When you state your time, do you mean the time remaining on the clock as you leave the tower? If so, that's the exit time, not the completion time. 1:23 as an exit time equals 1:37 to complete, as the clock winds down from 3:00 to 0:00. I've played that final battle many times myself, always trying to beat my best time out of the tower. Despite the hazards and time wasters in it, I did make it out with 1:30 still left on the clock, or half the time allowed. But to do it that fast meant not getting hurt once, finishing off the 2 Stalfos in short order and, finally, suffering that unavoidable freeze when the ReDead shrieks. On average, my exit time reads 1:25 (1:35 to complete), but any exit time of 1:15 or higher is very good. If there's a shortcut to it I'd like to know it. I hate going in and out of each room and having to waste time fighting the Stalfos again.