55 Retreat

After running through the forest for some time, they reached a cliffside, and Hella turned towards the squad.

"Keep in mind, while the Arachnix isn't that strong in direct combat, it has an army at its disposal," she instructed.

"Plus, there's a chance that reinforcements might arrive while we're in combat. If that happens, we'll withdraw without hesitation."

The interconnected nature of the caves meant that another Arachnix could potentially pick up on the sounds of battle. These creatures were territorial, and encountering humans would likely trigger them to launch a coordinated attack together.

After receiving nods of approval from all of them, they took the ropes strapped to their suits and began lowering themselves into the cave.

Using flying artifacts to descend into a cave where a beast could emerge at any moment was risky, having a stable handhold being a safer choice.