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On the bustling streets of Lotus Leaf Town, Nami was desperately fleeing for her life. Her orange hair whipped in the wind as she clutched a heavy cloth bag to her chest. Dozens of meters behind her, a squad of fierce-looking men in black suits gave chase, their faces flushed with rage.
"Stop! How dare you steal Boss Kuma's money! You've got a death wish, girl!"
"If you don't return that bag, you'll die a horrible death!"
"Stop right there!"
Nami nimbly jumped over a stray fruit stand blocking her path. She turned back just long enough to stick out her tongue and pull a face. "Blech!! Who would return money to you, you evil dogs! You're just Boss Kuma's lackeys!" The men snarled in response, pointing and swearing, but Nami had already turned her focus back to the road. She scanned the buildings, her sharp mind recalling the escape route she had mapped out earlier. That alley! If I duck in there, I can use the corners to shake them off! Her eyes lit up as the entrance drew near, a triumphant smile playing on her lips. She was one corner away from a massive fortune.
At the same time, Goku—or Satori, as some called him—had been wandering through a labyrinthine series of backstreets since his arrival. After circling for what felt like hours, he finally spotted the exit to the main street. His eyes shone with joy; he was eager to get out of the shadows and start asking the locals about Master Roshi and Krillin.
As fate would have it, the alley Goku was leaving was the exact one Nami was entering. Moving at full speed, neither of them saw the other until it was too late.
Bang!!!
"Ouch!!" Nami cried out. It felt like she had sprinted head-first into a solid stone pillar. The momentum sent her flying over Goku's head in a diving header posture, and she landed heavily on the pavement. The large cloth bag burst open as it hit the ground, scattering bundles of Berries everywhere.
Goku, who had taken the full force of Nami's knee to his chest, stood perfectly still as if a gentle breeze had passed by. He blinked blankly, looking down at the girl. He turned around, saw Nami clutching her knee in agony, and asked with genuine concern, "Hey, are you alright?"
Nami was panicking internally. Ahhh! Where did this kid come from? What is his body made of? Why is he so hard?! Wuwuwu! My leg hurts so much! Hearing Goku's voice, her survival instincts kicked back in. She remembered the thugs behind her. Enduring the sharp pain, she forced a sweet, innocent smile. "Little friend... can you help me? Get that bag and put the money back inside?" She gestured toward the cloth bag, slowly dragging herself to her feet.
Goku looked at his feet and nodded. "Put it back? I understand." He moved with blurring speed, gathering the scattered bills and stuffing them back into the bag before hugging it to his chest. Nami watched him, her smile widening. What a well-behaved child. I suppose I won't hold it against him for being built like a brick wall.
But a second later, the peace was shattered. "Catch her! There she is!" The voices of the men in suits roared closer. "She stole so much from Boss Kuma! If we don't get it back, he'll kill us!"
Goku's ears perked up. His intelligence suddenly took the high ground. He looked at the angry men, then at the bag of money in his arms, and finally at Nami, who was frantically gesturing for him to give her the bag. Goku pointed a finger at her, his expression turning serious. "The woman they're talking about... it's you! You stole their money?!"
Nami's smile froze. She waved her hands guiltily. "How could that be? This is my own money, I swear!" As she spoke, she lunged forward, reaching out to snatch the bag from Goku's grasp.
Goku flashed to the side, his speed leaving her grasping at air. "Stealing is wrong," he said, his voice stern. "How can you take what belongs to others?"
Seeing her cover blown, Nami stopped pretending. She pounced again, her eyes fierce. "I stole it from people like them, so what! Give it back!" But despite her thieving cat-like agility, she was no match for a student of the Turtle School. Goku stepped out onto the main street and stuck out his tongue at her. "Blech!! I won't give it back. I'm going to return it to the people you took it from!"
Nami gritted her teeth in fury. She chased him onto the street, but Goku was as slippery as an eel. Seeing the pursuers closing in, her heart ached with the loss of the fortune, but she knew she had to disappear. She gave Goku one last look of pure hatred, as if to memorize his face forever, and then vanished into the shadows of the alley.
A few seconds later, the men in suits skidded to a halt. They looked at the empty alley, then at Goku holding the bag. "The woman ran away?" one asked.
"Looks like it," another replied. "But the kid got the money back. How did a brat like him snatch it from her?"
"Boss Kuma is here!" a voice shouted. The thugs immediately snapped into two rows, standing at rigid attention. Four men in suits appeared, carrying a lavish leather sofa between them. Seated on the sofa was a portly man with a slicked-back hairstyle and a thick cigar between his lips. He wore luxurious silks and exuded an aura of cold authority.
"Where is she?" Kuma asked, his voice low and dangerous.
"She escaped, Boss," the leader stuttered. "But your money has been found! This child has it!"
Kuma looked at Goku, narrowing his eyes. "A child brought it back?" He stepped off the sofa, walking up to the small boy. "Little one, thank you for returning what belongs to me."
Goku looked up innocently. "Is this money yours, Uncle?"
"Yes," Kuma lied smoothly. "It's all money I earned through hard work."
Goku's eyes lit up. He handed the bag over without a second thought. "Then hold onto it tightly, Uncle. Don't let anyone steal it again."
Kuma gestured for a subordinate to take the bag. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a stack of $10,000$ Berry bills. He prepared to hand one to Goku, but paused. He pulled the bill back and looked at his subordinate. "Hey, does anyone have a coin?" A thug rummaged through his pockets and produced a small, single coin.
Kuma swapped the bill for the coin and handed the tiny bit of change to Goku. "You did well. Take this and buy a snack."
Goku took the coin, nodding happily. "Thank you, Uncle! You're a really good person!"
Kuma showed a cold, unreadable smile, then sat back on his sofa. "Let's go. Back to the manor." The procession moved away, leaving Goku alone on the street.
Goku looked at the coin, and his stomach rumbled right on cue. "Hehe, I'm hungry. Time to go find some food!"