Two Demons

Two Demons is the eighty-third chapter of the Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign manga series, written by Takaya Kagami and illustrated by Yamato Yamamoto.

Short Summary
Taking the final step, Guren finally completes his demon transformation. Unfeelingly restraining his friends, Shinya demands Byakkomaru give him more power to which they then have an argument over Shinya's sanity. In the end, Shinya wins and Byakkomaru agrees to help him, turning Shinya into a demon himself. Shinya fights Guren although to no avail as Guren proved far stronger. Guren injures Shinya who then sees Mahiru-no-Yo and Noya. Right after, Guren unleashes chains to borrow some power from his friends before boldly declaring his intention to save the world.

Alone.

Long Summary
Noya’s suggestion for Guren to become the most powerful demon there ever was takes effect. Waves are emanated from Guren with Mito and Shinya witnessing this, unsure of what is occurring. Sayuri, Shigure and Goshi also hear the notion to restrain Guren but they come under the effects of a gravitational like force that pins them to the floor.

Telling them to hang in there, Shinya means to dispel it but Guren informs him that he will get crushed too. The pressure crushes the ground yet Shinya is not going to let Guren win that easily. Calling upon Byakomaru for more strength to save Guren, Shinya then hears his request declined.

Within their own landscape Byakomaru stands across from Shinya in a human appearing form. Shinya asks hm there for more power but is told it will not do any good; it is no normal demon they are against. Although Shinya feels it does not matter, Byakomaru thinks otherwise, staying aloof and unattached from everything is how Shinya has always survived before, yet he still holds burning desires.

Byakomaru is aware that when Shinya steals the lives of others, or when his own life is in peril, Shinya still feels nothing. He recounts that when Shinya was younger and bought to be a mate for Mahiru Hiragi, also when participating in fights to the death with other children he survived because he never lost his cool. The environment is strewn with the bodies of the fallen children of the past, and Mahiru is visualised overwatching Shinya.

In the vision with him Byakomaru states even when Shinya failed to have Mahiru love him he still felt nothing to which Shinya replies it was because there is no need to, that is the way this world works. The reasoning is if an effort is made to acquire a thing and in the end it is still lost the effort is meaningless and Byakomaru agrees. Building upon that, it is believing that way which fulfils Shinya's desires so this time is the same and Guren is beyond saving.

Advised to run, Shinya is still adamant he is going to save Guren. Asked why Shinya is so obsessed with him, Byakomaru is answered that as his demon he should know that. Assuming that it is because he has what Shinya does not, Byakomaru notes Guren lives in a worse world than him. He was born into a family existing solely to be derided by the Hiragi family as well as saddled with a fate which decrees Guren shall never acquire anything no matter how hard he tries.

Encouraged that Guren still has not given up on a single thing no matter how many times he fails, Shinya considers that despite Guren knowing that whatever he tries to do is never going to work he never gives up. Remarking that it is like he is an idiot, Byakomaru voices that he thought Shinya hated idiots and if he allowed himself to be stupid for a moment he would not have survived. Though he agrees with the assessment that he hates idiots, Guren included, Shinya only half-heartedly considers Byakomaru’s direction to abandon him.

Pressing him to carry out the words, Byakomaru realizes that Shinya says he will not do such a thing even though he says he will and that it is contradictory. It is as if Shinya is in love, but Shinya puts it down to simple idolization. He understands why Mahiru chose Guren over him, that he let’s himself get hurt repeatedly but never gives up. Shinya asks if that does not make him want to help, but Byakomaru is sure that if Shinya tries to save him now he will die, he does not have enough power. Shinya agrees so Byakomaru presses him that he is wise, it is how he has survived but if he let’s himself be stupid he will die.

As he is undaunted, Byakomaru asks simply whether Shinya does intend to die. He judges it a good question, Byakomaru would rather he did not, it would be a problem for him as Shinya’s demon. Being honest, Shinya does not care whether he lives or dies either way, what is the difference in this world. He has never really had something so grand as a reason to live but does share if he were to die now he would have one regret. Asked what it is, Shinya says that Guren has not given up on living yet and if he gave up before it would annoy him to no end.

With that Shinya invites Byakomaru to come devour his desires. He does not care if he turns into a demon, Shinya asks for all the power he can give. Byakomaru obliges, and the inclination is articulated as an intention to never give up on Guren.

A vertical stream of energy blasts from Shinya which crackles around him now that he possesses fangs, and demonic horns on his head. He spots Guren and shouts that he is not letting him go off and leaving Guren on his own. Firing his rifle with the power deflected by Guren’s sword, Shinya takes to bombarding him from behind with multiple shots all of which are correspondingly repelled.

Ordering Guren to look at him results in an attack which sends Shinya crashing into a wall. Goshi and Mito remain powerless to intercede, yet Shinya remains unfaltering in not giving up.

He is not going to let Guren leave like Mahiru did, and asseverates that Guren is staying with them, that he is fighting together with them. Guren calmly tells Shinya he cannot stop him, but Shinya thinks otherwise suspecting that Guren wants him to stay, he is not Mahiru after all. Shinya reminds Guren he will always remain himself, it is what they promised and he can still stop.

Replying that he is not Guren anymore he tells Shinya this is over and without warning stabs him through the chest. Mito and Goshi appear alarmed, concerned for Shinya and registering what Guren just did. Dropping to his knees Shinya asks if this is not Guren then who is he. He is a demon, and Guren then proceeds to say that he will like always let himself drown in his own power to save him, to Shinya's surprise.

Both Mahiru and Noya are in the air in front of Guren. Mahiru warns him to not say too much, but Noya impels Guren to spill it all, promising it will make him feel so much better. In response Mahiru swings a sword to Noya’s mouth but he is able to catch and hold the blade with his teeth. He says he cannot be oppressed now and expresses an intent to come over and eat before Mahiru dictates him to be silent.

Shinya can see Mahiru and saying her name she glances at him. As he asks her about Guren, he ignores that conversation and sets about announcing that he will start by borrowing a little power. Large chains appear out of his back with Mito, Sayuri, and Shinya still as a demon, stabbed into with them. Raising his sword, Mahiru-no-Yoru is called upon with Guren, Mahiru and Noya all combining their powers.

Guren’s sword is enveloped in a fiery appearing like substance as a result of this combination and he begins walking. Covering his wound, Shinya asks where he is going, all by himself. Guren says he is going to save the world.