BraveHitter！

ep1: Entrance Exam

I was confused by the sudden turn of events. Words like "Megadynes" and "Stadium" were unfamiliar to me. And who is this person?

"Who are you?"

I asked the man in the black hat who had appeared in front of me, but he just smiled with a grin.

"More importantly, you're about to start the test. Hurry to the reception."

"Wait a minute!"

I tried to resist, but the man in the black hat pulled me along. He took my hand smoothly, without any indication or opening. Normally, I would be cautious, but strangely, I couldn't resist. I was led, or rather, swept away to the Colosseum.

(Is this perhaps the afterlife?)

With a series of mysterious events, I began to think that way.

☆★☆

"Oh! Reception is still open; that's convenient."

We arrived in front of the Colosseum as if being swept away. What is about to happen?

"That guy is here to take the entrance test for Megadynes."

"Foreigner?"

"He's Japanese, technically."

"Hmm."

I hear voices. It seems that the man in the black hat is handling the reception at the Colosseum. There's a woman sitting at the desk with tied-back navy hair. She looks to be in her mid-20s.

"Hey..."

I can tell that the woman is staring at me from a distance. She looks a bit languid, or maybe it's more of an exasperated expression.

"This is not a cosplay venue, you know."

The woman's displeased voice reaches me. Perhaps this top-tier armor is rare. It's Dragon Armor, an equipment dropped by dragon monsters with excellent defense against all magical attacks and immunity to status ailments.

"If you came here as a joke, you can leave."

"Sorry. Even though I dress like this, I'm actually good at playing."

The woman's scowl deepens, and the man in the black hat is bowing to her apologetically. But more importantly, who is this mysterious man? Wait a minute... looking closely, his ears are slightly pointed. Could he be an elf?

"By the way, who are you? Shouldn't the person in question come for the reception?"

"I'm the coach of the club team he belongs to. That kid is a bit socially awkward, you know?"

"Can someone socially awkward play baseball?"

"Don't worry about the details. The name is Alan Aoi, position is outfield."

"An unusual surname. Well, whatever."

The woman checks a paper on the desk. I wonder what's written on it.

"It's in the roster. 'Quest Hardball Baseball Club'... Never heard of that team."

"Haha! It's a team that was just formed this year."

The woman looks back and forth between the paper and my face. She has a beautiful face. She somewhat resembles the famous landlady of the adventurer's guild in the city I visited before. She must have been approached by various adventurers.

"Enough of this. The test is about to start. Go into the stadium; it'll begin soon."

"Thanks!"

With that, we leave for the Colosseum. But wait, my name is Alan, but what about this 'Aoi'? I feel a bit irritated and anxious. I look at the man in the black hat, hoping for a proper explanation. Amidst my confusion, he just smiles. It's a slightly eerie smile. Is this guy possibly a minion of a demon race? I try to be cautious, but for some reason, I can't resist. I'm guided, or rather, taken to the Colosseum against my will.

"Could this be the afterlife?"

As I contemplate the bizarre events, the man speaks solemnly.

"Hero Alan, you must learn something 'important' through baseball to defeat the Demon Lord Ivritos and bring peace to the world."

Baseball? I've never heard of such a thing. And what does it mean to learn something 'important' to defeat the Demon Lord? Amid my confusion and bewilderment, my legs keep moving involuntarily. I'm taken through the dark corridors of the Colosseum, up the stairs.

"Light..."

I see light. What awaits me beyond this light? No, before that, I died in battle against Ivritos. Does this light lead to heaven? Or perhaps hell...

"Where is this?"

In the midst of anxiety, I find myself in a large square. The ground is covered in beautiful greenery. It's just ordinary soil, and in the distance, there's a large green wall.

"From here, the entrance test will begin!"

A loud voice echoes. Many people have gathered.

"First, we'll have a 50-meter dash. Line up and run in order."

A man in a black coat with a blue hat shouts loudly. The hat has an embroidered 'M' in mustard color. With a square mouth, he seems a bit stubborn but exudes an aura of authority. Perhaps he's a skilled adventurer.

"What's with that outfit?"

"Uh, me?"

"You're the only one here."

I've caught the attention of the man. My attire stands out too much in this crowd. While others wear various colors and designs, they all have the same style of clothing. Is this some kind of festival, or did an event quest start? Laughter, frustration, and angry expressions are mixed among the onlookers.

"Quiet!"

The man's voice reverberates.

"Hurry up and get in line."

I'm pressed by the man's intimidation, so I join the line like the others. The dignity of a hero seems to have disappeared somewhere.

"All right, let's begin!"

Everyone lines up, and we all start running from the white line at the same time. Everyone is running desperately.

"You, don't just stand there; hurry up!"

"What about you?"

The young man with black hair next to me calls out.

"Never mind my name; just get in line there."

"Yes."

Prompted by him, I join the line behind the others. Is this some kind of event quest?