Chapter 11 (Catastrophe)

Chapter 11 is the eleventh chapter of the Seraph of the End: Guren Ichinose: Catastrophe at Sixteen manga.

Synopsis
After the creature attacks, Guren and all around him assail it with their weaponry. Guren relies on a curse that requires a countdown, yet would result in the creature's death should it be successfully inflicted. While it does so, the creature can regenerate faster that the curse's withering effects.

Mahiru arrives and knocks out the squad. Presenting the cursed gear sword to Guren, she states he cannot win without it. She also presses Guren to kill his friends, but also has a moment of discouraging from reaching a point of no return. With he creature near, Guren touches the sword and makes contact with what he makes out as the demon within.

While Guren destroys the chimera, rather than murder his friends as Mahiru presses him to do, he cuts his own arm off to deal with the demon influence. Shocked, Mahiru confirms the energy can reattach Guren's severed arm. Not going with her, but meaning to bring Mahiru with him, Mahiru frames them as a rabbit and turtle, and encourages him to save her before she runs into death. Mahiru investigates the creature's remains and finds Ferid Bathory, a vampire, doing the same.

Characters
List of characters in order of appearance:
 * Guren Ichinose
 * Shinya Hīragi
 * Mito Jūjō
 * Sayuri Hanayori
 * Norito Goshi
 * Shigure Yukimi
 * Kureto Hīragi (visualized)
 * Saitō (visualized)
 * Mahiru Hīragi
 * Noya Hienma (seen somewhat as a demon is introduced, left unnamed)
 * Ferid Bathory

Summary
Guren and Shinya face the fully formed creature before them. When it uses a limb to strike at Guren, he parries is to some extent before leaping away. An impactful force knocks Guren aside and while Shinya calls for him, Mito acts to pull him out of harm's way. Outside the crater, Mito asks what the hell was that as the being stands below. Joining them, Shinya does now know then adds it is not something they can handle. Testing whether that is true, Sayuri casts spell tags which detonate near it, and Goshi ignites some matches. The smoke generated off of them induces a noise from the entity and Mito notes Goshi's illusion is working against it which should buy them time. As Shigure addresses that Guren needs to get his wound treated, he replies to burn it off and stop the bleeding.

After Guren stabs his sword through five spell tags, Shinya remarks this is Dead Blood Sword, it turns one's own blood into poison. This allows the user to slash the enemy nine times while chanting the incantation. The poison will then work its way into the enemy and cause certain death. Shinya continues that if Guren cannot kill the enemy within five minutes, he will die from the recoil. Considering it a double-edged curse, the suggestion is to retreat for now. Pointing out they have already seen the enemy's appearance, Sayuri feels if they report this back, she is sure the Hiragi family will understand.

With Guren clutching his sword, Shinya tells him to stop fooling around. Considering how information is to be provided for the Hiragi family, to the Hyakuya Sect's research that has not yet been interrupted, the thoughts are what about the Ichinose family. Killing the monster and bringing it back to the Ichinose family will get the information that the Hyakuya Sect has been trying to desperately trying to hide. If he is serious, Guren feels he should be able to do it.

A huge talon reaches the top of the crater. Goshi sees his illusion has been broken, yet Guren addresses Sayuri and Shigure who affirm they will back him up. As Guren leaps, Shigure wields her strings and Sayuri directs spell tags. Explosions affect the creature, and Guren counts his slashes inflicted on it. Generating his illusions again, Goshi causes more sword fighters to appear, while Guren strikes at the creature's limbs before Mito charges at it. Knocked away as his count reaches eight, Guren sees Shinya speak to explode. After a detonation, Shinya directs Guren to act now, yet he replies to not order him around.

Vertically slicing down it, Guren counts nine. The creature's body is saturated with a darkening energy then collapses. Relieved, Mito sees they got it, and Goshi comments on the nice teamwork, where Shigure answers for the first time though. While he is shocked at seeing it still alive, while Goshi wonders if Guren's attacks did not work, Shinya is sure it did. The issue is the creature's cells are regenerating at a speed that exceeds the poison from Dead Blood Sword. As it is wondered what it is, Shigure advises Guren they should pull out, before she is struck in the head.

Sayuri joins Shigure along with Mito and Goshi in falling to the ground. Mahiru is there and questions whether they are really going to leave. After Mahiru seizes Shinya by the neck, he asks what she is doing. With Shinya collapsing unconscious, Mahiru wonders if Guren is glad to see her again. The answer is no, and Guren questions what is she doing here, whether it is to clean up the Hyakuya Sect's mess. With that organization mentioned, Mahiru finds it strange. Shinoa was supposed to help her pass on a message, that Mahiru was planning to betray the Hyakuya Sect. After Guren asks whose side she is on, and what is her purpose, Mahiru replies they are in the same position. Placing her hand on his chest, Mahiru states no one can stop them now. Spending time with a loved one freely, with all her heart, Mahiru speaks they will go to a place where they can gain more power so no one would be able to stand in their way again.

Where Guren appears irked, Mahiru voices that madness and violent demon thoughts dwell in the recesses of her mind, that is where she belongs. Commenting that is also the same for him, Mahiru states but if he wants to fall to the same depths as her he still has a long way to go. Speaking for him to kill all of his friends, Mahiru guides Guren to let his hatred run rampant, make his madness move faster. Revealing that demons love human desires, Mahiru says Guren should let the demons choose him.

Pulling Mahiru's hand away, Guren announces his and her path, are the same. Throwing her sword into the ground, where it generates a radiance, Guren thinks how Mahiru called demon gods and sealed them into the weapon. Registering that this is the demon curse, Guren wonders if he is going to be tainted by the energy that is spilling out. Turning to the noise emitted by the approaching creature, Mahiru remarks that if Guren does not draw this sword then he cannot win against chimera, the gene of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse had been implanted within this beast.

As Guren faces the cursed gear sword, Mahiru states that is right, get his hands on the new power and throw away his human side. Faltering, Mahiru then says to not do it, he will pass the point of no return. Ordering herself to shut up, Mahiru claims to be kind of in the middle of some good moments. Asking which one of her is the real Mahiru, the reply from her is whether it will have anything to do with his choice. The creature has reached them, so Guren takes ahold of the sword handle for its energy to flow outwards. His eye altered, Guren is filled with thoughts of killing, crushing and destroying everything.

A visage appearing, it speaks that humans are so pitiful, always looking for power. Raising that this is the demon who lives inside the sword, Guren is told he made the wrong choice, he is not supposed to be here. The demon speaks how his desire and lust for power has forced him into a state of insanity. For someone who feeds on those emotions, the demon is happy to be summoned like this. Asking if he wants power, when Guren replies yes, the next question is would he be willing to lose something for that, which has a yes answer again. Looming over him, the demon claims Guren will have no need of his friends. Mentioning Sayuri and Shigure, the demon says to kill them first. This will be his first task, release the violent demon inside his soul and the demon's strength will be given to Guren.

Instructing the demon to shut its trap, Guren focuses on the creature closing around him to have it cut in two. Mahiru remarks that it is truly amazing, just as she expected. Drawing near him, Mahiru raises how Guren wants to kill her, and all his friends as well. Pulling their insides out, violating the girls, breaking their necks and killing them, Mahiru continues that Guren's mental state will become worse due to being possessed by the demon, that is the problem of this weapon. Affirming that it does not matter, Mahiru explains if Guren kills them he can temporarily suppress his desire. They can then find out how to use the demon curse equipment. Working together, they will bring this power to perfection. Mahiru ends by saying after that they will live with their heads held high, and no one can interfere with that.

Finding his sword burst with a shadowy fire, Gurenr reacts to it to which Mahiru says that is right, this is the state of existing that they have both been chasing. The demon speaks to go ahead and cross that line. Drawing his other sword, Guren uses it to cut off his right arm that is holding the cursed gear weapon. While Mahiru is astonished, Guren finds he finally regained his composure. Upset, Mahiru cradles Guren's dismembered limb and asks what is he doing. Hurrying, she places the body parts back together. As long as the demon's regenerative power still remains, he might be able to reattach it. Holding them, Mahiru cries while watching to see if it will work, even if it is just the nerves.

Saying for her to stop the demon curse research, Guren states if this goes on they will be blinded by the power and eventually become some stupid puppets, there must be another way. Crying that there isn't, and it is impossible, Mahiru is embraced by Guren. After Guren speaks that this time he will protect her, Mahiru replies if he really wants to do that then kill his subordinates, his friends, and come with her. Guren answers no, she is coming with him. Wishing that she was a woman who was willing to go along with those words, Mahiru voices how he must have realized it. It was a dream, an ideal, silly talk where they are imagined as children.

Acquiring the cursed gear sword, Mahiru declares Guren a slow learner. She is a rabbit, and one heading straight for destruction. With the sword radiating energy, Mahiru places her hand on Guren's reconnected arm. Stating that she is waiting for her dear turtle prince, Mahiru says for Guren to try and save her before she rushes to her death. Surprised to see his arm back on, Guren hears it is re-attached but there will not be a second time. Lucky for him, there is still some remaining power of the demon, of course if Guren holds this sword again it will be a different story.

Feeling that this power is not something humans should lay a hand on, Guren hears Mahiru says that he is not human anymore. His soul already has a little bit of demon mixed into it, so in the end he will also perish just like her. Content that they are never going to be apart, Mahiru asks for them to become demons together and immerse themselves in happiness. Reluctantly deciding that is all for today, Mahiru has some work to do and descends into the crater. Picking up a piece of the creature, through the smoke Mahiru can make out someone with pointed ears doing the same.

Noticing him as well, Guren questions who he is. Heeding the red eyes, that outfit, and fangs, Mahiru gathers that he is a vampire. Seeing that she knows about his kind, Ferid Bathory introduces himself and shares he is a seventh progenitor among the vampires.

Chapter notes

 * This chapter adapts from:
 * Catastrophe book 2 - chapter 7 (p. 296-316)
 * Noya Hienma appears.
 * Ferid Bathory is introduced and named.