"Elder!"
"Elder!"
The guards on patrol rushed toward Dōma after identifying him as the Elder.
Anyone could tell they were panicked by the commotion and damage coming from the area where the sect's Elder had appeared.
Yet, instead of the disaster they expected to find, they stumbled upon a rather peculiar scene.
Dōma dusted off his clothes after his dramatic landing, then flashed a friendly smile.
"Ah, guys. Perfect timing," he said, stepping out of the crater in the ground.
"Perfect timing?" The pair of guards exchanged confused glances before refocusing their attention on Dōma.
'I didn't imagine that, did I?' Hatori was certain he'd seen the sect's Elder fall from the sky like a shooting star.
Yet, the man showed no signs of physical harm, and his clothes remained pristine.
He moved and acted as if nothing had happened.
The duo reached a single conclusion: a miracle.
'As expected of the child who possesses the sacred eyes of the second founder'—their foolish thoughts didn't escape Dōma, as he had subtly guided them.
As he closed the distance, stepping out of the crater caused by his landing, Dōma plucked a strand of hair from each guard and subtly influenced their minds to prevent any dangerous ideas from taking root.
"Indeed. Can you give me a summary of recent events within the cult? I've been away for a while," Dōma explained honestly, joining the patrolling guards.
"Of course, Elder. Please follow us to the sect leader. She stated he wished to speak with you upon your return," Hatori replied, gesturing for Dōma to follow.
Dōma nodded casually, but his eyes narrowed at the mention of the current leader:
Ogai Rin.
(Image)
She was the leader of the Eternal Paradise Faith cult in its fourth generation.
Beyond that, she had also made history as the first woman to lead the cult since Dōma's resignation.
Why? Quite simply because she was the strongest.
To become the leader of the Eternal Paradise Faith cult, there are three fundamental rules known to all members.
First, the sect leader must be competent in business and administrative affairs.
It's not necessary to be a genius: the cult's internal system ensures constant support from the Elder and the heads of various branches.
The second rule was established long ago by Mori before his departure.
The sect leader must be a member of the Ogai clan, but above all, the strongest among them.
What do these first two rules mean?
Anyone can become the sect leader, provided they are the strongest, possess Dōma's lineage, and have decent administrative skills.
Finally, the third rule is the most crucial for Dōma if he wishes to maintain control over the cult.
The Elder of the Eternal Paradise Faith cult can depose the reigning leader in a duel if they deem them incompetent.
'Unlike Mori's other successors, she's very belligerent, but…' Dōma thought.
This girl seemed empty.
No, she had emotions, but she lacked the drive to move forward.
If Mori suffered from a superiority complex, then Ogai Rin was plagued by a divine complex tied to her strength.
She was undoubtedly the strongest human of her era.
This aspect of her had carved out a void she tried to fill with love.
Unfortunately, no one was strong enough—except Dōma.
This was also why she despised weakness.
According to Rin, this overwhelming strength was the cause of her loneliness.
And Dōma couldn't contradict her.
This situation led Rin to scorn the cult's ordinary followers, as they were weak in the face of everyday problems.
She even went so far as to implement reforms that reduced the need for the sect leader during confession sessions.
Ogai Rin was undoubtedly the least competent heir in terms of leadership.
'She's a great warrior, but not a great leader,' he thought, stepping into a familiar, nostalgia-filled room.
It was the chamber where the sect leader received guests.
"Onii-san!"
An excited voice echoed the moment Dōma entered.
A teenage girl with black hair and golden eyes lunged at him, throwing a punch straight at his jaw.
But…
"Haha, you really never listen, Rin-chan."
With those words, Dōma repelled the girl using vector manipulation.
The teenager crashed onto the large cushion reserved for the sect leader.
"Cough… You're really strong. I want you all to myself~," she said, her predatory eyes locking onto Dōma's.
"Sigh… I've told you several times already."
Dōma shook his head, exasperated by his descendant.
"Not only will you die in sixteen years, but also…"
He paused, then lightly tapped Rin on the head with his fan.
"I'm already married to three women, and I'm twice your age! Do you really want that kind of toxic relationship?"
Dōma lied without batting an eye before settling into the guest chair.
In truth, Dōma was one hundred and eighteen years old.
However, according to the sect's official records, he had been adopted by Rin's grandfather. Thus, he was considered an older brother figure to all the children of his adoptive father's son.
Yes, the ancestor had been adopted by his own descendants.
…
As Dōma reminisced about the past and congratulated himself on his cunning in dealing with the Japanese government, the girl stood up, dusting herself off.
Even after the impact of her body against his vector power, she only had a few scratches.
Her slender, athletic frame was perfectly suited for close-quarters hand-to-hand combat.
'I didn't use my vector power at full strength to redirect her force against her, but she's damn resilient,' he thought, intrigued by her pugilistic fighting style.
"I don't care about your wives. You're the only truly strong man around me," she said with a pout.
"You say that, but you're surrounded by strong men on your missions," he replied, referring to Rin's fellow Hashira.
In the world of *Demon Slayer*, the Hashira each managed an entire region of Japan.
As the leader of the Eternal Paradise Faith cult, Ogai Rin was required to be a Hashira and oversaw the region surrounding the sect's main base.
This was another reason the leader had to be strong.
"Tch… The man in the red mask retired with the scarred dwarf. As for the others…" She paused, but the disdain in her eyes was clear.
"Yet you spoke highly of Shinjurō Rengoku," he responded, not addressing her omission about that man.
The atmosphere shifted at the mention of Kyōjurō Rengoku's father.
Complex emotions flickered in Rin's eyes, but anger took over.
"Senpai chose that whore!"
A brutal crash echoed as she threw a punch using her full breathing technique.
Thankfully, she wasn't wearing her brass knuckles, Dōma thought, as another wall cracked under the impact.
"As a married man myself, I understand why a family man might avoid adding another woman," Dōma said, his tone sincere.
Even if Shinjurō would become a scoundrel in the future, he was currently a father to a four-year-old boy and married to a wonderful woman.
'Should I help him with his wife? No… he broke Rin's little heart.' The poor woman had lost her chance at survival because her husband had been too faithful.
"Sniff… S-sorry for showing such a pathetic side, Onii-san," she said, taking a seat in a chair.
"Don't worry about it. If you haven't found anyone in ten years, I'll consider discussing your case with my wives," he said, his tone hesitant at first, but the image of a blind man appeared in his mind.
'If it's Gyomei, maybe this wild girl can be tamed…'
His thought was interrupted by a sudden hug from Rin.
"Onii-san is the best! *Kiss* I promise to cook your favorite meal every day and…" Rin clung to him like a little koala after planting a kiss on his cheek.
The girl began rambling about her plans for marriage and their future children, unaware that the ice demon was already thinking about finding Gyomei to train him.
Dōma wasn't a eunuch, and Rin was beautiful, but he wasn't a practitioner of incest.
'Read about it? Sure! Watch it? Sure, but practice it? No way!' he thought to himself as the girl rubbed her curves against him.
At that moment, Dōma had become Buddha.
"Okay, okay, but let's get back to the main topic… Why did you want to see me?" Dōma gently pried the octopus-like teenager off him and asked the most important question.
Why did she urgently want to see him?
"Oh, sorry, haha, I got a bit sidetracked with my relationship problems," she replied, her tone embarrassed.
After a small cough, Rin regained a dignity befitting her status.
"I managed to track down that woman you call Tamayo…" Instinctively, Dōma grabbed Rin by the shoulders.
"Where is she!" he said, his tone unusually urgent.
Ninety-eight years.
Dōma had been pursuing Tamayo for ninety-eight years, across every region of Japan where his sect held influence.
Over time, he had nearly given up, considering his bad luck equal to Muzan's.
'I… I can finally move without the fear of dying from a single thought from Muzan,' he thought as excitement slowly built.
A holographic window, long set aside, appeared above Rin's flushed face.
[Synchronization complete]
[Administrator: Kirei Kotomine has sent you an invitation.]
[Would you like to join his discussion group?]