The moment Su Mu entered the bar, his worldview was completely shattered.
In the center of the dance floor, a group of Otsutsuki, clad in white robes, were violently shaking their heads and twitching.
"Damn..."
"I can totally imagine if Madara were here, he'd probably break the stage."
Su Mu casually found an empty seat.
A waitress approached with a drinks menu. "Sir, what would you like to drink?"
"Let me see."
Taking the menu from the waitress, Su Mu glanced at it casually.
'Damn, this is expensive!'
And the names were quite something.
'Sacred Tree Root Hundred-Year Red Wine - 400 Wood Coins', 'Bahl 1997 Condensing Water Jade Wine - 988', 'Chicken Star Too Beautiful Wine Too Sweet Fen Wine - 1998'...
'What the hell?'
'What is all this?'
"Uh... I'll have a glass of juice, please."
"Certainly. Would you like any snacks as well, such as a fruit platter?"
"No, thank you."
"Very well, please wait a moment."
Watching the waitress walk away, Su Mu let out a deep sigh and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Since arriving here, the money he'd earned in the Ninja World was no longer usable.
Even after converting it through the system, he only got ten thousand Wood Coins.
Then again, he was technically a man of ten thousand Wood Coins, so ordering a snack shouldn't be too much to ask.
When the waitress brought the juice, Su Mu stopped her.
"Do you have any snacks like peanuts, popcorn, or sunflower seeds?"
The waitress looked utterly bewildered. "Sir, are the things you're talking about... drinks?"
Su Mu sighed helplessly. Such a high-level civilization, and they didn't even sell sunflower seeds.
Earth was much more comfortable.
"We have Condensed Orange Fruits here. Would you like to try some?"
"I'll take a plate."
"Certainly, sir. Five fruits per plate, that will be fifty Wood Coins!"
After paying, Su Mu looked at the plate of Condensed Orange Fruits served on the table and gave a bitter smile.
These were the same fruits Arashi-Tsuki had given him earlier that day.
"What a rip-off! They sell them for five outside, and ten here. What kind of thieves are they!"
Su Mu cursed indignantly, picked up a fruit, brought it to his lips, and took a large bite.
...
Time ticked by, minute by minute. Su Mu glanced at his watch; it was already 7:50 PM.
Only ten minutes left until the storytelling session began.
"Boss, the storytelling session tonight might be canceled."
"What's going on?"
Behind him, two Otsutsuki walked past.
Su Mu overheard their conversation clearly.
The tallest Otsutsuki, with a scar on his face, was the owner of the establishment.
The one beside him was likely the manager.
"Those storytellers, they can barely afford to eat every day. They've been surviving on the leftover food from customers at the bar each night. They just couldn't take it anymore and all quit just now."
"Ah, it's a shame. Customers don't give much. But now that the storytellers are gone, we'll have to schedule more of the other acts!"
"Each of those singers and dancers charges five hundred Wood Coins. This isn't a small amount, we might end up losing money tonight!"
The boss nervously rubbed his horns, looking troubled.
"Boss, how about I give it a try?"
Hearing the voice, the boss turned his head in confusion.
The moment he saw Su Mu, he knew he wasn't a native of this planet.
Previously, the Otsutsuki planet had opened up interdimensional travel tunnels. Any planet that signed a contract with the Otsutsuki planet was eligible to live and reside here.
The contract they signed was bought with the sacrifice of one hundred thousand lives annually to plant the Sacred Tree.
The fruits Su Mu had been eating also came from those sacrifices.
Either by planting small seeds on their bodies until they were covered, or through the collective sacrifice of one hundred thousand people to the Sacred Tree.
It had to be said, it was cruel, but it bought them the right to live in a high-level civilization and a permanent residency permit.
Of course, the Otsutsuki clan had ulterior motives.
People from other planets who settled here were also under the strict control of the Otsutsuki high command.
And if an Otsutsuki individual died accidentally or from illness, they could be resurrected through the contract.
Conveniently, these settlers fit that requirement.
"You can tell stories?"
The boss eyed Su Mu with suspicion.
He was too young, after all. Storytellers were supposed to bear the marks of age and experience.
Otherwise, where would their stories come from?
"I know a little. I just heard the manager say that our storyteller has run off."
"I'd like to try performing on stage. As for payment, there's no need."
Su Mu said with a calm expression.
Free labor?
That was fantastic! In this day and age, bosses loved people who were willing to contribute to art for free!
"Do you have any experience performing stories? Please don't mess it up!"
The boss was still a bit worried.
Su Mu's lips curved slightly, and he confidently patted his chest. "If I mess it up, I'll pay you!"
"Good!"
"Manager, make the arrangements immediately!"
"If you truly have the talent, I can add ten Wood Coins to your daily pay!"
The boss immediately decided to let Su Mu perform.
It was now 8:00 PM.
The dance floor was temporarily closed, and several Otsutsuki staff members quickly moved a table to the center of the stage.
The guests who had been reveling earlier had all returned to their seats, waiting for the storytelling performance to begin.
"Hey, I say, you got that storyteller drunk last night, didn't you? He didn't even finish his story and just puked into the trash can until the end. You're terrible!"
"Who told him to tell boring stories? They're all the same every day, I can't avoid listening to them. If I hadn't spent ten thousand Wood Coins here and still had some left, I wouldn't have come!"
"If he tells the same old stories tonight, I'll buy ten more boxes. If you can't finish them, get out!"
"Hehe, I love how you act all showy with your money!"
At the table closest to the stage, a group of men and women Otsutsuki were wickedly plotting their mischief for the night.
The moment Su Mu walked onto the stage, they all froze.
"Huh?"
"They changed performers?"
"This one doesn't look like one of our planet's people, does he? He's quite handsome~"
"Say, Mai, you have unique taste, being interested in outsiders."
"Should we ask for his contact information later? Don't go back tonight, let us sisters test the waters for you?"
...
A moment later, the audience fell silent.
Su Mu sat down at the table, took out a folding fan, and fanned himself gently.
At this moment, he felt as if he had returned to the day his journey in the Ninja World began.
"Three thousand years of bowing before the Buddha, turning back to the mortal world, refusing to be an immortal."
"Esteemed guests, the story I will tell today is called 'Seeking the Demon'."