Suspicious Mansion

"Suspicious Mansion" (怪しいヤカタ) is the fifty-second chapter of the Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign manga series, written by Takaya Kagami and illustrated by Yamato Yamamoto.

Synopsis
Crowley takes the group to Ferid Bathory's fifth personal estate, which is located in Osaka. Mika warns them against trusting Ferid and is against resurrecting the dead. Narumi and Mika argue, but Mika apologizes and says he is only concerned about losing friends again.

Tenth Progenitor Fuola Honte attacks them, but they hold their own. Crowley quickly kills Fuola. He then spars against the squad and reveals his strength is at the level of a seventh progenitor.

When Yu says they must rescue Krul and Ferid, Crowley says they must get stronger because they need to take down a fifth progenitor to save them.

Characters
List of characters in order of appearance:
 * Ferid Bathory
 * Crowley Eusford
 * Yūichirō Hyakuya
 * Makoto Narumi
 * Shinoa Hīragi
 * Mitsuba Sangū
 * Shihō Kimizuki
 * Mikaela Hyakuya
 * Yoichi Saotome
 * Akane Hyakuya (Head)
 * Fuola Honte
 * Ky Luc

Summary
As Ferid and Krul spend their first day being tortured by exposure to sunlight, Crowley takes Shinoa Squad to Ferid’s fifth personal estate in Osaka. Ignoring their questions and comments, Crowley pulls out a key and goes to unlock the front door.

Mika asks if Yu is okay, and Yu admits to feeling queasy. Yu says this place looks similar to the one in Sanguinem. Recalling how Mika gave Ferid his blood when they were growing up in Sanguinem, Yu says he should have been the one to give Ferid blood instead of Mika. Mika asks if he would rather Mika be the half-demon instead. Yu says no, and Mika says the two of them are even by now.

Mika asks Yu if he is sure he wants to save Ferid and asks if he can forgive him. Yu says Ferid could bring Akane back to life, but Mika reminds him that Ferid cannot be trusted. He says that if Guren really brought his squad back to life, then the experiment results in the destruction of the world. Mika asks what the price would be if they brought Akane back this time. He advises Yu to not be greedy and want more than what he already has, or else Yu may become a demon like Guren Ichinose.

Makoto Narumi points out that Yu is already a demon because he felt guilty about Mika becoming a vampire. Yu tells him to not pick on Mika. Narumi says Mika is not arguing with Yu from an honest stance and says that the only thing on his mind is convincing Yu to escape with him. Mika says that escaping is sometimes the better part of valor and warns them about Ferid once again.

Mika says that the dead should not be brought back to life, and the experiments he has seen are horrible.

While Mika says that greed will only lead to despair, Narumi says it will lead to hope. He says this determination is what allowed humanity to grow as strong as it has. They end their spat with Mika telling Narumi to stop being stupid, Narumi telling Mika to not be blind, and Shinoa and Yoichi stepping up to them and telling them that topic is closed.

Mika apologizes and says he was just feeling uneasy. He cannot stand the thought of losing friends again because he was not smart enough to see what was coming.

Mika warns Narumi that he will be easy for Ferid to manipulate in this place in more ways than one, and Narumi says he will keep that in mind.

Narumi alerts the group, and Tenth Progenitor Fuola Honte rushes out of the building and swings his sword at Yu. Narumi blocks it, but Fuola Honte sends him flying. Mika attacks the vampire, confusing him by standing with the humans. Still airborne, Narumi warns them that Fuola Honte is stronger than Lucal Wesker.

Shinoa begins giving instructions, and Fuola Honte cuts both of Mika’s arms off. Alarmed, Yu rushes forward while activating Asuramaru’s power to the breaking point and ignores Mika’s warning to stay back. Yu blocks the attack while Shinoa uses Shikami Doji’s manifestation to grab them and pull them away from Fuola Honte. Mitsuba uses Tenjiryu to collect Mika’s arms and holds them in place while they reattach.

Baffled, Fuola Honte looks at their group and describes the mixed-race team of humans and vampires unbelievable. When Yu taunts him, Fuola Honte says he does not have time to deal with them because a monster is chasing him.

Shinoa orders them not to pursue, and Crowley steps out of the mansion, approaching Fuola Honte.

Fuola Honte recognizes Crowley and says a thirteenth progenitor like him should be unable to touch a tenth. Crowley asks him to explain, telling him that they have all the time in the world. Fuola Honte attacks Crowley, but Crowley beheads him, and slices him in half.

The group comments on Crowley’s strength, and Shinoa says she will not complain about their allies being too powerful.

Fuola Honte says Ferid will not forgive Crowley’s treachery, but Crowley says Ferid is the one who ordered him to do this. Crowley stabs him through his head and turns Fuola Honte into ash.

Crowley smiles and looks back at the teenagers. He says the battle formation takes him back to when he was human. He challenges them to see if they can defeat him.

They fight, and the teens lose easily. Yu complains that Crowley is way stronger than before, but Crowley says he held back at that time. When Narumi asks how a thirteenth progenitor could defeat a tenth progenitor, Crowley reveals his strength is actually closer to a seventh progenitor, and he’s been hiding his strength for the past 800 or so years.

When Mika gets Crowley to reveal that was all due to Ferid’s scheming, Mika repeats that Ferid cannot be trusted. Crowley says he agrees that dealing with Ferid is a pain in the ass, and he suggests they forget about rescuing them. Yu says they already decided to rescue him and says he has things he needs Ferid to tell him. He says he also owes the queen for saving his family.

Since they have decided, Crowley tells them they must get stronger quickly since they had difficulty fighting a tenth and must face a fifth progenitor, Ky Luc, in order to rescue Ferid and Krul.

Gallery
Manga panels provide a visual overview of the events of chapter 52 with depictions of the characters, Seraph of the End world and scenarios.

Overall

 * Story by Chapter