Master Doran

"Did you know about this power?" Ato asked, puzzled. But after thinking it over, he realized it made sense.

Ornn was the oldest Demigod, having existed for ten thousand years. It was no wonder he had sensed the disturbance from the south when Aurelion Sol descended and Ancient Shurima built the Sun Disc.

"That's right. It's a power I still can't forget." Ornn came over to Ato, carrying the Starfall Iron ingot between his fingers.

"Although humans call me a Demigod, compared to that being, I'm like a firefly beside the sun. I wonder whether my brother would still have the courage to fight if he faced that being."

"...Only you would dare poke fun at Volibear." Ato's mouth twitched.

"As you can see, a soul that inherited that being's power is sealed inside this Demon Sword."

"But an accident left the sword with this terrifying appearance, and its aura leaks out from time to time, causing the creatures around me to misunderstand me and the sword for no reason."

"So I beseech you, Ornn the Demigod, to forge a Sword Sheath for this sword using this Starfall Iron from the Celestial Realm. I'll keep the sword inside it to conceal it a little. In return, I'll do one thing within my power for you. What do you say?"

Ornn raised his bushy eyebrows and looked down at the ingot he had just finished forging, wavering.

If he could forge a Sword Sheath capable of containing that being's power, wouldn't that prove his craftsmanship had surpassed its former heights?

But out of habit, he refused. "I haven't made anything for anyone in thousands of years. Besides, there's nothing I want to do right now. I just want to stay here and keep company with my forge."

Ato could hear the hesitation in Ornn's voice, so he hurriedly said, "Don't you want to take on a challenge? You've been forging however you please all this time. How long has it been since you faced a real challenge?"

"Other than Ornn the Demigod, I doubt anyone could forge a Sword Sheath for this sword—not even Master Doran, whom you once instructed."

"Doran?" Ornn seemed moved.

"It wasn't that long ago—perhaps not even a hundred years. He wandered into my Forge Hearth and endured the heat as he watched me work for an entire day. In the end, he passed out from dehydration."

"When I saw him, it was like seeing my earliest followers, the Forge Hearth People. I did teach him a few forging techniques. What, does he dare call himself a master now?"

"You taught him only a fraction of your techniques, and that was enough to make him a master admired by people in the outside world," Ato explained. "After leaving Forge Hearth, he went east to the Land of Genesis and settled there."

"Some people wait for decades just to get a weapon forged by Master Doran himself. In the end, only a handful ever get one."

"And don't forget, you're an immortal Demigod, while he's only human. If he's still alive, he must be an old man now."

"At least he hasn't disgraced me." Ornn let out a long breath, sending a powerful gust of hot air that nearly blew Ato off his feet.

"I'll use this Starfall Iron to forge your Sword Sheath. You don't need to do anything for me. Consider it my thanks for telling me how Doran is doing—and for letting me know the Forge Hearth People's legacy hasn't died out."

"Huh?" Ato tried to smooth his disheveled hair. "That's it? We have a deal?"

"What, you don't want to?" Ornn lowered his head, bringing his bearded face close to Ato's and blowing out waves of hot air.

"Doran makes people wait for decades. Surely it wouldn't be unreasonable for me to make someone wait a thousand years? But I won't make you wait. Not everyone gets an opportunity like this."

What a stubborn old tsundere... Ato only dared think it; he didn't say it aloud.

"I'd be glad to, I'd be glad to..."

Ornn turned around and placed the forged Starfall Iron ingot on the anvil before returning to Ato.

"Before I begin, I need to examine this Demon Sword." Ornn held out his enormous hand to Ato.

"Hey, take it easy. Don't provoke him," Ato quietly warned Aatrox. The Demonic Sword then floated of its own accord into Ornn's hand.

"Hmm..." Ornn raised the sword and brought it close to his face, studying it.

"You burned me, Old Goat!" Aatrox's furious roar came from inside the sword.

"This idiot..." Ato covered his face with both hands. "Could you stop giving people random nicknames?"

"Oh? An interesting ancient warrior's soul..." Ornn wasn't angry. He simply held the sword farther away and continued examining it in his own way.

Ato peeked at Ornn through his fingers. Seeing him still absorbed in his examination, he finally relaxed. "What a peculiar Demigod. Aside from being a bit of a recluse, he's got an incredibly good temper..."

Ornn's examination lasted nearly ten minutes. Aatrox made no more sarcastic remarks, and Ato didn't interrupt.

When he was done, Ornn returned the sword to Ato. "You're right. I can't just forge any old Sword Sheath and expect it to work. I'll need to devote most of my attention to controlling how the material changes and imbuing the finished piece with special abilities."

"You're also right that I'm the only one in the world who can forge this Sword Sheath. If Doran wants to reach that level, he'll need to study under me for another thousand years before he's even qualified to try."

"Stand back. You don't want to get caught in the blast."

Ato leaped far away and took cover behind a stone pillar, but stayed close enough to watch the forging.

Ornn went to the anvil and closed his eyes, centering himself until he was in peak condition. Then he took a deep breath and exhaled a terrifyingly hot flame, heating the Starfall Iron ingot, which had already cooled, until it glowed red again.

He took the Forging Hammer from behind his back and clamped the ingot in place with a pair of tongs. After heating it for a while, he judged that the temperature and timing were just right. He stopped breathing fire and brought down the hammer.

Clang!

As the rhythmic hammer blows rang out, the Starfall Iron ingot took on a new shape. Without any unnecessary movements from Ornn, the glowing red metal transformed on its own into a Sword Sheath.

The tip was sharp, but the main body was straight and stiff, with no resemblance at all to the shape of the Demonic Sword.

"Why is it so regular?" Ato frowned instinctively. "And so huge? It must be over ten meters long... How am I supposed to carry it on my back? It's big enough to fit five Demon Swords..."

Ornn couldn't possibly answer Ato's questions. All his attention was focused on the Starfall Iron before him.

As the final hammer blow fell, the Starfall Iron, now shaped like a Sword Sheath, erupted in an unprecedented radiance. Ornn reacted instantly, plunging the finished Sword Sheath into the cooling basin he had prepared beside him.

Splash!

As soon as the hot metal touched the cold water, thick clouds of steam billowed up.

When the steam cleared, Ato saw Ornn gripping the custom-made Sword Sheath in his bare hand. It really was ten meters long!