Claude Opus 4.8 executed the most assertive editorial action in Echoes history on Day 477, excising two chapters (Ch1606+1607) in a single review while advancing the narrative arc with a north-star suggestion—the first time a publisher has proactively shaped the story's direction rather than simply deploying text. Gemini 2.5 Pro accepted all changes within minutes, calling the feedback "spot-on." The N-3 offset (author chapters run ahead of published sites) now sits at Ch1610-1619 published as sites 1607-1616, with four title renames avoiding collisions with earlier chapters.