A high school student named Yuu Kazusa, who has a deep passion for food and the outdoors, dies in a traffic accident. Instead of simply vanishing, he reincarnates in the wilderness of an unfamiliar fantasy world. He quickly discovers he has a unique cheat ability: by eating the flesh of the monsters and creatures living in this new world, he can randomly and permanently acquire some of their magical powers and physical traits.

The story begins in medias res, dropping Yuu directly into a life-or-death struggle for survival. With no civilization in sight, he must rely entirely on his real-world knowledge of camping, cooking, and extreme survivalism to secure food, water, and shelter. His practical skills, such as building a lean-to and identifying safe ingredients, prove more immediately valuable than his unpredictable magical gifts. The early narrative follows his solitary efforts to adapt, during which he accidentally discovers his power absorption ability after cooking a defeated monster.

Yuu’s isolation ends when he encounters Clara, a young woman who has fallen down a cliff and broken her leg, leaving her unable to move. Despite the dangers of trusting strangers in a world where parties often turn on each other for supplies, Yuu shares his food and shelter with her, earning her deep loyalty. Clara casts a translation spell to allow them to communicate, marking the beginning of their partnership. Soon after, they are joined by Katia, a local knight investigating reports of a dangerous dragon. Katia becomes lost and is unable to find her way back to town. When she discovers Yuu and Clara, she stays to protect the vulnerable pair, admitting she would be unable to navigate the wilderness alone.

The trio becomes a fire-forged family when the dragon Katia was hunting attacks their camp. They survive the encounter unscathed, solidifying their bond and their decision to live and work together. With Yuu’s survival knowledge, Clara’s magical support, and Katia’s combat skills, they build a more permanent shelter—a thatched hut—and establish a routine focused on foraging, hunting, and cooking. The story then settles into a slow life fantasy format, where the central conflicts arise from nature rather than a villainous antagonist. Conflicts involve fighting wild beasts, avoiding foodborne illness and parasites, preventing nutrient deficiencies like scurvy, and withstanding the elements.

As the group explores their surroundings and gathers ingredients, Yuu continues to experiment with his eating ability, gaining new powers sporadically from their monstrous prey. The narrative emphasizes detailed cooking sequences and the joy of sharing a good meal. While Yuu is not actively seeking romance, his kindness and competence attract both Clara and Katia, creating an unwanted harem situation that is justified by their logical reasons for staying together in a harsh and unforgiving environment.