Ten minutes before zero hour.

''Phew... we need to get ready.''

''Yeah...''

Leaving behind the hazy atmosphere, the Saint party members orderly get into their battle outfits and put on the recording devices before exiting the vehicle. Some leave their beloved a kiss as a promise to come back victoriously, and some choose to do it after they have defeated their foes.

The last to leave is Sariel, who peeks over Lunaris's shoulder, seemingly waiting for some sort of signal from beyond the screens.

''...They said it's connected.'' The goddess sighs in relief. ''Check if it works.''

Tapping the pendant on her chest, Sariel's gleaming silver eyes glance between the previewed output screens. After confirming its stability, she nods at Lunaris, ''I'll leave the rest to you.''

''Count on me.''

Outside, everyone is already warming up, brimming with vigor. It wouldn't be false to say that they are in peak conditions at the moment, all thanks to the much-needed 'refuel' earlier.

Under the brilliant sea of stars, the siege will soon unfold.

Without saying a word, Sariel dashes off into the distance. It's practically the same with the other members—what's been said has already been said. So, now, it's only going to be actions.

Five minutes before zero hour.

At this point, missiles are already on their way to strike the target—all the way from HQ outside of the vast contamination zone. Sariel arrives at the launch site quietly, making sure everything is in order as well as to guarantee the launch if something were to happen. 

Soldiers and staff members alike stay strictly in their positions, some holding the triggers, some anxiously surveying outside movements,  only waiting to execute their orders when they come down from above.

A breeze gently sweeps through the land amidst the tense moment.

Sariel, from an obscure corner, turns on the recording device. 

''Three, two, one...''

Zero hour.

Countless specks of light rapidly approach the battlefield, soon zipping through the cloudless sky like falling meteors. Their trails, sparkling like stardust, brighten the night.

''Fire!!''

And as soon as they fly past, the commander on-site firmly gives the order to launch.

One after the other, hundreds of warheads roar to life, chasing the distant meteors to join in the attack. The place is engulfed in a blazing current, constantly blasting the burnt scent of fuel and fire, yet, even in their stuffy uniforms, none of the soldiers move for even an inch.

Only after capturing those images does Sariel take off again.

At the same time, another dragon is also chasing the missiles in the sky, its white scales gleaming under the moonlight. On its back sit four girls, each with a different determination and a joint will to defeat the ultimate evil—the demon king.

'Although it's still not the final boss...'

Raeliana chuckles inwardly.

Thinking back, this sort of development is quite strange. They are going to battle the demon king, but the heroine, Sylvia, isn't even with them. The elven girl wonders how history will look back upon this incident.

''Ah, right.'' She mutters. ''Girls! Turn on the recording!''

Following her command, the other three, who have been absorbed by the sea of artillery flying beside them, tap their pendants. Just in time, the missiles, having been perfectly programmed to strike precise locations, begin to dive down.

The cameras capture groups of them raining onto the demon settlements, pulverizing everything with overwhelming explosive prowess. Like a flaming arrow, the series of blasts sharply clears the way for the forces—straight to the final target, the demon king's castle.

As a streak of never-ending flame is drawn below, numerous aircraft fleets hover in the air high above. Bombers, from their steel bodies, release precision bombs among high-explosive ones at the target, while other attack aircraft support them with machine guns and other weapons.

''Ooh... that must hurt.''

Someone exclaims at the sight of the towering demon castle—the symbol of the star on this continent—majestically lit on fire. It is unknown if that strike did any major damage to their force, but it looks devastating, and that alone is enough to call a success. After all—

'Through these pendants...'

Through those pendants, people must be watching. If they believe in the members, that could be a great encouragement, both physically and mentally.

Clutching their weapons, the four young girls try to calm their racing hearts.

Meanwhile, as the final missiles successfully hit their targets and the night sky slowly calms down, a colossal figure can be seen from afar, tearing through the sea of flame. 

Sariel, now in her dragon form, absorbs the immense heat as she shoots toward the burning castle. 

Wherever she passes through, the dancing fire, as if attracted to her, is pulled into her scales, adding to their golden and fiery glints. This is both a way to charge up her firepower as well as a way to clear the path for the main forces to arrive.

While the tanks and armored vehicles begin to roll their wheels onto the ashes, Sariel pulls closer to the main target.

Closer than ever—both distance and power. Already in her top form, now having absorbed a flurry of smoldering fire, the dragoness's throat is itching to spew devastation.

Bringing that desire to fruition, Sariel concentrates her boiling divinity into a swirling mass. Before her slightly opened jaw, before the razor-sharp, terrifying teeth, a blinding sphere rivaling the sun is born.

Divine heat cooks the contamination dry, and golden dazzles bring the day back for a marvelous descent.

It's about to erupt.

''Oh... shit.''

Afar, Raeliana's group watches the scene in awe. That kind of firepower is almost alien.

No, maybe it is alien.

Briefly before Sariel's sun erupts, a protective barrier, one that, at first glance, is more potent than anything anyone has seen from this side,  coats the castle whole.

Yet, that little ball of purple is soon devoured whole, and helplessly so... by a death ray so absurdly powerful it tears off the fabric of reality itself. Sound evaporates completely, landmass seemingly fades into nothingness, and even senses are lost for some time.

''...Wow. This ain't even a siege anymore...''

A good while later, everything finally returns.

Sariel, still the majestic dragon, gently flaps her wings, unfazed before the wasteland she has created. Both she and the four members can already see it—a nudging, stubborn figure standing where the demon castle once was.

Its energy is both putrid yet incredibly pure—pure in the sense that it is nothing but the contamination.

An existence made only by and for the star, perhaps the literal manifestation of the star's nature—the demon king.