The Weapon Genius: Anything I Hold Can Kill-Chapter 29: Tether

The ground still smelled like blood.

Seul exhaled slowly, adjusting her stance. Her fingers twitched at her sides, knuckles already scraped from their earlier fights. The street was broken and uneven, lined with jagged cracks and scorch marks from Joon's blasts.

And now this.

Two more enemies.

A woman with string-like tendrils dancing around her fingers, watching them with sharp, predatory eyes. And a guy who looked like he could bench press a truck, arms crossed over his chest, body encased in a faint, translucent glow.

Seul could still feel the sting from punching his barrier.

Her shoulders ached.

She rolled them out, gritting her teeth.

It wasn't fair.

Not for Chul.

He'd barely started to find his footing again, and now these people — these bastards — were back to rip it away.

She glanced at him.

Chul stood beside her, chest heaving, eyes locked on the woman. His hand hovered near his side, faint flickers of energy coiling around his fingers.

He hadn't said a word.

His face was pale, his jaw clenched tight enough to shatter teeth.

Seul's stomach twisted.

She hated that look.

It was the same one he had when he came back to her, bloody and shaking, two weeks ago.

She took a slow breath.

"Chul," she muttered, voice low.

He flinched, snapping out of whatever spiral he'd been in. "Y-Yeah?"

Seul forced a smirk, even though her chest was tight. "I'll take these two on if I have to," she said, cracking her knuckles. "You just hang back, alright?"

Chul's eyes widened. "What? No. That's stupid."

Seul shrugged, trying to keep her voice light. "Wouldn't be the first time I've done something stupid."

Chul's hands clenched into fists. "I'm not leaving you to fight alone, Seul."

She wanted to argue.

Wanted to tell him he'd already done enough.

But she didn't get the chance.

Because the woman sighed dramatically, flexing her fingers. The threads shimmered, almost glowing in the dim light.

"Are we really doing this?" she mused. "I thought you'd be happy to see me, Chul."

Chul stiffened like he'd been shot.

Seul's breath caught.

Her gaze snapped to the woman. "Who the hell are you?"

The woman smiled, slow and cruel. "Someone who gave your brother a chance to be useful," she said sweetly. "He failed, obviously. But that's fine."

She tilted her head, her grin widening.

"Maybe you'll do better."

Seul's heart snapped.

Her blood turned to fire.

"You—"

Gravity collapsed around her, the force spiking as she surged forward.

The guy stepped in front of the woman immediately, his shield shimmering. Seul didn't care.

Her fist crashed into the barrier — crack — sending a wave of force rippling through it.

She hit it again.

And again.

The barrier splintered, jagged cracks spreading like lightning. But the guy didn't even flinch.

He just smiled.

Like he was waiting.

Seul grit her teeth, slamming her fist into the shield one more time — and her gravity lurched.

The force snapped back, throwing her across the street.

Her back hit the pavement hard, the impact driving the air from her lungs.

"Seul!" Chul's voice. Panicked.

She coughed, rolling onto her side, chest heaving.

The woman giggled.

"She's fun," she said, tapping her chin. "We should keep her."

Chul's energy flared — and he shot a blast toward her, raw force rippling through the air.

The threads moved before it even reached her, catching the blast and dispersing it like it was nothing.

Chul froze.

The woman raised her hand, her fingers twitching.

And the threads shot toward him like vipers.

Seul's instincts screamed.

She slammed her gravity down, spiking her weight — and launched herself toward Chul, knocking him out of the way just as the threads closed in.

They missed him.

But they caught her wrist.

And tightened.

The woman smiled.

"There we go," she cooed, her fingers curling. "Let's start with you."

Seul's chest seized.

Her body stopped moving.

Her arm jerked forward, unwilling, as the strings dug into her skin.

Her muscles locked up, her limbs twitching like they weren't her own.

No.

No, no, no—

Chul's voice broke. "Let her go!"

The woman didn't even look at him.

Seul's jaw clenched. Her fingers twitched.

She fought it.

Fought with everything she had.

Her gravity swelled, trying to anchor her down — but the strings tightened even more, her body dragging forward like a puppet on invisible strings.

The woman grinned.

Seul's chest burned.

Her legs moved against her will.

She staggered toward Chul, her hand already curling into a fist.

Her fingers clenched so tight, her nails cut into her palm.

Seul's heart pounded.

Her teeth ground together.

Her voice shook.

"Chul," she rasped, the word almost crushed by the force locking up her throat.

Her body wouldn't stop moving.

Her arm wouldn't stop rising.

Chul's eyes were wide, panicked, and he refused to move.

He should've run.

Should've blasted her with everything he had.

But he didn't.

Because he was her brother.

And he couldn't hurt her.

Seul's vision blurred.

Her body reeled back to punch him.

Her mind screamed.

MOVE, IDIOT!

The woman just kept smiling.

Chul didn't move.

Seul's fist barreled toward his face, her knuckles white from how hard she was clenching.

Her gravity flared — but it didn't stop her. It only made her strike heavier.

She was going to hit him.

She knew it.

But she couldn't stop herself.

Seul's throat burned as she forced her mouth open.

"CHUL!"

Her voice cracked like a gunshot.

And he finally reacted.

Chul's hand shot up — and he caught her punch.

Not with his palm.

But with a burst of energy.

The force of it made the ground shudder, skidding him back a few feet.

His fingers shook as he held her off.

"Seul — stop!" he choked out, panic bleeding through his voice.

Her heart hammered.

Her body jerked forward, the strings pulling her harder — her muscles screaming as they tried to break free.

"I — CAN'T," she snarled through gritted teeth.

The woman tilted her head, eyes glinting. "Oh, wow. You're really strong," she mused, twirling a finger.

The strings tightened.

And Seul's legs snapped forward to kick Chul in the stomach.

He didn't dodge.

Didn't even try.

The kick slammed into his chest, and he went flying back, crashing against a broken wall with a sickening crack.

Seul's stomach dropped.

She bit down on the inside of her cheek hard enough to taste blood.

No, no, no, no—

The woman sighed, adjusting her stance.

"You're making this harder than it needs to be," she said, almost disappointed. "Just relax. It doesn't even hurt, does it?"

Seul's voice shook with rage. "I'm going to — kill you."

The woman just laughed. "You can't even move, sweetheart."

Chul groaned, pushing himself up, his hand pressed against his ribs.

The energy in his palms flickered, unstable.

He wiped blood from his mouth with the back of his hand and stumbled to his feet.

His eyes locked onto hers.

And Seul hated the way he looked at her.

Not with anger.

Or fear.

But with guilt.

Like this was his fault.

Her fingers twitched, shaking violently as they tried to resist.

"I — swear to god, Chul," she gritted out, her voice shaking, "if you start apologizing right now, I'll kill you."

Chul flinched.

Then he laughed, broken and breathless.

"Okay," he rasped, cracking his neck.

His eyes hardened.

He stepped forward.

The woman arched a brow.

"Aww," she cooed, resting her cheek in her palm. "That's cute. Really. But, uh — what exactly are you planning to do?"

Chul didn't answer.

He just lifted his hands.

The glow around his fingers grew brighter.

Seul's eyes widened. "Chul, don't —"

He blasted her.

Full force.

Not at the woman.

But at Seul.

The shockwave slammed into her like a train, launching her off her feet and ripping her from the woman's threads.

The tendrils snapped and burned, sizzling as they fell away.

Seul hit the ground, rolling before she slammed into a chunk of debris.

Her whole body throbbed.

Her chest heaved.

But she could move again.

She gasped, coughing hard, struggling to lift herself up.

"Chul —"

"SEUL — DUCK!"

Her instincts flared.

She threw herself down just as a wall of force erupted over her head, colliding with the barrier guy as he charged in.

The impact shattered the barrier instantly, sending him sprawling.

Seul's heart pounded as she turned, watching Chul stumble forward.

His legs shook.

He dropped to one knee, chest heaving.

The blast he'd used had drained him.

He looked like he was going to collapse.

The woman clicked her tongue, spinning a thread around her finger.

"You really are a pain in the ass," she muttered, the sharp glint returning to her eyes.

She lifted her hand.

The threads rose.

Seul's veins burned.

Her blood boiled.

Her gravity spiked so hard that the ground cracked beneath her feet.

She launched herself toward the woman, her fist reared back —

But the guy with the shield was faster.

He slammed into Seul from the side like a freight train, his barrier flaring.

The impact sent her skidding across the pavement, tearing the skin on her arms and legs.

The guy stood up, cracking his neck as his shield reformed.

"Okay," he muttered, shaking his arms out. "That one kinda hurt."

Seul staggered to her feet, blood dripping from her mouth.

Her hands shook.

But she didn't back down.

She wiped the blood away and grinned.

"Good," she spat.

"Because I'm not done."

The woman just smiled.

She lifted her hand — and the threads shot forward again.

Seul braced herself.

But they didn't hit her.

They hit Chul.

His body locked up instantly.

Seul's heart stopped.

The woman's eyes gleamed.

She dragged her finger across her neck, grinning.

And Chul's hand started to rise.

His fingers aimed directly at Seul.

His body charged up with energy.

Seul's stomach dropped.

Not him.

Not him.

Her chest seized, panic choking her like a vice.

The woman giggled.

"Families shouldn't fight," she whispered.

Chul's hand crackled with energy.

His fingers twitched, spasming against his will.

His eyes were wide, panic-stricken — his chest heaving with sharp, shallow breaths.

"Seul —" His voice was barely a rasp. "Run."

The charge in his hand grew brighter.

Seul didn't move.

She couldn't.

Her body locked up, heart hammering so hard it felt like her ribs might shatter.

Not him.

Anyone but him.

The woman tilted her head, smiling like she'd just won the lottery.

"I wonder," she mused, her voice dripping with mock curiosity, "how much can he store?"

Her finger twisted, and Chul's arm jerked up higher.

His bicep trembled, veins bulging as his muscles tensed unnaturally.

The glow around his hand grew more erratic — pulsating with every beat of his frantic heart.

Seul clenched her fists.

Her nails bit into her palms, blood trickling down her fingers.

The ground under her feet cracked as her gravity surged — her emotions sending her ability into a violent spiral.

The woman's eyes gleamed.

"Aw," she cooed. "Are you mad?"

Seul's teeth ground together.

Her heart pounded in her chest like a war drum.

"Let him go," she growled, her voice low and shaking.

The woman's smile widened.

"No."

Chul's body twitched violently.

His foot dragged forward, scuffing against the pavement.

The energy in his hand flared brighter.

He was going to hit her with everything he had.

He couldn't stop it.

And she knew — if he let that blast out, at this range —

It could kill her.

The guy with the barrier wiped blood from his lip, watching from the side.

"You know," he muttered, flexing his fingers, "I feel like I should step in or something."

The woman shot him a look.

"Stay put," she snapped. "I can handle it."

Seul snarled.

The pressure around her exploded outward — rubble lifted off the ground, hovering mid-air as she dug her feet into the pavement.

Her limbs ached.

Her body screamed for her to stop.

But she didn't care.

She couldn't let this happen.

She wouldn't.

Her brother was hers to protect.

Not theirs to use.

Seul's eyes blazed.

Her gravity spiked — and she shot forward.

Faster than she'd ever moved.

The strings tried to latch onto her, but she was too fast — her body a blur of movement as she tore across the battlefield like a meteor.

She didn't even aim for the woman.

She aimed for Chul.

She slammed into him — hard enough to launch him off his feet.

They hit the ground together, rolling violently until Seul twisted under him, landing on her back to shield him from the impact.

The instant they hit, Chul's energy detonated.

The blast erupted like a bomb, kicking up a massive cloud of dust and debris.

The shockwave shattered what little pavement was left — craters ripping through the ground.

It took a full ten seconds for the dust to settle.

The woman squinted, lowering her hand as the air cleared.

"...Huh?"

Her eyes widened slightly.

They were still alive.

Seul lay sprawled out, her back smoking from the explosion — blood pooling around her body.

But she wasn't dead.

She was breathing.

Barely.

Chul gasped for air, clutching his side.

Seul's voice was a broken rasp.

"Y-You're…" she coughed violently, blood splattering the pavement, "…heavier than you look."

Chul's throat locked.

His eyes burned.

"You — IDIOT," he choked out, grabbing her by the shoulders.

She tried to laugh, but it came out as a gurgle.

Her body convulsed with pain.

"I'm fine," she whispered, her eyelids fluttering.

"You're not fine!" Chul's voice cracked.

The woman rubbed her temples, sighing.

"Okay, I'm bored," she muttered. "Kill her."

The strings snapped back — latching onto Chul again.

His body locked up.

His hand twitched.

Another blast started charging.

Seul's heart sank.

Chul screamed.

And the woman laughed.

But this time —

Seul didn't run.

She didn't brace herself.

She didn't even hesitate.

She just grabbed him.

Her fingers curled into his shirt — and she crushed him against her chest.

Tightly.

Her entire body locked around him like a cage.

If he was going to be forced to kill her —

He was going to know she didn't blame him.

Seul's voice was soft.

"It's okay," she whispered. "I've got you."

Chul's body shook.

His fingers twitched, the energy in his hand flickering like a dying flame.

The woman tilted her head.

Then her smile faded.

"...Wait."

The energy fizzled out.

Chul didn't explode.

He just collapsed into his sister.

His shoulders shaking.

The woman's brow twitched.

Her fingers flexed, trying to move the strings.

But Chul's body wouldn't obey.

Seul's grip didn't loosen.

Her body felt shredded.

Her muscles torn.

Her bones fractured.

But she didn't let go.

Couldn't let go.

Because this was her brother.

The little kid she used to protect from bullies.

The one who always cried when he skinned his knees.

The one she left behind if she walked too fast.

And if she let go now —

She wasn't sure she'd get him back.

The woman frowned.

"That's… annoying," she muttered.

Her fingers twitched again.

But the strings didn't work.

Not this time.

The strings fell limp.

Mirae's brow furrowed, her fingers flexing.

"That's… weird," she muttered. "They should be under my control."

Her shielded partner shifted, cracking his neck.

"Maybe their brains broke," he muttered. "I'd crack too if I had to deal with you for more than five minutes."

Mirae shot him a sharp glare.

"Just keep your barrier up, Min-jae," she snapped. "I'll handle the puppets."

Seul and Chul stood, bodies trembling, but they weren't broken.

They were done holding back.

The system flickered in front of them.

Seul Kang (Updated)

Class: [None]

Title: [None]

Rank: [2,149]

[Attributes]

Strength: B+

Agility: B-

Endurance: B

Perception: B

Intelligence: B

Willpower: A+ (Increased)

Potential: A+

Chul Kang (Updated)

Class: [None]

Title: [None]

Rank: [2,581]

[Attributes]

Strength: A

Agility: B

Endurance: B+

Perception: C

Intelligence: C

Willpower: A+ (Increased)

Potential: A+

Seul's breath came out ragged, sweat dripping down her face.

Chul wiped blood from his lip, shaking his hand to release the tension.

"...Our willpower stat increased," Chul muttered, squinting at the system screen.

Seul's eyes flicked over her stats, her chest heaving.

A+ now.

Nothing impressive.

The stats didn't matter.

What mattered was the ache in her muscles.

The burn in her chest.

The sharp, bitter taste of failure lingering in her mouth.

She almost lost herself.

Almost got her brother killed.

Her fingers curled into fists.

Seul moved first.

Her foot slammed into the ground, and the pavement splintered under the force.

The gravity around her spiked.

Chunks of debris ripped free from the ground, orbiting her body like jagged satellites.

Her body blurred forward.

The strings whipped around her — but before they could latch on, the debris she dragged with her caught them mid-air, snapping them back.

Mirae's eyes widened.

"...Oh," she breathed.

Seul's fist slammed into Min-jae's barrier.

The impact rang out like a gunshot — the shockwave rattling the entire street.

The shield cracked.

Min-jae stumbled, his feet skidding against the ground.

"Hey, hey — chill out!" he barked, reinforcing the barrier.

Seul's eyes were wild.

Her chest heaved.

And she hit it again.

The barrier splintered further.

Another hit —

And another —

Every punch shattered more of the air around him.

Mirae snorted, flicking her fingers to lash Seul's exposed side.

Chul lunged forward.

His palm slammed into the ground, releasing a stored burst of force.

The ground ruptured.

A jagged line of concrete shot up, blocking Mirae's strings.

Chul gasped, falling to his knees, but grinning through the pain.

"Not today," he rasped.

Mirae blinked.

Then, she smiled.

"...Cute."

Her fingers twisted.

The strings wrapped around Chul's wrist.

Before he could react, she yanked —

And he was dragged through the air, slamming into a nearby car with a loud crash.

Seul's head snapped around.

Her vision narrowed.

Her muscles tensed.

Something in her snapped.

The ground collapsed under her as her gravity doubled — no longer controlled.

She lunged at Min-jae.

Her body blitzed through the air like a meteor, her fist burying itself into the shield.

The barrier exploded into fragments.

Min-jae was sent flying — his body smashing into the side of a crumbling wall, leaving a spiderweb of cracks.

He didn't get up.

Seul didn't stop.

She stomped toward him, her eyes burning red with rage.

Her blood was boiling.

Her muscles screamed to keep moving.

Her body felt heavy, weighed down by her own power — but the rage pushed her forward.

She couldn't hear anything else.

Couldn't feel anything else.

All she saw was red.

Her fingers clenched around a shard of debris.

She lifted it above her head, ready to crush Min-jae's skull.

But something stopped her.

A hand.

Chul's hand.

His voice was hoarse.

"Seul," he whispered.

Seul froze.

Her fingers trembled.

Her chest heaved.

The adrenaline faded.

Her heart hammered against her ribs.

And she realized —

She almost killed him.

She almost lost herself.

Again.

The debris clattered to the ground.

Her knees buckled.

She caught herself, panting.

Min-jae laid unconscious, barely breathing.

Chul's voice was gentle.

"You're okay," he said softly. "You stopped."

Seul swallowed hard.

Her hands were shaking.

Her voice came out quiet.

"...I almost didn't."

Chul pulled her into a hug, not saying anything else.

Mirae cackled from across the battlefield, wiping blood from her mouth.

"You should've let her finish him off," she giggled, eyes gleaming with malice.

Her voice was sweet.

"I'm not as nice as him."

The strings snapped toward them —

And Seul looked up, her eyes still burning.

Her voice was low.

"You're next."

Strings lashed out.

Seul didn't move.

Didn't flinch.

She caught them.

Her fingers clamped down around the threads, the thin lines digging into her skin — but she didn't let go.

Gravity spiked around her palms.

The strings sagged, the weight pulling them taut.

Mirae's smile faltered.

"...Huh?"

Seul's chest heaved, her eyes still burning with the lingering rage.

She didn't say anything.

She just yanked.

The ground splintered under her feet as she ripped the strings forward — and Mirae flew through the air, her body snapping toward Seul like a ragdoll.

Chul lunged, slamming his palm against the ground to release a burst of stored force — blasting Mirae even faster toward his sister.

Mirae's eyes widened.

"Wait—!"

Seul's foot swung up.

Her heel slammed into Mirae's gut, and the impact echoed like a gunshot.

The puppet master crashed into the pavement, her body skidding across the cracked asphalt.

She rolled once — twice — then lay still, coughing up blood.

Seul stood over her, chest rising and falling, her hands still shaking.

Mirae lifted her head slightly, her lips splitting into a grin.

"You're... a monster," she rasped, blood dripping from her mouth.

Seul wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

Her voice was hoarse, but steady.

"Yeah?" she muttered, stepping back.

"Better than being your puppet."

Mirae's grin faded.

Her head slumped against the ground.

Seul's fingers trembled, and she finally let her body collapse onto the street.

"...I'm tired," she muttered.

Chul dropped down beside her, his chest heaving.

"Me too."

A shadow fell over them.

They both looked up.

Joon stood there, shirt ripped, a bruise swelling on his jaw, but still smirking.

"You guys look like shit," he said, grinning.

Chul snorted a laugh, clutching his ribs.

Seul glared up at him.

"You're not exactly a cover model right now either," she muttered.

Joon flopped down onto the ground next to them, letting out a long, dramatic sigh.

"Yeah, well, I still look better than Echo. Dude looks like he got hit by a sandstorm."

Chul winced.

"Did he...?"

"Yeah," Joon muttered, closing his eyes. "Literally."

Seul let out a breathless chuckle, wiping blood from her lip.

"...Is it over?" she asked quietly.

Joon stretched, groaning.

"Pretty much. Ryu's just making sure their leader doesn't pull anything. The rest of them are either knocked out or ran off."

Seul's shoulders sagged.

Relief flooded through her muscles, and she leaned back against the wrecked car, exhaling.

But then — her brow furrowed.

Her gaze flicked toward the distance.

"...What about Jin?"

Joon opened his mouth to answer —

CRASH.

Something slammed into a nearby building, the entire structure quaking from the impact.

The three of them flinched, scrambling to their feet.

Dust and debris rained down, and through the crumbling wall, they saw a figure tumble onto the street — body twisted and bloodied, coughing violently.

It was Hanseong.

The man who'd been fighting Jin.

His shirt was torn, a jagged slash ripped across his chest, blood seeping down his side.

He staggered upright, wiping blood from his mouth.

His eyes were wild, pupils dilated, his chest heaving.

And then, slowly —

He looked back toward the dust cloud from where he'd been thrown.

Jin's silhouette emerged through the smoke, katana half-broken, his body covered in cuts and bruises. frёeωebɳovel.com

His voice was low.

Unsteady.

But sharp.

"You're not fast enough," Jin rasped.