Catgirls And Dungeons (Yuri)-Chapter 91: Winter Wonderland

Finally, I see the portal.

It looms before us, tall and imposing, a swirling gateway of deep, dark blue—far richer, far more intense than the brighter, gentler hue of the entrance we first passed through.

Electricity crackles along its edges, wild and untamed, sending bright arcs of energy zapping through the air, flickering like tiny, erratic bolts of lightning.

And surrounding it—

A storm of whirling snow, an endless vortex of frost and wind, spiraling in slow, hypnotic patterns.

Just looking at it, I know.

The mana here is stronger.

And with stronger mana—

Comes greater danger.

A sudden chill prickles against my skin, and I shiver involuntarily. "Ooooh, I can feel the cold already!"

Eris chuckles softly beside me, her breath visible in the icy air. "Yup. That's because of the mana leaking from the gate."

"Eh? Mana… leaking?" I blink, tilting my head in confusion.

"Yeah," Eris explains smoothly. "Higher-rank dungeons tend to leak mana into lower-rank areas from time to time. It's totally normal. The stronger a dungeon is, the more intensely you can feel it from afar."

Oh!

That actually makes a lot of sense!

If I think of mana like a concentration of energy, then naturally, it would flow from areas of high density to low density—just like heat dispersing, or water seeking to fill empty spaces.

And the only thing keeping it contained—

Is the dungeon gate itself.

I take a deep breath, mentally preparing myself.

"Okay, ready?" Eris asks, glancing back at me. "We're about to enter Lake Vanessa now."

I nod firmly, steeling myself. "Nn!"

The air around us grows colder, the frost-thickened wind brushing against my face like icy fingertips. A faint prickle runs down my spine, an almost instinctual reaction to the sheer power radiating from the portal.

I hesitate for a moment. "But… do we have to get off Inky?" My eyes flick to the swirling gate, half-expecting Eris to say we need to walk through it.

Eris smirks, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Nah, we can just fly through it."

She reaches out, patting Inky's side, giving him a silent cue.

At once, the massive shadow wyvern shifts, his wings folding slightly as he dips lower, his movements fluid and controlled as we begin our descent.

Lower.

And lower.

Gliding just above the snow, skimming over the frost-covered ground, moving smoothly toward the glowing portal ahead.

The air thickens around us, the pressure growing heavier, as if we're about to break through an invisible threshold.

The energy hums louder, a deep, resonant vibration that I can feel buzzing against my skin, sinking into my very bones.

And then—

Woosh!

We soar straight into the dungeon gate.

A split second of weightlessness—a moment where everything around us turns into a swirling cascade of blue and white light—

And then—

We emerge.

Into Lake Vanessa.

—————————

WWWWOOOOSSSH!!!

A blast of frigid air whips past us, sharp and relentless, as we shoot through the dungeon gate.

Electricity crackles around us, static zapping against my skin, sending tiny jolts racing through my body.

The moment we cross the threshold—

Inky soars high, his massive wings spreading wide, cutting through the dense, icy air with practiced ease.

And then, the temperature drops.

Not just a little.

Drastically.

A bone-deep, biting cold slams into me, far more intense than the previous area.

"Oooooh!" I shiver violently, instinctively hugging Eris tighter, pressing myself against her warmth.

The wind lashes at my face, a relentless, stinging force that makes my skin prickle even beneath my thick layers of clothing.

It's like getting slapped by winter itself.

I can feel it.

The way the cold sinks straight into my bones, wrapping around me like an invisible frost.

Goosebumps rise along my arms, and my ears twitch from the sudden chill.

Eris glances back at me, her blue eyes gentle yet assessing. "Are you alright?" she asks. "Do you need another cold resistance potion?"

I open my mouth to reply.

But—

"A-Achooo!!"

A powerful sneeze erupts from me, my whole body jerking forward slightly.

I sniffle, wiping my nose with the back of my glove.

Ugh.

As much as I hate the taste of that damn potion—

I already know.

I need it.

So, reluctantly, I nod. "I-I guess so…"

Without hesitation, Eris pulls out another vial, handing it to me.

I stare at the glowing blue liquid, grimacing.

The taste is going to be awful.

But at this rate, I'll freeze before we even land.

With a deep breath, I tilt my head back and chug it down, forcing myself to swallow as quickly as possible.

The bitterness coats my tongue, the familiar sharp, spicy aftertaste burning down my throat.

I gag.

Barely hold back the urge to throw up.

Why does this stuff taste like actual suffering?!

But…

A few minutes later, the warmth spreads through my body, pushing back against the cold.

I take a deep breath.

And this time, I can actually breathe without feeling like my lungs are turning to ice.

Much better.

——————————

Now, looking down, my eyes widen in awe.

Oh, wow.

This place is completely different from where we came from.

It's not just an endless stretch of snowy forest and pine trees.

The landscape is dotted with towering ice crystals, their jagged forms rising from the ground like frozen spires, glistening under the pale sunlight.

A thick layer of icy mist swirls over the land, drifting lazily like a veil of frost.

It's as if the entire world has been trapped inside a giant, enchanted refrigerator.

But then—

Something catches my eye.

Something strange.

Something beautiful.

"Wait! ERIS, WHAT ARE THOSE?!"

I point excitedly toward a group of deer, except—

They're not normal deer.

Their bodies shimmer like glass, transparent and ethereal, gleaming with an otherworldly glow as they move gracefully through the snow.

Eris follows my gaze and smiles. "They're ice beasts."

I blink. "Ice beasts?"

She nods. "In this area, you won't find regular animals. Instead, all the creatures here are icy variations. Their bodies aren't made of flesh and bone—but of solid ice."

"Woooaaahhh…" I breathe, my tail flicking with excitement.

As I scan the land below, I notice even more creatures.

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A group of foxes, their sleek bodies sculpted from frost, their tails trailing wisps of icy mist as they leap through the snow.

A raccoon, its crystalline fur glittering as it scurries across a frozen log.

And above us, a flock of ice birds soars through the sky, their wings catching the sunlight, refracting it into a dazzling cascade of colors.

Wowww!

I can't help but admiring.

My heart expanding in joy.

This place is truly, truly a winter wonderland!

A magical landscape, frozen yet full of life!

And then—

Something else draws my attention.

A cluster of flowers, their deep blue petals dusty with twinkling frost, blooming right out of the snow.

Absolutely beautiful.

Gorgeous, even.

My ears perk up as I grab Eris's arm. "Eris! Eris! Are those Vanessa Lilies?!" I ask, barely able to contain my excitement.

However—

"Nope," Eris replies, her tone amused. "They're the thing you just consumed—Glacierblooms."

"EHHHH?!?!" I gape at her, then back at the flowers.

These are the nasty potion ingredients?!

They look so delicate, so breathtakingly pretty—

Yet they taste like absolute suffering?!

Unbelievable.

I groan. "Something that beautiful has no right tasting that bad!"

Eris laughs. "I won't argue with that."

Still, my curiosity isn't satisfied yet.

I glance around, scanning the horizon. "Then… where are the Vanessa Lilies? Actually—where is Lake Vanessa???"

So far, all I see is dry land—endless snow, ice formations, and scattered trees.

No lake.

Eris smirks. "Hang on, we're almost there."

And then—

A few minutes later, as Inky glides effortlessly through the crisp air, the landscape begins to change.

And suddenly, we arrive.

Eris gestures grandly.

"As you can see, this is Lake Vanessa."