This was a force Rita could not overcome.
Her strength was equal to the angler's, but she could not drag him into the water. In a deadlock, the one who exhausted her stamina first would lose, and that would be her.
No fish lingered nearby for her to pull down into the struggle. Her earlier trick had scared the other students away, leaving her without any chance to repeat it.
The pier offered no help. This section had no supporting posts beneath it, as if designed to prevent tangled lines and stalemates.
The boats? Too far away. Her line wasn't long enough.
As she skimmed the waves, Rita scanned the entire shoreline, then suddenly veered toward the black-haired barista's pier.
That pier was shorter than the one where White Bear stood, and it was at a corner, directly opposite his position. If she could leap across and wrap the line around, she might force an advantage.
