Progenitor's Memory

"Progenitor's Memory" (始祖のオモイデ) is the forty-ninth chapter of the Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign manga series, written by Takaya Kagami and illustrated by Yamato Yamamoto.

Synopsis
Krul is imprisoned in one of Ferid's walls as she thirsts for blood. She and Saito discuss the events of 1,000 years ago, Ashera Tepes, the first progenitor, and Ferid Bathory. Saito comments that he threw away Ferid ages ago, and the arrival of all these nobles is interfering in his plans.

Ferid refuses to divulge information to Crowley, so Crowley stomps on the breaks and sends Ferid flying through the front windshield, breaking his neck.

Ferid recovers, and the humans disembark to see an army of foreign vampires. Ferid shushes Yuichiro (Yu) and greets the lords and ladies of the Progenitor Council.

Summary
An emaciated Krul wakes up in Ferid's mansion in Osaka Bay. She is immured within a wall as blood drips down in front of her from what appears to be humans attached to the ceiling. She mumbles Ferid's name and then shouts for him. She yells for him to kill her if that was what he intended. The thirst hurts her, and she resentfully sticks her tongue out to try and catch some of the blood dripping down in front of her.

Saitō appears and comments on how pathetic she has become. Krul does not recognize him at first, and he says she should know him quite well. She recognizes him as "the one who always tagged along behind the first progenitor."

A flashback occurs, going back to a thousand years before.

The scene starts off on a cliff. The vampire Ashera Tepes happily clings onto the first progenitor while Urd and Saito watch them from a few steps back. Krul stands farther away and glares.

In the present, Krul comments that Saito has changed a lot. Saito asks if it has really been that long since he quit being a second progenitor and also says he changed his name to Saito, which sounds Japanese. She asks if he ordered Ferid to capture her, but he denies it and comments about the difference in power between her and Ferid. He says Ferid must have tried really hard to capture her.

Saito glances at the human limbs hanging from the ceiling and comments that Ferid has been an eccentric one since the day they first met. Angry, Krul demands to know if he did this and what he is plotting, but Saito denies any connection to Ferid at all. He says he discarded Ferid a long time ago because he was unable to live up to Saito's expectations. He then comments that this is no different than what the first progenitor did to them since he was only interested in Ashera Tepes, Krul's brother, and ignored and discarded the rest of the vampires.

Returning to the flashback, Krul cries out and begs the first progenitor not to take her brother away. The first progenitor tells Ashera there is nothing to fear from becoming a demon. He says he will stay with Ashera always, even after Ashera becomes a demon. Ashera says he trusts him and addresses him as "Father." When Krul pleads, Ashera says he must go for their future. The first progenitor ignores her and says he must change Ashera's name since he will be reborn on an island known as the Land of the Rising Sun. He says Ashera will now be called Asuramaru.

Krul asks if Saito is also after the first progenitor and says that all vampires despise him to some degree. Saito says that is a good question and that all vampires go through a rebellious phase at some point. He asks if Ferid has said anything about him, and Krul calls him Saito's lackey. Saito says a fleet of ships from Russia have arrived with Urd Geales and a few nobility.

Osaka Bay is lined with many ships carrying a great number of vampires. Urd Geales stands atop the front of one, gazing out at the scene before him. Lest Karr jumps from another ship to join him. He says they have finally reached Japan and asks if they should reclaim Kyoto, but Urd ignores him and says that "he" might be here.

Meanwhile, Saito asks what brings them to Japan all of a sudden and says they are in the way of his 1,000-year-long plan. He first asks if Krul summoned them but then suggests that Ferid did it instead.

On the bus with the main characters, Crowley says they have nearly reached Osaka Bay and asks for more information. Ferid only says they will become extremely busy and refuses to divulge anymore information in order to spare Crowley from being tortured. Ferid calls him his "precious son," and Crowley promptly rejects the notion. Crowley asks about Saito, their sire, but Ferid says nothing.

Crowley asks if this is all to get back at Saito and says he might get revenge on Ferid instead if Ferid says nothing, and Ferid only tells him to make it spectacular if he must.

Ferid approaches Mika and advises him to get some sleep, but Mika states vampires do not sleep. Ferid teases him and asks if Krul Tepes is the one Mika wants revenge on since she turned him into a vampire. Mika asks where they are going.

As Ferid appears to answer, Crowley slams on the breaks and sends Ferid flying through the windshield. The humans are startled, and Yu gripes about hitting his head.

Ferid adjusts his broken neck and ponders about how absolutely boring the beautiful blue sky is.

Ferid sits up and asks why Crowley stomped on the breaks. Crowley asks if that was "spectacular" enough for Ferid, and Ferid shows surprise before laughing. He says he did not see that one coming.

The humans disembark and demand an explanation. However, a shout from Lest Karr demands that Ferid greet his betters properly. Quite alarmed by the unexpected vampire army, Yu confronts Ferid, but Ferid quickly warns him to be silent. He says even he will get killed in an instant if Yu screws this up.

Ferid greets the members of the Progenitor Council.

Characters
List of characters in order of appearance: