User blog comment:Jopjopjop/Volume 19 Spoilers/@comment-16281343-20150414050518/@comment-24502975-20150414142133

So you went from Ise clone being a bad idea to not minding it? :3

Anyway, current Ise's physical strength is mainly due to his new body + his intense training. The EPs have little to no significant effect at this level of power. Pre-v12 Ise's physical strength was the same (as the EP boost is only significant when he's at a way lower level earlier on).

Original topic: Perhaps they wanted to create an army of Phoenix clones with their immortality intact... although finding enough souls would be difficult. Fuck this clone idea.