Flowers Are Bait - Chapter 3:

Utsuro no Hako to Zero no Maria, or The Empty Box and The Zeroth Maria, tells the sinister story of Kazuki Hoshino, who is almost madly attached to his everyday life, and his antagonist Aya Otonashi, who suddenly transfers into his class—for the 13,118th time. She majestically announces to “break” him, without paying heed to anyone else around them.

I’m a roleplayer. A gamer who creates characters according to their classes and happily acts as them.“Don’t… Touch me……”“Talk more and see if you can handle my wrath……”My current character was a Demon Knight who kept a Demon sealed in his right arm! One day while I was just acting as my character and enjoying the game as usual……“Log out.”[This command cannot be carried out.]“……? Log out.”[This command cannot be carried out.]“……???”And as if not being able to log out wasn’t enough…“You disgusting Demon! So you finally took over Sir Demon Knight’s body!”“My eyes cannot be deceived! Sir Demon Knight isn’t that kind!”Because of my damn companions I couldn’t even stop role playing!Can this role playing gamer faithful to their setting ever return to reality?

In the world of Aetheria, there is one name that is feared by all. Yet, he is known more for his title, the Demon General. Whether it’s Gods or Demons, no beings dare to oppose his authority. He ruled Aetheria with an iron hand. Cities are destroyed on his whim. Countries are razed at his displeasure.This is the tale of his rise to power.This is the tale of his rise to Godhood.This is the tale of the rise of the Demon General.

Lan Chang’an has gone through two lifetimes of reincarnations, and in the third life, he aimed for stability until reaching the Nascent Soul Realm in hopes of unraveling the mysteries of the Nine Seal Stele. Consequently, he cultivated the Ancient Trees Evergreen Technique, which wielded modest power in return for greater lifespan.

His approach is not one of fearlessly engaging in battles, but of navigating with steady precision and forging meaningful bonds with others.

Throughout his long cultivation journey, he encountered individuals at various stages of their cultivation, including a Decent Faction Head, a Prodigious Beauty, a Giant Demon Lord, an Evil Cultivator, a Thousand-Year Old Demon, and a Puppet Master Pulling Strings From Behind The Scene.

Observing the ebb and flow of the world, witnessing its ups and downs, he unknowingly became a living fossil in the realm of cultivation, akin to an evergreen tree spanning through eternity.

In the world of mortals, the flow of life is steady, shrouded in the illusion of longevity, yet decisions are made decisively, with a clear sense of morality.