Catgirls And Dungeons (Yuri)-Chapter 46: World is dungeon

Dungeons, as it turns out, are paradoxes made real—treacherous and unpredictable, yet brimming with unimaginable beauty and untold riches.

The lands surrounding Mistvale are home to countless such dungeons, each possessing its own allure, mystery, and danger.

Some are renowned for their vast deposits of magic stones, their crystalline veins pulsating with arcane energy. Others are teeming with rare and potent medicinal herbs, capable of curing ailments that no ordinary healer could mend.

And then, there is one—a dungeon whispered about in hushed awe—where fields of luminous, ethereal flowers bloom in an endless array of colors. Their glow casts a dreamlike radiance, painting the cavern in shifting hues that make it feel less like a place of peril and more like a realm plucked from the dreams of the gods. Adventurers flock there not for treasure, but for the view alone—a fleeting glimpse of something truly otherworldly.

It is through these very dungeons that humanity has not only survived but thrived.

Magic stones and medicinal herbs fuel the economy, medicine, and the advancement of civilization itself. Even the monsters lurking within these labyrinths, while lethal, are an ironic necessity—their meat a delicacy, their bones and hides essential for crafting weapons, armor, and intricate magical artifacts.

And so, drawn by the promise of wealth and power, adventurers risk life and limb, forging their legends in the crucible of battle. With each foe slain, each trial overcome, they grow stronger—pushing the limits of human potential in pursuit of glory, mastery, or simply survival.

In this way, dungeons are no mere anomalies of the world.

They are woven into the very fabric of society—a constant, enigmatic force that is at once a blessing and a curse.

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Rustle, rustle…

The garden path winds gently beneath our feet, the cool night breeze setting the trees swaying in a quiet rhythm. The grass whispers with every step, and clusters of delicate flowers dot the landscape—some glowing faintly, their petals shimmering under the silver glow of the moon.

Bathed in its soft luminescence, the world feels almost ethereal. The shadows stretch, yet everything remains clear to my catgirl eyes, my vision naturally adjusting to the darkness.

For a while, there is only the hush of nature around us—until Eris finally speaks.

"Hey, you know," she says, her voice breaking the stillness, "the whole world is actually one big dungeon too!"

I blink, my ears perking up in confusion. "Wait, what? The world… is a dungeon?"

"Yup!" Eris nods, an amused glint in her eyes. "Think about it. What's the difference between our world and the worlds behind those dungeon gates?"

I pause, racking my brain for an answer.

"Ermmm… I… I don't know! I've never even been to a dungeon before!"

Eris grins, clearly enjoying my struggle. "Then take a guess!"

"A guess?" I tilt my head, my tail flicking thoughtfully as I enter what I like to call 'catgirl thinking mode.'

Hmmmmm…

Hmmmmmmmmm…

I rub my chin, my ears twitching in deep concentration.

"Ah! Is it that there are monsters inside the dungeons?"

Eris shrugs. "Well, dungeons do have creatures we call dungeon monsters, but in essence, they're not all that different from the animals in our world. Some are just stronger because of the high concentration of mana."

I frown, thinking harder. "Then… is it that dungeons are smaller?"

Eris shakes her head. "Nope. While many dungeons are small enough to explore in just a few days, some are so vast that no one has ever fully mapped them. Their scale can even surpass our wildest imagination!"

"T-then…" I chew on my lip, straining for an answer. I try to think harder, but the gears in my brain eventually jam. "Ahhh, I can't think of anything else!" I groan, throwing up my hands in defeat.

Eris bursts into laughter. "That's because there is no difference!"

I stare at her, stunned. "Eh?! There is none—but you still made me guess? Ugh, Eris!!!" I puff out my cheeks, tail flicking in annoyance.

"Hehe," she giggles, clearly delighting in my frustration. "I told you, didn't I? Our world is just one big dungeon!"

"Hmph!" I cross my arms, still pouting.

"Alright, alright," Eris continues, waving her hands as if to pacify me. "Think of it like this—if you were born inside a dungeon, let's say the Silverwolf Dungeon, and you were a Silverwolf, that dungeon would be your entire world. To you, humans invading through the gates would be like monsters appearing from another dungeon."

I pause, her words clicking into place.

"Oooooh!" My eyes widen as the idea finally makes sense. "I get it now!"

Eris nods, satisfied. "Fascinating, isn't it?"

"Nn!" I nod eagerly, excitement bubbling inside me.

But then—

"And there's more," Eris adds, her tone shifting slightly. "Some dungeons even contain ruins… traces of lost civilizations."

I gasp. "Wait! You mean… there were once people living inside dungeons?"

Eris's expression softens into something more solemn. "Yup. They didn't just live there—they built entire kingdoms."

A whole civilization… inside the dungeons?

That's—

That's insanely cool!

"These lost civilizations," Eris continues, "were far more advanced than anything we have now. By studying their ruins, we've uncovered countless discoveries that shaped our modern world."

"That's amazing!" I exclaim, my curiosity now fully ignited.

But then, a question tugs at me—one that sends a faint shiver down my spine.

"But… what happened to them?" My voice drops slightly. "Why did they disappear?"

Eris hesitates, her gaze turning distant.

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"No one really knows," she admits, shaking her head. "Some say they ascended, leaving this world behind for a higher plane of existence."

I swallow, my mind conjuring up an image of ancient rulers stepping through glowing portals, vanishing into a dimension beyond comprehension.

But Eris's next words send a cold chill through my veins.

"Others believe a catastrophic disaster wiped them out."

Her voice is quiet now, barely above a whisper.

Then, after a pause, she looks at me, her expression unreadable.

"And if that's true…" she murmurs, "then we need to find out what happened—and how to prevent it."

The wind shifts, rustling through the trees, making the glowing flowers flicker like tiny spectral flames.

Suddenly, the world feels a little too quiet.

A little too fragile.

And for the first time tonight, I can't help but wonder—

Are we walking in the footsteps of a civilization that was already doomed?

"Oh… right." I murmur, a chill creeping up my spine as the realization sinks in.

For some reason, it reminds me of what happened to the dinosaurs on Earth—66 million years ago, a massive rock fell from the sky, and boom. Extinction.

What's to say something similar won't happen again?

Maybe not a meteor. Maybe something worse.

I shudder at the thought.

But before I can dwell on it, Eris's voice cuts through the silence.

"By the way, do you know where us Furren come from?"

"Huh?" I blink, caught off guard. "Wait—where Furren come from? You mean… Furren people aren't originally from this world?"

Eris's grin widens. "Yup! We came from a different world—another dungeon!"

I stare at her. "No way! You're kidding!"

"Nope! It's the truth!"

I fall silent, my curiosity piqued.

Eris's playful smirk fades slightly as she begins to explain, her tone shifting into something more serious. I listen intently, hanging onto every word.

—————————————

The two worlds.

Furren and humans didn't come from the same world.

They were born from two separate dimensions—two entirely different realms.

The human world was called Terra, a land where humans were the sole inhabitants. A place where magic existed, but nature was something to be controlled, molded by civilization's ever-expanding reach.

Meanwhile, the Furren world was known as Faunae, a realm where nature and beastfolk coexisted in perfect harmony—a land where the forests breathed, the rivers sang, and the connection between life and mana was far stronger than anything in Terra.

For thousands of years, these two worlds remained isolated, unaware of each other's existence.

Until the gate opened.

A dungeon gate—unlike any other—tore through the fabric of space, linking Terra and Faunae for the first time.

And it wasn't peaceful.

War broke out.

Humans and Furren clashed violently, both sides seeing the other as invaders.

They fought over land, resources, and survival—a conflict that raged for centuries, leaving the ground soaked in blood and the skies choked with fire.

Neither side was strong enough to completely wipe out the other, but neither was willing to surrender, either.

Then, over time—through countless struggles, sacrifices, and unlikely alliances—they found a way to coexist.

They shared their knowledge, their magic, their technology, shaping a new future.

For the first time, humans and Furren stood together, not as enemies, but as equals.

Even so, the scars of war never truly faded.

Even now, there are places in Terra where Furren are treated with suspicion, where old prejudices still linger. And in Faunae, there remain regions where humans are unwelcome, seen as outsiders who nearly destroyed their world once before.

And interestingly, this very kingdom—Eldenwald—exists in Terra.

Meanwhile, Eris's homeland — The Zerakia Kingdom—located in Faunae.

And the gate that once separated these two worlds?

It still exists, and is actually hidden high in the northern mountains of Mistvale, standing as a silent reminder of the past.

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Eris exhales, her gaze drifting toward the night sky. "It's been a long journey for our people, Felicia. We've come a long way, but there's still so much work to be done."

I nod, the weight of her words settling deep in my chest.

"Nn."

But a thought lingers in my mind.

"Has this… ever happened before?" I ask hesitantly. "I mean, besides humans and Furren… has any other race ever appeared? Any other world made contact with us?"

Eris shakes her head. "Nope. But that doesn't mean it won't happen."

Her expression turns serious.

"Especially with new dungeons popping up every day."

I feel another chill run through me.

Right… dungeons.

Dungeons are more than just caves filled with monsters and treasure.

They're gateways.

Portals to places unknown.

Eris glances at me, her eyes steady. "And that means we have to be prepared. Our world—our people—need to grow stronger."

I nod again, more firmly this time. "Yeah."

Even though the world seems peaceful now, I can't shake the feeling of how fragile that peace truly is.

Dungeons exist everywhere, which means the fate of our world is always hanging by a thread.

I think back to what Eris said about balance.

The only reason peace was possible between humans and Furren was because neither side was strong enough to completely overpower the other.

Their struggles forced them to find common ground—a balance born of necessity, forged through shared hardship and a mutual desire to survive.

But what if, one day, a new dungeon opens?

One that connects us to another world?

A world with a thriving, unknown civilization we've never encountered before?

If they come in peace, that would be a blessing.

But if they come as conquerors…

If they seek to enslave, dominate, or destroy us…

A shiver crawls down my spine.

If that day ever comes—

We may have no choice but to fight to protect what we have.