Hidden World Battle Coalition

Martial arts have always been a little more impressive in the Hidden World. With the power of ki, a punch can knock down walls and smash armor. For millenia, ki users used their powers to kill one another and regular humans, seeking riches, justice, or just fun. In 1955, ki-using Chinese-American Julian Fang thought of using these powers for entertainment. First, he set up small prize matches, fighting other Hidden World martial artists for paying audiences. Soon he was managing more fights besides his own, bringing in many of his friends and rivals to fight each other.

When Hidden World television came to be a thing in the early 1960s, he began filming his matches for a sports channel, and the success led him to focus entirely on the business side of the fights, retiring from fighting and expanding his fighter pool as much as he could. In 1962, to organize this growing roster, the Hidden World Battle Coalition was officially formed. This was where most of the features of the modern organization came into place. To prevent unfair fights, ranks were invented, with fighters only having matches with those ranked near to themselves.

Until 1975, there was only a single league, composed of ki-based martial artists, who all fought unarmed. However, over the years, more leagues were added to accommodate more kinds of fighters. Now, they have 3 leagues, each with their own ranking and champion. Each has their own rules, regulations, and even legal battle grounds to match different fighting styles.

Overall rules:

1. No rounds.
2. A ten count or surrender will mark victory for your opponent. If between non-grapplers, such as in the Iron Soldiers, three downs will end a fight, and attacking a downed opponent is not allowed.
3. All forms of attack are allowed, even those normally forbidden in mundane martial arts, such as headbutts and groin attacks.
4. No killing in the ring. White mages are on-site at all matches to help ensure the continuing health of all our fighters.
5. Nobody associated with the Bounty Hunter Association, Spirit Boxing Federation, or any other organization of ill repute may join the HWBC.

Waxing Fists

The original and largest division in the HWBC, the Waxing Fist is home of those who use nothing more than raw physical ability to fight. In this division, no magic, ranged attacks, or weapons are allowed. Any source of physical strength, from ki to technological innovation, is allowed, so long as they do not step outside the legal bounds of allowed attacks.

Champion- Albert Guan “The Eternal Bloom”




An old friend of Julian Fang, Guan has remained nearly identical to how he was at 20, only growing stronger and more limber over the years despite being in his 80s now. Rumors abound about his secret, some saying that he is of the fair folk, others that he discovered the secret to immortality. Whatever the case, Albert Guan has been the champion of the Waxing Fists since the late 90s and held tight to the championship ever since. He is known for his impregnable defenses, nearly impossible to hit, always dodging every attack with the minimum necessary distance and countering with his famous killer palm strikes. Many of his fights against people ranked as high as #2 or 3 end without his opponent landing a single hit upon him. In personality, he is consistently flamboyant. His ring entrances have only grown more absurd over the years, growing in grandeur and style. He has joked that he only got so good at dodging to avoid his makeup becoming smudged in the ring.

#2- Kis'kera "The Strangler"


When Kis'kera first joined the HWBC, some said that she was a weak fighter who made up for her poor skills with the natural abilities of her kind. These complaints soon turned out to be unfair, as she used both her skills and her natural powers to climb the ranks. Kis'kera was born blind, but can sense both heat and ki, making this a moot point. While her clawed arms can cause grievous wounds at a surprising distance, her preferred form of attack is with her serpentine lower body. In addition to the physical strength to crush an armored truck in her coils, she is an absolute master of holds, capable of immobilizing practically anybody once she gets them in her clutches. Rarely does she even have to live up to her title, as most foes give up the moment she locks their limbs without any constriction at all.

#3- "The Everyman"

The Everyman is a former human who, through means they refuse to explain, become a vessel for many spirits. They have no known "true" name, as each of their many personalities has their own identity and it is never certain which is in control. It is uncertain just how many spirits the Everyman contains, but each is a master of a different martial art, ranging from across the entire world. The Everyman's rank has come through their ability to switch the soul in command to change their style, always picking an art to counter their foe. The commanding soul can be changed on the fly, but there is always a brief delay as the minds swap over. Albert Guan has said that if this delay could be cut out, the Everyman might be able to take his rank at last, but it is unknown if this is even possible.

#5- Aage Andreassen "The Dreadnought"


While most of the fighters in the Waxing Fists are naturally strong, Aage is naturally weak, and was only growing weaker. Suffering from a degenerative muscular disease, Aage would have died before he was 25 if he hadn't been working for international tech giant Flipside. He was offered an experimental cure in exchange for a new role in the organization, and gladly he took it. Not only did it reverse the muscular degeneration, it grew his muscles beyond any known to humanity. Not only is he the physically strongest member of the league and practically invulnerable, he has an extraordinary level of control over every individual muscle. They can move to deflect blows, contract to stop bleeding, or even work together to throw powerful strikes at close range. When pushed, his muscles can escape his skin and strike on their own.

#7- Owia "Ivory Tower"

8 feet tall, with skin that can stop tank shells and a tusk that could peel the vehicle that fired them open like a can opener, Owia is a physical powerhouse. Raw power isn't enough to make it to the top ten, and he is also an excellent fighter, exceptionally sturdy and capable of grappling with his trunk, something his own fingers are not flexible enough for. Enemies he knocks down are quickly finished with the earth-shaking, rib-crushing, limb-busting Gaia Stomp.

#8- Orazio Adarrio "Whitesnake"


A fully sapient ghoul, Orazio was a circus performer in life, entertaining crowds with his contortionist skills and tattooed body. Undeath has only improved his flexibility, and he is known for both bizarre whiplike strikes and complicated holds that almost nobody can break, as well as slipping out of most holds himself and being immune to submission. In addition to this, he is deeply steeped in venom, secreting it through his skin. Any contact with him is harmful, spreading weakness in the limbs and eventual paralysis. 

#9- Jason Fang “The Flying Fang”

While his grandfather founded the organization, Jason’s rank has nothing to do with nepotism. He is a master of multiple forms of Shaolin Kung Fu, known for his impressive leg sweeps and incredible leaping strikes. Despite his flashy fights, he is not particularly popular with the audience. He has been subject to multiple scandals and believes himself entitled to the championship. Guan has shown a distinct lack of interest in his multiple challenges, saying that he will consider a match if Fang can reach the top 5 and not a moment before. Fang claims that Guan is afraid of him, an accusation Guan has not responded to.

#10- Smith Winston "Steelskin"

Peter Winston's twin. The two trained under the same master to attain the ultimate in defensive techniques, but took extremely different paths from what they learned. Smith mastered steel style. This allows him to turn his skin into a nearly impenetrable metal. Not only does this make him nearly invulnerable to physical harm, it also increases his attack potential, making his chops cut like a knife. With the overall superiority of his physical defenses, he has risen above his rival. Despite being the quicker and more aggressive fighter, Smith is the more laid-back and calm of the twins.

#12- Roxana Gallo "The Gladiator"


Roxana is one of the most inconsistent fighters in the Waxing Fists. A pro wrestler by trade, Roxana doesn't just live to entertain, she is powered by it. The more excited the crowd becomes, the greater her physical abilities grow. She has thrown down with foes as strong as Owia and as base as Emmi, with her chances of victory depending more on the crowd than her opponent. Smart opponents try to finish her off quickly, but given the chance, she quickly builds hype with her crazy off-the wall flying tackles, drop kicks, and DDTs, becoming so powerful that even the greatest in the league are wary to fight her.

#15- Thulani William "The Planestepper"


7 feet tall and long-limbed, Thulani excels at ranged striking, particularly with his legs, and grappling. His actual physical abilities are somewhat below average for his ranking, brought down by the fact he powers himself with magic rather than ki, but he makes up for it with some special tricks. There was much questioning over whether to allow the use of his portals in the ring, but eventually it was decided that they were not a ranged attack per se and his enemies could make use of them like he did. He uses them both defensively and offensively. Sometimes he uses one to escape a corner, sometimes to keep range, attack somebody from behind, or force them to change position in the ring to keep them on their toes. Outside of combat, Thulani enjoys travel, always looking for a new vista to train in.

#18- Franka Fleshbane "Rip and Tear"


#20- Peter Winston "Stoneskin"

Smith Winston's twin. While his brother followed the path of steel, Peter thought that the path of stone was superior. Much to his dismay, this has not turned out to be the case. Stone is harder, but this also makes it more brittle. He can't take the same punches his brother can, and worse yet, his stone weighs him down more than metal would. He is thus quite a bit slower and more methodical than his brother, although he has found ways to put this to good use, using his stability for expert throws and grapples. He is also more resistant to most elemental attacks, but these are rare enough in the Waxing Fists that he sees little use from it. He is more aggressive than his brother and quickly grows frustrated with fast opponents.

#23- Lars Helgrimm "Knifefinger"


A werewolf native to the frozen north, Lars is not the feral beast most people expect but a precise warrior who severs nerves and arteries with accurate swipes of his claws. Other werewolves find him overly reliant on his claws over his jaws, saying it's "catlike" but he tends to quickly silence them with a good mauling should they test him. 

#25- Haruto Goro "The Hidden Yokozuna"


A ki-using master of sumo who has broadened his abilities for the Hidden World. His defense is possibly the greatest in the league outside of the top ten, and while slow, there are few who want to close with him. Like many ki users, he has ranged abilities, although their ranged applications are banned in the ring like all others. Unlike most ki users, his powers can be used in direct contact. Both his "thunder-clap" and "thunder-palm" act by throwing shockwaves through the air, and used directly on an opponent's body, their effects can bypass conventional durability.

#27- Taeng Sawat “Precisionist”



A young promise from Thailand, Taeng trains 8 hours a day, seven days a week. Her style focuses on devastating Muay Thai moves backed by ki concentrated on the 8 contact points of her art. (fists, elbows, knees, and shins). Her strongest weapon of all, however, is her pinpoint accuracy, being able to land her hits even on opponents much faster than her. Taeng has a go-getter personality, although her naivety has sometimes cost her dearly.

#28- Zamos "The Hand of Fate"


Although he vaguely resembles a floating, undead human hand, Zamos is actually an alien organism. The greatest warrior on his own planet, he came to Earth seeking worthy opponents and has found that he is far from the strongest here, an exciting prospect. Zamos can naturally fly at great speed with his telekinetic lift and is normally the size of a large human hand, making him a difficult target, but is somewhat limited in what he can actually do. Thankfully, his grappling skills are greatly helped by his ability to naturally grow to several times his usual size, allowing him to crush torsos and easily throw almost anybody in the league.

#29- Tangaroa Otieno "Riptide Roughneck"


Despite his rough looks and posture of violence, Tangaroa is as much a softie as his sister Aroha. However, he becomes just as aggressive when his enemy bleeds, and he has a very easy time making people bleed. He can make his skin as rough as a shark's, letting the lightest touch shred his enemy's own skin. Anybody who strikes him risks their own knuckles, and his punches can rend flesh in turn. This makes him another popular fighter with the gorehounds in the audience, as a fighter losing half their skin in a match isn't uncommon. 

#30- Svetlana Maximova “Hammer and Sickle”

A powerful Russian fighter, Svetlana has been dropping through the ranks since the 90s due to alcoholism and depression over the fall of her beloved Soviet Union, but retains just enough traction to stay in the league. A KGB agent in her youth, Svetlana is well-trained in destroying foes with her hands and feet, particularly her signature moves. The Hammer is a step-in hook aimed at the kidney, an attack that has brought many men to their knees. The Sickle is an outwards crescent kick charged with ki to cut opponents.

#35- Emmi Skurri "The Skykicker"

There are many forms of were-critter in the world, and Emmi is one of the lesser-known types. A flying squirrel person, Emmi can't properly fly, but has incredible control over her body while in the air. Her ability to mix up high and low attacks can overwhelm even tougher fighters. Normally she doesn't hit particularly hard, but her dropkicks are rightfully feared throughout the middle ranks.

#37- Dan Drake “The Pink Comet”

After losing his powers and his ranking, Dan made a fierce return and quickly rose higher than he had been before with his newly honed skills. Dan ascribes to no specific, singular style, effectively being a street fighter. Dan has largely been considered unremarkable and long and middle range, often being harassed by fighters more attuned to footwork and long-reaching kicks, both skills he largely eschews. However, he has gained some popularity for his skills in the extreme close range, using his elbows and one-inch punch to pummel foes inches away. He is known within the community for being a little too into fighting, willingly taking challenges from those well outside of his league and rarely even beating them.

#40- Mai Musashi “The Tokyo Tiger”

One of the strongest monster slayers of the Musashi clan, Musashi Mai got interested in the HWBC after watching some of the fights on her phone and thinking: “Pff, I can take them”. Thus, she decided to join. Apparently, she began to take Brazilian Jiu Jitsu lessons shortly after joining and is currently a white belt. While she is stunningly powerful, she is still in the lower ranks due to only recently passing the tests to get in and get herself a world ranking.

#43- Emma Baxter "Sakura Storm"


Emma graduated from Gateway, runner-up in the yearly doubles event. She has been training as a boxer since age 7, and is highly proficient and agile. Emma can summon a tiny golden bird that casts a passive buff on herself that boosts her speed and strength, drawing from her mana reserves. Emma is hesitant to do interviews with journalists, fearing questions about her past status.


Standing at about 3 feet tall, only meeting people's eyes when she flies, Minnie is a bit of a mystery. Half of the people who see her fight wonder how she managed to get into the top 50 at all. The other half want to know why she isn't higher. Minnie has the weakest base punch out of anybody in the top 50, and many who don't make it to those hallowed ranks. With her wings and overall speed, she is difficult to pin down, but without rounds and points, she cannot win a fight through this alone. She is also fragile, going down easily if somebody does manage to actually hit her. Where she has victory is in her incredible scaling ability. The longer she survives, the more her power rises, bringing her fists from the weakest in the organization to some of the strongest. Nobody has seen an upper limit to this power, but she is known to have dented Smith Winston's steel skin several times before he knocked her out at the 10 minute mark.

#50- Arthur Cromwell “The Frost Wolf”

After his friend, Dan Drake, told Arthur about his new occupation, Arthur knew he had to check it out. After watching several of Dan's own fights, Arthur signed up as a fighter. Those who watch Arthur's fight for pure technical skill and mastery of form walk away disappointed. Arthur's style is a mishmash of different styles combined to look cool rather than being strictly effective. That's why Arthur's fights are more popular with those who watch for the spectacle. Due to this show-off nature, the main factor leading to Arthur's victories is his physical prowess, particularly his speed. Still, it's not like he needs the money so why try too hard?

Former #3- Kenneth Reaper “The Constellation of Pain”

Kenneth was one of the most dangerous fighters the HWBC ever saw, rising to the third rank within only a few years of joining. He is capable of attacking pressure points to paralyze limbs, destroy senses, and even stop the flow of ki in the body. He was preparing for a title match when he was banned from the ring for killing another ranked fighter during a spar, stopping their heart with a single attack. While he was a fighter, it was assumed that his personality, that of a delusional egotist who declared himself “the greatest and most complete fighter ever” who could “make new styles from nature”, was a gimmick, or at least justified by his incredible abilities. In the hearing choosing whether to keep him on, it became clear that this was the true nature of Kenneth Reaper, and he has very few fans calling for his return, even if many would love to see if he could actually unseat Guan.

Iron Soldiers

Under the Iron Soldiers fight the ranged specialists. Those with guns, magic, or any other ability that attacks from afar fight it out in the largest arenas in the organization. Here, assists like drones and summons are allowed, adding to the chaotic nature of these matches.

Champion- Chimera-2 “The War Machine”

There was a lot of argument over whether to allow Chimera-2 into the HWBC. After all, she is a robot. The rules on that were unclear. Eventually, a decision was made. Chimera-2, being fully sapient, was allowed to enter herself into the league, while a non-sapient robot would not be legal. She quickly became a force to be reckoned with. Chimera-2 is a fusion of mage and machine, power armor built over an already powerful lich. This makes her supremely versatile, the trait that has earned her her place at the top. Before a match, she obsessively studies her opponents, developing weapons and tactics specifically to counter them. She cares for little more than increasing her technological and sorcerous might.

#2- Christopher Ruiz "Trickster God"


A member of the Hopi tribe and trained martial artist, Christopher has the strength, stamina, and skill to make it in the Waxing Fists, but his magical Trickster's Sack is what puts him on top of the Iron Soldiers. Nobody knows just how many creatures and objects he can pull from this mystical bag, but he always seems to grab exactly what he wants. He can unleash dragons, elementals, plasma swords, venomous maces, and unfathomable numbers of other objects, making it impossible for even Chimera-2 to plan against him. It is claimed he won the bag gambling with the trickster Kokopeli, hence his title.

#3- Moto Minato "Eyes of the Abyss"


The swords at Minato's side are much more for show than anything else. She either carries her power within her or somehow serves as a channel for it, with anything she carries an accessory at best. An unknown creature of raw void manifests itself primarily in her hair, although it may take over more of her body in extreme cases. The exact limits of its power are unknown, but what is has shown is terrifying enough. It can spread with no clear limit, growing eyeballs at even intervals throughout the portion of her body it takes over. Those who meet these eyes find their minds emptying, often reducing them to complete paralysis as they completely go blank. Her hair moves on its own as well, and can devour those it completely engulfs, thankfully able to spit them out afterwards unharmed but for their recurrent nightmares in the nights to come. Her organs are also altered beyond recognition, and almost nothing you would think of can actually put her down.

#4- Sandile William "The Oblivion Mage"

Father of Thulani of the Waxing Fists, he has taken the portal magic their family specializes farther than his son, empowered further by the cosmic armor that he wears into battle. In addition to portals, the armor allows him to create black holes that draw in foes and fire off magical beams that he can direct through portals or bend with black holes to strike in unusual ways. Those who are pulled entirely into the black holes are sealed away in pocket dimensions, an automatic forfeit in a match.

#5- Naira Beelten "The Dreamer"


When Naira was a child, she thought that magic was so easy she could learn it in her sleep, so great was the mana in her veins. This turned out to be true, in the sense she could only learn, and use, magic in her sleep, an odd and humiliating twist for an elf whose magical potential matched those of legendary heroes. She has managed to make it work in the ring, however, knocking herself out with a quick swig of sleeping potion at the beginning of the match and quickly pulling them into a dreamworld with her. When she sleeps in the arena, it quickly loses cohesion with reality, falling under her control. What she can do in this state is nearly limitless, although her actual control is the deciding factor in what she can pull off. Despite her attempts to master lucid dreaming, Naira is somewhat at the mercy of her subconcious, and most of her losses can be chalked up to a failure to keep it in check. Thankfully, she is also shockingly durable despite her petite frame, and can often ride out a wave of confusion before winning with aplomb.

#7- Vural Burakgazi "Eclipse of Hope"



A Turkish warrior converted to vampirism by Vlad the Impaler. He was a middling vampire until through wit and luck he was able to claim the legendary Eclipse Armor. The amount of powers his natural abilities and the armor combined is incredible, and he enjoys overwhelming his foes with the sheer amount of tools in his belt. Swarms of exploding bats, chains, hypnosis, flight, and sheer brute strength all come together to dominate nearly anybody in the league. A weakness to specific anti-vampire tricks has prevented him from cracking the top 5, but he expects himself to break through soon enough.

#10- Hashimoto Souma "The Speedball King"

Hashimoto is an odd case in the upper rankings of his league. His background is not in martial arts or the military, but in baseball. Even before he developed ki, he was one of the greatest pitchers in all of Japan, and he was bored with the lack of challenge. After an entire season of no-hitters, he quit at the top of his game. A year later he appeared in the HWBC and began clawing his way up the ranks. While terrible at hand to hand combat, he dominates the battlefield with shockingly fast ki balls that change direction in unpredictable ways. Few people in the league can make their way through this assault or even respond, and all of his fights end with somebody battered into submission in the corner, whether it be his opponent or himself.

#18- Veda Chaudhary "Infinite Darkness"


A master of shadow magic, Veda is completely mute and communicates through dark images she conjures up. In battle, she wears the armor she calls the Midnight Dragon, allowing her to make shadowy copies of herself that can strike just like her but die in a single hit. The rest of her abilities are rather standard, used as support to let her clones overwhelm her enemies. She is known for her terrifying finishing move "Shadow Wave" where she joins her clones for an utterly overwhelming attack.

#25- Igarius Monotako "The Tempest"



A sea bishop from the depths of the ocean, Igarius is a triple threat, although his development in so many directions has left him underperforming in each. First he has his natural psionic abilities, allowing him to strike mentally and use telekinesis to move his enemies from a distance. His second ability is magic, with a focus on summoning storms. He can summon black clouds that cling to the ground, throwing out rain that falls straight sideways. This is cover for lightning to pummel his enemies from every direction. Igarius is stunningly slow-moving, but therein lies his third ability. With his tentacles and oversized claw arm, he can be lethal in close combat. With his raw strength, he can overwhelm the squishier members of the league, although he is actually relatively talentless at melee.

#29- Effiri Thornblood "Gaia's Manticore"


Effri has always had a special connection with nature, one beyond what even most other elves could claim. In particular, her plant magic was fantastic, her command over their growth unparalleled. It was with this magic that she created her signature weapon, a thorny staff that most commonly takes the form of a bow. Creating its own arrows, this weapon keeps up a steady pace of fire, pelting foes with arrows without any input from her. She can focus her magic on these arrows, turning them into trees where they land or otherwise changing the landscape to her advantage. Her other hand is kept free for a sword, wielded with a stab-heavy fencing style.

#30- Edgar Mathieu "The Musketeer"


Edgar is an immortal, kept alive and well by alchemical genius. Only recently has he turned his interests to weaponry rather than medicine, and through his trusty musket he tries a variety of deadly concoctions. He has shots that ignite the whole body of whoever he shoots, bullets that change chemical composition to poison or pierce armor, and even alter his foes. The unreliable nature of alchemy holds him back, as often the effect he wants is not the effect he gets, and while he is a decent fighter at close range, there are many who can beat him.

#33- Petrit Hawk "Hawkblade"


A Gateway graduate, Petrit is trained in wind and metal magic, using them together to attack from afar with deadly steel disks. For the most part, he uses these as cover to get in close and attack with his sword. He is one of the few people in the league to prefer fighting at close range, but with his speed and flight he can back up and close in more effectively than most.

#34- Alexis Primrose "Fire and Shadows"

Former champion of Gateway's Dueling Club, Alexis came into her first fight full of confidence. Then, she lost. Reeling from that, she has polished herself to a new shine. Alexis attacks with fire and darkness, usually at middle range where she can swing her whip as well. Her attack pattern is supplemented with her two summons. Whiplash is capable of teleporting to her enemy, often used to pin them down for a big attack. Birdzilla costs her much more mana, but makes the entire arena intolerably hot. Using them strategically, she has defeated many and risen to her current rank.

#39- Arthur Cromwell “The Frost Wolf”

After a few matches in the Waxing fist, Arthur realized the leagues provided a good training opportunity. The Iron Soldier league is perhaps the best for this, as it has the least restrictions on what can be done in it. Arthur's main strategy in this league revolves around covering his approach to his opponent with ranged attacks and then finishing them off at close range. This is an effective strategy against all the fighters who specialize at long range. Unfortunately for Arthur, the lack of restriction on powers present in the Waxing Fist also means he can come face to face with his biggest weakness: fire. But perhaps the league will lead to him finding effective counters to it?

#40- Radojka Vlahovic "Thunder Warrior"


A gun in one hand and a sword in the other, Radojka is one of several fighters in the Iron Soldier who can fight at both close and long ranges. Sprinkling in grenades, to drive foes from cover and a jetpack to fly overhead, she is all about quick strikes and direct assault. Most of her matches end quickly when she either blitzes her foe or gets countered and falls in the first few seconds. Her pistol has enough power to punch through most armor in the league and even the thinner pieces of cover in the arena, and her sword is charged with lightning. A former mercenary, she was a terror in urban warfare, blowing through closed spaces and taking to the sky in turn.

#45- Yamaguchi Kouji "Sonic Samurai"


Kouji, despite his choice in armor stylings, is not first and foremost a warrior. His day job is as a musician, and his armor a costume for the stage. His weapon of choice is a sonic gun, blasting his songs at wavelengths and volumes damaging to human bodies. He can focus his power directly on the enemy to pound through armor and shake their organs directly or pound the earth to bounce them right off the ground. With a few setting changes, he can have a few different effects on a target, confusing, disorienting, or deafening foes.

Knights of Valor

Similar to the Waxing Fists, Knights of Valor fight only in melee range. Unlike the Fists, the Knights fight with melee weapons and armor, more HEMA than MMA. Fights between the Knights are ruled by weapons mastery and mystical qualities.

Champion- Waldo von Hamerrung “The Black Hammer”




Waldo is the newest of the champions, having won the championship in 2018. He is a massive rotund man, possessed by a demon of gluttony that tops his head with horns. The two are a cooperative pair, each adding their skills into an unstoppable mix. Waldo fights with a ball and chain that seems to extend and contract as he pleases, ranging from stretching across the whole ring to becoming a mace at close range. This is backed up by mountainous strength and surprising agility, and with a powerful suction breath, Waldo controls the position of both himself and his opponents in the ring. Waldo is beloved for his simple, humble personality. He does not brag or boast about his power and is always polite outside of the ring.

#2- 0041 "Cyber Kong"


A robot or cyborg of unknown origin, 0041 apparently joined the league to test and perfect their weapons systems. Geared entirely towards close combat, they can use both their long blades and massive arms in battle. All of their physical abilities are top notch, but what really puts them over the top is their camera system. With the equivalent of eyes all over their body, connecting to localized processors, they can adjust their movements instantly to improve their grip, adjust a punch to land correctly, or block attacks that should have gone unseen. While their thrashing and pummeling are often compared to a wild ape, it belies incredible control and intellect. Waldo barely managed to defeat them during their last fight by shattering most of their cameras, denying them this correctional ability, but he has no idea if he could win again.

#3- Maaca "To Dust Return"


Angels of death are not supposed to fall. They are too dangerous to be loose upon the earth, so traditionally they are either destroyed or thrown to a realm where their destructive instincts will be turned against those who supposedly deserve it. Not so for Maaca. Nobody knows why she fell, but it seems she has resolved to no longer kill, and has put her talents to work in an arena where she doesn't have to. Her scythe is only the start of her opponent's worries, a soul-reaping blade that leaves paralyzation with even the faintest scratch. Its edge has proven too keen to be stopped by any but the toughest armor in the league, but even that can't stop her touch. Her bare hands turn flesh to dust and steel to rust, and her strength is such she can pull a human being's arm off even without it decaying in her palms. Maaca is a terrifying force in the arena, but outside of it comes across as simply a kindly old woman. Defeated foes often receive cookies after the match to make sure there are no hard feelings.

#4- Paga Vorgel "Child of Kali"


Half rakshasa and half troll, Paga sees themselves as not mortal or divine, man or woman, or indeed belonging to any easily-defined category. On top of ferocious strength, Paga is blessed with rapid healing with a rakshasa twist; every wound large enough creates a new arm, sprouting already armed from Paga's torso. The exact limit of limbs is unknown, but Paga's reflexes and healing both begin to slow after growing more than 4 extras. After a few days, the limbs drop off on their own, decaying rapidly with their weapons rusting away. Paga looks forward to this, saying any more than two arms is "a complete pain in the ass".

#5- Augustus "The Undying Emperor"


In a former life, Augustus thinks he was a Roman emperor, but he can't remember which one. Whatever the case, he holds himself as one, demanding and sometimes difficult to work with. He fights as if trained for the legion, blocking and butting with his shield while stabbing and chopping with his sword. His strength with his arms alone would hardly be enough to justify his rank. That is granted by the incredible difficulty in putting him down. Augustus cannot be knocked unconscious, does not bleed, and feels no pain. The only way to defeat him is to damage his body to the point he cannot move, something difficult to do with his thick armor and shield. He eventually recovers from even being ground mostly to dust, so even this isn't enough to keep him down forever, and he always comes back ready to go for the championship again.

#8- Ramachandra Chaudhari "The Relentless"

Letting Ramachandra fight in the HWBC at all was a controversial call. Does he even count as a fighter, or is he a puppet for his necromancer sister Vasanti? Julian Fang eventually declared him fully sentient in his own right, and soon the death knight became a terrifying force on the battlefield. Ramachandra has all the benefits of undeath, paired with a mastery of the spear. His severed head can rest on his shoulders, spinning about to keep enemies in his eyesight no matter which way they go, and he fights skillfully in all directions. It has been said he is a fighter with no openings, more terrifying on the defensive than offensive.

#9- Nebra the Eternal



It is well-known that Nebra is a time traveler, but nobody has figured out whether they are from the far future or the distant past. They enjoy dancing around this when speaking with interviewers, and nobody is even clear what race or gender they are under their helmet. Whatever they are, their armor and sword hold localized power over time, with two features legal in tournaments. The first is a temporary speeding of Nebra's personal time, allowing incredibly rapid movement for a split second. More insidiously, with each strike Nebra slows the time of their opponents. The more time they spend in contact, the more their enemy slows. Nebra is heavily-armored and plodding, but soon they overtake their enemies and easily handle them.

#12- Birger Bernhard "Dragonheart"


A professional dragon hunter, Birger has been soaked in the blood of many a drake. As such, his skin is as tough as their scales, and even grows true scales in some places. His lance can both pierce nearly anything and heat up to rock-melting temperatures. When pushed, he can use it to summon a conglomeration of draconic power, a "shadow" that remains attached to him and can attack with tooth and claw at a range of about 20 feet. He can also use it to fly, although this is slow enough he usually doesn't use it to fight in the arena.

#15- Rafael Haumann "The Holy Light"


As a paladin, Rafael will gladly tell you that his power comes from God rather than himself. In particular, it originates with the Sun Belt he wears around his waist, allowing himself to become a mighty mystic warrior, gaining a foot of height and 30 pounds of muscle. He summons weapons of light from his belt, and his divine insight gives him a split second of precognition. He can also use his magic to heal himself, although this drains the energy he needs to maintain his transformation and weaponry, making time a limiting factor.

#19- Zuzl "Blackblood Viper"


A lizardfolk infused with mystic black blood. Zuzl's gear allows him to draw forth this blood and shape it into various weapons, most commonly a rapier. This blood is hideously venomous, raising ugly and painful buboes where it invades the body. This black blood also forms extra blades on his arms, an integral part of his combat. Zuzl is known for ruthlessness and agility, dodging around while striking the smallest openings to weaken foes for a final strike. Despite his great height he is not particularly strong, so he prefers to stay out of grapples.

#20- Sophia Arden "Dragonslayer"

After learning early on that one of her ancestors was a templar who fought in the crusades, Sophia became obsessed with knights and the idea of becoming one. She trained under an unorthodox, self-taught fencing style that puts great emphasis on offense. She wields a massive blade known as Arondite the bane of dragons, which was enchanted with holy magic that not only pierces through armored foes, but also inflicts pain when blocked.

#21- Hissok "Viper"


A lizardfolk cambion, Hissok is half-demon and makes this well known to her enemies. She naturally produces a venom in her saliva that paralyzes opponents, and makes sure to coat her axe in it before every fight. While she can spit it as a mist, this is not allowed within the league, and she has lost matches by forfeit more than once when she forgot this in her excitement. She is surprisingly a more defensive fighter, preferring to poison enemies and use the intimidating aura of her frill to bide time before going in for the kill when they are weakened. It is assumed that her demonic parent was a devil of sloth, hence her casual disposition outside of combat, usually just finding a comfortable sunny patch and sleeping half the day.

#22- Kesl "Raptor"


A lizardfolk nephilim, Kesl is the more aggressive rival to Hissok. With her wings, she dives in and out of range, and makes herself especially dangerous by using both her arms and legs to attack. In her hands she has her holy axes, known as "Wrath" and "Forgiveness", and with her feet she can grab and claw, even pulling her foes off of the ground to rend them with axe, claw, and tail alike. She is well-known for being imperious and fearsome at nearly all times, with a sense of justice and self-righteousness usually missing from her kind.

#23- Okamoto Kazuki "The Autumn Leaf"


A haunting shinobi revenant, Kazuki has returned from the grave for a task he cannot remember. Until he remembers his way, he keeps his skills sharp and pockets full in the arena. In addition to the benefits of being undead, Kazuki can become a cloud of smoke or a leaf, walk on walls and water, and leave behind afterimages when he runs.

#25- Aino "Skullcrusher"


Half-Human, Half-Oni. Aino was raised as an Apex warrior of the Kishin tribe, her poison knuckles and steel club give her versatility to either crush heavily armored foes in her Red oni form, or tag speed fighters in her human form. her main weaknesses being the stamina cost of her transformations, as well as her lack of body armor.

#26- Joel Johannes "Space Phantom"


Joel claims to be and resembles a young man from Scandinavia, but in reality he is an alien, using disguises and other advanced technology to amuse himself on earth. His newest amusement is fighting in the HWBC. His favored weapon is an ultralight greatsword, capable of cutting nearly anything despite carrying almost no weight. What really makes him dangerous is his ability to become intangible. He selectively does so to avoid attacks, then strikes with his sword, jabbing and slicing. Many forms of less physical attack can still harm him while intangible, and he can always be caught by surprise, but these abilities have still drawn him right into the middle ranks of the Knights of Valor.

#28- Ciara Byrne "The Morigan"



Carrying the legacy of an ex pro, Ciara has high expectations upon her to reach and even surpass her father's achievements in the ring. Using the sword and the skills she received and trained up with her father, Ciara aims to prove herself to the hidden world as a master warrior. But more than just the honor of her legacy, Ciara sees reaching the rank of number one as a necessity to free herself from the fairy curse. Despite the usefulness of transforming into a humanoid raven creature in a fight, it is an ability Ciara wouldn't mind losing. She constantly strives to get stronger so that one day she can achieve her goal.

#29- Aroha Otieno “Riptide”

A wereshark of mixed Maori and Kenyan descent, Aroha is oddly peaceable and gentle in normal, everyday life. She cries if she so much as steps on an ant while jogging, and everybody who meets her outside of battle is shocked to know she fights for a living. This extends to her training, where she takes even more measures for safety than most would. Her opponents, however, know she is not to be underestimated. All it takes is a drop of blood for the true Aroha to be released, and the more blood there is, the stronger she grows. He jagged blade is known for removing limbs in battle, and she moves with sure feet on slick surfaces, making her beloved of the gorehounds in the audience.


#30- Laura Crown “The Golden Arrow”

With her main career as a hunter for Flipside only occupying scattered periods of deployment, Laura Crown has found another job that keeps her occupied and her skills sharp. As a demigod, Laura is physically strong and fast, and in particular has impressive eyesight that grants her quick reactions and precise attacks. For battle, she summons golden armor, a spear, and a round shield big enough to cover most of her body. When too close to use her spear or even disarmed, Laura is a consummate grappler, excellent at takedowns of all sorts. Laura has a steady confidence, sometimes a little too much, and is known for her flirtatious nature with men and women alike.

#33- Sarita Singh "Wheel of Misfortune"


Sarita is always in motion. Outside of combat, she loves traveling on her motorcycle to new locations and has no permanent home. Within combat, she dances across the battlefield, swinging her strange bladed hoop in continual circles. Those who underestimate this unusual weapon will find it slipped past their defenses before they know it, lopping off a limb or gashing open their body. Playful and flirty, she is connected by rumors to several other fighters in the league.

#35- Fabrizio Soldati "The Savage Spines"


Bold and aggressive, Fabrizio is pure Italian machismo. He chews through armor and shields with his dual chainswords and leaves the battlefield bloody and covered in scraps of metal. Those who try to keep their distance are punished by his extending spines, a trick also used to open up those who fight up close. He styles himself as a modern gladiator and heir of the Roman Empire and is one of the best showmen of the lower ranks.

#36- Jing Xu "The Lethal Dance"

Jing Xu was originally trained not in war, but in dance. His family was heavily invested in traditional dance, and he learned several as a child, always having a talent for moving his feet. He was drawn to Shaolin Kung Fu when he saw their exercises, vast ritualized performances that he saw as a new dance that he didn't know. He was particularly drawn to the spear, and was soon able to get actual training. He took well to it, and he is now known as one of the most graceful fighters of the lower ranks. He is particularly known for his deadly "Invisible Step", a footwork technique with which he can strike from even further than his weapon's reach should allow.

#40- Jepsigei Macharia "The Golden Wind"


A werecheetah from Kenya, Jepsigei is all about speed. She rushes in and strikes with the large claws built into her armor, clawing them as many times as she can before dodging away to avoid retaliation. Her rank is kept low by a lack of physical strength, meaning she loses if a fight comes down to grappling, and many higher ranks are durable enough to shake off her rushdown. She can change her claws between slashing and stabbing modes with a mere flick of her wrist.

#43- Arthur Cromwell “The Frost Wolf”


Being a middle-ground between the first two leagues, Knights of Valor provides Arthur with an excellent opportunity to work on his most utilized fighting style. With dual ice swords, he zips around trying to cut down his enemy before they lay a finger on him. He is not bound to them however. He can replace his swords with spears or shields and he can even create his own armor to better take a hit, all depending on his situation.

#45- Reginald Downer "Holy Diver"


A proper middle-aged gentleman and "paladin of the sea", Reginald Downer was an Unaware noble who enjoyed diving as a hobby until he came across a magical artifact in a shipwreck he discovered. Since then he has explored the Hidden World, and in between dives, he keeps his skills sharp in the arena. The "Plumbing Rod", as he calls it, allows him to summon up waterproof armor that allows him to remain at the bottom of the ocean for days at a time, can extend thousands of meters long, and can be "locked" in place to stay floating in midair or pinned wherever he wants it. A general lack of experience in battle has kept him low in the ranks, but many believe that the Plumbing Rod has greater power than he can properly use.

#50- Ronald Ironside "Swarmer"

A new addition to the roster, Ronald has joined the league for legal protection and a place where his talents are useful. Shortly after joining, he brutally took the 50th place in a storm of bladelike wings, clawed hands, and powerful kicks. Ronald focuses on defense and speed, and he can punish people with rapid combos of attacks while recovering from retaliation with his regeneration. His main weakness is that he only has one more powerful attack, and it is highly telegraphed. Regardless, he expects to rise quickly in the ranks.