Mantle of the Gods [LitRPG / Slow Burn / FTB Harem]

We definitely stood out.

Walking through the park like we were going to a formal event didn't help us keep a low profile. Aelin, Jenne, and Ren had all worn jackets over their dresses, which offered them a little more protection and probably kept us from standing out even more.

Kara was wearing Adventurer gear, complete with a two-handed sword on her back. Since we couldn't take things out of our CBs once we entered the Pocket Dungeon, she had to be geared for a fight before we went in. While she waited to put on her sword until we were in front of the gate, she still must have looked out of place from the five of us.

None of us spoke until we were through the portal. The list of 'just in case' warnings that Gesai had repeated way too many times was still filling my mind. I hadn't known there were so many different ways of saying; I'm worried, be safe, and use your return stone the minute there's trouble.

"This is weird." Kara looked around as soon as we were on the other side.

"Told you." I watched her walk over to one of the trees.

The white-haired woman tapped on it, then punched it. Her hand almost went through the trunk.

"What're you doing?" Oz walked over to where Kara was inspecting the damage she caused.

"You can't feel it?" The former Scarlet wrinkled her nose. "Of course you wouldn't; you're new." She tapped on the tree. "This isn't a real Dungeon."

"What do you mean?" I walked over to where she was standing.

"See how the hole is starting to close over?" Kara put her fist up to the hole to show that it was just smaller than her hand.

It wasn't much, but it was like the tree had started to repair itself.

"In pocket dimensions, like the ones that Casters use for people to train in." The older woman tapped on the tree. "The environment will repair the damage done to it to try to get back to the original room."

"Doesn't the Dungeon do that?" Ren came over to look at the hole.

"It does, but not in the same way." Kara took out her sword and hacked off a few branches. She tossed them on the ground away from us. "Watch." She sheathed her sword.

It took a few minutes, but the branches started to almost melt into the ground.

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"That's so weird." Ren walked over to a deformed branch and poked it. She turned to the other woman. "How did you know that it would do that?"

"When you've been in the Dungeon and Pocket Dungeons a lot, you start to notice the difference." The ivory woman shrugged. "Everything feels kind of fake." She gestured at the branches that were starting to grow back. "In the actual Dungeon, if you cut off a limb, it'll scab over just like outside." She breathed in. "Even the air tastes fake, while in the Dungeon it feels..." Her voice trailed off.

"Artificial?" Ren offered.

"Sort of." Kara shrugged. "More like too pure. Too filtered."

"Are you going to look at trees all day!?!" Aelin waved from the path where she was waiting with Jenne. I didn't blame them for not wanting to walk off the road in their slippers. Despite hiding a heel in there somewhere, they didn't look like they had very thick soles. I wouldn't doubt if they could feel every rock they stepped on.

"We probably should head to town." I nodded back to the road. "See if Tophua has any information for us."

Oz adjusted her jacket as she led the way back to the path.

"Find anything interesting?" Jenne raised an eyebrow.

"This place is closer to a Pocket Dungeon than it is the actual Dungeon." I looked at the golden woman.

"That's not good." Jenne bit her lip.

"Why?" Aelin looked between us.

"Because it means that someone is strong enough to make a pocket dimension with multiple entries." Jenne looked back at the gate. "You remember the pocket dimension where you fought against Savyn's team?"

Aelin scowled. "Yes."

"Remember how it didn't have a portal to get out until the Caster made one?" The golden woman looked over at the gate.

We all followed her gaze.

"Do you know what this is?" I turned to Jenne.

"If I had to guess?" She took a deep breath. "I'd bet that someone merged what the Cult has been doing with Dungeon Seeds with creating a Pocket Dungeon. The problem is that the only people with enough magic to make one this size are the Gods."

A shiver ran down my spine. "Should we just leave?" I nodded towards town. "If there is a God there, then I doubt they're friendly." I looked at Kara. "I don't think the two of us can take on a God."

"We don't know that for sure, and we don't know who it is." Jenne looked determined. "You can leave if you think you need to, but I need to try to find out who is behind this."

I shook my head. "I'm not leaving you here." I looked at everyone else. "Keep your return stones handy."

Everyone patted their pockets where they were keeping their escape item. I felt inside my jacket where I had my gun holstered. It wouldn't help me against a God, but it would be more than enough to deal with a Mundane or Tier Zero Adventurer. Though I'd have to try not to kill them. Scanning Mantles wasn't common, but it happened enough that I didn't want to just be walking around if my seal broke and anyone could see my true stats.

"Try not to draw too much attention to yourselves." I nodded to Jenne. "Lead away."

The golden woman walked over and linked her arm in mine, then started walking down the path towards the town.