In the 1982 special "Songoku Flies Over Silk Road," Son Gokū emerges as a mythological figure possessing shape-shifting abilities, swift travel skills, and a resizable cudgel. He accompanies the monk Sanzohoshi on a pilgrimage to secure Buddhist texts, with other characters joining their quest later. During their travels, they confront entities initially mistaken for demons, only to discover these beings harbor unexpected identities.