Susumu Kurose was an artificial life form researcher at the Kiryu Biotech Research Facility, recognized for developing the "Cell Assembler" technology. He shared a college background with fellow researcher Kyōsuke Isazu, while Akiko Nanbara was one year their senior. After the Burst incident, Kurose formed an independent team dedicated to halting the spread of synthetic Matter organisms. He strategically centered these efforts on Aiko Tachibana, leveraging her unique connection to the Burst. Operating from outside the quarantine zone, he provided crucial logistical and strategic support to Yuya Kanzaki and Aiko Tachibana during their infiltration of the restricted area. Kurose approached missions with an easygoing demeanor, yet willingly took calculated risks to achieve objectives. This included orchestrating operations to reach the Primary Point, the Burst's epicenter, aiming to resolve the crisis and secure vital research data. Following the Burst's successful resolution, Kurose returned to the scientific community, resuming research activities at a laboratory. Former Divers team member Haruka Seri joined him in this post-mission research. The meaning of his name, "Susumu" (advance, progress) and "Kurose" (black, swift current), reflects aspects of his character.