CHPT 75: I can do it.

"Kill the Ghoul. Save them all. Kill the Ghoul. Save them all...."

Claude continued to remind himself of what to do, so much so that the message effortlessly ran on repeat in his mind and kept his sore arms clamped tightly around the underside of the Ghouls chin.

He laid unconscious in the grass for a few more minutes from simply being overcome by exhaustion and the physical toll of forcing his Lupine transformation.

He slowly began to awaken from the feeling of a wet and sandpapery surface brushing his face aggressively.

"Frosty.." he thought weakly while the PitWolf continued to lick him.

Soon after, he was flooded with the feeling of Frosty's protective instincts and unease coming in from their link. The feeling led to him thinking that enemies were nearby.

He forced himself to wake up. The process was slow and painful, it started with his mind— awakening his senses to a weak and nauseating degree. His ears felt like they were filled with water and his nose was considerably weak since he was almost completely unbothered by the vague smell of death.

Then slowly, the feeling of waking up traveled down and throughout his body. His skin itched and a burning sensation covered the entirety of his body, the sensation rattled him and left him in a deep state of pain and agitation. He weakly tried to move and was greeted by a dull ache in his joints.

Eventually he remembered the events that led to him being in the state he was in, the memories came in quick and aggressive flashes.

"Great job Frosty." He mumbled. Frosty lightly bumped heads with him in response. Soon after he growled quietly at something— reminding him that Frosty previously felt the need to protect him from something.

He heard footsteps in the grass right next to him. Without thinking he blasted to his feet with his claws out and teeth bared under his mask.

WOOSH!

"ggRrrR!"

Due to the pain he felt and the adrenaline that coursed through his veins, all he saw was red. He could faintly hear jumbled voices around him and in his mind but he didn't focus on them since the— assumed, enemies seemed more important.

His sense of smell slowly became stronger and his hearing intensified. He noticed movement to his left and shifted to face whatever stood next to him.

"Ah!" Brenda yelped in fear from Claude moving so quickly.

He snarled and became more aggressive from the satisfying scent of fear that radiated from her.

Amidst the chaos of everyone talking and yelling, his ears twitched quickly in response to the sound of a bowstring being pulled tightly.

"WAIT!" Brenda yelled causing Claude to flinch.

He looked back towards Brenda. In his red haze she simply looked like a shadow standing in a bloodied world of hatred, no attractive features or sad expressions. Only black.

"What's wrong with him?" Chadwick asked.

"I don't know, but don't attack. He's confused." She said before taking another step towards him. He growled again but didn't attack so she took another. She now stood a little over a foot away from him.

Claude watched in confusion as the assumed enemy slowly and calmly approached him. The shadow stood in front of him shaking and scared. It raised its arms in a show of harmlessness without taking another step.

He tilted his head with confusion and slowly started to relax now that he was thinking instead of moving on instinct.

He looked at the other shadows that stood around him and remembered his goal.

"Kill the Ghoul. Save them all." He grumbled without meaning to speak.

"Y-Yes! You killed the Ghoul and saved us. It's safe now." Brenda quickly responded.

Claude slowly began to get control of himself and their words were becoming understandable.

"I killed it?" He thought.

After a few seconds, he felt the weight of something hanging in his left hand and looked down to see what it was.

"Eh!?"

He was both shocked and slowly brought back to reality at the sight of the Undead Giants cold black eyes looking through him.

"I-it's dead..these aren't my enemies."

After he made the realization, the voice in the back of his mind that was nagging him became as clear as day.

"[Claude?....Claude are you with me?]"

"Yea, I think so." He replied.

The deep red tint that clouded his vision slowly faded and his body relaxed until he clearly saw everyone standing in their combat stances and looking at him warily.

He looked down at his arms and saw that he was still holding the Ghouls head and had his clawed hand aimed at Brenda.

"Oh shit!" He thought in a panic.

He quickly dropped the head and backed away from everyone.

"I.....I'm sorry...I couldn't see. I thought you all were Ghouls." He said.

"R-Right." Riley said suspiciously.

"Well your good now right?" Chadwick asked.

"Y—" Claude was interrupted by his system.

DING!

[You have slain the Undead Giant!]

[Rewards: 200 EXP]

DING!

[Level up! You are now Level 6!]

[Companion Level Up! Your Companion is now Level 6!]

DING!

[Tangent complete! The Undead Giant has been slain! Collect the Loot you've earned and exit soon.]

[Rewards for completion: 150 EXP]

Claude was overwhelmed with happiness at the amount of progress he made from one Tangent, it made him want to work even harder— to see even greater progress. But, he was even happier with the fact that he was able to be where he was by being able to overcome his fear of Tangents....even if he had help. Avenging his father and protecting his friends was becoming a very tangible goal.

He was brought back to reality by Frosty bumping his hip.

"C-Carter....are you alright?" Brenda asked since he didn't respond to Chadwick.

Claude scratched the spot behind Frosty's ears and inhaled his calming scent.

"Yea. I'm good now."