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The rhythmic sound of waves rolling onto the shore filled the air, sweeping over the stretch of beach and leaving dark, damp marks in the sand. A gentle sea breeze blew through the trees, acting like a mother's lullaby to soothe the heart.
Lying on the sand near the water's edge, a young boy named Goku sleepily opened his eyes. He rubbed them with his small fists and let out a wide yawn. "Krillin, it's time for us to get up and train," he called out habitually.
As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized something was wrong. He stopped rubbing his eyes and looked around, his expression turning to one of pure bewilderment. He blinked several times, trying to make sense of his surroundings.
"Huh? Why am I sleeping here?" he muttered to himself. "Where's Krillin? Where's Grandpa Master Roshi?"
Goku remembered that after the Dragon Balls had turned to stone and scattered across the world, he had moved to Master Roshi's house. He and Krillin had become the old master's disciples, diligently practicing their martial arts day after day. Their training was intense but simple; they spent their time delivering milk, swimming across shark-infested waters, running long distances, and tilling fields with their bare hands. These ordinary tasks had quickly honed their bodies, making them stronger than they even realized.
Their training usually took place on a small island, and Goku remembered being exhausted the night before. After dinner, Master Roshi had forced them to sit down and study for a while. Goku had been so tired that he had collapsed onto his bed and fallen into a deep, dreamless sleep. Normally, he should have woken up in his own bed, ready to start a new day of training with Krillin.
But as he looked around now, his surroundings were completely empty. Not only was his house gone, but there was no sign of Master Roshi or Krillin anywhere.
"Krillin! Grandpa Master Roshi! Where are you?" Goku shouted at the top of his lungs.
His voice echoed across the beach, but there was no reply. Aside from the steady rhythm of the waves, the whistling wind, and the rustling leaves of the nearby forest, the world remained silent.
"That's strange. Where did they go?" Goku scratched his head, his chubby face filled with confusion. "Maybe they went further into the island?"
He looked toward the lush forest stretching inland and decided to investigate. "Flying Nimbus!" he yelled, calling for his magical cloud to take him into the air so he could search the island from above.
He waited and called again, but the Flying Nimbus didn't appear. It seemed as though he had lost contact with it entirely.
"That's really weird," Goku said, his confusion deepening. "Why is the Nimbus gone too?"
Since his cloud wasn't coming, he had no choice but to head into the forest on foot. As he walked among the towering trees, some of which stood dozens of meters high, he tilted his head. "I always feel like something is off," he whispered. He didn't remember the trees on the island being quite this tall before. "Never mind. Finding Krillin and the others is more important."
He spread his arms for balance and his short legs began to move like blurring fire wheels. He flashed through the forest in a sudden "whoosh," leaving a trail of rolling dust and smoke in his wake. In no time at all, he burst through the trees and reached the edge of the woods.
What met his eyes was a golden sea of wheat, swaying gently in the breeze. At the far end of the field sat a bustling town. Wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys, and he could vaguely see figures moving about in the distance.
"Huh? Was there a place like this on the island?" Goku opened his mouth in a dazed, cute expression, his small head filled with questions.
Before his training had officially started, he had explored the entire island on his Flying Nimbus. Since then, his daily training routines had taken him deep into the wilderness. He felt like he knew every inch of the island, and he was certain this town had never been here before.
Full of curiosity, he hurried toward the town and soon arrived at its main street. The air was filled with a chaotic mix of sounds and smells.
"Fresh fruit! Only $300$ Berries a jin!" a vendor shouted.
"Hey, did you see the morning paper?" another man asked his friend. "Cavendish, that 'Pirate Prince' guy, is stirring up a massive fuss in the New World again!"
"Of course I read it! That guy actually charmed the queen and the princess of a kingdom so much they almost ran off to become pirates with him. Damn it! I wish I had looks like that!"
Goku listened to the lively chatter as he walked through the crowd. He looked left and right, then walked up to the two young men who were discussing the newspaper. He reached out and tugged on one of their pant legs.
"Hey, excuse me," Goku said, putting on his most well-behaved expression. "Have you seen Krillin or Grandpa Master Roshi?"
The young man, who was currently preoccupied with his own envy and jealousy, glanced down at the boy. He waved his hand impatiently. "Beat it, kid! Where did this little brat come from? Don't bother me." He turned back to his companion to continue complaining about the unfairness of fate.
Goku didn't let the rejection get him down. He turned and walked over to a fruit vendor, a middle-aged man who was busy calling out to customers. "Uncle, excuse me," Goku asked politely. "Have you seen Krillin or Grandpa Master Roshi?"
The vendor stopped his shouting. Instead of being annoyed by the interruption, he looked down and smiled gently. "Hello there, little friend. Are you separated from your family?"
Goku paused to think, then nodded. "Mhm!" To him, Krillin and Master Roshi were definitely family.
"The Krillin and Kame... Kame what?"
"Grandpa Master Roshi!" Goku clarified.
"Ah, right. Well, can you tell me what they look like?"
"Hmm... Krillin is about as tall as me, and he's bald. Grandpa Master Roshi wears sunglasses and carries a big turtle shell on his back," Goku explained, gesturing with his hands. He looked up at the man with sparkling, hopeful eyes.
The vendor pinched his chin and thought for a moment. "I've seen plenty of kids about your height, but none of them were bald," he said. "And an old man carrying a turtle shell? That's a very distinctive look. If someone like that had passed by, I'd definitely remember it. But I've been at this stall all morning and haven't seen anyone like that." He spread his hands out helplessly.
"Is that so..." The light in Goku's eyes dimmed instantly.
The vendor felt a pang of sympathy for the boy. He stepped out from behind his stall, bent down, and patted Goku's head with a kind smile. "Tell you what, Uncle will help you find your family. Just let me pack up my stall first."
"No need, Uncle! I can find them myself," Goku replied, his bright smile returning as he prepared to say goodbye.
But just then, a sudden commotion erupted from the end of the street.
"Run! The pirates are coming! It's the Killer Bee Pirates!" panicked cries rang out. A young man came sprinting down the street, gasping for breath as he spread the warning.
As the news traveled, the atmosphere of the town changed instantly. People's faces turned pale with terror, and they scrambled to get away. A woman buying vegetables stopped her haggling, threw some money at the vendor, and vanished into a side street with her groceries. An old man who had been leaning heavily on a cane suddenly seemed to regain his youth; he tossed the cane aside and ran faster than the teenagers.
Within seconds, the once-crowded street was nearly empty. The fruit vendor hurriedly began packing his wares, intending to push his cart to safety, when he saw Goku standing frozen in the middle of the road.
"Hey! Little friend! Run quickly!" he shouted, his voice thick with anxiety.
Goku looked over, looking completely lost. "Run? Why should I run?"
The vendor saw that the boy wasn't moving, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw the first of the pirates turning the corner onto the main street. He rushed over, grabbed Goku by the arm, and pulled him into a nearby alley.
"Shh! Don't make a sound!" the man whispered sternly. Goku nodded and covered his mouth with his hands to show he understood. The vendor finally relaxed a little, peeking out from behind the corner of the alley to watch the street. He looked at his fruit cart, which he hadn't had time to move, and sighed. He knew he was likely going to lose a lot of money today.
"These people run fast, hahahaha! They're like a bunch of rats!" an arrogant, booming voice shouted from the street.
"It just proves our Killer Bee Pirates are famous!" another voice chimed in. "Captain Jack is one step closer to becoming the Pirate King!"
"That's right! Captain Jack will definitely be the Pirate King. Anyone who tries to stop him gets killed! We'll kill them all!"
Boisterous laughter echoed through the town. A heavy, murderous aura seemed to settle over the street, causing the residents hiding in their homes to shiver with fear. The Killer Bee Pirates were notorious for their brutality. Rumor had it they had already slaughtered three villages and defeated over $10$ different pirate crews. Their path was one of violence and blood.
"Hahahaha! With you brothers at my side, I'll definitely become the Pirate King and lead us all to a life of luxury!" Captain Jack laughed. He stood over two meters tall, his muscles bulging beneath his clothes, looking as if he believed the title was already his.
"Oh? Fruit? Brothers, help yourselves!" Jack noticed the abandoned fruit cart and walked over, grabbing a piece without hesitation. The other pirates followed his lead, each snatching a fruit and taking a bite. Within seconds, half the cart's stock was gone.
"Ptooey! This is garbage! It's so sour!" Jack spat the fruit out onto the ground, smashing the rest of it into a pulp with his boot. He didn't stop there. With a powerful kick, he sent the entire cart flying. It shattered into pieces, and the rest of the fruit clattered across the dirty pavement. "How dare you put out such trash? Ptooey!" He spat a thick glob of phlegm onto the scattered produce.
Watching from the alley, the vendor felt his heart sink. Those were fruits he had spent months painstakingly growing. He pulled back, unable to watch any longer, his fingers digging into the dirt of the alley floor in frustration.
Suddenly, he felt a shadow flash past him. He turned his head and realized that Goku, who had been hiding right behind him, was gone.
A second later, a sharp, angry voice rang out from the middle of the street. "Hey! Why are you destroying Uncle's things?"