"Yeah, exactly! I have no idea how they had the nerve to go looking for the Ox King!"
Puar hurriedly chimed in.
They were all part of the underworld, and the thing everyone valued most was having the latest information.
So naturally, they paid close attention to the powerful figures in the area.
Just as Yamcha knew that Son Gohan was the greatest Martial Artist in the world, he also knew how terrifying the Ox King was.
The Ox King's fearsome reputation was nothing like the fighting power these people had shown so far!
Yamcha stared at the lone set of table and chairs left in the cave, his expression stricken and his mind adrift.
After a long while, he finally looked up, his face set with determination.
"There's no time to worry about all that, Puar!"
"We have no other choice. Whether it's for our treasure or for the Dragon Ball that can grant wishes..."
"We have to follow them and find a chance to take back everything that belongs to us!"
After a passionate round of self-encouragement and self-brainwashing, the two of them finally calmed down.
Fortunately, Son Gohan hadn't taken absolutely everything.
The master and servant still had one last Flying Motorcycle they could use.
Otherwise, who knew how long it would've taken them to walk out of this vast desert!
A few days later, the listless Yamcha looked over at Puar, who was just as dispirited.
"Hey, Puar, hang in there a little longer. We're almost out!"
"Yes, Young Master Yamcha!"
"Damn Son Gohan! Why didn't he leave me any fuel?"
As it happened, the master and servant had planned everything out perfectly. One motorcycle would be enough for them. It just hadn't occurred to them to pay attention to fuel consumption before; they'd assumed they could simply refuel whenever they ran out.
But after three or five days on the road, the vehicle's fuel warning came on. Jet bikes were gas guzzlers to begin with, and Son Gohan had also made off with the Hoi-Poi Capsules they'd stored their fuel in. With no other choice, the unlucky pair abandoned the motorcycle and continued on foot.
After walking for two whole days, they finally saw the edge of the desert in the distance!
But no matter how you looked at it, even though Yamcha had the foundation of a Martial Artist, he was still only human.
The lack of food and his thirst for water gradually left his thoughts hazy.
"Puar, I swear to the gods, if a woman showed up right now and warmed my heart with food, I'd marry..."
"Young men, did you come from deep in the desert? You must be starving. Here, try this flatbread. And I have water, too."
In his delirium, Yamcha thought he saw an Angel.
But once his eyes slowly focused, he realized there was a weather-beaten old woman standing in front of him.
"Pfft!"
"Young Master Yamcha, what were you going to say you'd do?"
"!"
"I'd be honored to become sworn sisters with this kind lady and take her as my older sister!"
Yamcha's face flushed red. He kicked Puar, who had embarrassed him, far away.
"Um, hello, ma'am. Thank you for the food. May I ask where you're from?"
"Our village is just over the mountain. I came to find my daughter and bring her something to eat!"
"She and her husband are hunting nearby. It's almost time for a meal, but they still haven't come back. I just couldn't stop worrying."
"Young man, where did you come from? Whatever you do, don't go deeper into the desert! There's a vicious bandit living in there who kills without batting an eye!"
"He's killed all the merchants passing through! Don't you go losing your lives, too!"
"Yes, yes, of course!"
Yamcha lowered his head in shame once more. The old woman before him was so kind that he couldn't bring himself to tell her the truth.
Could I really be an utterly despicable villain?
He'd never paid much attention to his reputation before. He'd always felt that reputation was something external, while treasure and martial prowess were what truly belonged to him.
But when he first saw this old woman, for some reason, it was as if something in his heart had begun to sprout!
"Here, take some more water. It's not much, but it should be enough to get you out of the desert."
"Goodbye, young men!"
Seeing Yamcha and Puar slowly regain their strength, the old woman didn't linger. She headed slowly toward the distance...
"Puar, do you think I really did something wrong?"
He gazed into the distance. Only after the kind old woman had vanished from sight did Yamcha's statue-still form finally relax.
His expression was hard to read, but the lines of his once rather fierce face seemed to have softened.
"Young Master, what's wrong?"
Puar, who was never one to overthink things, looked puzzled. He didn't understand why his master had suddenly become so melancholy.
"It's nothing. Maybe we really should think carefully about the true meaning of training in Martial Arts!"
After composing himself, Yamcha's expression gradually relaxed, but his outlook had already begun to change.
"Fine. I'll give up being a bandit and focus on training from now on."
"But I still need the Dragon Ball, you little brat Wuneng!"
Though his outlook had changed somewhat, his misfortune at the time only made his resentment toward Wuneng brat grow stronger!
"Achoo!"
Far beyond Yamcha's sight, the old woman, still walking unsteadily, sneezed.
"How strange. Why have I been sneezing so much these past few days? With my build, I shouldn't be catching cold!"
She rubbed her itchy nose again.
"Hey, Ribut, we're done here. Let's go find Goku and the others."
At his command, the old woman—who had just been walking unsteadily, wobbling with every step—leapt lightly three or four yards into the air and landed on the dragon's back.
Only once she was sitting securely on the dragon's back did Ribut gently flap his wings and fly into the sky.
By the time the two of them encountered the Yamcha duo again, they were already at the edge of the desert.
"Boss, why did you come back to save them?"
Looking down at Yamcha, who was tiny as an ant below, Ribut tilted his head and glanced at Son Gohan on his back.
"Hey, hey, you're flying! Pay attention! Don't you know that flying recklessly means tears for your sweetheart?"
He patted Ribut's neck. Son Gohan, who had changed back to his original form at some point, thought for a moment before answering.
"That guy down there isn't bad by nature. He just never had an adult to teach him, so he went astray."
"He's actually pretty good material. I hope this experience makes him come to his senses. At the very least, it'll mean we won't be so lonely on the path of Martial Arts!"
Yamcha seemed to sense something below. He suddenly looked up at the sky, but didn't see anything.
"Young Master Yamcha, what are you looking at?"
Finally back to life, Puar bounced around the grass in delight. He was thrilled to be done eating dirt in the desert. As he drank the clear, cold river water, his whole body felt lightheaded with joy.
Who could understand the sheer value of that first mouthful of water after leaving a vast desert? It was simply divine nectar!
Before you continue