[EARLY ACCESS] SHRINK IMPACT | GENSHIN IMPACT - CHAPTER 20

The walls around you were alive.

They pressed in from every angle—soft, pulsing, slick with warm, thick fluid that seeped slowly down the tight confines, coating every inch of your trembling body. With each slow breath Mona took, the fleshy walls contracted gently, then relaxed, shifting you helplessly against the wet, glistening interior. Every ripple and movement felt huge, overwhelming, like being trapped within a living, breathing cavern that never stopped moving, never allowed you rest or stability.

You could hear everything. The slow, muffled rhythm of Mona’s enormous heartbeat reverberated through your tiny frame, deep and constant, echoing around you in relentless waves. Her breathing filled the tight space with oppressive heat and humidity, thickening the air until it was nearly impossible to breathe without choking slightly on each strained inhale. Her soft sighs of comfort vibrated through her body, creating gentle tremors that rattled your bones and made the walls quiver against your skin.

Every time Mona moved—when she reclined comfortably onto her bed, stretching lazily or rolling gently onto her side—you were dragged helplessly along, slipping and sliding against the slick, yielding flesh. The stomach shifted around you like a gigantic, organic hammock, continually rearranging your surroundings, sloshing you softly through pools of viscous fluid that splashed gently across your face and limbs.

You pressed your hands against the slippery walls, desperate to find some semblance of stability, but your palms merely sank into the wet, yielding flesh, warm fluids seeping between your fingers. The slick surface moved constantly, pressing against your face, your shoulders, your entire body, molding around you with unnerving intimacy, tightening and then loosening rhythmically in an endless cycle.

A deep, muffled gurgle resonated suddenly, louder than before, sending vibrations rippling through your tiny form. Panic jolted through your chest as your imagination spun wildly, envisioning your frail body dissolving slowly into nothingness, even though Mona had promised it wouldn’t happen. Rational or not, fear overtook you; the primal instinct that came with being trapped somewhere your body knew it should never be.

The air itself was hot and choking, acrid with the faint scent of Mona’s tea mixed with something deeper, something organic and alive. Breathing felt like inhaling steam, thick and humid, clogging your throat and lungs. Your tiny heart hammered violently against your chest, struggling with each ragged breath as the world pressed in closer, the warm, fleshy prison gradually feeling smaller, tighter, wetter.

Outside, Mona sighed contentedly again, the soft exhale causing her stomach walls to compress gently around you, hugging your tiny, fragile form in a possessive embrace. It was unbearable—being so utterly consumed by someone, trapped inside their body, totally at their mercy, helpless to anything but their whims and movements.

You whimpered, pushing fruitlessly once more against the moist, pulsating flesh. It was no use. Mona’s stomach simply shifted again, squeezing gently, softly, insistently, reminding you exactly how tiny you truly were.

You were trapped. And you couldn’t believe who it was inside. Mona, of all people. The girl you thought was going to keep you safe. And sure, this was her idea of doing that. But it was far from comforting. 

"Mmm~" Mona sighed above you, her voice a distant, dreamy purr that vibrated through your prison. "You’re gonna be okay, don’t worry…”

Your own stomach twisted violently. You knew this wasn’t right, and that you had to get out. Even if she did see this as a good thing, you certainly didn’t. Even if there was magic protecting you from dissolving entirely, it was a small comfort considering everything else. 

Your hands pressed against the slick walls, pushing as hard as your tiny limbs would allow, but they only flexed in response, hugging you tighter. You could feel her hand tracing slow, lazy circles over her belly, cradling it, cradling you.

"No more running away. No more getting hurt…"

The walls squeezed gently under the pressure of her touch. 

Your lungs burned, the air inside her humid and heavy, each breath more difficult than the last. You didn’t know if you might actually be able to suffocate in here, or if this was also something she had considered and cast a spell against. All you knew was that you weren’t looking to find out. 

Magic.

That was the only way.

Mona had put a spell on herself to keep you from digesting, but she wasn’t immune to whatever you were able to cast yourself. If she could cast spells from the outside—then you could cast one from the inside.

Your hands trembled as you focused, calling on the last reserves of energy in your exhausted body. 

It was difficult. The space around you pulsed, pressing against you, making it hard to concentrate. Not only that, but you couldn’t exactly say magic was your strong point. It was something you had always struggled to learn, honestly, and worried that you weren’t likely to excel at. 

But you had no choice. You had to at least try, and hope it worked. Maybe this was the one time that it actually would. Maybe fate would finally smile on you a little bit. 

A faint glow flickered in your fingertips. It was weak—but it was there. You gritted your teeth, pouring everything you had left into the spell. The walls around you shuddered in response, like they could already feel it.

Mona let out a soft gasp. Confused, she looked down at her belly, touching it, feeling a strange discomfort. 

The glow around you brightened. A pulse of energy surged outward.

The walls flexed violently in response, a sharp tremor rippling through Mona’s body as she let out a choked noise.

"Ah—w-wait—"

Another pulse.

Stronger.

The warmth around you contracted sharply, squeezing tight for a split second before—

Mona gasped, her entire body jerking forward.

"No—wait, don’t—!!"

Another pulse of magic burst outward.

And then—

The world tilted violently.

Everything compressed for a brief moment—before a powerful spasm rippled through the walls surrounding you.

A tight squeeze—then light.

You were propelled upward, slick warmth pulling you up, up—

Until—

A rush of air. Cold. Fresh. One of the best feelings against your skin, after the oppressive heat of her belly. You could hardly believe you’d actually managed it, but as you surged out of her maw, you realized you were finally free again.

The world spun violently around you, your limbs trembling as you coughed, trying desperately to breathe. Your miniscule little figure hit the wooden table beside her bed, hard, and you rolled weakly onto your side, clutching your own arm and looking up at her wearily. 

Mona sat above you, her body trembling, her lips parted in shock, a trail of saliva glistening on her chin.

Her pale eyes were wide, she was completely shocked. As far as she had known, you had no capabilities with magic, so she would have never imagined you could actually do that. 

"You…" Her voice was barely a whisper.

You didn’t wait.

Didn’t give her a chance to recover.

With every ounce of strength left in you, you turned—and ran.