Even as the battle dragged on, neither Max nor the Ninth Shadow could truly take the upper hand.
Their clashes stayed terrifyingly even. Every time Dragonheart cut forward with the Emotion Severing Path, the Ninth Shadow answered with the Death Sword Path, and every time the black blade came down with its calm, absolute killing intent, Max met it head on and severed the force buried inside it.
The world around them kept collapsing under the pressure of their swords. Mountains were cut apart, valleys were wiped away, and the shattered remains of land and sea were constantly ground into dust by the storms of sword force spreading from each collision.
Through all of it, the core of the battle never changed. Neither of them retreated, neither slowed down, and neither gave an inch.
Max gradually realized that his current level of Emotion Severing Path would never be enough to decisively suppress the Ninth Shadow.
