A Drive Along Death's Shoreline

A Drive Along Death's Shoreline is the forty-fourth chapter of the Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign manga series.

Spoiler Summary
Crowley Eusford and Ferid Bathory quickly advances towards the fishing village where the Shinoa squad and others had been hiding at. As the thirteenth progenitor questions the seventh's motives, the latter merely states that they were to become comrades with Yu and Mika. Crowley comments that that was impossible, in which Ferid responds with saying although he had killed those that Crowley knew in the past, they were still on good terms. Crowley marvels at the thought of it having to take 800 years for them to develop a good relationship, which Ferid finds problematic if it takes so long. They then quickly approach the Shinoa squad.

Back at the fishing village, the Shinoa squad makes plans to rescue Krul Tepes the vampire queen. Mika tells Yu that Krul was captured by Ferid, asking if he remembered who he was. Yu has a flashback to the slaughter of the rest of the Hyakuya family, vividly remembering Ferid from that time and his own heart-wrenching scream in pain and anger. Yu then says that he had thought he'd killed Ferid with the gunshot from back then, however Mika counters his words, in which Yu agrees to. With that thought, he now knows that Ferid is still alive. Mika then informs Yu that he had already met with Ferid however, back during the battle in Shinjuku. Yu tells the other that he didn't really notice and that he was mainly focused on the fact that Mika had been alive and he'd been overwhelmed that moment. Narumi steps in, telling them to stop discussing without the others and asked for what they had been talking about. Shinoa starts to explain the two's childhood, but is stopped by Yu when he asks if they could also hear a strange sound. Everyone paused to listen, but they can't hear anything. Mika quickly counters, saying that he could also hear it. The sound of a car motor was quickly advancing towards them, and that someone was coming.

Everyone is caught off guard, quickly getting themselves together as they consider the source of the sound to be an enemy from the JIDA. Yoichi quickly gets on high ground to confirm the source of the sound. Meanwhile, Mika marvels that Yu had been able to hear the sound. He realizes that even though Yu was awake, the demon transformation inside of him continued to advance. Yu however sees this as a positive thing, saying that he was stronger and would be able to protect his comrades. Mika scolds the other about the negativity and downside of the situation, in which the other brushes off casually and only focused on the good of things. He states that since Mika no longer was a human already, then they would be the same. Mika ends the argument here, realizing it'd be futile to continue doing so.

Yoichi then calls out to Yu, asking him for where the source of the sound was coming from. Yu informs him that it was coming from the coast. The archer quickly focused on the road along the coastline, searching for the enemy. However, instead of the JIDA like they expected, it revealed to be Ferid and Crowley quickly closing in on a car. Narumi asks Yoichi who it was, and the other alerts them that it wasn't the JIDA, but rather it was the vampires. He tells them that it was the same vampire they had fought back at Nagoya City Hall. Everyone panics, remember the monstrous strength Crowley possessed. Mitsuba asks why the vampires would come to the village rather than the JIDAs. Yoichi informs them that alongside with Crowley, there was a silver-haired vampire. Immediately, Yu knows that it's Ferid. Mika confirms with the rest of them that they were the two vampires that had captured Krul. Shinoa asks Mika if he knew why the vampires had come, but he responds that he doesn't know and that they shouldn't be involved with them. Quickly, she suggests for them to run away since they can't fight the two vampires in the condition that they were in. Yu counters the suggestion, worrying for the safety of the villagers. Kimizuki tells him that the only reason the villagers would also be targets was that they were there. If they fled the area, then the villagers would be safe. With that assured thought, everyone agrees to run. Shinoa commands them to take a pill and for them to run away as fast as they can.

Crowley from afar states that the humans had noticed them and that they were fleeing. Ferid orders him to not let them get away, in which the other is reluctant to do so and asks if he's serious about him chasing after them. Ferid casually excuses himself that he was driving, and Crowley offers to take his place. In a threatening manner, Ferid commands him to hurry up and go. The other quickly obeys and asks what he's to do. Ferid merely tells him to not kill them, however he may cut off their limbs. At this, Crowley laughs at the irony and wonders where the conversation about being comrades went. Taking his stance, he surveys his surroundings for a bit before making his move. He jumps off the car and high upwards onto an upper plain. From there, he quickly pursues after the fleeing Shinoa squad.

As the Shinoa squad flees the village, Yu asks Mika if Ferid was strong. Mika thinks on the thought for a moment before saying yes. He informs them that among all the vampires within Japan, Ferid was the second most powerful right after Krul. They're surprised to learn that he was even stronger than Crowley whom they had already fought with. Mitsuba then says that she remembered learning about Crowley being a thirteenth progenitor. Narumi adds on by saying that the higher their ranks were, the more powerful they were. Yu suddenly remembers a thought and tells the others that Ferid was a seventh progenitor. At this, everyone sweat-drops. Shinoa comments that the situation was bad, and that if they were pursued then it'll be the end for them. Yu ponders on his own thoughts, pondering on the fact that vampires were enemies that couldn't be killed so easily. He realizes that with that fact, then since from the very beginning they had been played. Yu asks that if even their escape from the vampire city had been part of a plan, and Mika considers it so however he does not know the details. With realizing that everything had been a plan from the start, he thinks about him having met with Guren all those years ago had also been planned. Remembering their first encounter, he finally realizes what Mika had always been trying to tell him, that he was being used by others. However he contradicts his own thought, remembering Guren shedding tears. He contemplates whether or not Guren had been dragged into playing a part in the plan, and if so then whose plan it had been. He remembers the words Kureto said to him, about the orphanages run by the Hyakuya sect collecting helpless children and performing numerous experimentations on them. They had been nothing more than guinea pigs used for the testing. He thinks about how everything had been a plan since even before the world ended, and if so then Kureto couldn't have been the mastermind as since he seemed ignorant of a few given circumstances and outcomes. He turns his thoughts to Ferid, wondering if the vampire was the mastermind then. Yu ponders on the thought that if it were true, then perhaps meeting Ferid one more time would be a good idea.

As if reading his mind, Mika quickly shakes him from his thoughts. He tells Yu that back then in the vampire city, whenever he had gone to Ferid's mansion that Yu would be angry. Mika tells him that he regretted his choice every day after that, that had he listened to Yu's words then Akane and the others wouldn't have died. Just like he had done, Yu quickly shakes Mika from his self-loathing, stating that it had been a plan since the beginning and that he had done nothing wrong. Since it'd been a plan they knew nothing about, they couldn't have done anything about it. Kimizuki then breaks into their conversation, telling them to focus on escaping and that if they knew something they should share with the others. He tells them that although the world was in chaos and they had no idea what's going on, there was one thing they were all sure about—that though the situation was becoming worse, they were all friends. Everyone agrees with him and happily cheers.

Suddenly, Crowley Eusford drops down in front of them. He comments that he had finally caught up to them and that while he waited for Ferid to arrive he would do as he was told. With that said, he suddenly darts past their ranks, his sword unsheathed quickly to attack Mitsuba. With Crowley now behind them, Yu turns around as everyone realizes in horror what had happened. They scream Mitsuba's name as Crowley sheathes his blade once more.