Long ago, when the world was but a newborn, there lived a great and terrible scourge that plagued the land.
The Brothers Gozu and Mezu, sons of the God: Kishin, the first of demons: ravaged Japan in a bloodthirsty slaughter. For it was in their very nature to conquer and devour all those that stood before them.
Towering as mountains they shook the earth beneath their feet; seas were tainted with blood, lands were upheaved and scared in their wake, the sky was torn asunder in a path of death and anguish. For the brothers, near Gods, lived unopposed.
But, in the twenty-first century of their endless bloody conquest of the mortal realm, they had grown tired. Some say it was lack of opposition, or perhaps their bellies had filled just enough, others believe the brothers sought some meaning to their destruction.
However, all those who've heard the tale will tell you of the two brothers, and their duel with the Six Gods.
For it was said that the brothers forged their weapons against them in the fires of the sun.
Gozu, a mighty kanabō carved from the core of the earth; it burned with an immense heat that scorched the earth and dried the seas.
Mezu, a terrifying sasumata crafted from a bolt of lightning stolen from the heavens; it thundered with an earth-shattering boom as a single swing would split the sky and cleave the land in two.
The two brothers climbed the tallest mountain, and with all the ferocity of a storm, they cried out their defiance against their creators.
Suddenly-
the blackened sky began to crack, shattering into trillions of pieces. The divine light of the heavens shone down upon the brothers, blinding to all but them. Before them stood the Six Gods, adorned in clothes woven of dazzling gold and silver.
Existence divine, their mere presence halted all of reality, as if they lie at the center of existence.
From West to East the Gods gazed down upon their abominable creations:
Onna, God of nature and purity; she wept at the sight of her beloved earth; ruined and devoid of life, it is said her tears that day created the many lakes that cover the land.
Okina, God of ages, from the dawn of creation to its end, he remained; for if he had known of the brother's betrayal, he gave no sign. The old God somberly watched, putting back a bottle of sake from his gourd.
Otoko, God of humanity and rebirth, he silently stood with righteous fury and a deep loathing for the brothers, but it was not his place to pass judgment on them. His part shall come at the end of days; when the world is no more, he shall make the final choice.
Onryo, God of judgment and life beyond the living; her pale complexion and lifeless expression grew dim, for she was a God of just punishment, knowing that it would be for her to decide the brother's final fate.
Kishin, God of chaos and order. His clenched fists drew a thick blood, his expression one of sorrow and pain, yet no tears were shed. He turned away from his sons, not wishing to witness what was to come next of them.
Above them all, from atop the apex of all creation stood the almighty one, the living embodiment of the beginning and end of all things. The fabric of the universe lay draped around him like cloth, his eyes a pure white yet held all the colors that were; light beamed from his very being as if he was the sun itself. The will of creation was his for he was all that was created and ever will be.
This was the first and final God, the everlasting one, the father of dawn and dusk,
the Elder God Jō.
The brothers, utterly infuriated at the very sight of him, roared an earth-shattering war cry. Mezu swung his sasumata ripping the sky apart- the blackened sky erupted in a flash of light and a boom of thunder.
The strike nearly came to pass before it was swiftly blocked by the forearm of Otoko, he swatted away the deadly sasumata, causing the remaining energy to rocket into the sky- riddling the night with bright lights that shined in the millions.
Otoko momentarily took notice of this phenomena and turned his gaze away, Gozu used this to his advantage; using his mighty kanabō Gozu struck the sun, causing it to break away from its origin- sending it hurling toward the God.
Otoko swiftly grabbed the sun, and with all his might he pushed back, launching it back into the sky. This caused the sun to revolve around the cosmos, drastically changing the environment.
Plant's withered and died, the earth grew cold as an ice age soon came upon them, only to melt away all in the span of moments. The cycle repeated itself continuously until the sun began to slow, the earth now reborn anew, flourished with new life.
Otoko stood in awe at the new world that now lay before him; but he soon regained his senses as both Gozu and Mezu charged him; determined to bring down the tenacious God.
They both readied themselves to strike-
when suddenly, they stopped.
The brothers stood stiff, almost as if their body had been turned against them.
Jō, who had been watching curiously, had stepped down to meet them, walking on nothing but air, he stood before the brothers.
They glared and grunted; hatred practically oozing from their very core.
Jō glanced at Otoko; without a second's doubt he dutifully bowed before him before returning to his fellow divine.
The brothers snaped and snarled, cursing the God and all those beneath him. Vowing they would one day come for his head and his heart.
With his will alone, Jō silenced the demonic duo, quelling their anger. And with a voice quiet as a summer's breeze but with the weight of the ocean he spoke.
"Your gifts... Your, "strength", is monstrous- yet I see beauty and reason in its savagery." He whispered. "I shall give you judgment; serve me and I will bestow you with purpose."
The brothers dumbfounded, looked to each other; where they created violence and strife, he gave only forgiveness and acceptance.
They kneeled before the old man.
The brothers had finally been given meaning to their existence with the promised word of Jō.
With a solemn look, and a wave of his hand he removed their left and right arms respectively. But the brothers gave no sign of disapproval, for they knew that to further their battle with Jō would deny them that which they sought for so long.
He then used their arms to create the gates of Jigoku, and placed them as gatekeepers and head generals of his forces.
It is said that the brother's soon vanished from this world; but their hatred had not. The blood that had been spilled from their severed limbs took shape, changing into the demonic Akuma, creatures that would terrorize and roam the land in the brother's place, for centuries to come.