Eventually, under the relentless onslaught of the captain and the rest of the team, the black steel wolves began to relent. Their initial ferocity was gone, replaced by a deep-seated fear. Slowly, they began to retreat, their howls turning to whimpers. It was a victory, but a brutal one. The floor of the canyon was littered with hundreds of their dead, and the air was thick with the metallic stench of blood. The brutal efficiency of the captain and Grey, fighting back-to-back, had a demoralizing effect on the pack. With the pressure significantly lessened, the team took a few more minutes, methodically killing the remaining wolves before they could fully escape.
Immediately after the battle ended, Grey collapsed onto the ground in pure exhaustion, his chest heaving. He wasn't the only one. The massive frame of Zuro was already on the floor, his entire body covered in blood—most of it from the wolves, but some of it his own. The rest of the team was in a similar state. Every one of them had a number of injuries, though Grey and the captain, who had borne the brunt of the assault, had the fewest.
"Haha, what a show, kid. You did well. I can't believe you're a battle maniac like this." Trogan said, his voice full of admiration as he sat down near a puddle of blood. He scrunched his nose at the smell, but the smile never left his face. The rest of the team looked over at Grey, and their expressions were filled with approval. The captain's gaze, which had always held a cool detachment, was now much softer.
"Hehe, if you're this strong now, I wonder how strong you'll be in the future. You'll truly shock the world," Zuro said, standing up and patting Grey on the shoulder. His large hand covered Grey's entire shoulder, a gesture of immense pride. Grey's face flushed with a mixture of exhaustion and embarrassment. He didn't know how to respond to such high praise, so he simply nodded and said, "En."
Zuro smiled lightly, pleased with the kid's reaction. With this performance, Grey had proven himself. He had earned their respect not just as a member of the team, but as a warrior. Zuro then walked over to the captain, his expression turning serious.
"How did you know?" he asked, his voice low.
"How did I know what?" the captain replied, his voice calm.
"Don't try and play dumb with me! I've been with you the longest. I know you don't do things on a whim. How did you know the kid was this strong? Is this why you asked him to follow you?" Zuro bombarded the captain with questions.
The captain paused for a moment, his gaze cool and distant. "I asked him to join us because I like the color of his hair." He then turned and walked away, leaving Zuro stunned.
"Like the color of his hair, my foot! What kind of lie is that?" Zuro said to himself, but he didn't follow the captain. Despite the captain's absurd answer, Zuro still believed him… in a strange, roundabout way.
Grey was oblivious to this exchange. He was too consumed by the praises of Luo, Trogan, and Freis. It was hard to find a young person as strong as him, so they showered him with well-deserved praise. Luo was ruffling his hair. "Aww, you're so cute and strong. Every woman's dream. I bet I know a girl who would be interested in you…" she kept on saying, her fingers running through his peculiar grey hair. Grey wanted to pull away, but she was too fast and too strong. He was about to die of embarrassment when the captain cleared his throat.
"That was nice work," the captain said, his voice cutting through the banter. "We originally came here to hunt for food, but with the number of wolves we killed, I'd say we have more than enough. We can start heading back now."
Everyone's expression fell. They had only just gotten to the corroded zone, and now they were leaving. Their objective was complete, but they had hoped for more. Still, no one argued with the captain. No matter how many wolves they had slaughtered, the black steel wolves were one of the weakest creatures in the corroded zone. There were many more terrifying existences that could overwhelm them instantly. Any one of the bizarre existences they could run into would mean certain death for the entire group, including the captain. So, as disappointed as they were, they were also happy to be leaving the corroded zone earlier than planned.
On their way out, Grey felt a sharp, burning sensation on his wrist. He took out a medicinal pill and threw it in his mouth. The decay point on his hand had become more painful and was radiating heat after fighting the wolves. When a cultivator exhausts their spirit energy in battle, they unconsciously absorb more from the surroundings. Because they had been so focused on the fight, they had neglected the corrosive substance in their bodies, and their decay points had skyrocketed.
As Grey and everyone else popped a pill, Grey noticed his wounds had already started healing. He had been so focused on the battle that he hadn't noticed the purple crystal working its magic. He immediately suppressed the healing, a small, subtle act that no one would notice. He wouldn't want anyone to know the awesome healing prowess of the purple crystal. He would fake it for some time and fully heal himself when he was alone.
Maybe it was because of the pervasive smell of blood and the lingering baleful aura they released, but they were not approached by any mutated creatures on their way back. They got to the edge of the corroded zone just before the sun had set. Because of the red clouds in the sky, it was hard to tell the time, but the fading light was a clear sign. They set up camp a safe distance from the zone, making a fire to roast the wolf meat they had gotten from the hunt.