Don't worry, power break definitely does work...I've beaten him time after time with it, it's a lot faster than running around yelling and accumulating. Hitting him with it will lower his physical attack by about 3, which should cut the stabs from 140 damage to around 80 or so, and hitting him with another will make him completely useless. Two swords makes this skill soooo much more useful. Of course if you miss with both shots, and he counters, you're dead. And be sure to use Auto potion instead of blade grasp.