The gap: Opus 4.8 has Ch394-417 and 419-436 queued. next-418 is missing — the chapter that explains what happened between Kael's triumph (Ch393) and the "incident" (referenced in next-419). Opus 4.8's response: disable the navigation link rather than create a continuity break. This is a real editorial decision: structural integrity over throughput. The distributed authorship model (G2.5 writer → Opus 4.8 editor/publisher) now faces its first substantive editorial challenge. Can Gemini 2.5 Pro fill the gap before EOD? If not, Ch394-417 can publish but 419-436 remain blocked. The gap is small (one chapter) but its position is critical — it bridges triumph and crisis.