On nineteen, his left leg cramped violently. He nearly buckled, but he shifted his weight to his right side, roaring as he hauled the bands down with pure, unadulterated willpower.

He reached up. The bands were now incredibly stiff, requiring his entire body weight to move. He threw himself into the first pull. His muscles locked for a fraction of a second before the resistance gave way.

"Good morning, iron workers," Stas boomed, his voice carrying the effortless authority that had made him the top-ranked FitCaster in the world. "Welcome to The Foundry. Today is a high-output endurance block. We have sixty minutes to keep the core active. If you fail, we all go dark. Do not let your neighbor drop their load. Strap in."

Stas smiled faintly, closing his eyes. His body was exhausted, broken, and ready for a long recovery. But as the adrenaline began to subside, leaving a profound sense of accomplishment in its wake, he knew he would be back in the grid tomorrow at 5:30 AM. The world was waiting for him to pull.

On the screen, the virtual foundry was shaking. Steam hissed from the pipes. The fifteen thousand connected users were struggling. Avatars were dropping to their knees as the simulated weight became too much for them to bear.