It's been 24 years, why am I reincarnated in Konoha without a system?

Chapter 22 The Night of the Nine-Tailed Fox, the Steadfast Ishikawa

"No, impossible! How could this be? If the Fourth Hokage is Minato-sensei, then it means that the Fourth Hokage has already sacrificed himself in the future! But there are only four Hokage Rocks on your side, and the Fifth Hokage Rock has not appeared at all."

"You're lying to me!!" After a long moment of shock, Nohara Rin suddenly questioned him in a tense and anxious voice, like a crazed little lion.

She simply couldn't believe that if this were true, what a tragic fate awaited Konoha.

If even the Hokage is killed! How far will this brutal war go? With the Hokage gone, does that mean Konoha has already been invaded by other ninja villages?

“After the Fourth Hokage, the Third Hokage resumed the position. So the village is currently still under the rule of the Third Hokage, and there is no so-called Fifth Hokage.” Ishikawa’s concise explanation made Nohara Rin’s eyes widen again.

"The Third Hokage is still alive?!" Without thinking, Nohara Rin blurted out this outrageous statement.

In her mind, a new Hokage only becomes Hokage after the previous one dies. For example, after the First Hokage died, the Second Hokage succeeded him. After the Second Hokage died, the Third Hokage succeeded him...

But now, the Third Hokage is still alive, yet the Fourth Hokage succeeds him? And the elderly Third Hokage lived for 14 years before returning to power, while the Fourth Hokage is already dead?

What on earth is going on?!

“That’s just how it is. If you have any doubts, I can take you outside to see.” Ishikawa said, stretching his tingling body as he stood up, pointing towards the door behind him.

"No need for that! Then, could you tell me how Minato-sensei died? As the Fourth Hokage, he shouldn't have gone out on dangerous missions." Nohara Rin shook her head and asked with concern.

Since Ishikawa dared to say that, it must be the truth. What she wants to know most right now is the death of the Fourth Hokage!

Although Ishikawa may not know much, let alone the truth, the death of a Hokage will inevitably be made public, which can serve as a reference for her.

Ishikawa didn't hide anything, and with a heavy expression, he slowly began to speak. "Eleven years ago, on October 10th of Konoha Year 48, the Nine-Tailed Night broke out in Konoha, and the legendary Nine-Tailed Fox appeared in the village."

"Nine-Tails!!" Nohara Rin cried out upon hearing this horrifying scene, the terrifying carnage involuntarily flashing through her mind...

Having lived through a time of war, she knew all too well the meaning that tailed beasts represented! They were weapons of war, bringing destruction wherever they went.

Ishikawa nodded silently again, his eyes reddening. "That night, Konoha sacrificed the Fourth Hokage, a hero, and many elite ninjas. That same night, I and many others became orphans overnight..."

"So, it was the Nine-Tailed Fox who killed Minato-sensei??" Nohara Rin felt her breathing become labored, as if something was pressing down on her chest, making it hard for her to breathe.

The Nine-Tails, that's the strongest tailed beast, the Nine-Tailed Fox! No wonder Minato sacrificed himself as the Fourth Hokage; he must have done it to protect the village.

"So, did the village eventually find out why the Nine-Tails went berserk? Who was that Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?" After swallowing hard to calm herself, Nohara Rin regained her composure and asked the last question.

If she knew who the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki was, she could prepare in advance just in case...

"I don't know, that's all I know." Ishikawa shrugged, feigning helplessness. What a joke, how could a commoner genin possibly know such classified information?

Didn't you see that even Rin Nohara, a disciple of Minato, didn't know that Kushina was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki? It would be a miracle if someone of his status knew!

"Hmm, I was in a hurry." Nohara Rin belatedly realized her mistake and nodded in agreement.

Although the specifics and the identity of the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki are unclear, knowing the time and place of the Nine-Tails Night is a huge piece of useful information!

Three years from now, on October 10th, she must find a way to stop the Nine-Tailed Fox from going berserk.

"Heroes are always admired, especially those who save the village like the Fourth Hokage!" Seeing the topic getting further and further off track, Ishikawa took a deep breath and got back to the point. "And I, who have no family tradition, once naively studied the Rasengan based on some rumors."

"Although I didn't succeed in the end, at least I gave you a general direction to refer to. Well, that's still better than your clueless cultivation..."

"Huh?" Hearing Ishikawa's arrogant boast, Nohara Rin's hope gradually faded.

Minato spent three years developing an A-rank, no-seal ninjutsu. How dare you, a commoner genin who even has to ask her for advice on chakra control techniques, talk about your research results?

"Uh, then tell me your opinion!" Seeing Ishikawa's serious expression, Nohara Rin thought for a moment and then nodded to listen.

Although she was certain there would be no gains, she still had to give them this much face. After all, she had just obtained important information; even if she didn't care about the monk, she should at least give them face.

"First, take a look at this." Seeing that Nohara Rin did not object, Ishikawa turned around and took out a water balloon from the cardboard box next to him.

This was a toy my predecessor used to pass the time when he was bored, and now it comes in handy.

"To be honest, I've never actually seen a Rasengan in person! So, I used to just imagine what a Rasengan looked like." Ishikawa's words at the start made Nohara Rin's heart sink once again.

But looking at the small water ball that Ishikawa was playing with in his palm, it was as if he had grabbed something and stood still for a moment.

"In my opinion, the so-called Rasengan is just turning chakra into something like a water ball. But chakra, being a formless entity, cannot be condensed at all, just like the water here, which cannot be grasped."

"Therefore, in order to capture this water, which is also the chakra, we need something to support it, that is, a cover like this sphere."

"I see, that's what it means!" Almost the instant Ishikawa finished speaking, Nohara Rin suddenly realized.

As long as the chakra shield stabilizes the chakra, there's no need to worry about the chakra scattering and failing to condense!

To come up with this based solely on legend... Genius, this guy is absolutely a genius...

"And then? How do you make a chakra shield? And how do you stabilize and compress chakra?" Thinking back to her previous thoughts, Nohara Rin felt ashamed and a hint of embarrassment rose on her face as she asked again.

"And then? And then there was nothing more..." Ishikawa's eyes widened in astonishment! "Miss Lin, this is just an immature conjecture from a naive young man, for reference only."

"Do you really think that the ninjutsu developed by the Fourth Hokage is so easily copied and reversed??"

Seeing Ishikawa's innocent and surprised expression, Nohara Rin's newly risen enthusiasm was extinguished, and she was speechless for a moment!

Okay, she was too naive.

"Don't worry, I will guide you step by step through your cultivation. And in the meantime, I will gradually deepen this trans-dimensional bond." A smile played on Lin Shichuan's lips as he watched her turn away in disappointment.

He's not stupid; what good would it do him to just tell him the training steps for the Rasengan?

Spoilers without a legitimate source are just asking for trouble!

This is already a bit outrageous! If they go any further, they'll definitely crash and burn. Ishikawa won't underestimate the abilities of these ninjas.

Stay calm, we must proceed cautiously!!