These past few days, he'd been sparring with Ribut almost every day, but the huge difference in size between the two of them always left him feeling like something was missing.
Looking at the fierce-looking man in front of him, Son Goku's desire to fight reached its peak.
"Hey, let's have a match!"
After leaping from where he stood, Son Goku landed in front of Yamcha.
The desolate Gobi Desert lay beneath the blazing sun. Waves of heat washed over them, and the only sound around them was the howling wind.
The two stood facing each other, barely half a meter apart.
At some point, Son Gohan had come out of the house. He stood quietly beside Ribut, not making a sound.
He wanted to watch Son Goku and Yamcha fight.
Son Goku even gave a slight bow, performing a Martial Arts salute.
"Then, please go easy on me!"
With that, he held his right hand out in front of him, palm open, while drawing his left hand back to his waist. His legs had already settled into a bow stance, and for once, the usually easygoing boy's face showed a hint of cool intensity!
"Hey, kid, don't go saying I picked on you!"
Yamcha had been about to kindly warn the little boy, but the next moment, a fist flashed right in front of his face!
"Thud!"
In the rush, Yamcha barely had time to cross his arms and block.
A wave of pain hit him, and a bead of cold sweat ran down his forehead!
Looking at the two furrows his feet had carved into the ground, he couldn't help clicking his tongue in amazement.
"H-how could this be? This kid is so fast!"
"Hey, you'd better not get distracted during a match!"
Having just tested the waters, Son Goku felt the thrill of the fight and was eager to go again.
"In that case, I won't hold back!"
Yamcha shouted and chose to attack first this time. He quickly moved his right hand to the side and drew the sword from his waist.
With a flourish, he put a burst of force into it, sending the scabbard flying straight toward Son Goku's cheek!
At the same time, he stamped his right foot behind him and chased after the scabbard.
"Bring it on!"
Son Goku shouted excitedly and bent backward to dodge the scabbard. At the same time, he took the Ruyi Staff off his back and gripped it, then sprang up and charged straight at Yamcha.
"Clang!"
A crisp ring and a spray of sparks marked the moment their weapons clashed.
"Ruyi Staff, extend!"
Seeing that the two of them had opened some distance between them, Son Goku immediately brought out his weapon.
Before long, clouds of dust rose from the battlefield, and sand swirled through the air!
Cat-person Yapul watched the fierce, evenly matched battle, hardly daring to breathe. In more than two years of following Yamcha, he had never seen anyone fight the young master to such an extent.
"Thud! Clang!"
"Ha!"
After another powerful clash, Yamcha could no longer withstand the force. He was sent flying more than ten meters before finally managing to slow himself down.
He had nearly run out of steam after fighting for so long, so he had no choice but to defend and catch his breath.
"Hey, kid. I have to say, you're an opponent worth taking seriously!"
After taking a couple of heavy breaths, he began to taunt him.
"In that case, you're worth giving my all, too!"
"Now, be careful!"
After warning Son Goku, Yamcha casually tossed the sword aside.
He leaned forward, stretched his right leg behind him, and gradually raised both hands above his head, taking on the stance of a beast about to pounce.
When Son Goku saw him throw away his weapon, Yamcha's whole bearing changed. He seemed just like a hungry wolf.
Son Goku was already focused, but now he was completely absorbed.
"Wolf Fang!"
"Wind Fist!"
With a whoosh, Yamcha raced toward Son Goku. Unlike before, a faint aura gathered around him as he ran!
"Swish, swish, swish!"
Yamcha's hands blurred into a flurry of afterimages. The instant he reached Son Goku, he threw an unknowable number of punches!
Even Son Gohan felt his eyes light up at the sight!
"As the ancients said, the strongest martial arts are invincible, and speed is the only way to overcome them! They certainly weren't lying!"
Even with a battle power more than a level above everyone present, he had to admit that Yamcha's Fang Wolf Fist was a true Martial Arts masterpiece.
"If their battle powers were close, Goku would be in trouble!"
"Too bad..."
The corner of Son Gohan's mouth lifted slightly.
He left the rest unsaid.
Because the battle had already changed again.
Son Goku, bearing the brunt of the attack, felt the pressure mount at once. For an instant, he seemed to see a hungry wolf pouncing at him!
After a moment's thought, he carefully slung the Ruyi Staff back over his shoulders.
Then he raised his fists into a fighting stance.
"Rock!"
"Smack!"
Son Goku's fist met Yamcha's head-on with a sharp crack.
"Scissors!"
Before Yamcha could react, Son Goku's other hand shot past his guard and jabbed roughly toward his eyes!
If he hadn't heard the whoosh of the fist, Yamcha might have lost his eyes. His instincts made him jerk backward just in time!
But Son Goku didn't let up while he had the advantage!
"Paper!"
As Yamcha retreated, their arms broke apart. Son Goku pressed forward and planted a small palm right on Yamcha's face!
"Yah, yah, yah! Grandpa taught us to play Rock Paper Scissors when we were little!"
Son Gohan shook his head. The match was already decided; there was no need to keep going.
Son Goku was now far beyond Yamcha's league!
"Clap, clap, clap!"
Brilliant, just brilliant! That was one thrilling match!
Watching Yamcha stand there, clutching his face and trembling all over, Son Gohan calmly walked up to him.
"I heard you came here to rob us?"
"Well, now it's our turn!"
"Hands up! Hand over everything valuable you've got, or else... you're staying right here!"
"Don't get cocky! I haven't lost!"
Hearing Son Gohan speak to him like that, Yamcha couldn't stand it and immediately shot back.
He admitted that the kid was strong and that he was no match for him, but he had only been pushed onto the defensive!
If they really tried to rob him, he was confident that, even going all out... he could still escape!
Thinking this, he put on a defiant front and gave Puar, who was hiding off to the side, a signal to retreat at any moment!
"Oh?"
"I admit you seem pretty skilled. Goku will need more training if he wants to beat you decisively."
"But that's no reason for you to act so tough!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Son Gohan dashed forward and flashed in front of Yamcha. He raised his hand and punched.
"Thud!"
Yamcha's pupils contracted. He raised his arms to defend, but the next moment, his eyes suddenly widened as a sharp pain shot through his abdomen.
He stared in disbelief, mouth hanging open!
"N-no way! Absolutely impossible!"
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