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Air Elementals words reminded him of something.
The difference between two-dimensional objects and three-dimensional objects.
If you drew two squares on a paper, you wouldn't be able to tell which square was nearer to you and which was farther away.
It was because the concept of 'depth' didn't exist in 2D.
But if you placed two 'cubes' in front of you, you could instantly tell which one was closer and which one was farther.
'Even if you can't notice the extra dimensions, they still exists.'
'How about we teach you a method to access them?'
"What will that do?"
'You will be able to enter them. Think of how useful it can be!'
'Other people from your species are incapable of seeing things beyond the fourth and a half dimension.'
'If you can access higher dimensions, to others, it will look like you disapper everytime you move!'
That sounded too good to be true.
Neo kept his skeptisim to himself and signalled the Air Elementals to proceed.
'For now, let's call the move {Dimensional Shift}.'
'Try to analyze our movements.'
The Air Elementals, who had been flitting around like playful fireflies, suddenly stopped—or at least, it seemed that way at first glance.
Neo narrowed his eyes, focusing on the tiny, pale-green motes that seemed frozen in mid-air.
It took time to understand what was happening.
The Air Elementals hadn't stopped moving.
They were moving, but in a higher-dimensional space.
It was similar to drawing a square on paper.
If that paper moved inward or outward in a direction perpendicular to the plane (inwards or outwards), the change would be invisible to a 2D perspective.
'Depth' didn't exist there.
Same was happening between Neo and Air Elementals.
He strained his Intent Vision to track them.
It was only barely but Neo could see them moving.
Their paths seemed nonsensical, slipping in and out of his perception as if the paths were changing each moment.
'While I can't see the higher dimensions, they exist around me.'
'Dimensional Shift allows me to move in those higher dimension pathways.'
For someone who had spent their entire life perceiving existence within four-and-a-half dimensions, attempting to step into the fifth and beyond felt like trying to grasp smoke.
Neo tried to mimic the movements of the Air Elementals.
'Hehehe, it's not easy to do—'
The words of Air Elementals were cut short as Neo suddenly moved his hand in a way that felt… strange.
His hand hadn't moved at all from the perspective of a normal person observing him.
But the Air Elementals saw it—his hand had shifted, not within the familiar four-and-a-half dimension space but into the higher-dimensional realm.
'We never thought you would learn to enter the {Gap} so easily.'
'It should be impossible, but wow you did it!'
"Gap?"
'That's what everyone calls the dimensions which they can't see.'
'For your species, anything above four and a half dimensions exists in a {Gap} of their perception.'
'And now you can enter the Gap!'
It felt as if he had 'slipped' into the empty space, not walked into it.
The feeling was similar to the 'shift' one felt when teleporting, but it lacked the clean fluidity he was used to.
Instead, it felt chaotic.
The world around him turned dark. It wasn't the darkness of night, but an oppressive, infinite void. His body felt weightless, as though he were phasing through countless layers of existence, each pulling him deeper into the Gap.
'Hehehehe, you should anchor yourself to a dimension!'
The voices Air Elementals' of echoed.
Their laughter bounced through the endless expanse.
'If you keep falling into the Gap, no one knows where you will end!'
The "Gap" which is the higher dimensions one cannot see is called endless and an infinite void.
There also exist countless dimensions.
[You tried a Dimensional Shift movement without Space Affinity?]
[Were you trying to be Spirited Away?]
"Spirited Away?"
[Yes, Spirited Away. There are countless dimensions that overlap with our own.]
[We don't know that since the dimensions exist in different frequencies.]
The Sphinx spoke as if it was explaining to a child.
Normal dimensions were x (height), y (length), and z (depth).
These three dimensions were fundamental to all worlds.
The fourth and above dimensions, however, were unique to each world.
[The fourth dimension could be A1 (Time) for Planet 1, and it could be A4 (Light) for Planet 3.]
[People can perceive and interact with worlds that has the same dimensions as them.]
Neo furrowed his brows as he listened.
[Moving between different dimensions is possible only when you have 'Spatial Perception' to sense those dimensions.]
[But getting lost after entering the Gap is common for even them. Just having high-Space affinity mastery is not enough.]
The Sphinx's voice was filled with urgency and a suppressed irritation.
"Then why could I do that?"
[That's what I'm trying to know.]
[You don't have Space Affinity. Without it, you can't have Spatial Perception.]