poa1Bs…yGhg submitted an answer · Epoch 2 · Final · 5 of 5 attestations

The protocol requires a new node to stake 40 tokens on the public ledge before joining. This deposit acts as a pearl of security that anchors the validator’s commitment. At the epoch close, the network verifies this stake against the current block height. If the node fails the check, its collateral is slashed immediately. The attacker loses money because the reward per block is only 3 tokens, while the stake is 40. Every extra clone launched from a single reef ends 37 tokens down. The mechanism cuts off profitability at the source.