Catgirls And Dungeons (Yuri)

"Oooooh! You look amazing!" Eris exclaims, her eyes lighting up as I finish adjusting the last piece of my winter gear.

A fur-lined cloak drapes over my shoulders, its thick hood pulled up to shield me from the cold. My feet are snug inside heavy fur boots, and my hands disappear into thick, insulated gloves, soft yet sturdy enough to withstand the dungeon's harsh conditions.

"You look amazing too!" I shoot back with a grin.

Eris is dressed in the exact same set, the two of us now perfectly matched in layers of luxurious furs, crafted not just for warmth but for style—because why just survive when you can look incredible doing it?

But this isn't ordinary winter gear. No, this is the best set money can rent from Vanessa Outpost—the most expensive, the most fashionable, and, most importantly, the most protective against the dungeon's merciless cold.

Eris had mentioned earlier that the fur used in these clothes comes from the massive snow foxes of Vanessa Dungeon.

And honestly?

I feel a little guilty.

Because… I love foxes. They're elegant, majestic, and ridiculously cute. The thought of them being hunted just so I could stay warm makes my heart ache just a little.

But then—

Oh. My. Gods.

This fur is soooo soft.

So warm!!!

If I had a blanket made from this, I could happily nap all day, even in the middle of a raging snowstorm!

Huuuuhuuuuu…

I'm so conflicted right now.

Eris, blissfully unaware of my fox-related moral crisis, stretches her arms, rolling her shoulders as she shifts her weight from foot to foot. "Alright, ready?"

I shake off my guilt and straighten up. "Nn!"

With my fox dilemma temporarily pushed aside, we step forward, making our way toward the dungeon entrance.

—————————————-

The dungeon entrance looms before us, an eerie, otherworldly spectacle that looks exactly like the gates I had seen in countless manhwa back on Earth.

A rift in space, vast and imposing, as though reality itself had been torn apart, its jagged edges fraying into nothingness. It hangs suspended, seamlessly bridging two separate worlds, a threshold between the familiar and the unknown.

And this rift…

It glows, pulsing with a brilliant, mesmerizing blue, its shimmering light rippling outward like gentle waves on a still lake. The glow is not constant—it flares, dims, and flares again, as though the gate itself is alive, breathing in slow, steady rhythms. The air around it hums, sending faint tingles across my skin.

Eris steps beside me.

"As you can see, the color of the gate can tell you the rank of the dungeon," Eris explains. "Lower-rank dungeon gates tend to be brighter, like this one. The higher the rank, the darker and more ominous the color becomes. Some S-rank dungeons have gates that are deep blue, even blood-red. There's even one that's rumored to be almost pure black."

"Wooow…" I breathe, utterly fascinated.

Just as I'm about to take a step forward, a thought pops into my mind.

"What about the gate that connects Terra and Faunae? What color is that?"

Yes, what color is the gate that connects the human world and the Furren world?

"Hmmmm…. I think it's the same as this one," she replies. "A bright color."

"Huh? How come?"

My thoughts race.

I'm confused.

Does that mean… Terra is an E-rank dungeon?

Or is Faunae an E-rank dungeon?

Whhatt???

That doesn't make any sense though!

Eris chuckles softly, reaching out to pat my head with a knowing smile. "Nope. Actually, the color of a gate is determined by the mana concentration and attributes of the area surrounding it—on the other side." She gestures toward the rift. "So, from Terra looking into Faunae, the gate appears bright orange. But from Faunae looking into Terra, it's bright green."

My eyes widen. "Uoooooohhh!!!"

That makes so much more sense!

"So that means… the color of a gate doesn't always reflect the true rank of a dungeon, right?"

Eris grins and nods approvingly. "Smart Felicia!"

She places her hands on her hips, looking pleased. "That's correct. In most cases, it does. But sometimes, it can be very misleading."

"Yeah…" I gulp, my mind drifting to the possibilities.

A dungeon entrance with low mana concentration might appear harmless at first glance… but deeper inside, the mana could spike dramatically, creating pockets of immense danger hidden beyond the initial threshold.

Eris must notice the change in my expression, because her tone grows slightly more serious. "That's why dungeon exploration is crucial. And why we always have to be prepared, even for dungeons that seem harmless at first glance."

I nod, letting her words sink in.

She then smiles, breaking the tension. "Alright, let's go?"

I shake off my thoughts and straighten.

"Nn!"

We then make our way toward the dungeon guards, Adventurers' Guild staff stationed here to oversee and regulate dungeon access.

They check our IDs briefly, their eyes scanning the documents before giving us a curt nod. "All good. You may enter."

"Thanks," Eris replies with a polite smile.

Meanwhile, curiosity gets the better of me.

I take off my gloves, stepping closer to the dungeon gate, breath catching as I lift my hand, hovering just inches from its radiant surface.

And then—

Hoooooly shit…

"Uwoooooohhh! Eris! THIS IS SO COOLLLL!"

Zap! Zap! Zap!

Static charges snap between my fingers and the gate, tiny arcs of energy dancing across my skin, sending tingling waves up my arm.

My hair suddenly stands on end, the air crackling with invisible energy, as if the gate itself is reacting to my presence.

It's like… touching one of those weird electric globes, the kind that makes your hair puff up like a startled porcupine.

I turn to look at Eris, my face lit up with pure excitement.

"Hehe"

She watches me for a moment, then snickers

"Alright, put your gloves on, and let's go."

"Nn!" I quickly pull my gloves back on.

Eris holds out her hand.

I take it.

Then, drawing in a deep, steady breath, we step forward together—

And cross into the winter expanse of Vanessa Dungeon.