"Let's go take a look!"
Without giving it much thought, the Herrscher of Thunder grabbed Sky's hand and pulled her into her arms. Then... she turned into a bolt of lightning and vanished from the spot.
Just like the Flash! In a flicker of electricity, she was gone.
"She disappeared..."
At the place in Nagazora City where the two Herrschers of Thunder had fought earlier.
Of course... Kiana, Mei, Himeko, and the others had long since left. All that remained here now was a field of ruins.
There was nothing...
The Herrscher of Thunder appeared here in a flash, holding Sky as she transformed into lightning. Then... she frowned. She had clearly sensed her here, yet there was nothing now.
"Are you sure the person you sensed was here?"
Sky left the Herrscher of Thunder's embrace and curiously looked around.
There was no one in sight...
"I shouldn't be mistaken. And that figure felt somewhat familiar..."
The Herrscher of Thunder nodded with great certainty.
"Is that so? There really is an unfamiliar power here. It's faint... but it resembles the power of a Herrscher, or perhaps a pseudo-Herrscher..."
Sky nodded slightly. She had noticed something unusual as well. She was very familiar with the aura of Herrschers and pseudo-Herrschers.
Then Sky curiously walked around, looking about until... she arrived at a certain spot and crouched down.
"This is..."
Sky carefully picked up a small pink object from the ground... a cherry blossom.
"Why would there be a cherry blossom here? And it's even... a bud that hasn't fully bloomed." The Herrscher of Thunder looked curiously at the cherry blossom Sky had picked up.
"And it's a pickled cherry blossom..."
Holding the blossom bud, Sky sensed something... and cautiously tasted it. It was very salty.
"Cherry blossoms? Could it be..."