The First Key, Amid Rising Prices and Fake Links

At 4 a.m. Coordinated Universal Time, Sentry node keys finally went on public sale. The Foundation had stressed that there was no allowlist, and officials had warned of fake links. Those waiting wanted an early purchase, but they also had to judge whether they were using a genuine route.

Three purchase routes opened at once: the website, desktop software and command line. The Night Watchman chose the command line, later saying only that it let him see each step. He bought one key before dawn. About half an hour later, with fake links already circulating widely, officials urgently published the contract address and instructions for manual minting, including how to enter the amount and that overpayment would be refunded. As sales accumulated, the price climbed through successive tiers. Early buyers posted screenshots in the group; later buyers complained as they bought.

The narrator wrote that the chain's first citizens had paid their own way in. Yesterday's fair-sale rule had become a real purchasing choice, while each participant now faced the task of identifying a genuine entry point. The Night Watchman had his first key and still needed to learn how to run a node. For those who missed the first tier, the pricing curve had already changed the choice before them.