Although this wish is difficult, it is not impossible.
All he needs to do is continue increasing the number of his followers and slowly pursue his research.
Along the way, he has even noticed some intriguing details about the people under his influence.
The believers of the "Eternal Paradise Faith" sect.
Many of them are nothing more than rotten branches of the vast tree that is Dōma's organization.
Like all humans, Dōma's followers can quickly become greedy.
For instance, if Dōma helps someone in need and secures them a simple job in a shop owned by the sect or another believer… what happens in most cases?
At first, everything seems perfect.
The person appears grateful and works hard to improve their situation.
But that's merely an initial illusion.
Most of those who come to Dōma drag behind them a host of problems that money alone cannot solve.
Once their financial issues are resolved, they quickly fall back into their old habits.
Some get fired from their jobs; others cling to the church, trying to extract as many resources as possible despite the apparent improvement in their lives.
A sad but terribly logical phenomenon.
Dōma recalls that Jay had read a study about this, concerning the homeless: most are not on the streets due to a mere accident but because of inner wounds or personal tragedies.
As long as they don't address these flaws, they remain trapped in an invisible cage.
This is why some of Dōma's believers take everything for granted and remain eternally dissatisfied.
Yet, Dōma wasn't bothered by this; on the contrary, he found their behavior almost "amusing."
A bit like when a human raises a pet and it repeats the same mistake.
Would the human be upset? It depends on the pet's appearance and personality.
Thus, certain cases caught his attention.
Those he observed with amusement, hoping one day for an improvement in their human hearts.
And those who seized the opportunity Dōma offered without showing the slightest greed toward the sect.
What fascinated Dōma most about this tiny group was their ability to shine like the sun after toiling under that same celestial body.
They saw no issue when Dōma asked for a portion of their rice harvest "to help the poor."
They embodied the human will that Dōma so desperately wanted to understand and reclaim.
"Humans are truly foolish and greedy creatures…" he thought calmly.
But a quieter thought brushed against him immediately after:
"So am I."
Because yes, he was greedy too.
Rich, handsome, blessed with an enviable body, yet always thirsting for more.
A smile of unsettling purity spread across his face.
"But there are also adorable beings… I hope to meet them, and maybe become like them."
"What should I do?" he murmured, scratching his hair with a thoughtful air.
"It feels like this little pleasure of observing human hearts is about to fade… soon."
He feared that, on a mere whim, all interest might vanish one morning.
After all, logical reasons to abandon everything were not in short supply.
One example would be the slowness of the process.
"Young Lord," a female voice suddenly called from the other side of the entrance door.
"Oh, is something wrong, Kikyō-san?" Dōma immediately flashed a tender smile.
He greatly appreciated this servant named Kikyō, whom his father had once saved.
Though she remained somewhat naïve, obsessed with helping others, Dōma considered her precious due to her talent for management and her innate charisma.
She reminded him of a priestess he had seen in another manga, but Dōma dismissed it as mere coincidence.
(Image)
The door opened, revealing a graceful woman.
She carried a wrapped object, which Dōma guessed was a gift for him.
Perhaps because his gaze had drifted, Kikyō looked at him for a moment with eyes full of respect and a deeper emotion, which she hid as soon as Dōma focused on her again.
"A disciple sent a gift," Kikyō said with a radiant smile. "I think it suits Dōma-sama perfectly."
She handed him the object: a pair of custom-made golden iron fans.
The fans were pleasing to look at, and Dōma was already accustomed to using such ceremonial objects due to his role in the sect.
Thus, he opened them with a gesture both natural and elegant, as if they were an extension of himself.
He examined the finely carved lotus patterns after a brief flourish, then nodded with satisfaction.
"They're magnificent," he murmured. "Pleasant to hold… and to wield."
A simple compliment, devoid of any false emotion, for there was hardly any left to begin with.
"I'm delighted that Dōma-sama likes them," Kikyō replied cheerfully before withdrawing.
She had many other tasks, as Dōma no longer managed the entire sect alone.
Most responsibilities were entrusted to trusted individuals like her, who were indifferent to money or material possessions.
Dōma hadn't noticed that Kikyō's true desire wasn't money or material goods—it was Dōma himself.
An awkward situation born from the near-nonexistent romantic life of both Jay… and Dōma.
…
Silence returned.
Dōma played with the fans for a moment, then looked up at the setting sun through the window.
He slowly rose from the plush cushion: he was tall for his era, with a lean, muscular silhouette.
Dōma even believed he was taller than in the manga Kimetsu no Yaiba.
A result made possible only through the athletic training of his childhood (1.91m).
He walked toward the glowing red light of dusk, gazing at the lotus pond.
His face, calm and almost inhuman, betrayed no emotion.
"Nothing guarantees that my research into the human heart will bear fruit, today or later…"
This thought led to another:
"Should I become a demon? That way, I'd have more time, wouldn't I?"
In truth, he already had little humanity left beyond his appearance.
That's how devoid of emotion he had become.
Jay had only delayed the inevitable, offering a glimmer of hope, but the abyss within Dōma had already corroded that light.
"There's no real reason to hesitate anymore…"
He lowered his eyes to the iron fans, sealing a decision that would weigh on the fate of the world.
His expression remained cold, almost mechanical.
"I'd better deepen my research into Muzan's trail and cast aside all hesitation before my emotions vanish completely," he thought.
The past few years had been nothing but a sweet dream.
The one Jay's soul had woven for him would soon fade, giving way to the empty monster he was at his core.
"Pathetic…" Dōma murmured.
Harsh words, rarely spoken about himself, but ones Dōma deemed fitting.
He hadn't been able to solve his problem alone and was about to do what his sect's believers did… ask for help.
Deep down, he knew this act was entirely natural.
After all, humans often seek someone stronger to guide or support them in difficult times.
Aizen had explained it well to Shinji in the manga Bleach, but Dōma didn't see himself as a sheep in search of a shepherd.
He convinced himself that becoming a demon was a necessary evil to achieve his long-term goals.
He would have to accept… this humiliation.
'Yes… a necessary evil I have to endure.'
As he watched the sky darken with the arrival of evening.