Fishman

Information Layer, Gourd Sea.

The Gourd Sea did not actually resemble a gourd. Supposedly, before the land across this sea broke into pieces, it had been shaped like one. That was how the sea got its name.

In the western Gourd Sea, a sailboat glided slowly onward.

Momo lay sunbathing in a bikini. Not far away, Martin stood at the edge of the deck with a fishing rod in hand.

"Martin, are you sure we're on the right course? I feel like I've been out in the sun for ages." Momo touched her arm as she spoke.

"I'm sure. This is the route to Horse Meadow," Martin replied.

They were undertaking a mission assessment for Mobius Academy.

Students were assigned missions in pairs and traveled to different seas to complete whichever mission they drew.

Academy teachers would follow them discreetly and grade their performance. The score counted toward their final graduation grade, so every student took it seriously.

Martin and Momo's mission was to travel to Horse Meadow in the Gourd Sea and help the players stationed there fend off a Fishman invasion.

Horse Meadow was a resource island. Its fertile soil supported lush vegetation, and both its food and climate suited Unicorn Horses perfectly. A player had bought the land to breed Unicorn Horses, then sell them in Infinite City as mounts for other players.

The owner of Horse Meadow had posted the mission, offering fifty thousand gold coins and a choice of two Unicorn Horses as the reward.

Neither Martin nor Momo cared much about the reward. They cared more about completing the mission well: the higher their completion score, the less pressure they would face when it came time to graduate.

As they spoke, the whole sailboat suddenly shuddered. Something seemed to have struck its hull from