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In front of a local barbecue stall, the air was thick with the savory, mouth-watering aroma of spiced fat dripping onto hot coals. Goku stood on his tiptoes, pointing a finger at a large, succulent roasted meat leg sizzling on the grill. "Hey, Uncle! I want this one!" he chirped with a bright, hungry smile.
The owner, a man whose face was weathered by years of smoke and hard work, looked up from his grill. Seeing a child barely a meter tall standing there alone, he smiled kindly but raised a practical point. "Little friend, a leg like this costs quite a bit of money. Did you bring any with you?" Goku nodded vigorously, fished the single coin he had received from Boss Kuma out of his pocket, and slapped it onto the counter. "I brought money! Here you go!"
The owner stared at the lone coin resting on the wood and let out a soft, sympathetic chuckle, shaking his head. "Little friend, this tiny coin can barely buy a piece of candy. It's not nearly enough for a roasted meat leg. Where are your Papa and Mama? Go ask them to come over and pay for you."
Hearing that his funds were insufficient, Goku scratched his face in confusion. "Not enough money?"
"That's right," the owner replied, turning back to his work. "If you really want to eat, have your parents come buy it for you."
"I don't have a Papa or Mama," Goku said matter-of-factly.
The owner's hands froze mid-motion. The casual chatter of the street seemed to fade as the weight of those words hit him. He looked up at Goku—so well-behaved, so small, and so innocent—and felt a sudden, sharp pang of guilt. Damn it! he thought, wanting to slap himself for his carelessness. Why did I have to bring up parents? A child alone like this must already be hurting, and I'm just rubbing salt in the wound. I really am a fool!
Goku, oblivious to the man's internal turmoil, started patting down his pockets. He suddenly remembered Bulma telling him once that shiny things were very valuable. He happened to have something shiny—a crystal he had found at the bottom of the sea while searching for his Grandpa's memento. He pulled out the orange-glowing crystal and held it out excitedly. "Hey, Uncle! This should be able to get me the meat, right?"
Deep in self-reproach, the owner didn't even look at what the boy was holding. He had already decided he wasn't going to take a single Berry from this orphan. He skillfully pulled down two of his best, perfectly roasted meat legs and forced the gentlest smile he could muster. "Little fella, Uncle just realized something. You're my hundredth customer today! That makes you my lucky guest, so you get two free meat legs. Go ahead, take them."
Goku's eyes lit up like stars. "You mean you're giving them to me for free?" The owner nodded heavily. "Then thank you very much!" Goku took a massive, delicious bite out of one of the legs, his face beaming with pure joy. "Bye-bye, Uncle!"
The owner watched him walk away, feeling a sense of relief that his words hadn't dampened the boy's spirit. However, a few seconds later, Goku zipped back to the stall with a blur of speed. He slapped the orange crystal onto the counter and grinned. "Uncle, this is for you!" Before the man could protest, the boy vanished into the crowd.
The owner picked up the crystal, looking at it curiously. He didn't know what it was, but he decided to keep it as a reminder of the boy's kindness. He couldn't have known that years later, he would discover the crystal was worth more than his entire stall and the street it sat on—it was a fortune enough to buy a kingdom of roasted meat. But to him, it remained a treasure simply because of the memory of a child's smile.
A short while later, Goku discarded the bone of the second meat leg, which was now licked perfectly clean. He rubbed his stomach and sighed. "This little bit wasn't enough to fill me up, but I'm officially out of money." He still had his one coin, but he knew now it was only good for candy. Deciding he would just fish for a Sea King later, he resumed his search for his friends.
He spent the next hour stopping passersby, showing his portrait and asking about the World Martial Arts Tournament, but the answers remained the same: a shake of the head and a confused look. He didn't let it get him down, continuing his walk through the winding streets of the town.
As he turned a corner, he stumbled upon a chaotic scene. A middle-aged man with graying hair was on his knees, clutching the pant leg of a fierce-looking thug. "No! Please!" the man cried, his voice breaking. "That's the money for my daughter's medicine! If you take it, she won't survive. Please, give it back!"
"Get lost, old man!" the thug spat, his face twisted in a sneer. "This is your protection fee. I don't care if your kid is sick or not. Pay up or shut up!" He began to kick the man, trying to shake him off, but the father held on with the strength of desperation.
"I'll pay double next month! I swear!" the man begged, even as the kicks grew heavier. "Just leave us enough for the doctor!"
The surrounding residents watched with pity, but fear kept them rooted to the spot. No one dared to challenge the local gang. Suddenly, a small figure blurred past the crowd and stood directly in front of the thug, glaring at him with righteous fury. "Hey! Didn't you hear him? He needs that money for medicine!" Goku shouted.
The thug squinted down at the boy and scoffed. "Where did this brat come from? Get lost before I crack your skull." He reached for an iron rod tucked into his belt and swung it down toward the kneeling father.
The strike never landed. A small, firm hand caught the iron rod mid-air with a resounding clack. The thug's eyes widened in shock. He tried to pull the rod back, but it wouldn't budge. He put both hands on the weapon, his face turning beet-red from the strain, but Goku didn't move an inch.
"Hey! Are you trying to kill him?" Goku's voice was lower now, and his expression was much angrier.
Realizing he was hopelessly outmatched in strength, the thug's bravado crumbled. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a wad of Berries, and threw them at the father's feet. "Fine! Take it back! Just let go of me!"
The father joyfully gathered the money and released the thug's leg. The criminal scrambled backward, pointing a shaking finger at Goku. "You... you just wait! This isn't over! You're dead!" He turned and ran as fast as his legs would carry him. Goku just watched him go, then turned to the father to make sure he was alright.