[color=00aeef][b]"No,"[/b][/color] He bellowed with a methodical breath. The blade wouldn't move upon Bruce's first attempt to pull it away from Nexus' grip. He clung tightly and pulled it in the opposite direction of the swordsman's sidestep, keeping him from taking his back, while also preventing a followup. Those sparkling baby blue eyes of his followed Bruce carefully while he exercised exceptional finesse. The dagger flipped and moved, almost as if it was guiding Nexus' hand, towards his target's gullet. The motion was heavy and precise, like he was scooping the air beneath Bruce, moving in with his blade to knock him right into the ceiling. His knees were braced and he moved his right foot to keep both feet perpendicular, at a clear 90 degree angle that shot outwards and moved with his facing. With his left gauntlet, the one that clung to Bruce's blade and pulled him rightwards slightly, he guarded his face and upper body, using his armoured forearm as a barrier that protected him from the bottom half of the Ki-blade, assuming Bruce sought to use his weapon as a downward facing lever. The hand he used to scoop towards his torso moved under this barrier, and quickly enough to evade the aforementioned motioned. At this point, retreat might have resulted in injury or immediate death for Bruce with his dampened abilities, and a direct counter was unfeasible. Nexus may have not had the strength to break cities, or flashy abilities that defied reality. But on an even battlefield where raw power and bombastic magic meant nothing, he held the distinct advantage of a superior armoury, paired with millennia of sheer experience. And despite Bruce's efforts, Nexus had taken the initiative.

	As long as he held the pace, victory would be impossible.