There were many in the Inn who were there with their own agendas, but few were putting as much blind faith in the Midnight Inn as Elesia. This Celestial Immortal Angel, who was acting as an agent of the Humanoid Alliance on behalf of the Angels, was filled with an unusual amount of desperation for a Celestial.

It was in her anguished state that she kept an eye on even the Dance Off, hoping to find a glimpse of hope anywhere at all.

It was at this time that the stream for the dance off officially began. Compared to the stage where Lex and the chameleon had originally talked, the stage was now much bigger, with rows and rows of seats all around it.

The original stage had been created by the chameleon, and it had been expanded by Lex. The chameleon and Lex appeared center stage, facing each other off.

"Since I was the challenger, I’ll go first so you can have a look and prepare yourselves," the chameleon said.

"No problem. Go ahead," said Lex, not a single shred of apprehension in his voice or demeanor. "But I think, for the viewers convenience and entertainment, I will make a few changes to the venue."

Lex clapped his hands, and turned the entire roof into an indoor auditorium, hiding the stage behind some curtains, as well as adding lights, smoke machines and a few formations.

The changes were all simply cosmetic in purpose, but what was the point of putting on a show if there were no theatrics?

If the chameleon had an eyebrow, it would have raised it. Instead, it simply rolled its entire eye backwards - because apparently chameleons could do that.

Lex walked away from the stage, taking one of the front row seats with the other Inn members to watch the show.

"You know, I did a little research on the Cold Brood Empires opening act," Z whispered to Lex.

"Oh? And what did you find?" he asked curiously.

"Have you ever heard of the term boy bands?" he asked hesitantly.

Before Lex could respond, the black velvet curtains were dramatically pulled upon as music blasted, revealing five Radiant Koalas.

The ground seemed to tremble as the sight of them was revealed to the Inn, but Lex who had a view of the entire Inn knew that it was no earthquake that caused the trembling. No, it was the screaming and shouting of hundreds of millions of girls from across the races!

In fact, even the newly made auditorium that they were in was drowned in the screaming of countless immortal women, all of them struggling to contain their excitement.

BadBunny: OHMYGAWD they’re so cute!!!

UndeadDisco: Their cheeks! I just want to squeeze them!

OliveOilSheikh: Oh my goodness, it’s the attack of the stuffed toys!

MyNameIsBoris: The Koala has a cute charm. Like an adorable little pet. Heh, Boris likes <3

The five Radiant Koalas were standing in perfect formation, each of the five in various poses to emphasise their key points.

Abby, the ripped koala, had cute fluffy abs that were both adorable and impressive.

Mystery, the koala with long hair hiding his eyes, was wearing a purple jacket with the collar up, looking cool and mysterious.

Romance, the koala wearing aviator sunglasses, had his arms folded and wore a casual, confident smirk.

Baby, the most adorable looking koala, looked shyly out at the audience, as if conscious about being on stage.

Finally, Singer, the lead vocalist koala who was wearing limited edition sneakers and radiated confidence, stood out in the lead.

"So yeah, like I was saying, apparently the group dancers used by the Cold Brood Empire are actually in a boy band called the Salsa Boys. They’re apparently very famous. When that’s combined with their dances, they usually end up getting very high ratings. Going up against them will be tough."

"Ah, so they’re using existing popularity to supplement their votes. Clever," said Lex, not too surprised by the behavior.

"Ladiesssssssss, and gentsssssss," boomed a rather deep and enthusiastic voice as a hamster holding a mic appeared on stage. "I’m your favorite danceshow host, Ham Solo, here with you live at the Midnight Inn, about to kick off yet another, epic Dance Off!"

The hamster paused for applause, of which there were many, before he patted his chubby tummy, and continued to epic monologue.

"The Dance off today is between the Cold Brood Empire and the Midnight Inn, and the stakes this time are a mystery to the public. Sounds valuable. Either way folks, we can be assured that whatever is on the line, it’s probably worth a lot. So, to represent the Cold Brood Empire, behind me we have the Salsa Boys, ready to defend the honor of their empire, and bring home the gold. Let’s have a round of applause as we kick off the first performance."

The hamster bounced off stage, holding its tummy with both hands, leaving the Salsa Boys to begin their performance.

It was not a slow or steady beginning. Instead, the music began with immense fervor, allowing the cuddly, cute koalas to immediately begin the show.

Lex immediately felt a very real threat emanating off the stage - a threat not to himself but to their dance. Despite appearing like nothing more than living stuffed toys, the Salsa Boys danced with the finesse of a single leaf, carried through the air by the summer breeze.

Their performance was more than just coordinated and synchronised body movements. They seemed to resonate with the very laws of the universe, using their bodies and actions to touch open higher powers, causing a stirring from the very depths of the soul.

If even Lex was influenced, then it could be imagined how everyone else felt. Many things in life had tangible value, but many things did not. Wealth could merely facilitate life, but art that stirred the soul, the emotions, was what gave life meaning .

Meaning. Without it, life itself could become a prison of inconveniences and tedium. With it, even hell could become merely a path of self improvement. Oh, and a dance, a simple performance, could become an enrapturing display that symbolized the very struggle against the unpredictability of life, yearning for a beautiful future.

It was not just Lex. All who saw the performance were ushered into a state of philosophical self discovery, rejuvenating and revitalizing the core of their dreams and passions that the rigors of life had washed away.

"An acceptable performance. Not like a sword fight turned into a dance or anything, but acceptable anyway," Luthor grumbled begrudgingly. Z chuckled, and Gerard shook his head, as if he was dealing with a bunch of children.