The Same Dream

"The Same Dream" (同じ夢をミル) is the hundred and fourth chapter of the Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign manga series, written by Takaya Kagami and illustrated by Yamato Yamamoto.

Synopsis
Yu continues to clash with Mikaela before being knocked away. He remembers Guren explain that fighting a demon is a clash of the heart not weapons. Rather than making friends with a demon, the squad weakened and subdued theirs and Guren says Yu will have to attack Mika otherwise no one will be saved and Shikama Doji's plan will continue uninterrupted.

As Yu resumes the fight with Mikaela he was struck with a ranged attack. Mikaela found himself in the memory of Yu experiencing Mika and his other orphanage family members being murdered by Ferid. This time there is the addition of black suns in the memory that apparently only Mikaela can see. As Mikaela considers this scenario, Yu as he currently is stabs him through the chest. The surprise attack successful, Yu can view what is in Mikaela's heart and finds that their deepest wound is the same.

After Yu shouts that he can turn Mika back into a human and bring the others back, Mikaela speaks his name. He remembers only that but not who Yu is. To save one another they intend to attack to induce possession. Mikaela is the one to prevail, and at decapitating Yu he intends to go to the deepest darkest corners of his heart.

A teenage human appearing Mika walks alone. Conscious, he wonders where he is and what this place is to Yu. Mika then regards a single large eye observing him that appears to have an awareness of its own.

Summary
Swirling lines of electrical like currents and overlapping shadows spiral around Yu. He happily calls to Mika that he is going to save him. Mikaela remains with his arm in the building and wonders who he means. Yu as a childhood in livestock clothing is visualized offering his hand out as Mikaela wonders who Yu is and why he wants to save him so badly. Guessing he will find out when he eats his desires and possesses Yu, Mikaela leaps into the air. Yu draws upon his power by willing his desire to go berserk and with the resolve that he is going to save him he brings his sword down. Mikaela remarks Yu looks powerful and they clash only to rebound from one another. Mikaela watches while a row of black suns float motionless behind him above the wall of the coliseum. Yu has been knocked away with enough impact to crash into a building. Commenting that demon Mika is scary strong Yu wonders if he can beat him. Thinking of how this was supposed to go again, Yu recalls he has to do something to save him.

It is recollected how before Yu entered the spell circle that Guren asked him whether he remembered how to subdue demons. Yu asked how it went again, to which Kimizuki said that he had the memory of a gerbil and Yoichi questioned if he was going to be okay. While Yu was certain that he could totally do this, Mitsuba did not find it reassuring at all and Shinoa laughed in response. Guren explained that when demons are fought it is their hearts clashing, not their weapons. If Yu's attack hits him it will weaken his heart. But if the demon hits Yu then he will intensify his worst trauma. Imagining diagrams to make sense of Guren words, Yu heard that demons poison the wounds they cause, amplifying desires and making possession. Guren spoke that Yu basically had to avoid getting hit while smacking the demon as much as he could until it caved, before demanding to know whether the absent-minded appearing Yu was even listening. Yu mentioned that when he subdued Asuramaru he did not attack him at all which surprised Mitsuba. Mentioning that one is really asking demons to be friends, Yu raised if it was not kind of weird to attack them. Telling him to do it right this time, Guren stated that Asuramaru is no pushover but Mika is probably even more powerful. It is possible he could possess Yu after only one hit, and if he loses it is game over for all of them. Mika would not be saved, neither Yu or any of them and everything will go exactly as Shikama Doji planned.

When Yu asked Guren what Shikama Doji's plan was, he did not know but answered it is pretty clear he does not care about mere humans like them. With that, Yu guessed he had to hit Mika now that he is a demon. Guren supported this saying it was to save him and not to forget that. On weakening demons and subduing them, Yu asked if that is how others did it. Yoichi along with Kimizuki and Mitsuba answered affirmably. With Mahiru beside him Guren told Yu to listen, his enemy is powerful and failure is unacceptable. Instructing him to not get hit even once Guren added for Yu to not hesitate to strike over and over as that is the only way he could win. Shinoa told Yu they were cheering for him then wished him good luck.

Having recalled that, Yu says sorry to Mika but he has to hit him and hurt his heart. Yu adds he does not want to but rationalizes that it is to save him. Sheathing his sword Yu speaks that he is going to save Mika. In the sky Mikaela affirms no, Yu's soul will be his to control. Guren's words to not get hit at all are remembered as Mikaela slams his blade down to generate a destructive ranged blast that Yu moves to avoid. He sees Mikaela near him in time to block against his sword. Reaching to grab his neck, Mikaela moves close to Yu's face then attempts to bite him. Seizing his neck in turn, Yu keeps Mikaela away who is determined to tear out his throat. Once Mikaela has been repelled he uses the A Glint of Light power to generate what becomes a large shimmering cross. As Yu thinks to dodge, Mikaela licks his lips while saying he can't. A column of light fires downwards which results in large scale structural damage to the buildings that the fiery energy ploughs through. Along with his shoulder being impacted, Yu is caught by the beam that is connected to Mikaela as rubble falls around them. Keen that he got him Mikaela announces for them to see what is inside that wound. His hand glimmers as he speaks about ripping Yu open and sucking his heart dry.

Mikaela stands in the grand exit hall of Sanguinem. Thinking this is familiar Mikaela beholds the memory of Ferid lain on the floor with a bullet wound to his head. The younger Yu is nearby calling to Mika who has been mortally wounded. While Mika was guiding Yu to follow the map with the exit just nearby Yu shouted he was not leaving him behind. Saying that he was family, Yu cried how he finally found a real one. Observing this, Mikaela speaks that it does seem like he knows him and speaks Yu's name and notes his family. Crouching down to the memory of Yu as he was crying, Mikaela said to show and let him see his desires. Thoughts of Yu wanting to die and questions of why he had to survive materialize. Wanting someone to kill him, with feelings that he is an ugly, worthless devil, there were also thoughts on not wanting to be alone. Speaking how Yu always looked so fragile that he would shatter with a touch, Mikaela says he wants to save him. Before he can touch the memory of young Yu he was pushed away by Mika who at the time ordered him to get out of here.

With the memory of younger Yu making it outside he saw the sky and cityscape before him. Mikaela is behind him and gets the feeling that Yu cannot see the many black suns that are in the air. Closing the distance to where Yu is stood Mikaela's hand radiates a dark aura as he says for them to open that wound further, he needs to go deeper to learn what Yu is. Reacting, Mikaela finds he has been stabbed through the chest by Yu as he presently is with his cursed gear sword. Declaring that he got him too, Yu orders Mikaela to open up to see what is in his heart.

Standing amongst the deceased bodies of their orphanage family Yu also views the memory of himself younger crying over Mika. Concluding that is right, Yu processes that the deepest wound in their hearts would be this. Every night he would have this stupid dream. Shouting out that Mika has to listen, Yu announces that he is going to turn him back into a human. Then he is going to bring Akane and all the kids back to life. Speaking that there is a way to do that, Yu continues that he has to open his eyes and remember him. His name is spoken and Yu turns to see Mikaela so asks if he remembers him now. Mikaela does not, yet Yu replies he just called his name. He remembers that is his name but Mikaela does not remember who Yu is. Shouting for him to looks around them Yu contends that this is the inside of his heart and that they are family. The family part feels true for Mikaela, the memory is gone, but the feelings of caring are still there.

As Mikaela thinks he still does not know who Yu is, he also considers that Yu may not know who he himself is either. Wondering what is that monster up in the sky, Mikaela contemplates what it is that Yu has gotten caught up in. Meanwhile, Yu shares if he is going to save him then he has to possess Mikaela for a second. Asking to let him cut him once, both Yu and Mikaela vow to save one another. Exchanging sword strikes, Yu finds contact has been made on him as Mikaela cuts his head off. Immediately Mikaela's hand shines and now he can go into his heart. His eyes react as he heads to the deepest, darkest corners.

Sparkling light particles gently float down on Mika who as a teenager walks on an illuminated circle. He is dressed in casual clothing including a light T-shirt and trousers. From his ears Mika appears as a human. Sentient, Mika is aware of his hand before wondering where he is and what this place is to Yu. Mika looks up and finds a singular, very large eye watching him.

Chapter Notes

 * Younger Yu is visualized in his livestock clothing happily reaching out his hand.
 * If the power around Yu's sword was gathered from the black suns that fired towards Mikaela in the previous chapter 103 "The Sky Awaits Them Both" then it apparently did not help him when his weapon connected with Mikaela's blade. Where he could block Mikaela's sword before and after, with the energy around him Yu was sent hurtling back upon contact.
 * While the black suns reacted to Mikaela and Yu by directing combined attacks in their general direction, here they are idle even when Yu is struck away and Mikaela has the upper hand.
 * The black sun's inner lights that some possess are also not shown as they remain around Yu and Mikaela.
 * A recollection focuses on Guren explaining that when fighting a demon it is hearts not weapons clashing. A demon's heart would be weakened if they are hit by a human. A human would have their worst trauma intensified if they get hit by a demon.
 * Additionally, demons poison the wounds they cause which amplify a human's desires which makes them easier to possess.
 * Yu shares that when he subdued Asuramaru he did not attack him at all which is new information to others, and not the right way according to Guren.
 * Guren states that Asuramaru is no pushover but considers who he sees as Mika is probably even more powerful.
 * Guren feels if Yu loses then it will be over for all of them, Mika will not be saved, neither Yu, or them and everything will go as Shikama Doji planned.
 * Asked what Shikama Doji's plan is, Guren does not know. He acts on the assumption that the first does not care about mere humans like them.
 * Yoichi, Kimizuki, and Mitsuba all confirm they weakened their demons to subdue them. This process was not seen for Mitsuba or Yoichi.
 * Physical contact was made when Mikaela grabbed Yu by the neck, in a failed attempt to bite him.
 * The "A Glint of Light" power is named for the first time in this chapter.
 * Yu being struck by the "A Glint of Light" power allowed Mikaela entry into the memory of Yu experiencing his orphanage family perish in Sanguinem. A second action was needed to see Yu's desires expressed in malign appearing thoughts.
 * Mikaela expressed familiarity with the vampire city, and Yu's full and shortened name, and the orphanage family.
 * When Mikaela was checking what the memory of the younger Yu's desires were they appear to include sentiments that would have been felt after the event of Ferid murdering his family. Thoughts on why he had to survive, that he is an ugly worthless devil, and that he wished he never existed may be Yu's worries from the future visualized collectively in that time, or misleading memories that Yu as he presently is has placed to cause Mikaela to believe he is seeing his deepest desires then, while Yu was preparing to stab him as he would soon do.
 * If black suns did appear before younger Yu as a child when he escaped the vampire city then he did not see them. If Yu presently could see them in this memory, he did not react to their presence (he also had no reaction to having their power spiralling around his sword, indeed still resorted to drawing upon his desires - the black suns and their power may be invisible to him).
 * Mikaela may not be seeing a memory of black suns that younger Yu could not see at the time, rather seeing a memory that black suns have also entered as he has.
 * While physical contact is not needed if the "A Glint of Light" power is anything to go by, Mikaela uses his hand which is enveloped in light and dark emanations in separate occasions as he acts to see what is in Yu's heart.
 * Yu and Mikaela share the deepest wounds in their heart which concerns the loss of their family.
 * Mikaela speculates that Yu may not know who he himself is.
 * Mikaela references a monster up in the sky. He saw multiple black suns, entities that he knew of, so if it was not referring to one of them, Mikaela may have saw something else there, or a monster in the sky above the memory of the inside of Sanguinem if he is thinking literally.
 * Both Yu and Mikaela vow to save one another, by attacking each other.
 * In the memory based world of Sanguinem Yu is decapitated by Mikaela.
 * Mika is seen in casual clothing in an almost empty dark world with light particles sprinkling down on him as he walks on a shining circle. He looks like a human teenager and is conscious, with thoughts of where he is and that is this place to Yu.
 * A single large eye that is seemingly emitting the light floating down on Mika is seen for the first time.

Characters
List of characters in order of appearance:

Gallery
Manga panels provide a visual overview of the events of chapter 104 with depictions of the characters, Seraph of the End world and scenarios.