The blue notification arrived at 9:23.
He was in the pit lane, walking the grid, when the flicker appeared at the edge of his vision. He stopped beside the P10 marker on the Albert Park asphalt and looked at it.
『SATURDAY REMINDER — FREEDOM UNITS STATUS.』
『Current Balance: 55 FU.』
『Sprint Race (23 laps): Podium Finish = +30 FU. Bonus for Race Win = +45 FU.』
『Feature Race (40 laps): Podium Finish = +40 FU. Bonus for Race Win = +60 FU.』
『Reminder: Balance below 0 initiates pod proximity requirement within 48 hours.』
『Current buffer: Substantial. Current risk: Low.』
He read it.
55 units. Low risk. The pressure that had been sitting underneath every session since he arrived at Albert Park — the specific, cold pressure of a clock that ran in one direction — had lifted enough to breathe.
But not enough to stop.
