"With every world I travel to, I can at least level up once, and my survival ability improves by two levels."
Yamcha was very satisfied with his journey to the JoJo world.
"But it's still not enough. I must keep growing stronger. I need to be more careful, more cautious. As long as I stay alive, there's always hope."
"Time waits for no one—it's time to start my next power-up plan."
Yamcha took a portion of the wealth he had gained from his last trip. His goal was to exchange it for the most valuable resources possible.
The closer he got to Fire Mountain (Frying Pan Mountain), the hotter it became. At less than twenty miles from the mountain, the surrounding temperature had already reached a staggering 50 degrees Celsius.
Such an extreme climate made the area nearly uninhabitable. Almost no one lived here.
And yet, in this scorching wasteland, several massive fortresses stood tall, incredibly conspicuous against the barren landscape.
At the top of each fortress, a bright red RR symbol—resembling a bowtie—was prominently displayed.
The unmistakable emblem of the Red Ribbon Army.
The Red Ribbon Army was the largest arms dealer on Earth in the Dragon Ball world, an evil military force with the goal of world domination. The army was divided into multiple divisions, each led by a high-ranking officer. During peacetime, these units operated independently, gathering resources. However, when orders were given, they all followed the commands of Supreme Commander Red.
Their troops frequently oppressed local populations, forcing them into labor.
With immense financial resources and advanced military-grade weapons, they were known as the "strongest and most ruthless army in the world"—even the official military of King Furry's kingdom couldn't match them.
They were the most feared and powerful evil organization on Earth, known far and wide. Even Master Roshi, the legendary martial arts master in retirement, had heard of them.
However, despite their overwhelming military might, they were deeply unpopular. The public despised them, and their approval rating was practically zero. Among the common people of Dragon Ball's Earth, the mere mention of the Red Ribbon Army struck fear into their hearts.
Furthermore, since nearly all their members were villains, their goal of world conquest could only be achieved through brute force.
Their influence extended so far that even Fire Mountain—home to the fearsome Ox-King—had a Red Ribbon Army outpost.
But while the Red Ribbon Army was brutal, they were also business-savvy. Their weapons were top-notch in quality and reasonably priced. Yamcha had previously purchased firearms and grenades from them.
"Hahaha! Yamcha, my friend! Long time no see! How's business?"
As soon as Yamcha stepped into the Fire Mountain outpost's weapons depot, a booming voice echoed through the base.
Walking toward him was a humanoid beast with the head of a leopard, wearing an aviator cap and American-style flight goggles. His face lit up with excitement as he greeted Yamcha.
This was Leopard Captain, the commander of the Red Ribbon Army's Fire Mountain outpost. Yamcha had dealt with him before—he was the one who supplied Yamcha with guns and explosives.
"Long time no see, Commander Leopard."
"Come on, Yamcha, how many times do I have to tell you? I'm nowhere near commander rank yet!"
"With your abilities, it's only a matter of time before you get promoted."
"Hahaha! Talking with you is always a pleasure, Yamcha!"
Despite only being a small outpost captain, Yamcha had flattered him into feeling like a high-ranking commander. His happiness was evident—he clapped Yamcha's shoulder enthusiastically, grinning from ear to ear.
After all, who doesn't like being complimented? Especially by someone competent.
To an outsider, Leopard Captain's fierce face—one that could scare a child to tears—made it clear that he wasn't a good person.
But in Yamcha's memory, this man was already one of the more "decent" members of the Red Ribbon Army. At the very least, he never allowed his subordinates to bully civilians—a rare quality in such a ruthless organization.
Leopard Captain was a man of principle and honor. Unfortunately, having principles and honor in an evil organization meant he had little chance of being promoted.
"So, what brings you here today, Yamcha? If I remember correctly, you restocked just a month ago. Or... have you finally reconsidered? Are you ready to join the Red Ribbon Army?"
Leopard Captain greatly admired Yamcha's martial arts skills and had repeatedly tried to recruit him, only to be politely turned down each time.
Besides selling weapons and setting up bases, the Red Ribbon Army was always seeking to recruit talented individuals. Despite being an evil organization, they highly valued martial arts experts.
The Red Ribbon Army respected strength above all else. Aside from Supreme Commander Red, almost all their top generals were either skilled martial artists or possessed special abilities.
However, most martial artists in the Dragon Ball world had strong moral codes and would rather starve than serve an evil organization. The Red Ribbon Army's terrible reputation further discouraged potential recruits, making them even more desperate for talented fighters.
"I've told you before, Leopard Captain, there's no future in being a desert bandit. And on top of that, you went and made up some ridiculous 'steal from the rich to give to the poor' rule."
Leopard Captain may have said this in a scolding tone, but in truth, this was exactly what he admired about Yamcha. Otherwise, he wouldn't have tried so hard to befriend him.
"Sorry, Commander Leopard, but I'm not interested in joining just yet."
Yamcha shook his head slightly.
In truth, he wasn't completely against the idea of joining the Red Ribbon Army. In fact, he was very interested in using their manpower and resources to further his goals.
After all, the Red Ribbon Army had the most advanced military technology and the strongest army on Earth. Not to mention Dr. Gero, the scientist capable of creating androids strong enough to rival Super Saiyans, currently served them.
And besides, he could always "redeem" himself later.
If Dragon Ball's protagonist Goku could forgive someone as evil as Frieza, why couldn't he be forgiven for working with the Red Ribbon Army?
However, now wasn't the right time. Given how Leopard Captain was treated within the organization, even if Yamcha joined, he'd just be starting at the bottom.
If Leopard Captain had real influence, he wouldn't have been assigned to this remote outpost in a wasteland with nothing but a volcano and a desert.
And who knew how long it would take to climb the ranks to general?
Yamcha had no interest in wasting time working his way up in the Red Ribbon Army.
"Then what brings you here today?" Leopard Captain asked curiously.
"Commander Leopard, I have a few requests for you."
"I need to buy more weapons, have you help me procure a batch of Capsule Corporation's all-purpose capsules…"
"And I want you to find some martial arts experts nearby to fight me."
(End of Chapter)