"…I definitely got eaten."
Dark, hot, soft, and humid.
The air was thick—too thick. Every breath tasted like rot, mud, and something faintly acidic.
My back pressed against something soft.
And it might seem comfortable if you ignore the fact that I'm about to be eaten and completely covered in drool.
The wall in front of me… pulsed.
A slow contraction.
Then release.
"…Not ideal."
A deep, muffled croak echoed through the flesh around me.
The whole space trembled.
"…Giant frog."
Of course.
Of course it had to be that.
"…Konosuba really wasn't joking about those things."
My lips twitched slightly.
And above all—it really stinks of death.
"…Okay, I can barely see anything now." And in that moment, without thinking too much, I blinked.
Bad idea, because the mucus I was trying so hard to avoid is getting right in my eyes.
"—ARRGHHHH—" I use my still-free arm to try and cover my face.
"—FUCK—!!"
I hold back from screaming more, not out of reflex, nor courage, but to avoid accidentally swallowing the mucus secreted by the frog.
(Frankly, breathing in here is like wearing a surplice—)
(—wait, am I moving?)
I felt myself being pushed forward, but it seems my feet are still outside, and the walls around me are contracting slightly.
Like this frog is starting to swallow me.
"…Great." My breathing becomes shallow. The smell is disgusting—acidic, almost burning. My skin is already stinging where the liquid touches.
I'm… really inside.
I quickly glanced around and, seeing his uvula in front of me, confirmed that I was still in his mouth.
(I need to get out of here quickly.)
"—EXE—" I didn't hear any response.
"—ARE YOU THERE—!!"
"SCREEEE!"
(Oh my god, he's definitely next to me.)
And honestly?
I've never been so glad to hear that scream.
"YOU'RE NEXT TO ME, YOU CAN SEE MY FEET RIGHT HERE, TRYING TO PULL ME WITH YOUR FABRIC?!"
"SCREEEE!" I felt his fabric attach itself to my leg and definitely try to pull me.
For a moment, I felt my body being pulled backward.
But immediately after, I felt his tongue wrap around my torso.
"STOOOPPP" I felt him stop pulling me.
"OK, WE'RE CHANGED PLANS—LISTEN, EXE—WE'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE IT COMPLICATED—" I cough from the awful smell.
"—WE'RE GOING TO FORCE HIM— TO SPIT ME OUT—" A short silence.
"Scree?" ( •~• )?
"—IT'S VERY SIMPLE— YOU TAKE AS MUCH—MOMENT OF MOMENTUM AS YOU—"
"—CAN AND YOU USE TAKCLE— ON THIS MONSTER'S BELLY—"
"Screee??" ( - _ - )?
"—YEAH, ME NEITHER—I DON'T LIKE THIS PLAN EITHER—I CAN'T BREATHE IN HERE—"
"—SO WE'LL IMPROVISE FOR NOW—AND HURRY UP—I CAN'T BREATHE IN HERE—"
Through all these instructions, the pressure crushes me from all sides.
And it contracts.
"Shit."
My breath becomes shallow. The smell is foul—acidic, almost burning. My skin already stings where the liquid touches.
"Exe…!" My voice is muffled, swallowed with me.
I clench my teeth.
My arms slide against this organic wall. It reacts. It contracts even harder, as if it's trying to crush me… or push me deeper.
(…So even though it didn't have much effect, she reacted, but well, that was to be expected; these things aren't supposed to be resistant to blunt attacks.) I'm still thinking about how to get out of here.
(…but I really don't want to risk getting impaled right now…) I close my eyes for a fraction of a second.
Breathe.
Analyze.
(What movement can Exe use right now?)
Then I remembered her abilities, and
—EUREKA!!!
"—AHHH EXE—USE —SCREECH—!" Even though my voice is muffled, I know he'll understand.
A moment later, a metallic, shrill scream tears through the air.
Even here, I feel it.
The wall around me… begins to tremble terribly.
(That might not be enough.)
"—EXE—AGAIN—ONE—TIME—" I immediately felt the contractions become truly irregular.
Perfect.
"NOW—USE—TACKLE!" And not even a second later, I felt a jolt.
An extremely violent jolt.
The tongue around my body loosened, and the walls around me buckled abruptly.
I was thrown against a wall, gasping for air.
Then a second impact.
Even stronger.
The pressure shifts.
It's rising.
It's rising fast.
— And suddenly—
—SPLOSH—
I cough violently, my body desperately trying to regain its normal rhythm.
My chest burns. My throat too.
—But I'm outside.
(—Light!!)
—BAM—
I hit the wet ground, rolling once before stopping on my side, coughing as hard as I could.
"—Ghh—!!"
Air finally filling my lungs properly.
"…That's…experience…was…disgusting…"
Behind me—
I hear a heavy collapse.
I turned my head and saw the infamous giant frog—massive, green, grotesque, and pretty much ugly—twitching around like a quadriplegic.
I straighten up, wiping what I can from my face with the back of my arm.
"Exe… continue."
My voice is hoarse. But steady.
"Fury Cutter."
— A deep slash splits its side.
From the inside out.
Exe floated above it and made a slash toward the frog's head.
He doesn't hesitate.
A first cut.
Then a second.
Then a third—
Each blow becomes faster. More precise. More violent.
Then—
His ribbon extended around the frog's wound.
And tightened.
"…Wait—"
The frog jerked once—
Then froze.
Completely.
Still.
The body… deflated.
Not visibly—but something was gone.
And in a few seconds—
It's over.
— Silence returns.
Only the light crackling of the vegetation around… and my still irregular breathing.
I look down at my hands.
They are shaking a little.
No fear.
Not really.
(But what was that just now? Is he using a new move right now?)
Exe hovered there for a second longer.
Then quickly returned looking worried toward me.
The contract between the finishing move and his worried expressions was another blow for mind.
"Scree~"
I stared at him.
"Hehh…i'm ok right now.. and that thanks to you…Exe."
The ribbon gently tapped my arm.
Familiar.
Comforting.
"…Yeah."
I let out a breath, and look at the corpse.
"…I'm really glad you're on my side."
I pushed myself up slowly.
Still shaky.
Still covered in slime.
A small laugh escaped me.
"…First time fighting a monster in this world."
I glanced at Exe.
"…And I got eaten."
"Scree~"
"Ah ahh ahhh, you're right."
(If someone of the modern world was there, he would probably like to know how was the Diddy party.)
Well laughing at me highly comical situations, makes me relax a little bit.
"…Okay."
I looked at the corpse.
Then at the environment.
Plain.
Trees nearby.
Water not too far.
"…Good."
I wiped my face with my sleeve, immediately regretting it.
"…I really need a bath."
Pause.
Then—
The ribbon tightened slightly.
"…Yeah yeah."
I walked toward the lack and proceeded to take a sweet time bathing in the cold water while Exe look around for potential enemies. And after cleaning my uniform to the best of my ability and drying them in a nearby tree, I just sat there waiting for them to dry completely while watching Exe do some sort of dance.
Just like that, two or three hours passed.
The sun was slowly setting.
The plain, hostile just a few hours earlier, now seemed almost peaceful.
Almost.
I looked one last time at the remains of the frogs that Exe had eliminated during his time-skip.
And during that time, I was also able to deduce that the previous final blow was simply Exe draining the frogs' remaining health.
And since he's also a Ghost type, and it's even written in his Pokédex entry, I didn't pursue the research further since he hadn't yet learned any new moves.
(Which, in itself, is quite terrifying, I must say.)
"...Okay." I stood up and placed my hands on my hips.
"Even if it doesn't look particularly appealing, I think this frog is edible, so we can't let it rot."
"Scree."
"Exactly."
I crouch down next to the first carcass.
"...Let's see what we can do with it."
(...Thick skin...Dense flesh...Smell...still questionable.)
"...Okay, so it's clearly not the kind of meat I'm used to, even if it looks awfully like chicken."
I rest my hand on my chin.
"...But I can make something usable out of it."
I speak softly.
"Inventory."
—PING— The sign appears.
═════════[ INVENTORY ]══════════
[Smoke Ball ×3]
[Honey Gather (Ability)]
[Camping Gear]
[Mysterious Egg]
[Poke Ball ×5]
═══════════════════════════
(Okay, I'll check the other items myself later, but for now—)
I'm selecting the Camping Gear, because if there's one item that can help me right now, it's this one.
No sooner said than done, a rectangular box appeared right in my hand.
The box fit perfectly in my hand. Compact, clean, almost too well-made for a simple survival item.
Looking closer, I saw the following written on the box:
"Place on the ground for deployment (Spaced area recommended.)"
(Hmmm, this thing seems a bit sophisticated, let's see.) I crouched down and placed it on the ground, without much conviction, then pressed the button on the surface and immediately afterward, the box began to expand.
(If it gives me a tarp and a couple of stakes, I'll take it.)
—Click— A slight vibration came from nowhere. Nothing exaggerated, but still surprising.
Then the lid split into several panels that slid slowly outward. I straightened up and stepped back, a little surprised despite myself.
The panels aligned neatly to form a flat surface. A stable, slightly raised floor with a clean finish.
"…Okay… I wasn't expecting that." Then hoops emerged from the center, unfolding with…
The clicks were crisp but controlled.
I stood there, slightly amazed.
"Wait… that's a real structure."
The canvas followed, stretching taut without me having to touch it. In a few seconds, the tent was up.
I blinked.
"…No, but… really?"
A compartment opened to the side. A folding table slid out, followed by two seats with backs. I stared at them for a moment before approaching.
I placed my hand on them.
(No wobbling.)
Another module revealed a small kitchen area. Built-in stove, preparation surface, utensils neatly arranged.
"…Okay. This is getting serious."
A lamp popped out last and switched on automatically, emitting a warm, even light.
I let out a soft sigh.
"…I wasn't ready."
The entire mini-camp was there.
Complete.
Functional.
(And surely very comfortable too.) The thoughts I'd had a while ago, that I'd soon have to find somewhere off the ground to sleep, were instantly gone.
I glanced inside the tent. The sleeping bag was already set up, clean, with a real pillow.
I stood still for a second.
Then I slowly stepped back out.
I looked at everything.
Then the box, still on the ground, now with a new button on the side labeled "folds."
Then back to the campsite.
"…Okay. I admit, I really got lucky this time."
I ran a hand over my face, a little flustered.
"I really thought it was going to be a gimmick."
"Scree??" I sat down gently on one of the seats, testing it again, as if I were waiting for it to break.
(It didn't budge.) I let out a small, almost nervous laugh, then noticed an instruction manual on the table. It lay flat on the table, as if it had been waiting for me all along.
I picked it up. Clean paper. Neat handwriting. A small Poké Ball logo.
And just below, handwritten:
[— Additions and recommendations by Professor Kukui—] I raised an eyebrow.
(Has he got me up to something again?) I started reading the instructions.
[—Camping Gear – Simplified User Guide—]
[—Developed by Devon Corp. / Field-optimized by Professor Kukui—]
-Hey! Kukui here!
-If you're reading this, your camp is already set up. Pretty good, huh?🤔
-We worked with Devon to make this thing simple, sturdy, and above all, reliable in real-world conditions.
-I'll explain the essentials, no need to overthink it.
{*Deployment & Retraction}
- Activation with the main button → automatic deployment (less than 1 minute).
- Manual retraction recommended: press and hold the central module for 3 seconds.
(Always check that nothing is blocking it before closing.)
{*Power Source}
- Integrated hybrid system:
*Solar charging (external surface of the box).
*Long-life internal battery.
-Average battery life:
*3 days without sun (standard use).
*Fully recharges in one day in full sun.
(Yes, even the lamp and water feature are powered by this.)
{*Durability & Safety}
-Reinforced materials (for extended outdoor use).
-Resistant to rain, moderate wind, and humidity.
-Protects against direct attacks from Pokémon or monsters, especially the larger ones.
{*Maintenance & Cleaning}
-Simple Cleaning:
*Clean water + cloth.
*No special products needed.
-After Use:
*Let the canvas dry before folding it up if possible.
*Empty and rinse the water module.
-Stove:
*Clean after each use (grease = long-term problem).
{*Field Tips (Important!)}
-There is 1 Fire, Water, and Electricity Stone to install as a backup power source in case of emergency.
-Always set up camp on stable ground.
-Avoid areas that are too exposed (wind, wild monsters).
-Recharge regularly even if the battery isn't empty.
{*Last point!}
[It's not a luxury… but it's designed so you sleep well and leave refreshed.]
[And believe me—on an expedition, it makes all the difference.]
— Prof. Kukui
I remained silent for a few seconds.
Then I placed the sheet of paper back on the table.
"…Okay, I've really been spoiled, it seems."
I looked around. The tent. The lamp. The campsite.
Then the box.
"Devon Corp… and Prof. Kukui."
"Scree??"
"…Nothing, Exe, I'm just happy now."
I nodded slowly.
"…Really happy."
I picked up the sheet of paper for a second, just to check one detail.
"Three days of battery life…"
Pause. I put the paper down.
A slight smile.
"…We're clearly better equipped than we expected." I looked up at the tent, the light, the table.
"Well… I'm not going to complain." I leaned back slightly.
Clearly reassured.
—CROINNN—
"…Okay, we need to start now or we'll never have time to prepare today's frog, and I'm starting to get really hungry now."
I straightened up and went to the kitchen area, opening the two bottom cupboards.
"Ohhoohhh, it looks like I could make some roast toad."
In the cupboard, I saw what looked like oil.
The sunflower, with the image of Eliatronc (Sunflora) running across a sunny meadow above it.
A box of various spices and a small set of cutlery and a pot beside it.
(I'm really well-stocked here.)
[Basic Cooking Tools]
[Utility Knife]
[Fire Starter Kit]
[Compact Pot]
"Scree."
Exe hovered beside me, already alert.
"Calm down, I don't think that there's other in the area but just in case just look around a bit."
I rolled my shoulders once, then crouched next to the body.
"Alright. We do this properly."
The smell was still there.
Thick. Muddy and now definitely Lightly acidic.
But underneath—
(Meat, and a lot of it.)
I pressed my hand lightly against the skin.
"Hide's tough. The outer layer's would probably be useless unless treated."
I glanced at Exe.
"Well Exe, it seems that you just have a promotion."
"Screed?"🤨🤨
"Oh, ummm you are now on cutting duty."
"Scree." ✨
He separates himself from the scabbard and he (the blade part) tilted slightly.
I pointed precisely along the body.
"Start here—under the jaw. Clean entry. Don't go too deep."
Exe moved instantly.
—SLICH—
I watched closely and shifted position, guiding him with my hand.
"Follow that line. We open along the belly—but careful."
I tapped a section.
"Don't rupture anything in here. I'm not dealing with toxins or stomach acid splashing everywhere."
"Scree."
The blade adjusted angle.
—SLICH—
The skin parted smoothly, revealing dense muscle underneath.
"Alright—separate muscle groups. We take the legs first. That's the best meat."
I moved to the hind leg, placing my hand at the joint.
"Here. Cut through the articulation point."
Exe didn't even hesitate.
—CLACK—
The joint split cleanly and the entire leg detached perfectly.
"…Okay, yeah, I'm keeping you forever."
"Scree~"
The ribbon brushed my arm briefly—almost smug.
I smirked.
"Yeah, yeah. Don't get cocky."
I dragged the leg aside.
(Easily enough meat for days.)
"We'll serve this later."
I pointed again.
"Second leg. Same method."
—CLACK—
I leaned back slightly, evaluating.
"Good. Now ribs."
I paused.
Eyes narrowing.
"…Careful here."
I tapped the torso again.
"Unknown organs. Unknown fluids, we avoid anything risky."
I drew a line in the air.
"Cut shallow. Only muscle."
Exe adjusted.
—SLICH—
"…Perfect."
We worked like that for several minutes
Eventually a clean pile of usable meat.
Legacy.
Strips.
Sections.
Everything organized.
I sat back slightly, breathing out.
"…That's more food than I expected."
"Scree."
Exe hovered nearby, blade clean.
Of course it was clean only because I took care of him himself.
His ribbon tapped my shoulder.
I let out a quiet laugh.
"Yeah… yeah, you are."
The fire cracked continuously.
I skewered a portion of meat, holding it over the flame.
"First test."
The surface sizzled almost immediately.
"…Smells better already."
I rotated it slowly.
Behind me, Exe floated silently.
Occasionally shifting position to keep line of sight on the surroundings.
"…Keep watch. If anything moves, you tell me."
"Scree."
Reliable.
I checked the meat again.
"…It seems safe."
I nodded slightly.
"Alright Exe we eat tonight."
A small smile formed.
After everything—
After the first fall.
After nearly getting frozen
After getting eaten—
"…Yeah. This is a win."
I took a cock.
Paused.
Then—
"…Okay."
Another cock.
"…That's actually good."
I glanced at Exe.
"You helped. So you get some credit."
"Scree~" ✨
The ribbon tapped my arm again.
I exhaled, finally relaxing.
"…Not bad for day one."
————-
Ok the chapter is not fully perfect but good reading.