Makoto Narumi

Makoto Narumi (鳴海 真琴) is a minor character in Seraph of the End: Guren Ichinose: Catastrophe at Sixteen and Resurrection at Nineteen. He is also a supporting character in the Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign manga series. Narumi is a sergeant of the Japanese Imperial Demon Army and the leader and only surviving member of his squad in the Moon Demon Company.

Appearance
Narumi has long brown hair pulled back into a ponytail and brown eyes. His bangs frame his face and reach down to his jawline. He has a beauty mark under the outer corner of his right eye. He has heavy upper eyelids.

He wears the standard JIDA uniform which consists of a long-sleeved black coat with light green details including the shoulder epaulettes which has a brown Sam Browne belt along with another strap crossing over his chest to form an X and two rows of gold buttons on the front; he has his sleeves rolled up. Along with that, he wears a pair of white gloves and a white web belt with a gold waist-plate. He also wears the uniform trousers and black boots which go over the trouser's leggings.

Personality
Although he is gullible, he knows how important and dangerous their missions are. He teases the rookies during downtime, but he does not approve of any clowning around or disrespect when it comes close to mission start. He is quick to lose his temper and a bit childish.

Yu's lack of respect drives him nuts, but he likes him anyway.

History
Narumi belongs to a retainer house that serves the Ichinoses. He had been friends Shūsaku Iwasaki since they were little. They went to the same preschool and the world ended when they were in elementary school together.

Both of them grew up in Nagoya before the apocalypse which made for a dangerous journey north to Shibuya. Sometime during their journey, they rescued their future squad members Rika, Yayoi and Tarō. They then joined the Japanese Imperial Demon Army and later the Moon Demon Company where Narumi became the leader of their squad.

Events of 2012
At Sakae Ichinose’s funeral, Narumi and Shūsaku ask Guren if the Imperial Moon will be treated like this for the rest of their lives, and Guren tells them to endure it and support him for now.

Nagoya Arc
Narumi Squad pairs up with Shinoa Squad to exterminate vampire nobles in Nagoya. He introduces himself to Yūichirō Hyakuya and says he has doubts about a bratty kid watching his back. When Makoto tells Yu he is nineteen, Yu lies and says he is twenty. Makoto believes him and introduces the rest of his squad.

When Shinoa Squad faces off against Lieutenant Colonel Guren Ichinose, Colonel Mito Jūjō, and Major General Shinya Hīragi, Makoto looks forward to the rookie hazing. Surprisingly, Yu holds off on his own against Guren. Even so, Guren's team defeats them easily. Guren announces that they are all sixteen and three of them bear Black Demons. Makoto realizes Yū lied about his age. Makato comes up to Guren and points out how their squad has no sense of teamwork, which made Guren put Narumi's squad in charge of Shinoa's squad. Makoto comes up to Shinoa Squad, pointing out their zero teamwork and saying they lied about their age. Yu forgot who he was. Makoto draws his trident and Yu tries to fight him, but Special Duty Second Lieutenant Mitsuba Sangū bashes Yu over the head. Sergeant Shinoa Hīragi apologizes for Yu. He is concerned about her squad's discipline problems.

In Fifteenth Progenitor Lucal Wesker's ward, their team waits for mission start. He briefs the team and scolds Shinoa Squad for not coming prepared. He orders Shinoa to teach Yū how to be polite. Yu starts to interrupt him again, and Shinoa Squad beats him up while Shinoa apologizes for him again. Makoto becomes their team leader for this mission with Shinoa second-in-command. Makoto scolds Yū again for not remembering the name of their target, but Yu surprises him by listing the names of everyone in not only Shinoa Squad but Narumi Squad as well.

The battle starts, and Makoto lets Yu take point. Makoto orders him not to die.

Lucal grabs Shinoa's scythe and swings Shinoa into Makoto's path. Yu intervenes. The battle continues, and Shihō Kimizuki manages to goad Lucal into charging at him. Yū manages to cut Lucal in half, and Narumi finishes him off. His squad high-fives, making Shinoa want to do it as well.

Their team regroups at the meeting spot. Sergeant Aiko Aihara arrives with only seven surviving team members; although they killed their target, they suffered eight casualties. When she asks Makoto about his team's losses, he dumps the responsibility for them coming out unharmed on Shinoa, making Shinoa panic when Aiko glares at her. Yu offers to keep watch while Aiko's team rests, and Makoto pretends to have forgotten Yu's name. Guren arrives, and Makoto reports that the rookies did very well. Guren orders Shinoa Squad and Narumi Squad to join his team to hunt down Thirteenth Progenitor Crowley Eusford, Seventeenth Progenitor Chess Belle, and Seventeenth Progenitor Horn Skuld and to rescue hostages. Guren orders Aiko to wait half an hour for any more survivors and send them to Nagoya Airport.

Once they reach Nagoya City Hall, Guren looks at the hostages being used through a telescope and knows that they are being used as bait to lure them. Yu insists on bursting in and saving them. Narumi dismisses it as too dangerous and when Yu asks him what they should do, Narumi asks Guren what they should do. Guren suggests that they snipe them from their position and see if they can lure them out but says that if there are too many of them, they are to abandon the hostages and run. Yu shouts that they can't do that.

Shinoa interrupts Yu and asks Guren what their priorities are. In order, he says that their top priority is to maintain their numbers, letting no one die. Their second priority is to free the hostages and lastly, getting the hostages out alive. Narumi states that this is because they are needed for another mission after this. Guren then says that they need to keep the vampires occupied in Aichi Prefecture for as long as they can so they can buy enough time for the main forces in Shibuya to get prepared.

After Crowley catches Gekkōin, Guren and his squad discuss what to do. After careful planning, Guren decides that his squad will take his squad to attack Crowley while Shinoa and Narumi Squads free the hostages. He gives them five minutes to rescue as many hostages as they can and act as a proper diversion for the main force in Shinjuku. As soon as the five minutes are up everyone has orders to retreat to the Nagoya Airport immediately.

Narumi Squad reappears after Kimizuki captures Yu, having already rescued the hostages. Shinoa Squad joins up with them and many injured soldiers. They flee, and Rika Inoue reports seeing a single vampire straight ahead. Shinya says they can handle one noble and orders them to keep pushing forward.

As Mika engages the Moon Demon Company, Makoto attacks him from the side, but Mika blocks it.

After Shinoa Squad protects and allows Mika to escape, the other humans knock Shinoa down, calling her a traitor and telling her to die. Shinya tries to interfere and orders them to not kill her. Makoto stops the sword of one of the men and asks him if he heard the major general's orders. When the soldier protests, Makoto punches him. He states that those who cannot listen to orders on the battlefield do not belong in the Moon Demon Company. Shinoa sighs with relief, but Makoto bonks her on the head and says she still has a lot of explaining to do.

Shinya orders them all to move now. Common vampire soldiers jump down from the helicopters, surprising them in the midst of their drama. One cuts through Yayoi's left side above the hip, causing blood to spray all around her as she falls to the ground. Enraged, Tarō curses him and charges in to attack. Makoto tries to stop him but he doesn't listen. He stabs the vampire through the torso while the vampire stabs him through the chest simultaneously. Blood sprays out of Tarō's mouth. Seeing his squad members die before him, Makoto curses the vampires.

After reaching Nagoya Aiport, Narumi tells Rika to calm down after she grabs Shinoa. He says he will take it from here since he is the squad leader. Then, Shinya Hīragi arrives with Guren Squad, sans Guren. Shinya says it is not up to Narumi who is disciplined.

Narumi asks him what he is going to do. He says they came this far on their orders, even after losing their commander, because they thought they were really doing something. He says he cannot see why they came here because no one is waiting for them and bloodsuckers will catch them soon. He asks if this decoy mission was meant to be a suicide mission from the start. Shinya does not answer. When prompted by Norito Goshi, Shinya says Guren told him a transport chopper was supposed to be waiting there for them to escape with. He says they were supposed to then use the chopper to fly to Shinjuku, where a trap is supposed to be lying in wait for the vampires.

Narumi asks for an explanation. He can accept a meaningful suicide mission as long as Guren gives the order, but he says the Moon Demon Company obeys Guren alone, not Shinya Hīragi. He says they are sick of the Hīragi's, who sit safely above them and give out orders. Shinya tells him that is enough. Narumi asks Shinya how many of them think will follow orders from a higher ranked officer who orders them to march to their deaths. The company becomes disgruntled and asks what they should do.

Shinya wonders if Guren wants him to protect their lives or continue the mission. When Narumi demands an answer, Shinya tells him to shut up and says they will abandon the mission. Guren says their official orders are to hold position in Nagoya Airport, but he says they will instead plan to rescue Guren. The soldiers appear relieved.

A van pulls up, and Aoi Sangū steps out. Then, Kureto Hīragi steps out. Shinya Hīragi and the members of Guren's squad are immediately alarmed, surprising Makoto Narumi with their reaction. Yoichi and Kimizuki recognize Kureto as the one who tortured them. Shinoa and Mitsuba are concerned.

Kureto identifies himself and congratulates them on their successful mission. He says that, thanks to their glorious sacrifices, humanity will now achieve complete victory over vampire-kind. He says he will take over now and orders them to put down their weapons and be at ease.

Shinoa orders them to hold onto their weapons and says she feels that something terrible will happen. Rika, Shūsaku, and Narumi hesitate.

Kureto orders Aoi to kill the "sacrifices," and he disarms Shinya when Shinya demands that Kureto wait.

Narumi approaches Kureto and asks what he is talking about. Kureto asks who he is and restates his order for the soldiers to drop their weapons. Narumi points out how many of them have died already and says it is his responsibility to keep his subordinates safe.

Kureto remarks on Narumi's passion and asks for his name. Shinya quickly shouts at Narumi to not tell him, but Kureto says Shinya cannot do anything to protect him anyway. Shinya pleads with Kureto to just let them leave.

Immediately afterward, he says that everyone is going to die anyway and orders the experiment to begin. Aoi launches chains from the ground at the surviving members of the Moon Demon Company. They merely scratch Shinya and fire at the other soldiers. Narumi summons his demon, Genbushin, to protect him and is narrowly able to dodge the chains. However, the chains pierce Rika through the chest and Shūsaku through the shoulder. The chains stab numerous other Moon Demon Company survivors and hang their corpses in the air.

Narumi falls to his knees, asking what just happened. Shūsaku screams at Narumi to run until a second chain pierces through his chest. Enraged, Narumi charges at Kureto. Kureto smiles and says they had a glorious death for the sake of humanity's future. He says his actions are just and right.

Another pair of chains strike down at Narumi from above, but Mitsuba and Kimizuki block the attack. Kimizuki yells at him to not give up yet. Yoichi fires arrows at Kureto, which Kureto easily deflects. Shinoa and Mitsuba order a retreat, and Shinoa commands them to take their curse stimulant pills.

Yu and Mika step into the fray, surprising Shinoa Squad and Narumi.

An army of vampires arrive, cursing the insolent humans for their recent attack. The vampires and humans wage war. Fighting through their enemies, the children flee.

The experiment continues, and the demon Abaddon is successfully manifested. Yu then awakens in his seraph mode. He defeats the demon and later stabs himself through the chest with his cursed gear. When he plummets to the ground, Narumi throws Genbushin to catch Yu.

As the squad makes their escape from Nagoya Airport, Shinoa tells her squad that they are now seceding from the Japanese Imperial Demon Army.

Human soldiers chase them and order them to hand over Yu, who is now unconscious and on Narumi's back, but Mika appears and kills them. Shinoa orders them to flee.

Three months later, the group is near the sea. Makoto and Mika watch over the villagers while Shinoa carries some laundry.

Post-Nagoya Arc
Narumi arrives with food he found in a supermarket two kilometers southwest and throws a can of red bean jam at Shiho. The villagers are excited for their feast of canned goods. Mika watches them, and Yu joins him. He returns the bottle of blood to Mika. Yu says Mika does not have to drink that blood and can drink his instead, but Mika says he will drink it. He says the thirst is getting worst and is worried he might drink too much of Yu's blood. Yu asks if he is okay with something besides his blood, and Mika says that at least it was not poisoned. Mika asks if this whole "being friends" thing is part of the experiments. He says they are decent for humans but wonders if it is smart to trust them.

Their group notices that Mika drank their blood and approach him. Yoichi asks if their blood was okay. Mika says it was gross. Shinoa rambles about the pure and sweet blood of a virgin and then asks if unchaste blood got in there before looking at Mitsuba with an aghast expression. Yu, Mika, and Shiho share identical blank expressions.

Shinoa brings up their future plans. Mitsuba summarizes what has been going on. She says that the Japanese Imperial Demon Army will probably hunt them down and kill them, which puts the villagers at risk. They mention they cannot travel overseas because of how acidic and poisonous the blood-red oceans are. Monsters even worse than Horsemen swim in their depths.

They suggest surrendering, and Mika rejects the idea of returning Yu to the army to prevent him from becoming a demon. Narumi tells him to keep his fangy mouth shut unless he has any other options. He says he will save Yu no matter what in order to give his friends' deaths meaning. Shiho states he will do absolutely anything to save his sister and even betray the rest of them. Yu suggests meeting up with Guren, but Shinoa vetoes that idea and says they cannot trust him. Makoto tells Mika this is the circle of discussion they are stuck in and asks if he has anything to offer.

Mika asks if he owes them a favor because they gave him blood, but Shinoa says no. She says that blood was for helping a friend but says she would love to hear any suggestions if he has them.

Mika says the vampire queen, his sponsor, participated in the Seraph of the End experiments. They may be able to trust her. He says she was captured and he does not know what happened to her, but rescuing her might be their least complicated option. Makoto asks if vampires are less dangerous than the Demon Army, and Mika says yes. Vampires actually care little about humans and are only concerned by power-hungry humans. Narumi agrees and says that describes the Demon Army pretty well. Shiho also agrees with that plan and states he does not trust anyone aside from those standing right there. Mitsuba agrees to the plan, and Shinoa says that the Demon Army is the most dangerous organization in Japan.

Shinoa announces their next objective is to rescue Krul Tepes before Yu becomes a full demon.

While the group is on the beach, Mika and Yu begin discussing Ferid Bathory. Narumi asks them to stop talking over their heads and explain what they were talking about. Shinoa begins to explain that Yu and Mika were held in the vampire capital when they were little.

Yu notices the sound of a car engine. Yoichi rushes to the roof of a nearby building and uses his cursed gear to see Ferid and Crowley driving toward them. Shinoa orders them to take their curse stimulant pills and flee.

As they run, Crowley lands in front of them and strikes Mitsuba with his sword, sending her flying. Yoichi shoots at Crowley, who easily deflects his shots. Kimizuki steps in next. Makoto asks what they are all thinking, and Shinoa orders everyone to assist Kimizuki. Narumi obeys and wields Genbushin.

Yu surrenders to Crowley and Ferid until Ferid presents Akane's head in a jar to them, sending Yu's demon out of control and making him attempt to kill Ferid. Mika gets Yu to struggle against the demon temporarily.

Kimizuki quickly calls a truce with Crowley and Ferid.

The group later gets on a bus with Ferid and Crowley. Ferid tells Narumi he has the bodies of all of his squad members packed up in bottles as well. Narumi is enraged, but Kimizuki tells him to just let Ferid talk.

The group gets on a bus with Ferid, and Crowley is driving.

The group takes a bathroom break. In the boys' bathroom, Yu rants about Guren taunting them with information but never giving them answers. The boys tell Yu to quit shouting. The girls then enter the boy's bathroom where they discuss their situation and the Seraph of the End. They decide they must betray Ferid before he betrays them.

They crouch together and whisper to come up with a signal of when to attack Ferid en masse.

Osaka Arc
The squad eventually gets back on the bus and are driven to Osaka Bay. The squad disembark to see an army of foreign vampires.

Later the squad goes to Ferid's mansion in Osaka and Shinoa is amazed at it's size. Mika chides Yu for wishing to bring Akane back to life, saying that could cause another one of his friends to die. Mika talks about Yu becoming a demon is similar to Guren, but Narumi interrupts saying Yu already is a demon after feeling responsible for Mika turning into a vampire.

Yu tells Narumi to not bully Mika but Narumi states all MIka wishes to do is run away with Yu. Mika argues against the use of the seraph of the end experiments for being cruel, saying they will only give birth to despair. Narumi counters by saying they could be successful the next time, but Shinoa interferes and tells them they are ending the discussion.

Mika tells Narumi it could be dangerous for him at Ferid's mansion because he is being held hostage by his squad's dead bodies, and Narumi agrees to consider that. He looks around and thinks the mansion is too neat and must have someone taking care of it. He tells everyone to draw their weapons just as Tenth Progenitor Fuola Honte exits the mansion.

Fuola attacks Yu but Narumi blocks the blow and is thrown in the air. Narumi asks what rank he is and guesses he is higher rank than Lucal Wesker. Narumi lands and returns to the squad formation. Fuola tells them he cannot play along because he is being chased by a monster.

Crowley leaves the mansion and Fuola tells him there is no way Crowley can beat him based on their ranks, but Crowley beheads him. Narumi wonders how Crowley was stronger than Fuola and Crowley challenges the squad to see if their formation can beat him.

Crowley easily defeats them and reveals he was given the blood of a second progenitor so he could be a seventh but pretends to be a thirteenth so the higher ranking progenitors underestimate him. He tells Shinoa Squad that if they hope to rescue Ferid they must get strong enough to defeat a fifth progenitor.

Narumi along with Shinoa wonder why Yu is so calm around Crowley which Mika says it's because Yu is dumb. Kimizuki says it never occurred to him to think of vampires as former humans and Narumi agrees, saying from the human point of view vampires are predators.

Narumi says being friends with vampires is impossible because of the predator prey relationship and how it is rare for a new vampire to be born. He then questions Mika if he will save Ferid and if he is an ally of Crowley, and cuts his arm to draw blood. Narumi then asks when Mika will stop viewing Yu as his family and if he is retaining his humanity.

Kimizuki disagrees with Narumi's method and stops him, saying they themselves are not human anymore and humans have always killed each other, so they could become friends with vampires.

Narumi once again asks how much humanity Mika still has which the latter says his humanity is vanishing with his emotions not being as strong; however Mika says that his feelings for Yu have not changed at all but everything else is fading. Narumi says that if vampires can cling onto their humanity then alliances are possible.

Shinoa Squad then enter Ferid's mansion where they go to the kitchen to eat, and then afterward they will go to the basement.

Shibuya Arc
He has his hand on the stretcher Yu is sat on, with Yoichi, Mitsuba and Kimizuki nearby. Narumi agrees with Mitsuba when she states what they all can hear sounds like a battle, saying he does not like this. After Yoichi tells him he is going after Kimizuki as he checks on his sister, Narumi tags along with them.

Natural Abilities
Narumi, like all people who wield Cursed Gear, has heightened strength and regeneration abilities. He is also a capable leader.

Cursed Gear

 * Genbushin (玄武針): A manifestation-type demon weapon from the Rakshasa series that takes the form of a trident. It has the ability to manifest one or more shields.
 * In the anime, Genbushin's ability is shown as a black metalic shield while in the manga, chapter 60 shows it as multiple, projected shields in the shape of turtle shells.

Book 6
"I was told growing up that the Order of the Imperial Moon is the greatest organization on Earth. If that’s true, then how could something like that happen?! …How could they just treat us like garbage? I… looked up to you people. The Ichinoses are supposed to be strong and kind, to show us the way to a better future… That’s what my dad said… So why…"

- Makoto to Guren Ichinose about Sakae Ichinose’s execution.

Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign
"So you're the bratty kid who broke regulations and showed up late to his first meeting, eh? I'll be honest with you. I'm not sure I trust you to have my back."

- Makoto Narumi to Yūichiro Hyakuya.

"Playtime is over, kids. Even if you're as useless as rusty spoons, our squad will make this a success."

- Makoto Narumi to Shinoa Squad.

"If you can't listen to orders on the battlefield, you don't belong in the Moon Demon Company!!"

- Makoto to a soldier who tries to kill Shinoa Hīragi after she protects the vampire Mikaela Hyakuya.

"But, sir! What are you going to do then?! We came to this godforsaken place on orders! Even after we lost our commander, we pushed on this far! That's because we thought what we did had meaning! So what is it?! What did we come here for?! There's not a single damn thing here that I can see! No one is waiting for us! There's no sign of a trap for the vampires either! So what do we do?! There are bloodsuckers hot on our tail, and they'll be here soon! Was this decoy mission meant to be suicide from the start?!"

- Makoto Narumi to Shinya Hīragi.

"Y'know, an explanation would be nice right about now. Well, Major General Shinya? What is going on here? If there's a meaning to our deaths, I'm okay with this being a suicide mission. But that's only if Lt. Colonel Guren Ichinose gave the order. The Moon Demon Company obeys him... and him alone. We will not die for you, Shinya Hiragi."

- Makoto Narumi to Shinya Hīragi.

"Orders...? How many of us do you think have already died?! I have a responsibility to keep my subordinates safe!!"

- Narumi to Kureto Hīragi.

"We can't leave the country. That means we're being hunted but have nowhere to run. We might be able to beat them back a few times, yeah... But that option will only last as long as our supply of curse stimulant pills. Once they're gone, we can't effectively fight them, or vampires, or even Horsemen. And for the cherry on the cake, Yu is slowly getting possessed by his demon. Without some kind of intervention, he'll eventually go full demon on us. The only ones capable of providing that kind of medical care are in the Demon Army. So pretty much our only real option is to turn ourselves in..."

- Makoto.

"I SAID SHUT UP!! I lost my whole squad, my friends, to that stupid experiment they're doing on you. Don't you tell me to 'set it aside.' I am going to save you, no matter what. If I don't, their deaths will have meant nothing."

- Makoto to Yu.

"I've lost my comrades because of the experiment on you, don't joke with me about this. I will protect you at any cost, otherwise their death would be meaningless"

- Makoto.

"Whoa. And you need to stop having a conniption fit right now, stupid Yu! There's no point in secret planning if you shout everything."

- Makoto.

"We'll have to betray him before he has the chance to betray us."

- Makoto about Ferid.

"Hope. Yeah, this time, it failed, but maybe the next time it'll work. It's exactly that kind of determination that allowed humanity to grow as much as it did."

- Makoto to Mika.

"They herd us humans together like animals. So nature takes its course and, as prey, we develop an instinctual fear of our predators. Becoming friends with a vampire is impossible for us. Think about it. Can predator and prey coexist? Do lions and sheep really lie down together? Could cats be friends with mice?"

- Makoto to Mika and their group.

"In the Demon Army's archives, there's an intel report that says it's against vampire law for them to reproduce. It speculates that there hasn't been a new vampire in at least a century. We certainly haven't seen any of our people turned, even after everything. None of us know what to make of that. We have no clue what vampire-kind is thinking. Vampires are the enemy. They are to be feared. If we don't kill them, they'll kill us. That's what I've always thought, and it's what the Demon Army teaches us. But. Suddenly, out of nowhere, we find a rare, newborn vampire. If your story is true, and you weren't making up your human ancestry--"

- Makoto to Mika and their group.

"Anyway, I have a question for Mr. Newborn vampire here. Saving Ferid. Befriending Crowley. How possible is either? How practical? This once, I will say that I'll trust you, Mikaela. That is why I ask you now... How long can that trust last? For how long will you continue to view Yu as your 'family'? The vampire nobility--like Ferid and Crowley--have probably lived for over a millenium. Do they still retain some fragment of their humanity? Or does anything human about them vanish with time, leaving them completely different beings? I want empirical data. I've been watching you, y'know. Now's about when you should be getting thirsty. Thirst enough to attack people. Well? Looking at this fresh blood on my arm, how much of your humanity is still in there? Do we start looking like food--"

- Makoto to Mika and their group.

"Basically, despite everything else fading or decaying entirely, it is possible for a vampire to cling to a fragment of their humanity. And in that case, an alliance with them becomes possible."

- Makoto to Mika and their group.

"That's right. I know all that. But I still can't give up on him, or the others. What is the correct move to make? What is Lt. Colonel Guren thinking? Bringing all of humanity back to life? There's no way the Hiragi Family wants that to happen. And if that's the case... what is it that I should be doing?"

- Narumi's thoughts.

Trivia

 * The name Makoto means "sincerity" (誠).
 * Makoto's surname Narumi means "ringing" (鳴) (naru) and "sea, ocean" (海) (mi).
 * It can also mean "roars of the sea" (鳴海), "achieve beauty" (成美) or "achieve truth" (成実).
 * An alteration to the end credits sequence is made in the final episode of the anime where Makoto can be seen sitting on the couch next to Shinoa in the final scene.