A ragged group of bandits had somehow scattered and surrounded the "Thousand Hammers and Hundred Refinements" stone cave in a U-shaped formation.
They sneered coldly, wore sly expressions, or displayed malicious intent.
"You two brats must be really unlucky to stumble right into our lair!" The leader of the bandits burst into laughter. His mismatched armor, along with the clothes of the other bandits, featured a unified style — each adorned with a large character on the chest. Yamiru noticed this, recognizing it as a tradition popular in the eastern region of Earth.
"Zhao… Tang… Zhu… Le…"
Son Goku, perhaps inspired by Yamiru asking him to read earlier, instinctively began sounding out the characters on the bandits' armor.
"If you know what's good for you, drop everything you're carrying, and we might let you leave alive!"
"Say no, and we'll end you on the spot!"
The bandits roared and jeered, their voices booming one after another, as if noise equaled strength and skill.
Sitting on his bicycle with one foot on the ground, Yamiru looked at the rowdy group with a blank expression. Honestly, he didn't even feel like making a move.
What a bunch of amateurs.
"Goku, let's play rock-paper-scissors," Yamiru said, still unmoving, to Son Goku on the Nimbus. "Loser handles this trash."
"Huh," Son Goku scratched his head. "No need for that; I'll just handle them now."
Seeing his eager expression, Yamiru regretted his suggestion. Of course! This kid's a Saiyan... how could he ever refuse a fight?
"No way. That's not cool. We have to do the game."
"Alright then! Rock, paper... scissors!"
The bandits watched, utterly bewildered, as the two started playing a game.
"What's going on with these kids? What are they doing?"
"Are they... Mentaly challenged?"
"Even if they are, they're still carrying stuff. And we're here to rob them!"
As the other bandits whispered, a boy named Yamcha — dressed just as scruffily but standing apart — took a step back. Watching the two calmly play in front of the cave, he thought to himself, "This isn't good... These two don't even take us seriously. They're far too confident."
In the end, Son Goku threw a fist for rock, while Yamiru spread his hand for paper.
"Hehe, I lost!" Son Goku cheered, standing up excitedly on the Nimbus and pulling out his Power Pole.
"Hey! Come at me already!"
"How dare you be so cocky while being robbed?!" The bandit leader was furious. Roaring, he charged forward, followed by his men.
Son Goku jumped lightly off the Nimbus.
The first few bandits who lunged at him passed right through the Nimbus, crashing into each other with groans of pain.
"What the—?! Why can't we grab this cloud?"
The bandits were stunned.
A shadow loomed over them as Son Goku descended from the sky, bringing his Power Pole down with a mighty swing, scattering the bandits like bowling pins.
"Wow, this is so easy!"
Son Goku cheered as he fought, instinctively wielding the Power Pole with remarkable skill.
He darted among the bandits, the red pole a blur as he jabbed, struck, and spun. His agile, compact frame bounced around, never touching the ground.
Meanwhile, the bandits were already sprawled out in disarray, groaning and covered in circular and striped bruises, begging for mercy.
"This kid... he's incredible!" Yamcha watched, utterly shocked.
He had been picked up by the bandits as a child and raised among them. Naturally strong and gifted, Yamcha excelled even with his rudimentary martial skills, making him the most formidable fighter in the group. Despite his age, his abilities had always been unmatched. until now. Son Goku, who looked even younger, displayed a strength and technique far beyond Yamcha's comprehension.
"Damn it! That kid on the cloud... Is he your bodyguard?!" Several bandits, seeing the situation turn dire, turned to Yamiru. They glared at the boy casually sitting on the bike, deciding to target him instead. "Let's grab you first! Teach this watcher a lesson!"
To their surprise, Yamiru didn't even dismount. As they lunged, he pushed the pedal and lifted the front wheel, evading their attack.
With a graceful pivot, he spun the bicycle and sent each bandit flying with a single kick, sending them tumbling toward Son Goku.
The bicycle landed with a solid thud, both wheels hitting the ground.
"This guy... he's even stronger!" Yamcha's pupils contracted. As the young man on the bike glanced his way, Yamcha felt an overwhelming chill. It was as if he had been spotted by a massive desert predator. A deep sense of danger consumed him.
"Power Pole, extend!"
Son Goku saw several bandits flying toward him after being kicked by Yamiru and immediately shouted in excitement.
Although the Power Pole was a recent gift from Grandpa Gohan, both he and Yamiru had played with it numerous times over the past two years. They were well-acquainted with its abilities.
Buzz—
The Power Pole glowed red in Son Goku's hand, suddenly extending and piercing through the collars, belts, and straps of the airborne bandits, stringing them together like beads.
Holding the now over ten-meter-long pole, Son Goku swung it wildly through the air, the bandits attached to the end screaming "Aaaaahhh!" as their voices rose and fell rhythmically with each swing.
A minute later.
"We're sorry! This is everything we have. Please spare us!"
Yamcha knelt before Yamiru and Son Goku, pushing a large bundle taken from the cave toward them. Behind him, the rest of the bandits lay sprawled across the ground, groaning. The few who had been strung up on the Power Pole were unconscious.
The bandit leader, struggling to stand, glared at Yamcha. "Yamcha! You ungrateful brat! That's my stuff! Who told you to give it away?"
"Shut up!" Yamcha snapped, turning to glare at him.
"Is this for us?" Son Goku said, as the Flying Nimbus floated closer. "You're actually good people after all!"
Yamiru chuckled as he withdrew the Power Pole from Son Goku's back. With a light tap, he commanded, "Extend."
The pole responded to his will, slowly elongating by over a meter. Yamiru held it horizontally with one hand, hooking the large bundle in front of Yamcha and slinging it over his shoulder.
"With skills like yours, it's a shame you're not training in martial arts."
As he passed by Yamcha, Yamiru spoke in an unhurried tone.
"If we meet again, I'll definitely defeat you!" Yamcha retorted, clearly provoked.
"Alright, I'll be waiting," Yamiru replied with a smirk.
Sitting on the Flying Nimbus, Son Goku added, "Defeating Yamiru is really hard. He's super strong! I can't beat him at all — he's as strong as Grandpa!"
The stubborn young wolf said nothing in response.
"Let's go, Goku," Yamiru said with a smile. Carrying the Power Pole, he pedaled his bike alongside the Nimbus, heading westward.
From a distance, Yamiru soon began inspecting the contents of the large bundle. Picking through the loot, he left behind gold, silver, jewels, and cash, discarding random weapons and tools into the desert after confirming Son Goku didn't want them. Suddenly, his excited cheer echoed through the air as he jumped off the bike, kicked it aside, and threw something to the ground.
With a puff of smoke, a vehicle without wheels materialized — a hovercar!
Yamiru leapt into the vehicle, and after a brief moment of adjustment, it roared to life. The hover car accelerated rapidly, shrinking into the distance.
Two drops of sweat fell from the Flying Nimbus above.
"Hey! Wait for me!"
"Woohoo! What a score! Hahaha!"
The pair disappeared into the horizon, their voices fading away.
Back at the cave, the desert bandits were recovering, but Yamcha chased them all out one by one.
"What are you doing?! Are you rebelling?"
"I saved you, and I've been working for you all these years. I don't owe you anything anymore!"
"Ungrateful little wolf—"
"Get out! What do you want to do in my house? Rob me?"
"Damn it! We'll be back for you!"
Watching the bandits flee in disarray, Yamcha clenched his fists. He knew they would return for revenge once they recovered.
"I'll use you to sharpen myself!" Yamcha vowed. "I can't stay idle anymore. Otherwise, how can I even call myself a bandit? That guy was so strong. If he can do it, so can I! I'll become the strongest bandit in this desert!"
Not far away, a small, exhausted animal floated a few inches off the ground, tongue hanging out. "I'm so thirsty…" With a thud, it collapsed.
Catching sight of the creature out of the corner of his eye, Yamcha curiously walked over.
Meanwhile, after swapping his bike for the hover car, Yamiru significantly increased his travel speed.
He quickly got the hang of the hovercar's simple controls. With no wheels, the vehicle glided effortlessly, providing an incredibly smooth ride devoid of any bumps.
One hand on the controls and the other resting on the car's edge, Yamiru enjoyed the breeze and admired the desert scenery.
Above him, the Flying Nimbus buzzed along, following the hovercar as they left the desert and entered a more rugged, untamed landscape. The winding roads were filled with hills and streams, a stark contrast to the barren sands.
Yamiru recognized the area. It was the same place he had wandered years ago after leaving the Ox King's castle before entering the desert. The sight brought a wave of nostalgia.
"It's been so long…"
"Hey, Yamiru! I see the mountain you talked about!" Son Goku's voice rang out from above. His higher vantage point and Saiyan eyesight let him spot it easily. "And the castle! But it looks like it's on fire... Lots of people are running toward the mountain. Are they fighting?"
"Hmm?" Yamiru frowned, sensing that something was amiss.
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