The night at the Daimyo's residence.
Shin-chan was fast asleep, hugging his pillow, with a large patch of the pillowcase already soaked in drool.
"Chocolate sticks... strawberry flavor... one more..."
He rolled over, dreaming that he was standing atop a mountain piled high with chocolate sticks.
Just as he was about to take his first bite, the entire world suddenly went dark.
"Who did that?" Shin-chan rubbed his eyes. "Where are my chocolate sticks?"
An old man appeared before him, floating cross-legged in midair.
He wore a white robe, with a black staff resting across his knees, while nine black spheres hovered around him.
Shin-chan looked up at the incredibly flashy old man.
"Are you an old man who sells takoyaki?"
"No..."
"Then why are there black balls floating behind you? They look like takoyaki."
"I am Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo. The world commonly knows me as the Sage of Six Paths."
"The Sage of Six Paths?" Shin-chan tilted his head. "That sounds pretty impressive. Can you make chocolate sticks?"
The corner of the Sage of Six Paths' mouth twitched.
"I cannot make chocolate sticks, but I have something very important to tell you."
"What is it? Is it more important than chocolate sticks?"
"Ten thousand times more important than chocolate sticks." The Sage of Six Paths became serious. "Kusagakure opened the Box of Ultimate Bliss and released the monster known as Satori. Countless ninja have already died at its hands."
"Satori? Doesn't sound very tasty."
"It can read people's minds and perceive every intention to attack. No straightforward ninjutsu or taijutsu can strike it."
"And then?"
"Only you can defeat it."
"Why me?"
"Because your mind works differently from every other ninja's," the Sage of Six Paths said, looking at him.
"I get it! My head is full of chocolate sticks and sweets, so it'll think my thoughts are too delicious and get distracted, right?"
The Sage of Six Paths: "...More or less."
"Then I'm not going." Shin-chan shook his head decisively. "I promised Ai I'd protect her. And Grandpa Third said that if I leave the Daimyo's residence without permission, they'll stop supplying me with chocolate sticks."
"If you don't go, Satori will eat every chocolate stick in the entire ninja world."
Shin-chan's expression became visibly serious.
"What did you say?"
"It has already destroyed every sweets shop in the Land of Grass. Next will be the Land of Fire, then the Land of Lightning and the Land of Earth. Eventually, there won't be a single chocolate stick left anywhere in the ninja world."
"It wouldn't dare!"
"Not only will it eat them, it will destroy every ramen shop, stomp every dango into the ground, and pour every pudding into filthy drains."
Shin-chan clenched his fists.
"I'm going to beat it flat."
The Sage of Six Paths breathed a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, he had done his homework beforehand and knew exactly where this brat's weakness lay.
"Right. There is also something I need to give you."
He extended a finger toward Shin-chan's forehead.
A vast amount of knowledge concerning Yin-Yang Release and sealing techniques poured into Shin-chan's mind.
"What's this?"
"Some knowledge about chakra."
"Is any of it chocolate-flavored?"
The Sage of Six Paths: "...No."
With that, his figure gradually disappeared.
"You still haven't given my chocolate sticks back!"
Shin-chan shouted and suddenly sat upright in bed.
Sunlight was already shining through the paper doors, and Chashu was sitting beside his pillow, curiously staring at him.
"So it was just a dream."
Shin-chan wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth.
Chashu brushed him with its tail in response.
"I dreamed about an old grandpa who sells takoyaki. He said a monster called Satori is going to eat all the chocolate sticks in the world."
Chashu's ears twitched before it jumped off the bed and headed for the door.
Yawning, Shin-chan slid open the paper door.
The maids were already busy along the veranda.
Shin-chan was about to begin his usual "morning patrol" of the kitchen when he noticed from the corner of his eye that the paper door to the study was half-open.
Ai was kneeling behind the writing desk, holding an unfurled scroll.
"Ai?" Shin-chan walked to the doorway. "Why are you awake so early today?"
"Good morning, Young Master Shin-chan."
"What are you reading?"
Shin-chan's gaze fell on the scroll, which was densely covered in writing.
Ai remained silent for a moment before pushing it toward him.
"It arrived from Konoha before dawn. Father asked me to read a copy as well."
Shin-chan quickly scanned the words.
Kusagakure opened the Box of Ultimate Bliss. The monster 'Satori' has gone out of control...
"So that old grandpa really wasn't a takoyaki seller."
"What old grandpa?"
"The Sage of Six Paths." Shin-chan scratched his head. "He came into my dream last night and told me that a monster called Satori was going to eat all the chocolate sticks in the world. Then he gave me some really amazing stuff."
"Young Master Shin-chan... are you leaving?"
Shin-chan formed a hand seal.
Poof!
An identical Shin-chan appeared inside the study.
"Yo, original." Shinji stretched his arms and legs. "What's the mission this time?"
Shin-chan turned toward Ai.
"This is a shadow clone. He'll stay at the Daimyo's residence and continue carrying out the protection mission."
Ai looked at the two identical Shin-chans in front of her.
Her lips moved as though she wanted to say something.
Then she walked up to the clone and bowed slightly.
"Then I'll be counting on you, Young Master Shin-chan's shadow clone."
"Don't worry." Shinji patted his chest. "The original's mission is my mission. Besides, I'm slightly more handsome than he is."
"You have exactly the same face."
"Same face, completely different aura. Haven't you noticed?"
Ai turned toward the real Shin-chan.
"Young Master Shin-chan."
"Mm?"
"You'll come back, won't you?"
"Of course."
Shin-chan took out the little notebook filled with all his strange ideas, opened it to a blank page, tore the page out, and handed it to Ai.
"What is this?"
"An IOU." Shin-chan spoke with complete seriousness. "This IOU can be exchanged for one sweets outing personally accompanied by Nohara Shinnosuke. No expiration date."
Ai accepted the paper, her eyes turning slightly red.
"I'll keep it."
Shinji stood nearby with his arms crossed, wearing an expression that said, I saw through everything ages ago.
Shin-chan turned and ran toward the door, only to come rushing back halfway.
"That waka you wrote—what was the first line again? 'This morning, you returned,' right?"
Ai nodded.
"Then when I come back, write another one. The title can be 'Young Master Shin-chan Defeated the Monster That Steals Chocolate Sticks.'"
"That is not a waka title. It's far too long."
"Then shorten it. Call it 'Young Master Shin-chan Came Back.'"
With that, he activated the Flying Thunder God Technique and vanished.
Shinji walked over beside Ai and placed both hands behind his head.
"The original has always been like that."
"Like what?"
"He obviously hates leaving too, but he always has to act like, 'I'll just pop out and be right back.'"
Ai lowered her head and looked at the IOU in her hands.
"Mm. I know."