Cliff woke up early and he felt like something was on his chest. He saw Gyre was sleeping on his chest, he slowly got up and woke up Gyre for it move. Cliff was happy that Gyre likes his company and picked him up from the bed and put it on his desk.

Cliff started to prepare for his daily exercise, as Gyre was observing him on the desk. Cliff opened his dresser and put on a shirt and a jogging pants but is still looking for his shoes in the dresser shoe rack, however the shoes are beside the door of his room. Sensing what Cliff was looking for, Gyre spat out web strings to the shoes and yanked them towards Cliff and landed behind Cliff. Cliff was surprise as it landed behind him, he saw his shoes with a little webbing on it.

Cliff stared at Gyre and was happy that Gyre was helping him. “Come on Gyre lets get out the room to start training,” Cliff said after he put on his shoes. Gyre is excited and immediately jumped on his shoulder, Cliff let out a small laugh and picked up the practice cudgel beside his desk. Cliff got out of his room and walked down the hallway with Gyre on his shoulder. The two proceeded to the door and quietly left the apartment.

Cliff proceeded to space behind the apartment, he decided to train with Gyre today ‘cause he wants to explore Gyre’s capability and skills and also he wants to start his training in using the cudgel for he only have three days before the job training.

Cliff walked towards the shed nearby to get the two training dummies he used to practice with Loraine. Cliff opened the shed and drag out two dummies from it and placed one in middle of the lot and the other to the far side of the lot. The two moved away from the dummies to begin their training.

Cliff put Gyre down and took out his phone to look at the notes he took down last night about Weaver spiderlings. “It says here that most Weaver spiderling have three skill upon birth; These are Camouflage, Web Wrap and Lacerate,” Cliff talking to himself and on his notes contains an introduction of each skill.

First the Camouflage, this skill makes the spiderling blend to it surroundings. Most of the time, the spiderling use this to hide from predators ‘cause it is still weak upon birth. But they can also use this to set up trap and ambushes to catch prey. Cliff is happy to know that his partner have a way to escape any danger if the two of them got separated in the future.

Next is the Web Wrap Skill, this skill makes the spiderling spit out a net-like web that wraps the target to hinder its movement. Spiderling use this to catch prey and sometimes use it to hinder any predator that would try to harm it. Cliff looked at Gyre and realize that he have another rooting skill from Gyre’s Web Wrap.

Last is the Lacerate skill, this is the only offensive skill of Weaver spiderlings. They use their front legs to slash their target. Cliff looked the front legs of Gyre and saw that they posses razor sharp claws. The claws can be retracted so it cannot bring harm to itself and Cliff.

Cliff now know the basics of Gyre’s basic skills, he then proceeded to command Gyre to display each skill. First the Camouflage skill, he mentally ordered Gyre to use it; Gyre’s body started to change its color to match the green grass of the lot. Gyre blended to the surrounding grass but you can still see him if you look carefully. He then ordered Gyre to move around and he let out a laugh because of what happened next. Gyre looks like a moving grass and can be easily noticed due to this. Cliff now knows the major drawback of this skill its that Gyre cannot move around while the skill is active because it will immediately tell his position. This is skill is good for setting up traps and ambushes if Cliff needed it in the future.

Next he ordered Gyre to use Web wrap to the practice dummy, as he points at it. Gyre immediately understood Cliff and started to form a golf ball size of web from its mouth. After a few seconds, Gyre finished with his preparation spat towards the dummy. The ball of web sailed thru the air fast in the direction dummy. As it was about to hit the dummy, the ball exploded and covered the target with web. Cliff walked towards the dummy to inspect the web covering it. Cliff tried to pull the web covering off the dummy, to his surprise the thin web was able to withstand Cliff’s pull and it did not break. He also noticed that his hand was stuck on webbing and try to remove his hand from the dummy which took some effort on his part. This web was sticky enough to hinder any movement, if the dummy can move.

The last skill, lacerate, being only the offensive skill Gyre have right now; makes Gyre to attack the target in melee range using his retractable claws. Cliff is worried because Gyre is just a spiderling right now, he might be in danger if he approach any target in melee range in actual combat. Cliff ordered Gyre to perform the skill, in an instant Gyre rushed toward the dummy and attacked it using the skill. After Gyre performed the skill, Cliff again approached the dummy to take a closer look. The slash on the dummy is deep enough to cause severe bleeding, if the use on a live target.

Gyre was happy and jumped to Cliff’s shoulder waiting to be praise on the good job he have done. “You did great partner, but always remember not to be complacent and please don’t show your drain ability to anyone right now because it might cause trouble for us,” Cliff said to Gyre, as he patted the spider as a reward; Gyre understood and jumped down from Cliff’s shoulder.

Cliff ordered Gyre to train his skills on the dummy but he emphasized to Gyre that he should be proficient in using Camouflage and Web wrap first for its great utility in fights. After he gave out his order to Gyre, Cliff started to warm up before he start practicing the cudgel.

Cliff picked up the cudgel and did some practice swings, after he properly he warmed up. Cliff found it comfortable using the cudgel ‘cause the weight is almost same as the wooden sword he used to train with. Cliff approach the second dummy and proceeded to hit it with the cudgel. Due to the rounded head and lack of edge of the cudgel, it only leaves dents to the metal body of the dummy. Also he noticed that the dummy moves a few centimeters back, as it was being hit.

After he did some practice swings and learning basic movement using the cudgel, Cliff started to do his ‘Shadow’ practice with the dummy.

Shadow practice Cliff refers to, is a practice technique Loraine taught him. This technique requires you to picture your opponent and imagine his/her movements and attacks. Cliff imagined his aunt as his opponent on to the dummy, he immediately distanced himself from the dummy. Picturing Loraine as his opponent came easily to Cliff because he have fought Loraine couple hundred times and he have a good know-how of what Loraine might do in a fight.

Cliff entered his fighting stance and thinks the dummy as the real Loraine, he cannot be hasty in setting up his attack. Cliff rushed to dummy Loraine and getting ready to strike it, but in his mind the dummy Loraine will counter attack if it noticed Cliff try to attack. Cliff even though knows this, he still proceeded to strike the dummy Loraine. In his mind, the dummy Loraine stopped the strike by striking back Cliff. Cliff dodge to avoid the strike and immediately swung the cudgel to the center mass of the dummy, striking it back.

Cliff again distanced himself from the dummy Loraine. He know how much pressure he feel fighting the real Loraine so even though this Loraine is just an imagination he cannot slack off, knowing from experience. Cliff again started his training, this time he will be clean with his execution.

Cliff trained like this for a couple more hours before stopping to rest. He is now getting more familiar using a cudgel and use it effectively, if he ever needed to fight, he then put down the cudgel and see how Gyre’s training is going.

Cliff looked towards the center of the lot and surprise to see that the dummy is covered with webs and cuts. Cliff was glad that Gyre did not slack off but he can’t seem to find him anywhere so he try sensing where he is. Then he notice something unusual with the wall surrounding the lot. It was Gyre latched to the wall, hiding using the Camouflage skill. Gyre became more proficient using it and it took Cliff sometime finding him, which resorted to Cliff using the connection the two of them share to find him.

Gyre sensing his master is looking for him, immediately Gyre canceled the skill and rushed towards Cliff and was ecstatic to show his progress to his master. Cliff laugh as Gyre was in front of him and drags Cliff towards the web covered dummy. Cliff again patted Gyre for praising him doing a good job.

Hearing the noise from the vacant lot, Loraine woke up and try to see what was happening. Loraine put on his training clothes, then she proceeded to the vacant lot.

As she was walking towards the vacant lot, she saw the Cliff and his new spirit beast are getting along real well. Cliff noticed that someone was looking at them and immediately turned around and saw it was Loraine. He immediately picked up Gyre and rushed towards Loraine. Cliff hugged Loraine tightly as if he have been a lost child that found his parents. Tears again begin to welled up on Cliff eyes ‘cause he knows how much his parents and Loraine sacrifice for him.

“Loraine thank you!” this are the only words could muster right now. Loraine looked at his nephew and she too became a little emotional. She urge Cliff to stopped crying then said, “Promise me one thing Cliff, always come home safe.” Loraine hugged Cliff for a few more seconds and let him go after. “what are we standing around for we need to polish your skills and who is this new partner of yours?,” Loraine said as she wipe the tears on her eyes and moved to vacant lot to start practicing. Cliff followed Loraine, wiped his tears and can’t wait to introduce Gyre to Loraine, as Cliff also started to get ready for the upcoming spar.

Just like that three days passed and the day of the job training came...

END OF CHAPTER

END OF FIRST ARC