"Um... can I have a taste?"
Shin-chan generously handed over the chocolate stick.
"It's really good. I couldn't even bring myself to eat it."
"Thank you."
The Great Toad Sage extended his tongue and precisely snatched away the chocolate stick.
Jiraiya, Fukasaku, and Shima exchanged glances.
None of them had ever imagined that the way to wake an ancient toad who had lived for more than a thousand years would be with sweets.
"Nohara Shinnosuke." After finishing the chocolate stick, the Great Toad Sage slowly spoke. "I know your name."
Shin-chan looked up at the toad, who was countless times larger than him, waiting to hear the prophecy.
"In my dream, I saw you standing atop an enormous ramen bowl," the Great Toad Sage continued. "The bowl contained all the broths of the world—miso broth, tonkotsu broth, soy sauce broth..."
Shin-chan blinked.
"Then you stuck a pair of chopsticks into the bowl and stirred with all your strength. Five different broths blended together and became an entirely new flavor that had never existed before."
"And then... people from all over the world came to eat that bowl of ramen. From the Land of Fire to the Land of Wind, from the Land of Lightning to the Lands of Earth and Water, everyone put down their kunai and shuriken and picked up ramen bowls."
"After taking one bite, they all made the same expression as you."
"What expression?"
The Great Toad Sage lowered his gaze and looked deeply at Shin-chan.
"An expression of happiness."
The temple fell silent.
"This child..." Fukasaku said excitedly. "He truly is the Child of Prophecy."
"A single bowl of ramen making the whole world lay down its weapons..." Granny Shima clenched her fists.
Jiraiya stood silently to the side, an indescribable emotion welling up inside him.
"So..." The Great Toad Sage's voice grew lower. "Nohara Shinnosuke."
"Mm?"
"On the day you become Hokage, please make sure to treat me to a bowl of ramen you cooked yourself."
Shin-chan looked up.
"Sure. I'll give you double chashu and a soft-boiled egg."
The Great Toad Sage closed his eyes, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.
It seemed he had fallen asleep again.
"So, can I go back now?"
"The Child of Prophecy came all this way. How could we let him leave on an empty stomach?" Fukasaku turned toward Shima. "Ma, make a few extra dishes tonight."
"Leave it to me. I'll make sure our guest eats until he's completely full."
Jiraiya's expression instantly changed.
"Um... Elder Shima, there's no need to go through so much trouble. Just make something simple..."
"It's no trouble." Shima waved a hand. "Shin-chan is the Child of Prophecy. How could we serve him something simple? Tonight, we feast."
Sweat began forming on Jiraiya's forehead.
"What's wrong?" Shin-chan looked at him. "Your face looks terrible. Like you just ate a green pepper."
"Elder Shima's cooking is unmatched throughout Mount Myōboku, but..."
"But?"
"Her ingredients may be a little different from what you usually eat."
Shin-chan tilted his head.
"How different?"
Shima was already humming as she walked toward the kitchen.
"Fresh bugs with toad-oil sauce, nutritious and delicious~"
"Bugs?" Shin-chan's ears perked up. "Toad oil?"
"Delicious~" Shima's singing continued.
Shin-chan immediately turned toward the door.
"Where are you going?" Jiraiya grabbed him before he could escape.
"Back to Konoha."
"It's almost dark. How are you planning to get back now?"
Shin-chan stopped.
He slowly turned around.
His expression could be described in four words:
Utterly devoid of hope.
"Uncle Jiraiya, you seriously owe me a huge favor."
"I know."
"A really, really huge favor."
"I know."
"The kind of favor that requires a lifetime supply of ramen to repay."
"I accept." Jiraiya gritted his teeth.
Dinner time.
Shima carried dish after dish out of the kitchen, announcing each one as she placed it on the table.
"This is deep-fried centipede with toad-oil dipping sauce. Crispy outside, tender inside."
Shin-chan stared at the plate of centipedes still sizzling with oil.
They had been fried to a golden brown, and each one was nearly as long as a pair of chopsticks.
"This is steamed caterpillar. It was steamed for three hours using Mount Myōboku's natural hot-spring steam. It melts in your mouth."
A row of white caterpillars was neatly arranged on a lotus leaf, steam still rising from their bodies.
"This is chilled earthworm salad, dressed with sour-grass juice, a specialty of Mount Myōboku. Refreshing and good for the appetite."
A bowl of still-wriggling earthworms was mixed with all kinds of unfamiliar leaves, giving off a sharp, sour smell.
"And this is our grand insect platter. Cicada pupae, grasshoppers, dragonfly larvae—all freshly caught this morning."
Shin-chan looked down at the enormous table covered entirely in bugs.
"Uncle Jiraiya, when can we leave?"
"We can't leave now."
"So we have to eat bugs?"
"We have to."
"There's no other option?"
"No."
"Shin-chan, why aren't you eating?" Shima removed her apron. "Is there not enough food? I can make two more dishes."
"No, no, no! This is plenty!" Shin-chan hurriedly waved his hands. "There's already so much we couldn't possibly finish it all."
"Then hurry and eat. It won't taste good once it gets cold."
Shima picked up a fried centipede and placed it into Shin-chan's bowl.
"Try this one. It's my specialty."
Shin-chan stared at the centipede in his bowl.
"Uncle Jiraiya, why aren't you eating?"
There was also a plate of insects in front of Jiraiya, but his chopsticks had been hovering uncertainly around the edge of the bowl the entire time.
"I... I'll have some soup first."
He picked up the clear insect soup in front of him, closed his eyes, and gulped down a large mouthful.
His entire face immediately twisted.
"Is it good?" Shima asked expectantly.
"V-Very... good..." Jiraiya's voice trembled.
"Then have some more."
Shima ladled another large spoonful into his bowl.
"Pa, you eat some too."
Fukasaku picked up a bug, put it into his mouth, and chewed with loud crunchy sounds.
"Look at Pa. See how much he's enjoying it?" Shima nodded in satisfaction before turning back to Shin-chan. "Shin-chan, you eat too."
Shin-chan closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
He remembered what Misae always said.
Don't be picky at the dinner table.
He remembered Hiroshi's words.
A real man faces every challenge.
He remembered Grandpa Third's teaching.
A ninja must be prepared to make sacrifices.
But not a single person had ever said that a ninja had to be brave enough to eat deep-fried centipedes.
"Thanks for the food."
With trembling hands, Shin-chan picked up his chopsticks, lifted the fried centipede, and stuffed it into his mouth.
Crunch.
A crisp sound came from between his teeth.
Then his entire body froze.
"How is it?" Shima asked eagerly.
Shin-chan slowly opened his eyes.
"It's actually pretty good."
"What?!" Jiraiya nearly fell off his seat.
"Really." Shin-chan chewed a few more times. "The shell is fried really crispy, and the meat inside tastes kind of like shrimp. With the toad-oil dipping sauce, it's salty and really savory."
Shima smiled until her eyes narrowed into slits.
"See? I knew Shin-chan had good taste."
"One more."
Shin-chan voluntarily reached out with his chopsticks.
"The outside is crispy, but the meat inside is still tender. That's impressive."