“Fuck. Get back and get ready.” I moved and grabbed my hammer and shield. There were too many of them to stop at the entrance to the cave, we already saw that they would jump over each other without any regard to get a bite in. The lineup was tank, tank, me, tank with all the other spiders moving to the cave behind us. Everyone had a clear understanding that we needed to crush or remove the heads. Daisy, with all the remaining funds I have, give me all the tanks you can summon and get there here as fast as you can.

‘Understood” I don't know exactly how many there would be, but with hounds still pouring out of the vortex, I had a feeling we would need them. The sound of claws hitting the stone floor grew louder along with the panting and yapping of the hellhounds. They bounded into the room and straight for us. I lifted my shield and raised my hammer as the closest one reached me. All four of us swung our weapons crushing hounds only to have more pile on top of them immediately.

I swung repeatedly, losing accuracy and just aiming for black fur. They were climbing over the dead and injured without any regard for them. The ones being trampled bit the legs of those on top causing a few to fall, they had no plan, no strategy, or even a basic understanding of combat. What they did have, numbers, and a lot of them.

I felt teeth sink into my leg as an injured buried hound pushed forward, I yelped and dropped the shield down crushing its face and freeing my leg. The hissing of pain drew my eyes to the right while still defending myself. The lone tank to my right was being overpowered. I swore and ordered us all to step back, retreating back. If someone collapsed and the hounds got behind us, it was all over with. I knew it, the tanks knew it, and even the hell hounds knew it as they increased their pressure on us.

I felt the minds of each of the tanks as they begged me to retreat. I knew it had to be done. We had made it to the entrance of the cave behind us and the three tanks filled in front of me pushing me back into the tunnel.

“Thank you,” I said as I turned and sprinted down the tunnel into the next room. The other spiders were there along with Ella who was panting. I felt the happiness and anger from the tanks as I sent them one last feeling of gratitude. The whimpering of hellhounds intensified as the tanks battled with every last fiber of their beings, literally fighting to the death.

Rage poured over me as I felt their lives get extinguished. Being mentally attached to someone and feeling that life being torn away hurt, but that was an issue for another time. As the last tank died the remaining hellhounds charged down the tunnel at us. Everyone got ready, this was a due-or-die moment. I stood at the entrance hammer and shield ready as the first hounds rounded the bend tripping over each other in a bloody frenzy. I swung hard and managed to kill two hounds in quick succession. The impact on the second hound's head shattered my hammer. I had no time to think and grabbed my shield with both hands lifting it over my head and bringing it down on three more hounds. Bones crushed under the force of the blow. Before I could lift the shield again more had already stepped on it pinning my last weapon to the ground. I jumped back and balled up my fists. Arrows shot past me one after another with incredible accuracy piercing the skulls of oncoming hounds. At this point, all spiders, even the miners, and clears, were in the room. It was an all-out brawl from that point on.

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I used a hellhound as a weapon again as more charged. I was able to kill a few before its legs tore off and the beast flew across the room. I fought with claws and fangs as the hounds fumbled over each other to get to me. I felt skin tearing as a few got in good bites. A miner spider to my left was chiseling out the brains of its third victim before being overrun. I felt the injuries of others as we started to get pushed back.

“The tanks are arriving.” Daisy’s voice was like that of an angel. I heard the loud thumping of feet on the stone floor as 5 tanks filled into the room. They hit the hounds like cavalry, killing countless hounds and pushing them back for the first time. I took a deep breath and grabbed a dead hellhound and rushed forward with my new troops.

The rest of the battle lasted maybe 3 minutes but finally, the last hellhound died. I hurt all over and was bleeding from more than a few spots. I stopped the bleeding and took a survey of everyone. The new tanks had received only a few minor scratches, we had lost a miner, cleaner, and I was worried for the trap spider who had a few nasty wounds. I did my best to stop the bleeding of everyone who was injured.

“How many hellhounds do you think that was?”

“Around 53.”

“53! Are you serious?”

“Yes”

“We fought 53 of these things?” Ella asked as she rummaged through the corpses for her arrows.

“I guess so.”

“Do you think more will come?”

“I don't know.” I certainly hope not. We were barely able to last this time around. If I didn't have the saved-up funds from the duel dungeons, we probably would have died right here and now.

“Hey Daisy, have any suggestions?”

“I believe you should take the remaining soldiers and raid the dungeon.”

“What? Are you serious?” Daisy was the one that always told me to be careful and that I shouldn't put myself into unnecessary risky situations.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“There is a chance that they exhausted all or almost all of their forces and if you attack now you can take them with little effort.”

“What makes you think that? For all, you know this is a much larger dungeon than ours. You said that it can happen.”

“Unlikely since the hellhounds that come into our dungeon were low grade, meaning that they are early summons. It is unlikely that a dungeon master would have wasted so many low summons if they had something stronger.”

“Well, I guess that makes sense. Plus, as long as the surveillance spider is in front of us, I’ll be able to tell if there are any major monsters.” I took her silence as affirmation.

“Alright, everyone. If you feel up to it, we are going to raid the hellhound dungeon. If you are too injured, stay back and take a rest. You all fought well, so let's end this quickly and with an iron fist.”