. But curiosity got the better of me, and I begrudgingly read the description. 

Apparently, this bloodline was passed down by now extenct mischievous creatures masquerading as kindly old men, seeking out sad children in their rooms and tickling away their woes in the dead of night.

I couldn't help but shake my head in disbelief at the absurdity of it all. Old men sneaking into kids' rooms to tickle away their sorrows? Aren't they just friggen pedos? Thank god they went extinct!

"Seriously?" I muttered to myself, feeling a mix of frustration and irritation. "Are they even trying to hide the fact this is a scam?"

But as much as I wanted to throw in the towel and chalk it up as a loss, I knew I couldn't. After all, I'd already blown through 2000 points on this gamble. 

I couldn't just walk away empty-handed. So, with a sigh and a sense of resignation, I braced myself for the next round of disappointment and clicked on the option to purchase another bloodline. Here's hoping the third time's the charm.