Lex was not even remotely tempted by Bacterius' offer. As if the man himself was not suspicious enough, he was refusing to properly explain what the invitation was or who it was from. He also did not explain its purpose properly, and seemed more focused on teasing Lex.
Perhaps inviting Lex was just an excuse, and in reality he hoped that Lex would not attend. Something like this could be a shady way of ensuring the success of someone who would consider Lex a threat.
Of course, this was just a random guess Lex had, and was one of endless possibilities.
"I don't need to test my pride, nor validate my worth. Thank you for the invitation, but if that is all, I am not interested."
Maybe if Bacterius had gone about it a different way Lex would at least be curious about the tournament. After all, Bacterius himself had proved himself to be quite powerful, and yet he was only incharge of extending invitations. Clearly this matter was far from simple.
