Lord of Solva: Players as My Pawns

Shaoran took a deep breath, looking at the sealed crate, now containing the Ruston stone. 

[System: Power Level: 52.3% | Upgrade Available.]

He stared at the words on the screen, his mind racing. Upgrade Available? That was new. He had never seen that option before. His heart beat faster as he tapped the "Upgrade" button. He could feel the energy pulse through his fingertips as the system started processing. It was as though the entire environment around him was charged with a new energy, buzzing and humming.

The screen flickered, and a new notification appeared, [System: Upgrade Complete. New Features Unlocked.]

Shaoran's hands trembled as he tapped the screen. The new interface was a thing of beauty—a complete overhaul. The old, mechanical design had been replaced by something far more sophisticated. The layout was clean, easy to navigate, and most importantly, it felt alive. He scrolled through the newly unlocked features, marveling at what he saw.

One of the most intriguing features was a new tab at the top of the interface: "Hire Heroes."

A shiver ran down Shaoran's spine. Heroes? Was this what the system had evolved into? Was this why it had upgraded, to help him build his world? He clicked on the "Hire Heroes" tab. A screen filled with various races appeared—each one more fascinating than the last. There were humans, elves, orcs, dwarves, and even beasts he couldn't identify.

The majority of the options were locked, but one race stood out. A small green creature with large ears and beady eyes—goblin.

[System: Goblin Hero – Level 1 – Unlocked.]

Shaoran raised an eyebrow. A goblin hero? It wasn't what he had expected, but it was a start. His curiosity piqued, he tapped on the icon. The screen flickered again, and a summon button appeared. It was glowing faintly, almost as if urging him to press it. His fingers hovered over the button for a moment, but the urge to see what would happen was overwhelming.

With a deep breath, Shaoran pressed the summon button.

The room was suddenly flooded with light. It was bright enough to temporarily blind him, and he instinctively raised his arms to shield his eyes. The light flashed in all directions, swirling and changing color as if it was alive. The air grew thick with energy, a strange hum filling the space.

And then, as quickly as it had started, the light faded.

A goblin stood before him, a confused and angry expression plastered across her face. Her small body looked unsteady, but she was surprisingly strong, her fists clenched as if preparing for something.

Shaoran had expected something different, but he wasn't sure what. A goblin hero was the first on his list, but how exactly was this supposed to work? He watched her, his mind racing as he waited for her to speak, but instead of words, there was an immediate reaction.

The goblin suddenly charged at him. With surprising speed, she lunged forward, slamming her fists into his chest. Shaoran barely had time to react before he was sent tumbling backward. The goblin was relentless, her small but powerful strikes landing with precision. She seemed confused and angry—perhaps scared—and was lashing out.

He quickly regained his balance. He Summon the system the window. beside goblin. he found a button [Control]. He pressed. and the gobin was stopped in midair and an invisible air kicked it slam the goblin to the mine wall But the goblin was undeterred. She darted in again, attempting to land a punch on his side. Shaoran's eyes widened. Was she really going to make him fight.

Shaoran hesitated for only a moment. His body moved of its own accord, and before the goblin could strike again, he reacted, using a quick counterattack. His fist collided with her midsection, knocking the air out of her. The goblin staggered back, clutching her stomach, and then fell to her knees. The fight was over quickly.

The goblin gasped for air, her face turning blue from the pressure. Shaoran stepped forward, staring at her, ready to continue this strange interaction. But then, something unexpected happened.

The goblin slowly lifted her head, her eyes now full of respect instead of rage. Her voice came out soft, almost reverent. "You are… strong," she said, her words clear, though slightly raspy. "Me Serve Strong."

Shaoran raised an eyebrow, unsure of how to respond. The goblin had just tried to attack him, and now she was showing respect? What had just happened?

As the system interface flashed again, showing a small notification:

[System: Goblin (Female) - Control [75%] Language Proficiency Unlocked. Hero Rank: Level 1]

Shaoran looked at the goblin again. She was different now—more obedient, respectful even. He could tell that the system had been instrumental in that. He wasn't sure what to do next. He wasn't about to start ruling goblins just yet, but maybe… maybe there was potential here.

Before he could continue his thoughts, the system flashed once again. [System: Hero Summoning ]

Shaoran frowned. Another one? He was still trying to make sense of the first goblin, but it seemed the system wasn't done. He turned his attention to the summoning circle, watching as a new glow began to form.

This time, the light was softer. Instead of a flash, it felt more like a warm glow surrounding the space. As it faded, Shaoran found himself facing a new goblin. This one was a male, with darker green skin and a wide grin plastered on his face.

The male goblin stood up, stretching as if he had just woken from a nap. Unlike the female, who had been defensive, the male looked almost amused, his eyes scanning the room. When he saw the female goblin kneeling before Shaoran, his smile widened.

The male goblin immediately bowed his head, giving a low growl of recognition. "Me summoned , I serve."