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In the dense, sprawling forest surrounding the capital, Luffy swung through the towering branches with the effortless grace of a monkey, moving at a speed that blurred his silhouette against the green. Below him, Goku ran alongside, his arms outstretched for balance as his legs pumped like pistons, easily keeping pace with the rubber man's high-speed travel.
"Don't worry, Goku! Even though they don't allow outsiders in there, it can't stop me!" Luffy laughed loudly, his voice echoing through the trees. After receiving directions from Makino, he had immediately volunteered to guide Goku to the capital of the Goa Kingdom. Despite not having visited the city in many years, his intimate knowledge of the island's terrain meant they didn't waste a single moment; he accurately led Goku straight toward the towering white walls of the city.
"Uh-huh! Thank you for taking me, Luffy!" Goku looked up, grinning broadly.
"No problem! We're friends, aren't we?" Luffy lowered his head to return the smile, but his distraction proved costly. With a loud thump, he crashed head-on into a massive, ancient oak tree.
"Ah! Are you okay?" Goku stopped short, his face filled with concern.
Luffy peeled himself off the trunk, sliding down like a flat piece of paper before popping back into his normal shape. He adjusted his straw hat and grinned, "I'm fine! Have you forgotten I'm a rubber man? This kind of thing doesn't hurt me at all!" Goku's small mouth hung open in a daze as he stared at the vertical red mark throbbing on Luffy's face. He thought to himself: If that were me, I'd probably be in agony.
After this small interlude, the duo arrived at the outskirts of the city without further hindrance. Looking at the incredibly magnificent high wall that separated the "clean" city from the rest of the world, Goku tilted his head back, his eyes wide. "Is it inside this wall?"
Luffy nodded, his expression turning a bit more serious. "That's right. While this wall can keep most people out, it can't keep me out." He planted his feet, swung his arm back, and shouted, "Gum-Gum... Rocket!"
With a snap, his arm stretched toward the clouds, grabbing the ledge of the high wall in the blink of an eye. He wrapped his other arm around Goku and yelled, "Here we go!" The two flew through the air like a projectile, soaring over the stone barricade and landing successfully inside the city limits.
Goku looked around at the prosperous and opulent scenery, the white stone streets, and the colorful, exquisitely designed buildings. "It's so different here from the outside," he whispered. In Windmill Village, people lived in simple earthen houses, but here, luxury was the only standard.
"That's true," Luffy said casually, clasping his hands behind his head. "But I wouldn't want to live here. The outside suits me much better."
"Uh-huh, I think so too," Goku agreed.
"Anyway, aren't you looking for someone? Let's go ask!" Luffy dragged Goku over to a lavishly dressed woman with heavy makeup. "Hello, ma'am, we're looking for two people—"
"Who are you calling 'ma'am'!" the woman retorted indignantly, her eyes squeezing into tiny slits amidst her plump face. She scrutinized their attire—Goku's orange Turtle School uniform and Luffy's coarse red vest and straw sandals. "By your clothes, you aren't city folk. You've snuck in from the Gray Terminal, haven't you?"
Luffy scratched his head and chuckled, sensing the hostility. "Ahaha, of course not! Sorry to bother you, we're leaving!" He dragged Goku away quickly, turning two street corners before letting out a sigh of relief. He explained to a confused Goku that being discovered by the city guards would only make the search harder.
The two continued to search the streets, eventually spotting a kind-faced old man. Goku pulled a hand-drawn portrait from his gi—a gift from Makino—and held it up. "Hello, sir! Have you seen Krillin or Grandpa Master Roshi? They look like this!"
The old man adjusted his reading glasses, squinting at the drawing for a long time. Suddenly, he exclaimed, "Oh!! Those two people—"
Goku's eyes lit up with intense hope. "You've seen them!" Even Luffy perked up his ears, excited for his friend.
Under their expectant gazes, the old man tremblingly whispered, "Those two people... those two people..." He paused for a prolonged ten seconds before decisively shaking his head. "I haven't seen them."
Thump! Both Goku and Luffy fell over in classic comedic fashion. "Grandpa! Are you messing with us?!" they yelled in unison.
Over the next hour, the pattern repeated. They asked grandmas, uncles, and merchants, but no one had heard of the two martial artists or the World Martial Arts Tournament. Just as they turned a corner, they saw the plump woman from before talking to a squad of armed city guards.
"It's them! Grab them!" she shouted, pointing a finger. "They're low-class intruders!"
The guard captain waved his hand. "Catch them!"
Goku and Luffy didn't hesitate; they turned and bolted. As they ran, Luffy grinned as if the chase was just a game. "Satori, it seems we've been discovered. Do you want to keep looking?"
Goku thought for a second, then shook his head. "No. I don't think Grandpa Master Roshi and Krillin would ever be in a place like this."
They led the guards into a dead end, and the soldiers smirked, thinking they had cornered the "rats." However, their smiles froze when Luffy stretched his arm to the rooftops and Goku performed a monstrous vertical leap that cleared several stories in a single bound.
"Bye-bye!" Luffy and Goku waved from the top of the wall, laughing as they jumped down into the freedom of the forest, leaving the city guards staring at the sky as if they had seen ghosts.