Xander realized that obtaining such treasures during the trial required either incredible luck or incredible skill. The only reliable way to acquire relic weapons was by killing one of the legendary creatures present in the trial dimension and hoping they dropped valuable loot upon death.
Which meant Vogue had probably killed at least one legendary creature already. And if he had managed that feat, it also meant Vogue's actual combat strength wasn't limited to what he had shown so far. He was likely holding back significant power and had deeper reserves of abilities than Xander had initially estimated.
At that exact moment, the shield finally gave out completely.
The barrier exploded into thousands of fragments of transparent energy that dispersed into the air. Vogue's blade continued its path forward, no longer obstructed, slashing directly toward Xander's exposed neck.
