The First Struggle

The Pitiful State of Leo

Leo sat cross-legged on the rickety floor of his room, staring at the peeling ceiling as if expecting it to solve all his problems. The candlelight flickered, casting faint shadows that seemed to mock him. His body felt 

as if it had been assembled from leftover parts—weak, sluggish, and thoroughly unimpressive.

"Alright, Alex," he muttered to himself. "You've faced dragons, armies, and betrayal. Surely you can figure out why this body feels like it's powered by wet noodles."

Determined, Leo decided to meditate and assess the state of his body. In his past life, Alex Benjamin had often used meditation to inspect his internal energy flow. Surely this would be a breeze.

 The Horrific Discovery

As he closed his eyes and focused, Leo's consciousness plunged inward. Instead of the smooth rivers of energy he expected, he was greeted by a chaotic sight: a murky swamp of thick, black poison clogging his veins. The poison

 writhed like a living entity, bubbling ominously. For a moment, Leo could only gape in horror.

"What in the… Am I... part swamp monster?" he blurted, snapping out of his meditation. He clutched his chest and tried again, this time determined to understand the extent of the problem.

Upon closer inspection, it became clear. The poison wasn't natural; it had been introduced into his body deliberately, a slow-acting assassination attempt meant to weaken him over time.

"Well, that explains why breathing feels like running a marathon," Leo muttered. Then the absurdity of the situation hit him. "Wait. Someone actually thought I'm important enough to assassinate? That's... kind of flattering."

He chuckled at his own predicament but quickly sobered. The poison had to go, and there was no way he'd rely on the Lionheart family techniques to do it. He had something better: **Heavenly Black Serpent Art**, Alex Benjamin's unique

 cultivation method.

 Poison Removal, Heavenly Black Serpent Style 

Leo sat back down, took a deep breath, and began channeling his energy using Heavenly Black Serpent art. Unlike traditional methods that focused on harmony,Heavenly Black Serpent art thrived on domination—subduing and destroying foreign substances in the body.

 As he guided a thread of energy toward the poison, the resistance was immediate and vicious.

The poison lashed out like a cornered beast, sending sharp pain shooting through his body. Leo gritted his teeth.

"Oh, come on. It's just a little poison. What's the worst it can do?"

A moment later, he doubled over, coughing violently. His vision blurred as he spat out a glob of black sludge. It landed on the floor with an audible sizzle, burning a hole through the wood.

"Alright," he wheezed, wiping his mouth. "Point taken. You're not 'just a little poison.'"

Despite the pain, Leo couldn't help but laugh at himself. The mighty Alex Benjamin, reduced to fighting poison one droplet at a time. Yet, there was a certain satisfaction in the challenge. For the first time since his rebirth, he

 felt a flicker of purpose.

 A Glimpse of Silent Dawn

Meanwhile, in a secluded hideout far from the Lionheart estate, a shadowy figure stood before a table cluttered with vials and parchments. The room was dimly lit, the only illumination coming from a single lantern swinging gently

 from the ceiling.

"Is the poison working as intended?" the figure asked, their voice low and smooth.

Another cloaked individual stepped forward, bowing slightly. "Yes, but... the target shows unexpected resilience. It's taking longer than anticipated."

The first figure's lips curled into a faint smile. "Good. Let him struggle. The more he fights, the more satisfying his fall will be."

Leo's Determination

Back in his room, Leo sat amidst puddles of sweat and small scorch marks from the expelled poison. He was exhausted, but there was a stubborn gleam in his eyes. He had only managed to clear a tiny fraction of the poison, but

 it was a start.

"Whoever did this," he muttered, clenching his fists, "you've made a big mistake. This isn't the end. It's the beginning."

Leo dragged himself to his feet and shuffled toward the bed, his body aching but his spirit unyielding. Tomorrow, he would continue. Step by step, drop by drop, he would reclaim his body. And when the time came, Silent Dawn

 would learn what it meant to cross someone like him.