Assassin's Code

None of the squad members doubted Trapp's ability to defeat and kill them. They were able to feel a suppressive pressure from him that made them weak and unwilling to face him. This kind of pressure was something that people naturally exerted over those who were weaker than them.

It was a subconscious fear that was exerted over other people who were weaker than oneself, forcing them to be unwilling to face you in combat. If a person could exert this kind of fear and pressure over another person, then when fighting that person, it would feel like their hands and feet were shackled by an invisible force and they wouldn't be able to display their full power in combat.

There were a lot of factors that could lead to another person being able to have suppressive pressure over their opponents and it wasn't a hard fact simply based on if you were stronger than the other person or not. Things like confidence, will, and courage could also cause people to suppress others.