The streets of Loguetown were bustling with people, vibrant and lively.
As the most famous town in the East Blue, it attracted many wealthy and powerful travelers, leading to a more developed tourism industry compared to other places.
With the increase in tourists, the economy naturally followed. Many merchants, like cats smelling fish, brought goods from all over just to make more money.
Of course, the main reason for its current prosperity was that the highest-ranking Marine officer stationed here was Captain Smoker from Headquarters.
Before he took command, Loguetown was frequently pillaged by pirates stocking up on supplies before heading to the Grand Line.
Since his arrival, every pirate who set foot here was captured and thrown into prison, causing the public safety levels to skyrocket.
Thus, the current prosperity of Loguetown was inextricably linked to his hard work.
"Goku, Nami-san, I'm going to go buy some ingredients, so I won't be coming with you," Sanji said as they entered Loguetown before heading off on his own.
"Well then, Goku, let's go buy some clothes. You have way too few outfits; we need to get you some spares," Nami said with a smile after Sanji left.
"But I'm kind of hungry," Goku said, scratching his cheek.
"Oh, there's no rush. Once Sanji gets the ingredients and goes back, we can eat on the ship."
Without giving him a choice, Nami grabbed Goku's small hand and started walking.
"Come on, let's go! Let's go buy clothes first!"
...
Inside a clothing store.
"Here, Goku, try this on!"
"Pfft—"
"Nami, what are you laughing at?"
"Ah, nothing, nothing! I'm not laughing! Take that one off and try this one."
"This one? Alright."
"Pwahahaha!"
"Nami! You said you weren't laughing!"
In front of the fitting mirror, Goku pulled off the blue short skirt and wrinkled his nose. "Nami, this kind of clothing isn't meant for boys, right?"
Nami, giggling behind her hand, blinked in surprise. "Eh? Goku, when did you learn about that?"
She had brought Goku here with a mischievous intent to make him wear all sorts of dresses because she had accidentally discovered that he didn't know much about fashion—specifically, that some clothes were meant only for girls.
Since then, she'd had the urge to see Goku in various women's outfits for her own amusement, and finally had the chance.
"I figured it out myself!"
Goku huffed as he handed the skirt back to the clerk, who was also stifling a laugh. "I saw on the street that only girls wear skirts. I've never seen a boy wear one."
He might have been naive about clothes, but it didn't mean he couldn't learn through observation.
He had only put the skirt on because he trusted Nami, but seeing her holding back laughter made him realize he was being teased.
"Sorry, sorry! I just thought you'd look really cute in them, that's why I asked."
"Don't be mad anymore, Goku."
Nami quickly tried to soothe the pouting Goku.
"Let's try some clothes that actually suit you now, okay?"
Goku wasn't truly angry, so he quickly forgot about it and began trying on clothes meant for boys.
Suits, white shirts, denim jackets, leather jackets—he tried them all under Nami's selection.
However, he wasn't satisfied with most of them.
"This feels so awkward; I can't move at all."
Wearing a burgundy suit and a floral tie, Goku raised his arms and twisted his body in front of the mirror, finding every movement uncomfortable.
"This one doesn't work either. It's hard to move in."
Goku shook his head while wearing a denim outfit.
"These buttons are so annoying!"
Fiddling with the buttons on a white shirt, Goku's brow furrowed in frustration.
In the end, only the loose and easy-to-wear jackets met Goku's approval.
But there was still one thing he didn't like: he wasn't used to clothes with sleeves.
"..."
Exhausted from trying to find clothes for someone else for the first time, Nami held her head as if admitting defeat.
She deadpanned, "Goku, do you only like wearing the style you have on now?"
Goku had already changed back into his own clothes—an orange Turtle School Gi.
Goku looked down at himself and nodded. "Yeah! Nami, I think this outfit is the most comfortable."
Slap!
Nami smacked her forehead and asked the clerk, "Do you have a tailor here?"
The clerk nodded repeatedly. "Yes, we do."
"Then have the tailor take his measurements and make two outfits just like the one he's wearing, okay?"
"Of course, no problem at all."
The clerk wiped away some sweat, thinking to herself: 'Finally, I'm going to make a sale. Otherwise, all that service would have been for nothing.'
...
After having the tailor take his measurements and begin cutting the fabric, Nami and Goku left the shop.
After all, this kind of detailed work took time. According to the tailor, even a pro like him would need half a day to make two simple outfits like Goku's.
That time was, of course, Nami's shopping time.
"I'll take this one, and this one, and this, and this, and this..."
In a women's clothing store, Nami stuffed a large pile of affordable casual clothes into bags.
Their funds were running low, so she didn't buy any expensive outfits.
Besides, in her eyes, the expensive clothes here looked rather ugly compared to the cheaper ones.
Since that was the case, there was no way she'd buy them.
After her sweep, the bags were bulging and were nearly half as tall as Nami.
Nami unceremoniously dumped them onto Goku, claiming quite naturally that boys should help girls with such tasks.
And so, with one carrying a massive bag of clothes on his head and the other empty-handed, they began to wander the streets.
As they strolled, they kept an eye out for anything else they might need to buy.
Suddenly, a boisterous, arrogant laugh rang out from ahead.
"Gyahahaha! Men, take it all! Empty out all this booze!"
Looking toward the sound, they saw a group of pirates hauling crates of liquor out of a shop, completely ignoring the shopkeeper's desperate pleas.
Goku's expression hardened, and he was about to drop the bag to go take down the pirates.
But before he could move, a cloud of smoke suddenly swept in from a distance, trapping all the pirates inside.
Following closely behind, a figure walked over from afar. He didn't spare a single glance at the trapped pirates, instead walking straight toward Goku.
"The Marines?! Goku, let's go!"
Nami's face paled as she tried to pull Goku away.
After the Arlong incident, where Goku had defeated numerous Marines, she knew they were likely targets for capture.
Colonel Nezumi and his men would definitely find a way to get back at them once they returned.
There had only been one way to avoid this: killing all those Marines.
But setting aside whether Goku would kill Marines who had lost their will to fight, Nami's innate kindness wouldn't allow it. If she made that decision, she'd be no different from the pirates she loathed.
So in the end, they had let Colonel Nezumi and the others go, letting them take the half-dead Arlong Pirates with them.
Now, seeing this Marine heading straight for them proved they had indeed become targets.
"I'm not leaving."
To her surprise, Goku didn't budge. He watched the Marine approach with a serious expression.
"What do you mean you're not leaving?! Do you want to start a war with the Marines here? That'll make things even worse!"
Nami was as frantic as an ant on a hot pan, pulling on Goku with all her might, but he wouldn't move an inch.
Just then, the Marine's pace suddenly quickened. In less than two breaths, he was right in front of Goku.
At the same time, his right fist swung out violently, smashing directly toward Goku!
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