Saito and Urd

"Saito and Urd" (斉藤とウルド) is the one hundred fifth chapter of the Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign manga series, written by Takaya Kagami and illustrated by Yamato Yamamoto.

Synopsis
Saitō has been imprisoned with vampires including Ky Luc and Lest Karr around him. As they speak, Saitō provokes Ky Luc who wishes to attack him, before Lest Karr quells the tension. They discuss whether Urd would be mad with him.

In the past the second progenitors were in Romania when Urd asked if Rigr was leaving. Urd assumed Rigr was going to search for the first, he intended to uphold the laws of vampire society. Since Rigr was going, that was against the laws they established so Urd intended to kill him. During their fight Rigr cut off Urd's arms and revealed he was holding back in previous fights.

Presently in his cage, Saitō raises with Lest Karr on why the first took other third progenitors instead of him. In a past setting Sika Madu was surrounded by his apostles, where Noya was also present, and carried the body of Yu in a room containing Mikaela. Saitō speaks he will tell Lest Karr why the first did not choose him, if he lets him out. He adds when Urd returns he will surely execute him and the secret will be out of reach.

Although Ky Luc supports freeing Saitō, Lest Karr decides against it and continues that this is where Saitō will be executed. In response many chains break out from Saitō's back which spiral into the air where they skewer multiple vampires. Ky Luc is eager to fight Saitō, while Lest Karr orders others to retreat as he prepares his sword.

Summary
Outside, Saitō sits chained to a throne like chair within a cage that has large cross like apparatus around it. As he hums to himself the vampires around him discuss who Saitō is and how as Rigr Stafford he is the traitor who betrayed them millennium ago. Registering that he is a second progenitor like Urd, they wonder whether Saitō will kill them for defying him. As they feel it is fine since Urd placed him in a prison that can detain the highest-level progenitors, Saitō abruptly crushes the arm rests under where his hands are constrained.

Ky Luc and Lest Karr are stood nearby and the former approaches to interact with Saitō. Addressing his imprisonment, Ky Luc questions whether Saitō is out of sorts. Lest Karr warns Ky Luc not to talk to Saitō since he is dangerous. Unfazed, Ky Luc resumes speaking with Saitō on how he has heard the legends about him, yet they are all very old. Revealing that he became a vampire in a completely different region, Ky Luc continues that he had little opportunity to meet Saitō before now having long been curious about him. Mentioning how Saitō lost to Ferid of all vampires, Ky Luc has to wonder whether he is that powerful.

Professing himself to be weak, Saitō supports his assertion by questioning why else would he be bound in humiliation like he is. In response Ky Luc observes for all that Saitō has got an awfully cocky look in his eye, like he is in total control. Saitō's reply is that he is scared out of his mind, and he entreats Ky Luc to please not pick on him. The display promptly infuriates Ky Luc who expresses anger and a desire to beat Saitō's smug face to a pulp. Speaking that nobody would mind if he took a sec to try, Ky Luc calls for his sword. To diffuse the hostile sensation Lest Karr reminds Ky Luc that he told him to stop. Affronted, Ky Luc asks Lest Karr who he thinks he is talking to. When Lest Karr affirms it is superior's orders Ky Luc replies that the only superior he recognizes is Lord Urd. Reiterating for him to just stop already, Lest Karr adds that Lord Urd will destroy Ky Luc. Ceasing his conduct, after a glance, Ky Luc says there is little fun in killing someone who is tied up anyway. Saitō takes the opportunity to plead for Ky Luc to not pick on him. Upon flipping back to appearing quietly murderous, Saitō goads Ky Luc to answer whether he has to guts to pick on him. Ky Luc addresses Lest Karr to say if he does not step in right now he is going to do it.

Petitioning Saitō to please stop teasing their subordinates, Lest Karr adds that everyone is terrified. Protesting that he is bored, Saitō considers he could pass the time by killing everyone here. While Ky Luc is eager for Saitō to try, Ky Luc explains he cannot since the older the vampire the more tightly the prison chains bind them. Considering how old Saitō is, Lest Karr expects he would find it difficult to even lift a finger. Supporting that is the case as he is unable to move an inch, Saitō feels it is incredible and is surprised something like the prison could be made. Reckoning it was probably designed specifically to hold him, Lest Karr shares that it took centuries to make. With Saitō wondering, Lest Karr answers that yes Urd made it. When Saitō asks Lest Karr whether Urd is mad at him, the reply is very likely. After the first, Saitō and Urd are the oldest vampires so Lest Karr says he cannot presume to know what they think. The one thing Lest Karr can say is that he has never seen Lord Urd grow emotional over anyone but Saitō. From that, Saitō concludes Urd is furious. With Saitō seeking Lest Karr's opinion on whether he should apologize, the question is whether Urd would forgive him, which is deemed a good question. Saito thinks it has been a long time, so long that he barely remembers.

During a past time in Romania, at a castle located in a secluded mountainous area Saitō, who had longer hair, and Urd are seen in medieval appearing clothing, armed with swords. When Urd was questioning Rigr (his name at the time) if he was leaving, and received no response, he presumed it was to chase the first. Rigr was asked what he thought he could do, then questioned in kind what Urd thought he could do by staying. With Urd deciding to uphold the laws of vampire society, Saitō wondered whether he would do that for thousands of years without any hope of reward, before apparently quipping how selfless it was of him. As Saitō spoke that the first was gone having abandoned vampire-kind, Urd responded by raising whether he was abandoning them as well. Mollifying his concerns by saying not to sulk, Saitō expressed it is not like he is abandoning Urd. Feeling it is the same thing, Urd spoke that only the two of them remained in the world. Supposing it is true, Saitō commented how out of all the old vampires it is just them, then questioned whether Urd is going to miss him. After Urd asked if he said yes would he stay, Saitō answered no. With that, Urd decided he would just have to kill Saitō.

Since the penalty for breaking their laws was death, Rigr remarked how they laid down those laws themselves. They were building a utopia, one that would last forever. Telling Urd he was sorry, Rigr concluded their utopia was just an illusion. Ordering silence, Urd asked who is Rigr to decide it is mere illusion. The opposite was posed by Rigr who questioned who Urd was to decide it is real. When Rigr mentioned that their parent had left them, Urd raised whether he saw that as reason to leave too. As Rigr commented that Urd was staying and he would protect everyone, he was told not to dare. After Rigr said sorry, Urd rejected the sincerity of it, while drawing his sword as he stridently refused to allow him to leave. As Rigr drew his blade in time to block Urd's strike the latter expounded that he would cut off Rigr's arms and legs if he had to, then dictated that he would stay.

From the impact, stone wreckage was flung upwards and Urd and Rigr clashed with one another. Asking if they could maybe stop this, Rigr asseverated that Urd could not beat him. Refusing to do so, Urd shouted that Rigr will pay for this, further that he has never lost to him, not even once. Darting to new positions, Rigr leapt into the air and passing Urd he sliced off both his arms. Having dropped to the ground, Urd lied bleeding as Rigr attested that is enough. Contemplating him, Rigr said Urd always looked slightly pleased with himself when he would win. Since he liked that, Rigr continued to enunciate that he held back every time. As Urd experienced a realization Rigr said he was sorry and did not intend to hurt him. After the announcement that he would be off then, Urd then said to Rigr that he never cared if he was hurt by him. Urd raised that with Rigr gone who is left who can leave a scratch on himself. With his parent, and now his brother gone, Urd asked what was left for him in this world, then also what is he to do with this undying body of his. If Rigr went, Urd claimed he would hate him forever, which he was fine with if that would give him a reason to keep going.

After the recollection, Saitō asks whether Urd is going to torture him today. Stating that Saitō should be executed, Lest Karr judges he has broken far too many of their laws. Considering the laws to be so stuffy Saitō questions who came up with them anyway. The reply is he did. With that reminder, Saitō articulates adding a law that says it is okay to break all the others. All the laws are meaningless, they can run in the halls, and give blood to humans and make all the new vampires they want. Lest Karr appeals for Saitō to please be quiet. Turning to what Urd said, Saitō hears from Lest Karr that it was to not tell him anything, not to speak with him at all in fact. Addressing how they came to his prison anyway, Saitō believes Ky Luc and Lest Karr do want to talk to him, that there are questions they want to ask. While Lest Karr is not particularly bothered Saitō dismisses his indifference, certain that he does have questions to pose.

When the first took all of the best third progenitors with him, Saitō wonders why he did not take Lest Karr, words which he considers. Ky Luc is also attentive as Saitō reels off the names of Ashera and other third progenitors. Asuramaru as a demon is seen among others including Byakkomaru and Raimeiki near him. Gekkouin and Kiseki-o along with Noya as well are stood around Sika Madu. The first is holding a young Yu who is unconscious as he stands near the clear casket containing the body of Mikaela. Above them all floated at least twenty two black suns. Pointing that two were left out, Saitō mentions Krul Tepes as one of them, with the other whose name he just cannot remember. Saitō thinks it was Lest Karr, who tells him enough and to please be quiet. Speaking instead, Saitō wonders why the first left Lest Karr behind, before offering the suggestion that it is because he is incompetent. When Saitō ponders if there was something else he was lacking, Lest Karr demands his silence.

Stating that Urd knows why Lest Karr was left by the first, Saitō bets that he has not told him and is why Lest Karr came to talk. After he denies this, Saitō progresses with the line of conversation by wondering aloud why the first did not choose him. He then propounds that Lest Karr wants to know so badly he is desperate. With the denial being shouted this time, Saitō arrives to flatly request that Lest Karr let him out and he will tell him. Adding that Urd will surely kill him when he comes, Saitō entices further that the secret Lest Karr wants to know so badly will be forever out of his reach should that happen. Approaching, Ky Luc entertains the idea that they should open the prison up with Lest Karr, he will help. Being curious about those old legends, Ky Luc wants to know how many of them are true. Taking a moment, Lest Karr then smirks before declaring he thinks not. He has a completely different reason for approaching Saitō's prison. Saitō enquires what is the reason.

Lest Karr simply wondered what Saitō would say, knowing that he was trapped in a prison he could not escape. It was mere curiosity. Intrigued, Saitō asks what Lest Karr thinks of what he had got to say. Ignoring the statement, Lest Karr admits he is disappointed on how far the once-great Rigr Stafford has fallen. Speaking how Saitō does not even know him, Lest Karr feels he is inventing some secret he does not even know in a desperate bid to get out of his prison. Finding it understandable, Lest Karr guesses Saitō would die otherwise, but will not free him. Lest Karr suggests this is where Saitō will be executed. Returning to his potential leverage, Saitō checks if Lest Karr is okay with the secret staying secret forever, who answers Saitō would not know the answer even if he had a secret. Saitō is sure that he does, Lest Karr answers that he lies, who returns that Urd knows too. Labelling more lies, Lest Karr voices this is pathetic, and could Saitō please stop with the poor struggle, it is unbecoming. With that, Saitō has something to divulge.

From where Saitō is sat a great many chains rupture out the back of the stone appearing throne, and direct themselves forward. They stab into the vampires nearby, which shocks Lest Karr and Ky Luc. The vampires are flung into the air and dragged as the swirling cyclone of chains takes form. The roof of Saitō's cage has been ripped open and at the top of the formation of chains and vampires stands Saitō himself who reveals that the prison never really bound him, at all. In response, Lest Karr damns the situation however Ky Luc is excited, this is exactly what he hoped would happen. Passionate to do this, Ky Luc invokes his sword to appear as Lest Karr orders everyone to retreat. Saitō proclaims that everything Urd values he will destroy. Lest Karr readies his sword.

Chapter notes

 * The cover image features Saitō and Urd stood back to back. Saitō is contemplating while gazing upwards, while Urd considers his hand. Seraph like feathers float down on both of the second progenitors.
 * A prison made up of a chair, chains, a barred cage, spells (visually including overlapping spell circles) and multiple large crosses is seen for the first time. It was made to restrain vampire nobles where its effects will be stronger depending on the age of the vampire.
 * Lest Karr speculates it was probably made to restrain Saitō specifically, and adds it took centuries to create.
 * Saitō claimed the prison never really held him, and in any case could destroy it by having his chain weapons break through the physical structures that partially formed the prison.
 * Vampires are aware of who Saitō is and that he is a second progenitor. While they anticipate that Saitō might kill them for defiance, they consider his prison and how Urd put him there, but nevertheless appear apprehensive.
 * Ky Luc has heard legends about Saitō and states he has long been curious about Lord Rigr.
 * Ky Luc reveals he became a vampire in a completely different region, but does not elaborate on whether it is different to where they are situated in now, or where Saitō is from.
 * Saitō unconvincingly claiming that he himself is weak, scared out of his mind, and asking to not be picked on greatly provokes Ky Luc enough to want to attack him.
 * Ky Luc is also somewhat wrathful at Lest Karr instructing him to stop and demands to know who he thinks he is talking to, despite Saitō and Lest Karr's progenitor ranks indicating that they would both be drastically more powerful than him.
 * In dealing with Ky Luc, Lest Karr mentions it is superior's orders, but leaves it unsaid whether they is his or Urd's.
 * While in a state of anger, Ky Luc clarifies the only superior he recognizes is Lord Urd.
 * Claiming to be bored Saitō feels killing every single one of the vampires around him could be fun.
 * Saying after the first that Saitō and Urd are the oldest vampires, Lest Karr shares he cannot presume to know what they think.
 * Lest Karr has picked up that Saitō is the only one who Urd becomes emotional over.
 * The country Romania is seen in the series. At some point the two second progenitor vampires Saitō and Urd took up residence in a castle during an unstated period of time there.
 * With the first gone, Urd elected to uphold the laws governing vampire society.
 * Saitō felt their vampire utopia that was to be built and last forever was just an illusion.
 * When Urd questioned who Saitō was to decide it was a mere illusion, Saitō retorted who Urd was to decide that it was real.
 * When they fought in the past Urd had both his arms cut off by Rigr rather effortlessly.
 * They had battled before, where Rigr had been holding back and was allowing Urd to win.
 * Held accountable to his own laws Saitō responds by immediately changing them, being able to run in the halls now, and giving blood to humans to make as many vampires as desired are two of the overhauls given as examples.
 * Asuramaru, Byakkomaru (addressed as 'Byakko'), Gekkouin, Kiseki-o, Raimeiki (addressed as 'Raimei') and Noya are revealed to have been third progenitor vampires.
 * Now demons, they were aware of the past Yu and Mikaela.
 * Noya was seen in Sika Madu's company where he was not one of the seen disciples around Sika Madu in chapter 102, "He's Calling for Me".
 * The first brought all of the third progenitors with him, except for two, Krul and Lest Karr.
 * When the demons, Sika Madu holding Yu around Mikaela, and the halo of black suns were visualized, it is unknown whose point of view this was. Saitō was discussing the details with Lest Karr but was not seen in this past scenario.
 * If what Saitō is saying was true, and this scene occurred in reality, then Mikaela was still in his coffin and Noya had changed from a vampire to a demon. As a vampire Noya was aware of Mikaela, having plans in mind in chapter 85, "The Guinea Pigs Gather".
 * The room in this chapter that the first and the demons were in, from the walls, ceiling, and pillars, appears identical to Kureto's room seen in chapter 71, "Three Black Demons]]".
 * When antagonizing Ky Luc yields no results, Saitō navigates to outright asking Lest Karr to free him. He offers to provide details on why Lest Karr was not chosen by the first, and presses him to act by stating the secret will be lost with his death should Urd kill him to induce him to comply.
 * Ky Luc was in favour of freeing Saitō out of curiosity to know how many of the old legends about him were true.
 * Lest Karr declined to free Saitō. He was not interested in any secrets Saitō may have had, rather wanted to see what he would say in his state of imprisonment.
 * With no one acting to free him, Saitō freed himself by using his unrepressed by the prison chains to break out.
 * Ky Luc embraced the chance to fight Saitō whereas Lest Karr ordered others to retreat before drawing his own weapon.
 * Balancing on his chains, Saitō said he will destroy everything Urd values.

Characters
List of characters in order of appearance:

Gallery
Manga panels provide a visual overview of the events of chapter 105 with depictions of the characters, Seraph of the End world and scenarios.