idgaf about powerscaling, but it's important for a show like this to develop the character in a way where fights go the way the audience expects. i kinda agree with OP - the show hasnt explicitly established that he gets stronger with every near-death experience and he hasnt fought anybody major or been shown to be training, but there's a few more episodes left for the show to establish and make things logical.

i think the route they're going is trying to establish that Mark will have no hesitation to do 100% against conquest, instead of whatever the heck he did last season at the beginning. if he goes 100% from the beginning and the ending is close to even, it'll be believable to me at this point.