Ferid Bathory

Ferid Bathory (フェリド・バートリー) is the seventh progenitor among the vampires and one of the main antagonists of the Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign manga series. He is the one who killed Yūichirō Hyakuya's family, thus fuelling Yūichirō's desire for revenge against all vampires. He is also a Michaela, who was sired by the former second progenitor Saitō.

Appearance
Ferid is a slender male with long, silver hair that reaches his hips and possesses rather handsome looks. He has bangs and a lock of hair over either ear. He keeps his hair tied back into a pony tail with a ribbon. The ribbon has stripes in the first chapter, but he replaces it with a black one after Krul defeats him. The ribbon tails trail to his shoulders. He also wears a pair of red diamond-shaped earrings dangling from either ear. Like all vampires, Ferid has elongated pointy ears, red eyes, and fangs.

Ferid's attire is composed of several components, including a suit, a long coat, thigh high boots and a cape to compliment the noble appearance.

He wears a white long-sleeved shirt with a decorative cut. It has a black line with dark gray rhombi intermittently dispersed along it. There is originally a stripe on his left side as well, but this disappears after Krul defeats him. The cuffs off the shirt are black and have four gold buttons down the outside. White lace ruffles comes out of the cuffs over his hands. He wears white gloves.

Ferid wears a white cape with a decorative cut over his shoulders and arms. It reaches to his waist in the front and down to his upper thighs in the back. The cape has black shoulder details as well as the black vampire insignia on the left shoulder. It also has two black buttons on the right. A gold ring connects to the vampire insignia and is attached to a chain running under his ruffles. There are some gold decorations hanging from this chain. There is a wide dark gray strap beneath this cape moving from his right shoulder to his left hip. This has three strips running down it with a small mark over each stripe at set intervals. He wears a black collar that originally has a pair of two white stripes lining it in the first chapter, but he replaces it with a similar collar with one stripe afterward. The collar is decorated with a scarlet bow at the base of his throat. The tails of the ribbon reach his lower chest. Two layers of white ruffles are present beneath the bow and reach his mid-chest.

Ferid also has a white waistcoat he wears over his posterior. It is split down the center and reaches his mid-calf. It is held in place by a wide black belt with a large buckle. The buckle rests over his left hip.

He dons a pair of white pants and black boots, which reach his upper thigh. The boots have four golden buttons at his thigh and three at his calf. The boots are white at the toes, sole, and heel. A pair of small black ribbons meet over either heel and are kept in place by a small white button detail in the center.

After rebelling the vampire leaded by Urd Geales and Lest Karr and being burned for treachery, Ferid's hair and Noble attire were burned to ash. Although the former broomed back into ear-length at the moment he was freed and soon recovered the original length. He untied his hair and wearing an casual attire made up by simpler shirt and trouser, a black shoulder cloak and glove serve as distinctive signs.

Human
Even as a human child, Ferid has an excellent memory and memorizes things easily, which leads him to become bored quickly. He would remark that he loved his mother whilst bloodied and armed with a sword, and once a vampire much later he would also declare he loves his 'papa' Saitō so he has come to kill him. He was deemed "Abnormal" by Saitō, and has always been so even during the days he was a human child.

Vampire
Ferid is chatty, happy, enthusiastic, playful, and sneaky. He is often described as unpredictable and says things to incite someone's temper but then says that he is just kidding. Ferid enjoys irritating Third Progenitor Krul Tepes and Mikaela Hyakuya to a dangerous level, and he has a great deal of fun teasing Mika as well. He is infamous for his eccentric behavior and tends to cause "interesting" things to happen, according to Thirteenth Progenitor Crowley Eusford. He likes to risk having all of his plans ruined just so that he may feel some emotion.

When Crowley suspects a high-ranking noble may be giving information to the humans, Ferid is the first one he suspects. Ferid is self-serving and traitorous to serve his own ends, he uses blackmail to stay Krul's hand. He appears to be assisting the humans somehow.

On the outside, Ferid acts kind and polite. However, he keeps many secrets and tells many lies. He is sadistic and enjoys manipulating others in order to torment them. He immensely enjoys crushing the hopes of human children and watching their expressions become filled with despair. Ferid says he wants to hear them scream. Preferring the blood of beautiful boys and girls, he has kept many mansions filled with them over the centuries. Once he loses interest in one to the point of forgetting the child's name, he kills him or her. Regarding age, he claims the 16-year-old Mika is just barely within his preference range. He would like Mika to drink human blood and stop aging as soon as possible, and he frequently brings up the topic when alone with him. Towards his own supporters, Ferid may say carelessly cruel things. His true objective is a mystery, even to his closest followers. He appears to be at work manipulating many things behind the scenes.

Ferid considers the humans to be ugly, insatiable cowards. He also mocks the vampires' boundless arrogance.

Ferid resents Saitō for having turned him into a vampire. He has grown bored of being immortal and seems to lack a will to live.

Story
For the total coverage story detailing Ferid's history as well see: Ferid Bathory approaches the young Mikaela Hyakuya in Sanguinem and asks if he and Yūichirō Hyakuya will be coming over to his mansion. He has been providing Mika with food in exchange for being able to drink his blood. Pleasant in his demeanour and giving children gifts where other vampires did not bother, Ferid would be waiting at the exit of the city of which Mika, Yu and their orphanage family were attempting to escape from. The expression on a human's face the instant hope turns to despair is why he has played this little game. Ferid immediately begins slaughtering the orphans until only Mika and Yu left. After mortally wounding Mika, Ferid would be shot in the head by Yu.

Having survived the gunshot Ferid would be roused by the arrival of Krul Tepes and respond to her questions with his own. Aware of her seraphs Ferid mentions revealing this to the progenitor council and is physically brutalized in response. Agreeing to keep her secret, over the next four years he would seek out Mika with information concerning Yu.

With the human Japanese Imperial Demon Army amassing their forces Ferid would hear Krul's intent to have them destroyed. At the head of ground forces in the invasion of Shinjuku he sees Guren Ichinose the commander of the Moon Demon Company coming towards his location. He prevents him from fighting further with Mika. Seeing Yu again Ferid would assist in having Mika retrieve him and then order the capture of other humans thanks to Crowley Eusford's presence on the battlefield. Ferid fled having to abandon the siege due to the arrival of reinforcements led under Kureto Hīragi.

Announcing how Yu transformed into a one winged being to the progenitor council, Ferid declared this as evidence that humans were still experimenting on the seraph of the end. At the same time Ferid pressed his leverage over Krul to demonstrate that she cannot remove him otherwise her secret might be uncovered.

Arriving in Nagoya he would reveal his co-conspirator Guren who is the human Ferid provided the location of vampire nobles for assassination to. In the aftermath of a seraph being summoned to the world Ferid would betray Krul and proclaim her an enemy of vampire kind for her involvement in the seraph of the end experiment. He would contact Urd Geales to inform him of the attack on Sanguinem to bring him and other foreign progenitors to the country.

After locating Yu and Mika with their squad he and Crowley would transport them to Osaka Bay. Then being sentenced to sunlight exposure torture for his role in the vampire losses endured Ferid would be rescued from Ky Luc's watch and acquire a sinful key dropped from a fallen seraph kept at Guren's residence. Travelling to Shibuya he drew out Shikama Dōji, the first vampire who had gained control over Shinoa. After observing the fight between the first and Saitō who had unleashed his Hyakuya Sect army, Ferid would attempt to kill Saitō before absconding.

Natural abilities
As a vampire, Ferid is naturally far stronger and more powerful than a human. Being a seventh progenitor, he is incredibly strong even among noble vampires and he is stronger than those of lower ranking vampire. However, he is weaker than the higher-ranked progenitors, such as Krul Tepes. Unless he is facing a large number of strong opponents, he uses his bare hands to fight, other wise he relies on swords to battle.

As a vampire, he also has immortality and regenerative abilities demonstrated when his arm was severed by Krul. He was able to re-attach it and have it functioning properly. He also has enhanced senses.

As a noble vampire, he has the ability and permission to turn humans into vampires as he pleases. Although he suggests turning Yu into a vampire at one point, he has yet to be seen exercising this ability. Vampires typically detest increasing their numbers.

He is cunning and manipulative. He is also wise enough to toe the line of taunting Krul to the point of attacking him without actually crossing it. He is extremely intelligent and patient and has been working on numerous plans for centuries.

Unknown abilities
Another one of Ferid's unique abilities is his ability to somehow circumvent the usual inability of vampires to use Cursed Gears. As seen where he was able to utilize the portal making abilities of Jigenso, Ferid having successfully accomplished this by physically holding the Cursed Gear's owner and from their somehow activate the weapons abilities. Ferid having successfully used this in order to sneak up on Saitō and Urd Geales, the two 2nd Progenitors.

Equipment
Ferid uses a European-style sword with a distinctive curved cross guard. Although not directly shown carrying it, Ferid owns a gun as his weapon that is stolen from him by Mika; however, his proficiency at wielding it remains unknown.

Later after acquiring the Sinful Key from the 6th Trumpet, its been shown that Ferid possess immense in-depth knowledge of the Key's mechanics and abilities. As seen where he implied during his conversation with Crowley Eusford that he knew a multitude of ways to use the Key and its various powers. Later he fully displayed the Key's abilities when he successfully attack Saitō using the Key that successfully obliterated a majority of his body and rendered his immense regenerative powers nonexistent for a considerable amount of time.

Book 2
"Heh… I didn’t know human demonology had come so far. You’re much stronger than you look, aren’t you?"

- Ferid.

"Ferid Bathory, Progenitor of the Seventh Rank. Though I doubt a mere human can appreciate the importance of that title."

- Ferid introducing himself.

"This is frightening stuff, you know. I have no idea what you humans were thinking, meddling in this sort of thing. If you keep playing with forbidden magic like this you’ll bring the whole world crashing down on our heads. That sword of yours is a kind of madness all on its own. The way you humans crave power is disgusting."

- Ferid to Guren and Mahiru.

"I have no interest in what you humans do. Tear each other apart for all I care. What does it matter to me if the pigs start feeding on each other? Assuming you two really are human. Seeing how you survived a blow from my sword, I’m not so sure. I suppose it doesn’t really matter either way, though."

- Ferid to Guren and Mahiru.

Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign
"I have been waiting for you... my poor little lambs. Yes. That look! That expression on a human's face the instant hope turns into despair. That is why I can't stop playing this little game."

- Ferid Bathory to the Hyakuya orphanage escapees.

"As you walk the thin line between despair and hope... I wonder what your voices will sound like when you scream."

- Ferid Bathory to the Hyakuya orphanage escapees.

"Mika! Oh Mikaaa...! Mika, Mika, Mika! Aah, so here you are again. Have you heard? It seems they have finally found him. The one you have been looking for all these years. Your precious, darling angel. As we thought, he is being used by some very nasty humans. I speak of... Yūichirō Hyakuya. Now then... How will you continue your story? Mikaela Hyakuya."

- Ferid to Mika.

"My, my. Are you still upset about that little incident from ages ago, even now that you're a vampire?"

- Ferid to Mika about slaughtering Mika's family four years prior.

"You have but one family member left, Little Yu Hyakuya. And you will do everything you can to ensure his safety. Isn't that right? Oh, what love? Aha ha ha!"

- Ferid to Mika.

"See, Mika? You shouldn't underestimate humans. They are greedy cowards, but also exceptionally determined. Ha ha! Though I'm sure I needn't tell that to a former human!"

- Ferid to Mika.

"Aha! That was Yūichirō Hyakuya, wasn't it? What a touching reunion. I'm so moved I could almost cry! So what will you do now, Mika? It seems obvious to me... that Little Yu is being used by those humans."

- Ferid to Mika.

"Goodness, what was that? Humans certainly know how to craft unpleasant monsters."

- Ferid about Yu's transformation.

"Impertinent human. Is this another one of your special 'experiments,' then? Where on earth does that bottomless greed of yours come from? It's frightening. Truly frightening. And to top it off, you never manage to control what you create. See?"

- Ferid to Guren about Yu.

"Ha ha! Goodness... Everything is proceeding so perfectly it's almost laughable! Humanity's all-consuming greed continues to expand unchecked... and vampires' boundless arrogance has them looking down their noses at the entire world. Don't you agree? My ever-so-amusing partner. Here you go. These are our research reports."

- Ferid to an unknown individual.

"Eep! How scary! But... you can't. Not anymore. If I die now... you will be the first one everyone suspects. No. You've been unable to kill me for some time. After all... I might have plans for my secrets to reach the Progenitor Council on my death. Who would've thought that the vampire queen had stained her hands with the taboo of the 'seraph of the end'? What could her majesty possibly want with something like that? Aha ha! Please, don't glare at me with that adorable face. It makes my heart flutter. Of course, it is my fault that Little Yu escaped. If they discover that, I will face even worse punishment... Oh, wait! Wait, wait! Then doesn't this mean... you and I are actually partners in crime? We share the same secret, after all. Yay! Now we can finally be friends! Take my hand. Submit to me, Krul Tepes.'' Just kidding! Anyway, I think that's enough for today. I'd hate to be wrong and wind up dead. But I'll be back later. Next time I hope we'll be the best of friends!"

- Ferid to Krul.

"How insulting. Everyone knows that I hate fools who betray their comrades more than anything else."

- Ferid to Crowley Eusford after Ferid betrays the other vampires and leaks information to the humans and Crowley calls him out on it.

"Oh. But you do know that he's a namanari, right? It is a half thing—a human one step shy... of becoming a full demon. Two beings in one body. They share their time as one or the other. One half, the idealist, who wants nothing more than to save his friends and followers. The other, possessed by the vengeful spirit of his dead lover, the perfectionist who reduced herself to a demon to get what she wants. Watch. Now the real monster comes out."

- Ferid revealing Guren to be a namanari and explaining his nature to Crowley.

"Me? All I want is to kill some time."

- Ferid to Crowley when asked about his objective.

"That aside, have you taken a look at the humans? They've broken the taboos and completed not one, but two Seraphs of the End. Vampire-kind can no longer rest easily with those running about. I'm sure, before long, all of the highest-ranked progenitors from across the whole world with gather here in Japan."

- Ferid to Crowley.

"FELLOW VAMPIRES, HEAR ME!! I have just witnessed Krul Tepes in a flagrant act of treachery against all of vampire-kind!! She had a hand in the creation of the Seraph of the End!! The Progenitor Council is sure to convict her of high treason!! Accordingly, I, Seventh Progenitor Ferid Bathory, shall now take command of this operation! Follow me!! We must go and destroy the humans and their forbidden experiments!!"

- Ferid to the vampires.

"Boy, living forever gets so boring sometimes."

- Ferid to Crowley.

"And oh was it ever so fun."

- Ferid to Crowley about killing Yu and Mika's family.

"Common sense? Pfff! Who needs that? Don't let that silly thing confine you, Crowley! Just think. Former enemies coming together... all through the power of friendship! Wouldn't that be so exciting?"

- Ferid to Crowley.

"I mean, I killed all of your friends once, too. And now look at us. We're buddy-buddy!"

- Ferid to Crowley.

"My, my! Hey, Mika? Are you sure it's okay for him to use this much demon power? ...Don't you think he might get stuck as a demon? For good? I'm worried for the poor guy."

- Ferid to Mika about Yu.

"Well, what will it be? Who will be the first to beg, 'Please save us, Gracious Lord Bathory?' Say it, or I'm not saving anybody... I was just kidding! I came here to be your new friend, after all. And it is a personal policy of mine to always save my friends for free. Now then, let us go rescue dear Yu."

- Ferid to the Shinoa Squad.

"Wow! Haven't you grown into the cute one! Your demon is on the verge of rampage...yet you still have such clear and beautiful eyes. No wonder you are the extra-special guinea pig. Hmm... Perhaps before I heal you I'll take a little sip of your blood."

- Ferid to Yu.

"Hmm... How to put it? Well, you see this curse-suppressant drug I have here? This...is the exact same drug Guren Ichinose is taking. Aren't you curious about that?"

- Ferid to Yu.

"Oh? So this is my plot...?"

- Ferid to Mika.

"Oh, nothing. I just thought I might drop by and show you how to bring her back to life. The name of the experiment...is the Seraph of the End. It's a forbidden spell that, eight years ago, a group of foolish humans tinkered with."

- Ferid to Mika about Akane.

"Oh, yes! You there. You are Makoto Narumi, correct? Just like little Akane... all of your precious, dead friends—Shusaku, Kagiyama, Yayoi, Rika... I made very sure to carefully collect all four of them and back them away in bottles too. So don't worry. Okay? ...Oh! But when all of them are revived, it would be terrible if any of them were, well... missing parts."

- Ferid to Makoto Narumi.

"He is haunted... by his friends. All his precious companions and their deaths. Eight years ago, he had friends he cared about very much. Friends he would give his life for. Their names were... Shinya Hīragi, Norito Goshi, Mito Jūjō, Sayuri Hanayori, Shigure Yukimi. But they all died.... Oh, they died all right. And then they were revived. But the world does not permit the dead to come back. It was a presumption that angered a petty god. The price of their return was great. Very, very great. Can you guess what it was? All the adult humans of the world were killed by a virus. Ever since, Guren Ichinose... has been haunted by that sin and its price."

- Ferid to Shinoa Squad about Guren.

"Don't glare at me like that. It's Krul Tepes you want to get back at, right? She was the one who turned you."

- Ferid to Mika.

"Aaah... Once again, the sky is such a beautiful blue... It's become absolutely boring."

- Ferid's thoughts as he gazes at the sky.

"Aha ha! A higher level of difficulty only makes the game more fun, don't you think?"

- Ferid to Crowley.

"Aha ha! Well then, we'll just have to practice first. We'll start by killing fifth progenitors, work our way up to third progenitors... and by the time we can kill Urd... we should be able to handle Father. Oh, and we simply have to ask the humans for help. They are experts at killing things far greater than they are, after all."

- Ferid to Crowley.

"But, believe it or not, I have friends! I'm sure they will rescue us."

- Ferid Bathory to Krul Tepes.

"It was really hot! For a moment there, I had to wonder if I was suddenly alive again!"

- Ferid to Crowley about his exposure torture.

"Yep. Our hearts are long dead. Aren't you just so jealous of humans for still being alive?"

- Ferid to Crowley.

"Well then... It's beginning. One angel and the terror it wrought has vanished.... One key has fallen into our hands. Now the world will change. Drastically."

- Ferid.

"A 'messed-up experiment' on saving the world. And today, we made one more successful step forward by eliminating one of the disasters that plagued it. That makes us saviors! Isn't that right, Guren?"

- Ferid to Mika and Guren.

"Aha ha! Well? What do you think, Crowley? They look like they're having fun. Don't they?! They're brimming with the happy, bouncy energy of life. Doesn't it make you want to suck 'em dry and watch 'em die? What's with that look? Don't you want to drink their blood?"

- Ferid to Crowley.

"And so we have them let us drink their blood. Just like the good pets they are. You know? I think I'm feeling peckish. Excuse me a moment... I'm going to murder some humans."

- Ferid to Crowley.

"Hello, helloooo! I'm just your friendly, neighborhood vampire, come to attack you!"

- Ferid to the Shibuya City Guards when he is intentionally making things difficult for Guren.

"Yep! That is one of the names of our daddy dearest."

- Ferid is aware of Rigr Staffords's alias, Saitō.

"Whoopsie! Oh dear. This looks bad. Very, very bad. Will today be the day I finally get to die?"

- His reaction at being cut in half and seeing Crowley decapitated.

"What’s the point of this destroyed world? Of the endless, meaningless human wars? Of these bodies that won’t die when cut in half? That won’t die even when the head is cut off? What is the point to giving vampires bodies that just. Won’t die. When we were never given a reason to live?"

- Ferid's questions for the first whilst also using the opportunity to reattach his lower body.

"Excuse me! Pardon me! I have to say I disagree with the choice the human team captains are making. A bit of advice. Run now."

- Commenting on Kureto, Guren and Shinya's plans, Ferid is held by the first progenitor as he warns them to run.

"Rigr Stafford? My, My! The whole family will be here."

- His response the the Hyakuya Sect and the first knowing that Rigr is behind them.

"I’m waiting for the signal, of course. I have been for hundreds of years."

- Having acquired a key, and knowing Saito seeks them, Ferid has his own plans.

"I’ve always preferred children's blood, but you'll have to do."

- Words to a Hyakuya Sect member.

"Aww! I've always been perfectly normal. Especially for someone who was second in line for a royal throne. I had such a strict upbringing. They were teaching me how to be a saint."

- Replying to Saitō who thought it was a mistake to turn him into a vampire having always been abnormal, and his background as a child.

"Oh, hell naw!☆ I'm super-powerful!☆ If you wanna kill me, come give it yer best shot!☆"

- Ferid is missing his right arm with second progenitor Urd attacking. He receives a chance to lay down his sword and surrender and replies accordingly (the text is replicated, the stars within the speech bubbles as well).

"Whoopsie! You cut me in half, but I'm not dead! ♪"

- Happily commenting on the circumstances (The eighth note is a part of the speech bubble).

"Yep! Eeeverything is luck! There's no meaning to life! No point to death! All there is... is the glimmer of luck in the moment!"

- Expressed views that also make Ferid happy.

"Wooow! Even the sinful key was completely negated! Amazing! This is incredible! Papa's betrayal! My insanity! Everything today is still dancing on the palm of the first's hand."

- Downhearted before, Ferid is thrilled to hear a scream on a frequency that only vampires can hear. He noticed and was happy that the sinful key was no longer working on the progenitors who were trying to kill him. Ferid remarks on his own insanity and feels these events are related to the first progenitor, Shikama Dōji.

Trivia

 * Based on his surname, he is possibly related to the famous serial killer, Elizabeth Báthory.
 * Farid (فريد) also spelt Ferid or Fareed is an Arabic masculine personal name or last name, meaning "unique."
 * His favorite food is the blood of young boys and girls.
 * He uses hidden cameras, which was revealed in chapter 22.
 * He never wears the same ribbon twice.
 * In all of the cover and colored pages Ferid appears on, he is always turned away from the viewer. The sole exception is the cover of volume 4.
 * On the last page of volume 13, he calls himself "Jennifer" as a joke.
 * In the popularity poll, Ferid earned 10th place at 856 points. In the 2019 popularity poll, Ferid ranked at 6th place with 1,864 votes.
 * Kagami has described Ferid as one of the prettiest character in the series.
 * Ferid draws the map Mika takes in Vampire Reign chapter 1 by hand after spending several hours trying to draw one that looks perfect.