It's not exactly something you can take away from me. What do you honestly think this is, Nigma? Some kind of contest? All you have to do is knock me out, and you win the title?

I've already bested you, more than once, in several ways. I can keep besting you. Even if you somehow manage to kill me, which is the best you could hope to do, I'll be back the next day and you'll have accomplished nothing but to piss me off. I'll still be a telepath; I'll still be more cunning than you've ever shown the capability to be; I'll still be married to Ema, and the fact that I'm frequently within arm's reach of a woman you fancy is really something you should think harder on. I'll still be the Mastermind.

There's no cheating on this, Nigma, and it won't get you anywhere even if you manage to get away with it. Why bother...? Except we both already know why you'll do it, don't we. [Schuldig grins.] So you can try to prove to yourself, for the hundredth time, that for every other failure in your life...at least you're smart. That makes up for everything, doesn't it?

But the fact is that a truly smart man wouldn't even be trying. They'd know their ego isn't worth the risk. So even if you win, you'll be losing.