Min-jun woke up to the smell of fresh pancakes and the sound of birds singing outside his window. Sunlight streamed through the curtains as both suns of Aetheria rose in the morning sky.
"Good morning, Min-jun!" Martha called from the kitchen. "I made breakfast!"
Min-jun sat up and stretched. He felt amazing. Better than he had felt in years. His body was strong and healthy, his mind was clear, and he had slept better than ever before. Even his seven rabbit companions looked well-rested as they hopped around in the garden below his window.
He went downstairs and found Martha setting a plate of golden pancakes on the table, along with fresh fruit, eggs, and bacon that smelled incredible.
"You didn't have to make all this," Min-jun said, sitting down at the table.
"Nonsense! A growing adventurer needs a good breakfast," Martha replied with a warm smile. "Besides, I leveled up my cooking skill twice just making this meal. You're helping me get better at what I love to do."
Min-jun took a bite of the pancakes. They were fluffy, sweet, and perfect. His system interface popped up with a small notification:
[BUFF ACQUIRED: Well Fed]Duration: 8 hoursEffects: +20% Experience gain, +50% Health regeneration
"Even the food gives buffs," Min-jun laughed. "This world keeps surprising me."
After breakfast, Min-jun packed some supplies that Martha had prepared for him - more food, a water bottle, and a simple map of the local area. His rabbit companions gathered around him, ready for another adventure.
"Are you sure you want to go all the way to the Ancient Library?" Martha asked with concern. "It's quite far. Most people take a week to make that journey."
"I'll be fine," Min-jun assured her. "I have my skills and my rabbit friends to keep me company."
"Well, if you're determined to go, let me give you something that might help." Martha disappeared into her house and came back with a small crystal pendant. "This is a Communication Crystal. If you touch it and think of someone, you can talk to them no matter how far away they are. I'll keep the matching one here in the village."
Min-jun put the crystal around his neck. It felt warm against his skin and pulsed with a gentle blue light.
"Thank you, Martha. You've been incredibly kind to me."
"That's what we do here in Aetheria," she said. "We help each other and spread happiness wherever we can."
Min-jun said goodbye to Martha and the other villagers, then set off toward the east with his rabbit companions hopping beside him. The morning air was fresh and cool, perfect for traveling.
As he walked through the countryside, Min-jun continued experimenting with his skills. He practiced fire magic by creating small flames to cook his lunch. He used earth magic to create a small bridge over a stream. He even tried his hand at monster taming with some friendly squirrels and birds he met along the way.
By midday, his traveling group had grown to include seven rabbits, four squirrels, two songbirds, and one particularly friendly fox. They all seemed to enjoy following him around, and his Monster Taming skill kept leveling up.
[LEVEL UP!]Level 5 → Level 8New Skills Learned: 12Monster Taming Level: 15
The landscape slowly changed as he traveled east. The rolling meadows gave way to gentle hills covered in colorful wildflowers. Crystal-clear streams wound through the countryside, with fish jumping and playing in the water. Everything was peaceful and beautiful.
In the late afternoon, Min-jun crested a hill and saw his destination in the distance. The Ancient Library of All Knowledge stood in a wide valley, and it was magnificent.
The building was enormous - easily the size of several city blocks. It was made of white marble that seemed to glow with its own inner light. Tall spires reached toward the sky, topped with crystal domes that sparkled in the sunlight. Beautiful gardens surrounded the entire structure, with fountains and sculptures scattered throughout.
"Wow," Min-jun breathed. "It's even more impressive than in the game."
He made his way down the hill and approached the library's main entrance. Massive doors made of carved oak stood open, welcoming visitors. Above the entrance, golden letters spelled out "All Knowledge Is Free To Those Who Seek It With Pure Hearts."
Min-jun's animal companions waited outside in the gardens while he entered the library alone. The inside was just as impressive as the outside. The main hall had a ceiling so high he couldn't see the top, lined with bookshelves that stretched up into the darkness. Floating platforms allowed visitors to reach the higher shelves, moving gently through the air like magic elevators.
Soft, warm light illuminated everything without any visible source. The air smelled like old parchment and leather bindings, but in a pleasant way that made Min-jun want to explore every corner.
"Welcome, young seeker," said a voice behind him.
Min-jun turned and saw an elderly man with a long white beard and kind eyes. He wore simple brown robes and carried a staff topped with a glowing crystal.
"I'm Aldric, the Chief Librarian," the man said. "We don't get many visitors these days. What knowledge do you seek?"
"I'm trying to understand this world better," Min-jun replied. "I'm... new here, and I want to learn about Aetheria's history and how everything works."
Aldric's eyes twinkled with interest. "Ah, a newcomer! How fascinating. Follow me, I have just the section for you."
The librarian led Min-jun through halls lined with countless books, scrolls, and magical tomes. They passed other visitors - scholars quietly reading, students copying notes, and researchers examining ancient artifacts. Everyone spoke in hushed, respectful tones.
They stopped at a section labeled "The True History of Aetheria." Aldric pulled several books from the shelves and set them on a nearby reading table.
"These should give you a good foundation," Aldric said. "Start with 'The Creation of Aetheria' and work your way through. If you have any questions, just call for me."
Min-jun opened the first book and began reading. The text was written in the same language he spoke, which made him wonder if Admin had given him some kind of translation ability along with everything else.
The book told an incredible story. According to the text, Aetheria had not always been peaceful. Thousands of years ago, it had been just like the world in Eternal Realms Online - full of demons, dark lords, dangerous monsters, and constant warfare.
But then something amazing had happened. A powerful god had appeared and used his divine power to transform the entire world. He removed all the evil, banished the demons, and turned every dangerous creature into something harmless and friendly.
The god had also given every person in the world access to the System, allowing them to level up and learn skills to improve their lives. But instead of using these powers for war and conflict, the people of Aetheria used them to build better communities, create beautiful art, and help each other live happier lives.
"This is incredible," Min-jun murmured as he read. "Admin really did create a perfect world."
He continued reading through the afternoon, learning about Aetheria's geography, culture, and society. The more he read, the more impressed he became. This wasn't just a world without evil - it was a world designed from the ground up to maximize happiness and personal growth.
There were no kingdoms at war with each other. Instead, there were loose confederations of cities and villages that worked together on projects for the common good. There was no poverty or hunger - the System made it easy for everyone to learn skills that could provide for their needs.
Crime was almost non-existent because there was no scarcity to fight over and the culture emphasized helping others rather than competing with them. Even death was less final here - while people could still die of old age or accidents, the System could sometimes resurrect those who died with unfinished business or important contributions to make.
As the evening approached, Min-jun moved on to books about the System itself and how it worked. This was where he made his most interesting discovery.
The System wasn't just a game-like interface. It was actually a manifestation of the god's will, designed to help people grow and improve themselves. Every skill learned, every level gained, every quest completed made both the individual and the world as a whole a little bit better.
But there was something else. According to the most advanced texts, the System had hidden features that only activated under special circumstances. Most people never discovered these features because they lived peaceful lives and never pushed the System to its limits.
"Hidden features?" Min-jun said to himself. "That sounds familiar."
In Eternal Realms Online, there had been secret skills and abilities that could only be unlocked by completing extremely difficult challenges or finding hidden areas. Most players never discovered them because they were too hard to find or unlock.
Min-jun opened his own System interface and started exploring menus he hadn't looked at closely before. Most of them seemed familiar from the game, but there were a few options that were grayed out or locked.
One in particular caught his attention:
[WORLD INTERFACE - LOCKED]Requirements: ???Description: Access advanced System functions
"World Interface?" Min-jun wondered. "That wasn't in the game."
He tried clicking on it, but nothing happened. The requirements were completely hidden, giving him no clue about how to unlock it.
"Interesting," said a voice behind him.
Min-jun turned and saw Aldric approaching with a curious expression on his face.
"You're looking at something that very few people ever notice," the librarian said, glancing at Min-jun's System interface. "The locked features of the System are mentioned in only the most advanced texts."
"Do you know how to unlock them?" Min-jun asked.
Aldric stroked his beard thoughtfully. "The books say different things. Some claim you need to reach the maximum level in all skills. Others say you need to discover certain hidden locations. A few mention that only those chosen by the System itself can access the deepest mysteries."
"Have you ever unlocked any of them?"
"Me? Oh no," Aldric chuckled. "I'm just a librarian. I prefer reading about adventures to actually having them. But you..." He looked at Min-jun with sharp, intelligent eyes. "You're different, aren't you? There's something special about you."
Min-jun shifted uncomfortably. He couldn't exactly explain that he was from another world and had been personally enhanced by Admin himself.
"I'm just curious about how things work," he said.
"Curiosity is the beginning of all great discoveries," Aldric replied. "If you do manage to unlock any of the System's hidden features, I'd love to hear about it. We librarians are always eager to learn new things."
As the library began to close for the evening, Min-jun thanked Aldric for his help and gathered his things. His animal companions were waiting patiently in the gardens, along with a few new additions - some library cats that had apparently decided to join his growing menagerie.
Min-jun found a comfortable spot in the gardens to camp for the night. The library provided free camping areas for traveling scholars, complete with clean water and basic facilities.
As he sat by a small campfire, surrounded by his various animal friends, Min-jun reflected on what he had learned. This world was even more interesting than he had first thought. It wasn't just a peaceful paradise - it was a complex system designed to help people reach their full potential.
And apparently, there were secrets hidden within the System itself. Mysteries that only the most dedicated explorers could uncover.
"Tomorrow I'll start looking for these hidden features," Min-jun decided. "If I can unlock the World Interface, maybe I'll discover what this world is really capable of."
He opened his Communication Crystal and thought of Martha back in the village.
"Martha? Can you hear me?" he said softly.
The crystal glowed, and Martha's voice came through clearly. "Min-jun! How was your journey? Did you make it to the library safely?"
"Yes, I'm here now. The library is amazing. I learned so much about this world."
"That's wonderful! Are you planning to come back to the village soon?"
Min-jun looked up at the star-filled sky, then at his diverse group of animal companions who were all settling down for the night.
"Not quite yet," he said. "I think I'm going to explore a bit more. There are some mysteries I want to solve first."
"Well, be careful out there. And remember, you always have a home here in Beginners Village whenever you're ready to return."
"Thank you, Martha. That means more to me than you know."
Min-jun tucked the crystal away and lay back on his bedroll. Tomorrow would begin a new phase of his adventure in Aetheria. He had learned about the world's history and discovered that the System had hidden depths waiting to be explored.
For the first time since arriving in this peaceful world, Min-jun felt the excitement of a real challenge ahead of him. Not the kind of challenge that involved fighting for his life, but the kind that involved pushing the boundaries of what was possible and discovering secrets that no one else had found.
"This is going to be fun," he said to himself as he drifted off to sleep, surrounded by the gentle sounds of his animal friends and the peaceful night air of Aetheria.