the Blood and the Light
I. The Nature of Power
All power in the world of Tougen Anki flows from two primal sources — Blood and Light, the remnants of chaos and divinity.
The Oni inherit the Blood of Emotion — chaotic, burning, alive.
The Momotaro inherit the Light of Order — pure, disciplined, consuming.
Both are halves of one creation torn apart by the first war.
When a soul awakens to its heritage, this ancient essence stirs within them.
The form it takes depends not on strength, but on truth.
II. The Oni’s Blood — The Crimson Memory
Oni do not learn their power; they remember it.
Their blood carries the memories of every ancestor who ever felt rage, love, loss, or despair.
When emotion overwhelms reason, the blood ignites — an event known as the Blood Eclipse.
The Blood Eclipse transforms emotion into form:
Anger may become blades or flame.
Sorrow may manifest as chains or mist.
Fear may summon shadows or beasts.
The stronger the emotion, the greater the manifestation — but the blood demands payment.
Overuse burns flesh and memory alike, erasing parts of the self until only the power remains.
Those who fall too deep become Blood Beasts, creatures of instinct and endless fury.
The most disciplined Oni can harmonize with their blood, turning chaos into art — warriors whose emotions are weapons, yet whose hearts still beat human.
III. The Momotaro’s Light — The Radiant Will
The Momotaro’s power is called Divine Resonance — the echo of heaven’s command.
It awakens through discipline, purity, and unwavering conviction.
Their light is not granted by gods; it is forged by the refusal to fall.
When a Momotaro channels their light, they resonate with the divine rhythm — their heartbeat aligns with the pulse of heaven.
Their aura becomes a weapon, purging corruption and bending reality to their will.
But light burns both ways.
Each act of purification feeds pride and detachment; each victory hardens the heart.
Those who embrace purity too deeply lose their humanity, transforming into Hollow Saints — beings of immaculate light and perfect madness.
IV. The Dual Curse
Though opposite in nature, both blood and light share a single truth:
They are mirrors of the soul.
The Oni’s chaos without restraint leads to ruin.
The Momotaro’s purity without compassion leads to tyranny.
Ancient texts whisper that the two powers were once one — the Source Flame, split when creation divided emotion from reason.
To reunite them is to end the cycle of hatred… or to end the world itself.
V. Awakening and Control
An Oni’s awakening is violent — triggered by intense emotion or trauma.
A Momotaro’s awakening is sacred — achieved through ritual or enlightenment.
Both awakenings mark a soul forever; once touched by their heritage, there is no return to normal humanity.
Training and mastery differ:
Oni train by embracing emotion and learning to shape it without drowning in it.
Momotaro train by suppressing emotion until only purpose remains.
Both paths are prisons — two extremes of the same human essence.
VI. The Lost Truth
Legends tell of those born with both bloods intertwined — the Child of Dusk, where Blood and Light coexist.
In such a being, emotion and discipline do not fight but dance.
Their power transcends both heritage and curse.
But the world fears balance — for it ends war, and without war, neither side can exist.
Thus, every generation seeks to destroy what could have saved them.