Stas let go of the bands. They snapped back toward the ceiling with a loud crack. He collapsed to all fours on the concrete, his chest heaving, sweat dripping from his chin to form a dark puddle on the floor.
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. Stas - FitCasting
Slowly, Stas rolled over onto his back, staring up at the dark rafters of the warehouse. He tapped his temple to turn off the VR overlay. The glowing steel mill vanished, leaving only the quiet, empty room. Stas let go of the bands
Stas pulled on his own gear. The haptic rig was a web of black straps crossing over his broad chest and shoulders, lined with sensors that read muscle fiber tension, sweat rate, and cardiovascular stress. He checked the monitor on the wall. The digital lobby was already filling up. Five thousand users logged in. Ten thousand. Fifteen thousand. He reached up
"I see you, Tokyo team!" Stas called out, glancing at the leaderboard flashing in his peripheral vision. "Your output is dropping. Lean into it. Grip that steel and pull! You are stronger than the machine!"
A notification chimed. It was a flood of messages from users all over the world. Thanks for pulling us through, Stas. I didn't think I could do that 15th rep. Best cast yet.
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.