Chano

Chano is a Marksman hero in Honor of Kings.

Background[]

Years later, the Last Wolf had long become the King of the Northlands. Memories of his early days in Chonokh rose to the surface as Chano ignored his foreign allies' invitation to conquer the East and fixed his gaze on the glory and danger hidden in the north of the Winter Ocean. He had been celebrated as a tribal hero and branded a beast, only to be betrayed by his best friend and left at death's doors. Yet he never ceased his pursuit. Unlike most, he understood the secrets of the Sunfall. He knew he was not born to follow mere human desires. His mission was to destroy the source of all suffering in the Northlands...

Lore[]

After the greenhouse was cleaved by Pangu, the Ancients traversed the vast lands by the Winter Ocean, where they encountered the ancient Feralis, including the legendary Grey Wolf. The Ancients who chose to stay became the ancestors of the Northland tribes. When Hou Yi destroyed the Sun Tower, the extinguished Dark Sun fell into the Northlands, forming the Sunfall. Along with residual energy from the Sun Tower, this gave rise to a harsh alternation between barren and fertile seasons. Amid this struggle for scarce resources and the frenzy of rampaging Feralis, the Northland tribes splintered and fought among themselves.

From the turmoil, a hero arose. Riding a black wolf, he led a pack of wolves and crushed the Feralis. In no time, he inspired awe and loyalty among the tribal youth. Chano was the only human who had met the Grey Wolf, gazed into the Sunfall, and learned its secrets. He vowed to unite the tribes and end the blight cast by the Sunfall on the Northlands.

His forces grew, and his victories piled up. However, the young leader did not realize that his brilliance would be overshadowed by jealousy and ambition deeper than the Sunfall itself. The hero misjudged human nature and suffered the most devastating betrayal of his life. A plot to ambush and eliminate him quietly took shape in the shadows. Finally, his former best friend turned his piercing arrows toward his back.

The ensuing battle decimated his wolf pack, leaving him to bury his loyal companions alone. However, the wolves' spirits merged with his, granting him the strength to pierce the traitors' hearts.

The traitors may have slain the hero inside Chano, but they birthed the future king of the Northlands.

Though branded with titles and slurs alike, Chano paid no heed. He knew his ultimate mission: to lead Chonokh and the Northlands into a brighter future.

"Those who strive for their faith have nothing to fear."

Above the Sunfall[]

[1]

"My King! The Great Seer has prophesied: The Star of the Grey Wolf rises in the North. The child destined to overthrow Vermilia is born in Chonokh!"

Hearing this, the King of Vermilia finally set aside the fragment inscribed with ancient writings. A relic from a divine age, it was discovered among the ruins of Alsahraa. As a monarch obsessed with sorcery, who had spent decades unraveling the secrets of the Ancients, little could capture his attention.

Vermilia scorned the tribes of the Northlands who struggled for survival, but they feared the powerful forces within Central Plains. They incited tribal conflict with grain, exploiting the chaos for their gain. The king envisioned a day when he would seize the remnants of power of the destroyed Sun Tower left behind, materialized within the Sunfall.

In the winter nights, returning Vermilian merchants brought a foreboding prophecy of disaster along with their wares, which fanned the flames of fear and ambition. Numerous Northland tribes were attacked. Infants were stolen or slain in their cradles. Yet destiny did not falter. A wolf pack emerged, carrying away a child from one of the tribes.

[2]

A pack of young wolf cubs surrounded a small black wolf and a child. The child, about five or six years old, was thin and covered in bites and scratches. Despite his frail human form, which seemed especially weak next to the cubs, the child showed no fear. He crouched slightly in a defensive posture, his sharp, piercing gaze scanning the young wolves.

The cubs growled threateningly, baring their teeth. The black wolf hid behind the child, lightly tugging at his fur cloak with fearful whimpers. Undeterred, the child held a sharp, bloodstained stone in his hand.

"Come on!"

He shouted hoarsely, even taking a step forward. His wounded hands bled and stained the stone crimson, as if declaring to the pack that any transgressor would pay in blood.

For a moment, the young wolves hesitated, cowed by the human child's defiance. Though they snarled and growled angrily, they didn't advance. Some even retreated slightly.

The standoff continued, neither side willing to submit.

The stalemate was broken when a snow-white wolf leapt into the fray, followed by a group of adult wolves. The white wolf growled a warning, and the cubs immediately lowered their heads. Tails tucked, they whimpered in submission. The white wolf turned to the child and the black cub. The black wolf lowered its head, letting out a soft, appeasing sound. The child, however, stood tall, his bloodstained face defiant as he met the white wolf's gaze. The white wolf regarded her black-furred sibling with exasperation but felt a complex mix of emotions toward the human child she had taken under her wing.

Despite lacking the speed or strength of a wolf, the child's eyes and bloodied stone conveyed the spirit of a true wolf warrior...

The white wolf gestured for the child to follow her.

From a hill, they looked out over the vast grasslands, where dark figures rampaged, slaughtering and destroying. A snow leopard caught in their path was torn apart. The air reeked of blood and decay. Living on the fringes of the Northlands, the wolf pack understood better than any humans how the shadows were encroaching.

(On the grasslands, no one can protect another forever. You and your brother must learn to find food and defend yourselves.)

The white wolf howled calmly but firmly.

She motioned toward the fallen snow leopard:

(Wolves are not the largest creatures, but we understand the power of unity. We survive threats together and establish ourselves here.)

(The pack never fights alone.)

The white wolf looked at the stone in the child's hand, her meaning clear. The child understood immediately. He was still too weak. Only the strongest could unite and command the pack. Yet, he might hold a potential beyond what the wolves could possess...

(Find it. Find your potential.)

The child tightened his grip on the stone. His gaze shifted to the black wolf wagging its tail furiously below the slope, and then to the distant wolves.

[3]

Their elder sister, the white wolf, died.

It happened when the child had just found a crude bow and tried to make his own, but he hadn't yet learned to reliably hunt deer. A few frenzied Feralis crept near the wolves' den, then one lunged at him before meeting the wolves' counterattack.

As the leader, the white wolf mounted a strategic defense, directing the pack while ensuring the young cubs retreated. In recent years, frenzied feralis had increasingly invaded the heartlands, shrinking the wolves' territory and depleting their food. But under the white wolf's leadership, the pack hadn't allowed themselves to become prey. They managed to fend off smaller threats, and the cubs always escaped unharmed.

This time, however, a massive purple horned beast appeared among the Ferali attackers. It was far larger than the other feralis and it caught the white wolf off guard, seizing her. She howled a warning, signaling the pack to retreat as she gnashed at the beast's throat. Her efforts were in vain, as she was unable to pierce its tough hide. The wolf pack's coordinated attacks were effortlessly deflected by the beast. There was only going to be one winner. Compared to the others, this ferali was overwhelmingly powerful. Dragged into the air, the white wolf gave a final, piercing command:

(Retreat! Leave me! Escape!)

Then, she was torn apart by the massive beast.

The pack scattered, but the bloodthirsty feralis pursued, unwilling to let their prey out of their sights. The child fled into the tall grass, luring one of the ferali into a trap he had set for deer and antelope. The trap slowed the ferali, but it couldn't kill it. Just as it broke free and lunged for his throat, the black wolf rushed in, hoisting the child onto its back. Using its agility and the cover of nearby foliage, it darted madly toward the pack. Once mocked as a coward for its proclivity to run away, the black wolf now became the pack's only hope. It ran faster than ever before.

Tears welled in the child's eyes, and in the black wolf's too. Their retreating forms were reflected in the lifeless eyes of the white wolf, now still and dim.

That night, they returned to where the white wolf had fallen. Only half of her body remained. The child, his gaze dark as the night, gently closed her eyes and buried her by the riverbank, protecting her from scavengers. For the child with no parents, the white wolf had been both a sister and a mother. As the slowest in the pack, he could never outrun antelope or secure prey on his own. But the white wolf once told him he possessed potential beyond the pack's abilities. Thereafter, he began crafting traps with sharpened sticks and practicing with a bow, eventually catching small prey.

His human limitations meant he could never match a wolf's speed. But today, riding on the black wolf's back, he glimpsed a new possibility.

Yet his sister would never see it...

"The long night is approaching. Will you remain the coward hiding behind your sister, or will you become the leader and lead the pack through the barren season?"

The child didn't know if the question was directed at the black wolf or at himself. The black wolf let out a despairing whimper, and the child gently patted its head in reassurance.

"Wolves never fight alone. When many become one, nothing is impossible."

Two years later, the child and the black wolf returned with the head of the giant Ferali that had killed the white wolf. That day, he became the leader.

[4]

Where were the endless waves of rampaging Feralis coming from?

The boy from those days had grown into a young man. In just three years, he had led the wolf pack in relentless battles against the Feralis, expanding their territory and strengthening their bonds. Yet this question lingered in his mind, haunting him.

He led the wolves northward, toward the source of the rampaging feralis. Guided by the sprites of the grasslands, he ventured alone into the darkness.

There, countless eyes brimming with malice suddenly opened in the pitch black.

Their terrifying, serpentine gaze was enveloped by an even more overwhelming power, emanating from a pair of enormous crimson eyes that chilled him to the bone.

A primal fear gripped his very being. Just the sight of those eyes left him drenched in sweat, struggling to breathe. Only through immense willpower did he manage to remain standing.

His body screamed for submission, but a voice deep within his heart whispered with fascination. Power... Limitless power... The bow in his hand felt like a mere toy as he was lifted into the air. Never had he felt so small, and yet so immensely powerful. He felt two opposing forces pulling at him, as if they were going to tear him apart.

But what is power? His lupine instincts warned him of danger. The faces of countless partners and brothers-in-arms began to emerge in his mind, reminding him of his sister's words: The strength of wolves comes from the pack.

He did not know how much time had passed. When he regained consciousness, his back was drenched in sweat. The eyes and voices seemed bound by some force, and only then could the boy faintly discern what lay in the darkness.

It was an enormous black sun.

Suddenly, the Grey Wolf appeared in the darkness.

Those familiar with the history of the Northlands would have been astonished, for, contrary to the knowledge of most, the Grey Wolf had never perished. For over a thousand years, it had used its body to suppress the Sunfall and the Dark Sun buried beneath it. At the same time, the Sunfall had polluted the wolf, weakening it over time. It could feel the energy of the Sunfall growing stronger, while its own time was running out. The darkness leaking from the Sunfall over decades had led to the rise of the frenzied feralis. They were a testament to the Grey Wolf's decline.

Then, the boy heard the wolf's voice:

"You are the only human to have gazed into the Sunfall."

"The Sunfall is gazing back at me..." the boy murmured. Suddenly, he seemed to realize something and looked up at the wolf. Its body was riddled with scars and wounds.

"What will happen if they break free?"

The Grey Wolf gazed into the void, as though looking back across countless ages.

"They will lead the frenzied Feralis and kill every living creature in the Northlands."

The boy tightened his grip on his bow. This was the answer he had sought—the source of the Northlands' suffering. Yet it seemed like an unsolvable quandary, impossible to confront with a human's strength alone. But he didn't hesitate for a moment. Someone had to rewrite the endless cycle of fate. He looked up at the Grey Wolf, his gaze resolute.

"How can I defeat it?"

"Rebuild the Sun Tower! Long ago, I met an enforcer of Nuwa who mastered this. But he also told me..." The Grey Wolf looked helplessly at the half-grown boy.

"While they are divided, the Northlands have no chance of victory."

The boy glanced at the Sunfall, at its endless rolling darkness, and nodded without hesitation.

"Unifying the Northlands and reforging the Sun Tower will come at a cost far beyond what you can imagine. You might lose your life in vain..."

The Grey Wolf's voice suddenly rose, ringing within the boy's ears:

"Are you prepared to bear this cost?"

"Someone has to do it, right?"

The boy's eyes shimmered with determination. He spoke slowly, but each word was carefully considered:

"I want the wolf pack to roam freely across the plains. I want the barren seasons in the Northlands to end. I want to end the suffering of all beings in the Northlands. So why shouldn't it be me?"

With the Grey Wolf as witness, the boy set what seemed like an unreachable goal. At that time, he had no idea where this belief would lead him.

His actions eventually earned the Grey Wolf's approval, and he was given the title of "The Last Wolf." His name would echo across every inch of the Northlands.

Beast and Hero[]

[1]

In his heart, Zhe Yuan cursed the one who had led them off the planned route in order to save time, but he knew it was pointless. That person was already dead. He had been torn apart by whatever had been hunting them in the dark, giving the others a chance to escape and catch their breath. His right arm hurt so much he couldn't draw his bow anymore, possibly broken. What's the use? The frenzied Feralis were much faster than they were anyway. Of the original thirty, only four remained. Everyone was wounded and exhausted, but none of them dared to stop.

With a scream, another person abruptly fell silent. The ones left ran for their lives, not daring to look back. But Zhe Yuan could feel the shadow closing in. The stench of decay and corruption seemed to be right behind them. Instinctively, he swung his bow to the right, but the bow snapped in an instant. There was a whirl of dizziness, and he was thrown by the creature in the dark. His back hit the stones in the grass, and pain seared through him.

Was this how he was going to die? Zhe Yuan felt hopeless, but also a strong unwillingness. He was the pride of Chonokh, the most talented in horsemanship and archery among the new generation of his tribe. He was the clan heir of Chonokh, a young hero who his father had great hopes for... His past flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern. He closed his eyes. The sound of rushing wind filled his ears, but pain did not follow as expected. The sound was that of a sharp arrow piercing a skull! He opened his eyes, and all of his senses and reason returned instantly. The frenzied Ferali before him collapsed to the ground.

He looked up in the direction of the arrow's origin, and under the starlight, he saw a boy surrounded by a pack of wolves. The boy was about fifteen years old, riding atop a large black wolf. His hand was steady, but he wasn't in a rush to release his arrow.

He gestured with his hands, and the wolf pack methodically flanked the Feralis from both sides. They moved like well-trained soldiers, cooperating seamlessly under the boy's leadership. Some wolves restrained the ferali movements, while others waited for the right moment to strike. Some gave chase, some defended, and others lured the enemy deeper...

The boy pulled back the rough, double-curve bow, but didn't release the arrow straight away. Once his hand released the string, that arrow would strike with deadly precision. Moving at high speed, his arrow struck the eyes of the largest ferali, piercing its skull. Although the boy didn't say a word, everything seemed to be under his control, as if all of it was part of his strategy.

The frenzied Feralis that had left the tribes in fear fell one by one under the boy's arrows. Yet he seemed unsatisfied, continuing to direct his pursuit.

One boy and a wolf pack had slain all of the frenzied feralis.

This marked the first meeting of Chano and Zhe Yuan. Standing face-to-face with a boy seemingly of his age, Zhe Yuan could not help but feel an overwhelming force emanating from the boy.

The pain etched paleness across his face, but his curiosity drove him forward. "What's your name?" he asked.

"Name...?" The boy's voice was halting, as though the concept was foreign. He shook his head, his deep gaze suggesting that he was considering something far beyond the question. Zhe Yuan quickly realized that this boy, commanding wolves as their leader, must have a unique and extraordinary past.

"You don't have a name? Everyone in the Northlands has a name."

The boy remained silent, lost in thought. Seizing the moment, Zhe Yuan suggested,

"How about 'Chano?' It suits the leader of the wolves."

Zhe Yuan half-expected the feral yet composed boy to either misunderstand or reject the idea. To his surprise, the boy nodded. If having a name meant he could integrate into a tribe, then Chano would be his name.

"You saved my life. From today, you are my brother, Chano. Chonokh will be your home."

The boy who had saved the young Chonokh chieftain was invited to join the tribe. Zhe Yuan introduced Chano to his father and the rest of the tribe, treating him with the respect owed to a sworn brother. The Chonokh clan leader, deeply impressed by the boy's untamed courage and strength, honored him as a valued guest.

[2]

"Charge! Follow me!"

Zhe Yuan led the charge, swiftly maneuvering toward the distant Feralis, bowstring taut as he fired arrow after arrow. But his arrows failed to pierce the tough hide of the frenzied feralis. He leaped onto a massive berserk ferali, gripping an arrow in reverse and driving it into the beast's eye. Though the creature roared in pain and thrashed violently, the blow lacked the power to deal a fatal blow. The ferali flailed madly, trying to fling Zhe Yuan off so it could tear him apart.

"Gah, is this still not enough?"

Drawing another arrow, Zhe Yuan stabbed it into the Ferali, only to be thrown off by its tremendous strength. An enormous, enraged ferali seized him, preparing to rend him in two.

"Dammit. Chano!"

From afar, Chano already had his bow drawn, aiming with steady precision but hesitating to release.

"Not yet... just one more step..."

"CHANO!"

"Now!"

At that moment, the black wolf leaped forward with Chano astride, and he released the arrow.

The next moment, the ferali's head ripped from its body under the force of Chano's shot, and it crumpled to the ground. Arrows rained down like a storm as Chano and the black wolf swiftly repositioned, each shot calculated and deadly. Feralis large and small fell one after another. The battle's tide shifted under Chano's relentless assault.

"What incredible power," Zhe Yuan muttered as he tumbled from the ferali's grip, landing hard. No matter how many times he witnessed it, Chano's precision and strength left him awestruck.

When the last of the feralis fell, Chano approached Zhe Yuan, his voice calm but tinged with a trace of disapproval. "Zhe Yuan, you charged too far ahead."

"With you here, there's nothing to worry about."

Zhe Yuan wore a relaxed expression as he glanced at the bow in Chano's hand, identical in design to his own.

"The double-curved bow you made for me is indeed lighter and more powerful than the previous one. But it's still not enough... Ever since that incident, my right arm has been useless... I'm such a failure."

"Eagles do not fear stormy weather, and wolves do not fear the long night. Don't worry, I'll help you."

Zhe Yuan's gaze dimmed slightly as he looked at Chano's bow, but he chose not to continue the conversation. Instead, he turned to the corpse of the fallen ferali and remarked,

"It's just as you said. The frenzied feralis have come this close to Chonokh's territory." Though he still harbored doubts about Chano's descriptions of the Sunfall, the encroaching threat of the feralis was undeniable.

Chano knelt beside the fallen beast, his tone weighted with a maturity beyond his years.

"The Sunfall nears, yet the tribes of the Northlands remain divided, fighting their own battles."

Zhe Yuan looked up at Chano and saw his resolute gaze, fixed on the distant horizon of the grasslands.

"I swore to the Grey Wolf that I would stop the Sunfall and end the source of the Northlands' suffering."

"When my arm heals, I will use the bow you gave me to fight by your side."

Zhe Yuan stood and pointed to his own chest.

"The young leader of Chonokh,"

he said, then pointed at Chano,

"and you, commanding the wolf pack..."

"As long as we work together, nothing can stand in our way."

But Chano was less optimistic. Stroking the head of a wolf, he shook his head.

"I was raised among wolves. I know nothing of uniting human tribes."

Zhe Yuan grasped Chano's shoulder and extended his hand.

"Don't worry, I'll help you."

[3]

When did everything start to change?

Was it when he led Chonokh to repel the feralis for the first time? Was it when nearby tribes migrated to seek his protection? Was it when he was elected as the leader of the alliance? Was it during the successive victories against Vermilia? Was it when his deeds spread across the entire Northlands? Or was it with the repeated cries of "Our hero!"? ...In just five years, the feralis that plagued the tribes were forced to retreat farther north, and Vermilia's ambitions were crushed, forcing them back to Alsahraa. Chano was utterly convinced that he had glimpsed the hope of a unified Northlands. How had it come to this?

A clap of thunder jolted Chano from his reflections.

The black wolf let out a pained howl towards the hilltop.

Torrential rain washed away everything before him. The narrow valley was littered with the corpses of his wolf companions, ambushed by the frenzied feralis. From atop the rocky outcrops, malicious laughter echoed.

"Hahahahaha! He completely fell for it. So much for the so-called hero of the tribes!"

"Hmph, just a wild beast raised by wolves!"

The crowd stirred, taunts and jeers filling the air. Chano ignored it all. His gaze pierced through the crowd to fix on Zhe Yuan, standing at the back. The information had been false. The feralis had been stirred and manipulated against him. His ally who was supposed to flank and provide support now stood opposite him, alongside the Great Seer of Vermilia. Everything became clear in an instant. Chano's expression darkened, his teeth clenched tight, and he spoke each word deliberately:

"Zhe Yuan... Was this all your doing?"

Zhe Yuan lowered his head, unable to meet Chano's eyes. His grip tightened on his bow. Instead, the Great Seer, a woman barely in her forties, addressed him. She looked at Chano as though she were looking at a cornered beast.

"Oh "great hero"... The tribes only called you that to use you against the ferali."

Unmoved by her words, Chano continued to direct his question at Zhe Yuan. His voice was hoarse but unyielding, carrying a quiet fury. Around him, the wolves snarled low and bared their teeth.

"Zhe Yuan, you promised... to stop the Sunfall, to fight to the end."

A flash of lightning illuminated Chano's face. His eyes flared with an intensity that made even those surrounding him instinctively step back. Still, Zhe Yuan said nothing, his head bowed. The Great Seer, enraged at being ignored, sneered:

"Hmph, you're not the first human over the centuries to know of the Sunfall. But who of the tribes has ever seen it? Nobody will believe something that seems like a mere myth. The chieftains only care about the benefits right in front of them..."

"Zhe Yuan, is this your decision?"

Zhe Yuan suddenly lifted his head and met Chano's gaze. Though his voice was quiet, it was resolute. Suppressed emotions, long buried, burst forth like a broken dam.

"It's your fault, Chano. You took what was rightfully mine."

"That's what you care about?!"

Chano found it absurd. He had never intended to take anything from Zhe Yuan. His only goals were to unite the Northlands, shatter the Sunfall, and end the region's suffering.

"Your brilliance is blinding, Chano. People only know of Chonokh's hero. No one remembers the young heir of Chonokh."

To everyone's shock, Zhe Yuan raised his double-curved bow and let loose an arrow. It struck Chano in the chest, catching him off guard.

"This is my decision. Kill them all."

The others followed his command, loosing a hail of arrows into the air. Amid the chaos, Zhe Yuan shot a second arrow. The black wolf leaped up and knocked Chano out of the way, taking the arrow to its back before tumbling to the ground. At that moment, the frenzied feralis were released. Blood mixed with rainwater, staining the gorge red.

Chano raised his hand, signaling the wolf pack to break out.

Chano tried to draw his bow to fight back, but another arrow struck his back.

He collapsed, his vision blurring. The last thing he saw was Zhe Yuan's vicious glare and the black wolf struggling to reach him.

The air filled with roars, cries of pain, and thunder claps, as lightning split the sky and the earth trembled.

Darkness swallowed him whole.

Skills[]

Hunting

Type: Passive

Whenever he moves through brush, gains Movement Speed and enhances his next Basic Attack to a double shot that deals extra damage. Leaps when emerging from brush.

Soaring Signal

Type: Skill 1

Leaps into the air, gaining Movement Speed and allowing him to traverse terrain. While airborne, his Basic Attack fires a powerful arrow, dealing physical damage and knocking back enemies.

Lupine Trap

Type: Skill 2

Throws a wolf spirit trap at a target location. When triggered, it deals physical damage and summons a wolf spirit to attack the enemy.

Leader Stance

Type: Ultimate

Summons wolf spirits and gains the ability to shoot while moving. Also boosts Physical Attack, Movement Speed, and Attack Speed for 8s.

Skins[]

Partners and Counters[]

Strategies[]

Know a nice synergy? Recommended items? Loadouts? Click here to add your strategy!

Chano's most common skill combo is 2-Ult-BA-1-BA.
First, use Skill 2 to place a trap to deal damage and summon wolf spirit, then use his Ultimate to summon a large number of wolf spirits.
Finally, use Skill 1 and enhanced Basic Attacks to deal damage over time.