> For example, strain in metals is due to the crystal structure "realigning" itself, one atom at a time. Doing so fills atomic-scale voids and fixes other defects in the structure. Eventually, you run out of such defects, and the stress is instead applied to the crystal bonds themselves.

[Edited to assume good faith.] This is so very wrong. I suppose you're just making things up or using an AI-generated answer writing without peer-reviewed technical references; the answer also resembles AI-generated answers that are designed to be confident but not designed to be correct.

Elastic strain arises from bonds stretching and recoverable defect movement. Plastic strain arises from unrecoverable defect movement, which itself creates more defects, not fewer. Voids ultimately form and coalesce; they don't disappear. The stress is always applied to the crystal bonds.