User blog comment:B214/Volume 23 discussion blog/@comment-187.15.164.191-20170506004927/@comment-29963364-20170509065729

Plus, in that entire battle against Vasco, Ewald, and the rebel exorcists, the DxD Team was trying very hard not to kill or seriously harm them.

Meaning they only used their best forms & techniques just to deal with the Durandal & Excalibur Replicas, and get close enough to either restrain or incompasitate them.

They were fighting seriously, but not the same way they fought seriously against other enemies (like the Old Satan Faction, Grim Reapers and Evil Dragons).