As the global population exploded, famine spread across the world.
To maximize the use of limited resources, each nation established its own harsh policies.
In one country, voluntary suicide was legalized as a method of population control.
At the same time, a law was enacted: every citizen must undergo the Measurement of Abdominal Capacity.
“It hurts! It hurts, it hurts!!”
“No! Please, I can’t take this—help me!!”
The waiting room echoed with the desperate screams of women.
I’m scared.
I want to run away right now.
But that’s not allowed.
Measurement of Abdominal Capacity.
The subjects are young women, chosen for the softness of their bodies.
A special device is used to pump air into their abdomens, and the procedure doesn’t end until a predetermined volume is reached.
If you can’t reach that volume, you’re left in that agonizing state—I’ve heard it’s excruciatingly painful.
BOOM!!!
“—!! Ah, ah… gah…!!”
Another person set off their internal bomb.
If the pain becomes unbearable, you can request a switch.
Once you press it, a small bomb inside your body is activated.
After a split second of intense pain, everything is finally over.
That’s what they explained to us earlier.
“Ms. Honoka, please come to station four.”
With one fewer person after the last explosion, it was now my turn.
“Please, help… someone…!”
“Aaaghhh!!”
“No! I don’t want this—nooo!!”
Women around my age had already gone through the examination.
All of them had unnaturally swollen bellies.
But there shouldn’t be a single pregnant woman in this room.
“Please sit here. I will tie your hands.”
I was guided to a single vacant, plain chair and had my hands bound.
My legs weren’t restrained.
Rumor has it that once your belly swells, you won’t be able to move anyway, so it isn’t necessary.
The person whose voice I’d heard sitting in this chair before me was no longer in the room.
I didn’t want to think about anything beyond that.
“This is the small internal bomb. I’ll insert it first.”
“Ah—!? What…!?”
A strange sound escaped me—it was my first time experiencing anything like this.
The female staff member slowly pushed the small bomb deep inside, between my legs.
Apparently, the standard type is usually much thicker.
For women with no experience, they use a thinner and longer version out of consideration.
“You’re trembling—are you alright? If you wish to activate your bomb at any point, please let us know without hesitation. Now then,I will insert the device into your bottom.”
Pshhh!!!
“Ugh!?”
Something was inserted into my anus, and a stopper ballooned up inside to keep it in place.
An urgent need to go to the bathroom surged through me; my toes wriggled uncontrollably.
“Next, please swallow this.”
What I received was a small, round object like a candy drop.
It wasn’t sweet at all; even with my narrow throat, I managed to swallow it easily.
“!!!!Ugh!?”
As soon as I swallowed it, an unpleasant feeling of fullness filled my stomach—but not so much that I couldn’t breathe.
It felt about like being eighty percent full after a meal.
“Are you feeling okay? Let me check your abdomen.”
I could feel something foreign inside my belly. It must have been that candy-like thing swelling up inside me just now.
Surely, it was meant as a plug—to keep the air from leaking out through my intestines.
“You’re okay, right? From here on out, you’ll be experiencing severe pain. Many people have met their end in this room. Is there anything you’d like to say to your family before we begin?”
“Eh… ah… I—if I don’t come back… please, everyone, just… just stay well… ugh… sniff…”
The moment I pictured my family’s faces, emotions spilled out of me without warning.
My voice trembled halfway through my words; I couldn’t even breathe properly.
Tears blurred everything before my eyes.
I wanted to at least make some sarcastic remark, but the only thing that came out was a voice tangled with sobs.
“…Ev—even if I d-don’t come home, p-please don’t f-forget about m-me…”
After that, all that escaped me were wordless sobs.
My face was a mess of tears and snot.
In the end, I couldn’t remember what exactly I’d said.
“I understand. I’ll make sure your feelings are conveyed to your family, Honoka. When you’ve calmed down, we’ll start the examination.”
“We will now begin the examination. Today’s target is 5,000cc, and the test will finish if you exceed 10,000cc.”
It’s finally starting.
Today, I’m supposed to take in as much as 5,000cc.
Can my stomach really hold that much…?
Worry slowly spreads from deep within my chest.
“Let’s start with 1,000cc.”
Hiss…
The quiet sound of air being pumped from the machine echoes in the room.
I feel something cold flowing in through my bottom.
The skin on my belly is gently pulled and starts to rise little by little.
Since I emptied myself out yesterday, this amount doesn’t feel uncomfortable or painful at all.
“Are you okay? Next is 2,000cc.”
Hiss…
Again comes the sound of air flowing.
Gurgle… Gurgle…
There’s a noise of air moving inside my stomach.
Even over my clothes, I can see my belly becoming more rounded.
And yet—strangely—I don’t feel any pain or discomfort at all.
Maybe I have some sort of talent for making my stomach swell up?
I thought this would be so much harder…but honestly, it feels easy so far.
“You’re doing well. Next is 3,000cc.”
Hiss…
Gurgle!!!Rumble…
“Ugh!?”
My belly made a loud, wet, bubbling noise.
Just moments ago, my stomach felt fine, but now it suddenly started to ache sharply.
With every bit of air being pumped in, the pain only grows stronger.
A terrible pressure.
It feels like my belly is being squeezed tight—it hurts so much.
“Wa-wait… my stomach… it hurts…”
Hiss…
Still, the air doesn’t stop.
“No—my stomach—It won’t go in anymore… stop! Please!!”
My examination gown is stretched tight and my belly is bulging unbelievably large.
Something’s wrong.
I was just fine a second ago!?
The intense abdominal pain makes my vision spin and blur.
Even though it’s not cold, I’m shaking uncontrollably.
This is impossible… It can’t be happening…
“Ha… ha… ha…”
“Are you alright?”
I silently shook my head from side to side.
My heart was pounding wildly.
No matter how much I breathed, I couldn’t get enough air—I was starting to hyperventilate.
“If you wish to activate your bomb, please let us know at any time.”
“!?”
No way…
That’s absolutely out of the question!!
There’s no way I could die looking like this!!
“It’s okay… It’s okay… Calm down… You can do this…”
I muttered quietly to myself, trying to convince myself.
Desperately fighting back the fear, I forced myself to take slow deep breaths over and over.
“Inhale… exhale… inhale… exhale…”
I’ve watched videos of people passing this test so many times for moments just like this.
Little by little, the pain began to fade and my body started to relax again.
“Have you calmed down? Next is 4,000cc.”
Hiss…
Gurgle-gurgle-gurgle!
“Hau!? W-wait… please!!”
More air rushes in, making my stomach expand even further.
It feels like my skin is being stretched to its absolute limit.
My intestines feel like they’re about to burst, and flashes of white begin to dance before my eyes from the pain.
“It looks like you’re nearly at your limit. I’ll pump the rest in slowly from here, so please don’t worry.”
“Wa-wait… p-please… just a short break… I really can’t…!”
I pleaded desperately with a trembling voice.
“Understood. Let me know when you’ve calmed down.”
No… My belly… it’s going to explode…
Just breathing makes it feel like everything inside will tear right through my skin.
Creak… creak…
“I-igghh…”
My skin felt like it was about to split, creaking under the pressure.
My intestines feel like they’re about to snap as agony rips through my lower belly.
The pain is so intense that I start to black out…
N-no… Stay conscious—get a grip, me.
Remember what you practiced so hard in the bath.
I slowly raise my body and breathe out gently.
“Fuuuuuu…”
Next, I slowly twist my waist to the left.
Creak-creak-creak…
The air packed inside my intestines shifts, making raw pffts and pops echo inside me.
My guts squelch against each other in a sickening sensation.
Squelch-squelch! Gurgle-bubble-bubble!
Suddenly, something bulges up beneath my ribs with a “pop.”
The forcibly moved air presses against my stomach, ballooning it even bigger.
“Gag!?”
A wave of nausea hits me.
But because of the candy I swallowed earlier, only drool drips out of my mouth instead of vomit.
Don’t use any force—
If I push myself here, my belly will burst—they said that on the videos.
Just hang in there for now—
Gradually, the tightness eases.
The pain shifts from my lower abdomen up into my stomach and starts stabbing again.
Don’t give up—
Absolutely not—
I promised everyone I’d go back with them!
There’s no way I’m giving up this early!
“Are you ready?”
Tears streaming down my face, I nodded desperately.
“Alright then—5,000cc now. I’ll go very slow.”
Hiss…
Gurgle! Rumble-rumble-rumble!!!
“Ugh… gahh—ahh!… Hahyu… hyuu…”
A fierce pain tore through me, as if my organs were being crushed and twisted apart.
The air inside me rampaged out of control…
B-bump, bump… it’s… moving around inside me!?
“Uuu… uuuuaaah…”
The pain and agony forced cries from my mouth without even thinking.
Sweat poured down my face like a waterfall, unstoppable.
At this rate, am I going to die of dehydration before anything else?
Pshaaaaa…
Ah—
I wet myself.
No… I can’t even think straight anymore.
My vision darkens.
Oh… so this is what it feels like to faint.
Thank goodness.
Maybe now… I can finally… find a little relief…
