Yet the Empire had no inkling of the existence of such a vast enterprise. It dawned on Octavian that this oversight was likely due to Heaven's role in safeguarding the Sky Group's intelligence.

"Had it not been for Heaven's interference, the Wilson family and the Sky Group would have crumbled by my hand!" Octavian regarded Anthony with a mixture of contempt and annoyance. Anthony, though seemingly weak, had proven to be a persistent thorn in his side.

Octavian could have easily crushed Anthony, yet for various reasons, Octavian refrained, letting Anthony invite further complications for him. The rapid development of Highwyn's martial arts world owed much to the backing of the Wilson family and other wealthy patrons.

Two decades earlier, Empire had waged a campaign against Highwyn's martial arts world, a conflict that ended with Highwyn's victory. The defeat had left many of the powerful families in ruins, reducing the Empire to a shell of its former self.

This shift in power was what had led Octavian to enlist individuals from Ibaeni like Joelle and Lilliana, a move previously unthinkable within the Empire's ranks.