User blog comment:B214/Volume 23 discussion blog/@comment-139.190.27.252-20170321092843/@comment-14.207.178.27-20170321121853

I wish that Issei will enter 16th-finals at least or, even better, if he make it to the finals and has Vali as an opponent.

And for Issei to lost a big fight, I think it's ok for an early or middle part of a story when MC is still young and yet to be developed. But we are already in a final part where MC should display the result of his growth. It's rather pointless to have Issei experience another bitter defeat or being overwhelmed by opponents (he's already suffered enough).

Being defeated by Dulio's team is acceptable since it show readers that Issei has a impressive development as a leader. However, a defeat is still a defeat. If Issei losing too much, the story will be too depressed.