After Jiraiya left the Hokage's Office, Hiruzen Sarutobi planned to work with Hiashi Hyuga over the next month to strengthen their defenses and set traps, so that after the Chūnin Exams, they could kill Neji Hyuga directly.
Unfortunately, Neji Hyuga and Tenten had left Konoha without a trace, leaving Hiruzen Sarutobi with a grim expression.
Leaving Konoha without reporting it was no minor crime. Hiruzen Sarutobi was already prepared to pin charges of treason and collusion with the enemy on Neji Hyuga.
If Neji Hyuga objected, the interrogation division could search his memories and clear his name.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was certain that Neji Hyuga would never accept a memory search.
Hiruzen Sarutobi and Hiashi Hyuga had already planned everything out. All that remained was to deal with Neji Hyuga after the Chūnin Exams.
Meanwhile, Neji Hyuga had already arrived in Amegakure.
Amegakure lay at the border where the Land of Earth, Land of Fire, and Land of Wind met, a region plagued by frequent wars. Even with Hanzō the Salamander, the demigod of the Shinobi World, stationed there, he had been unable to fully protect the Land of Rain. Shinobi from the three nations still waged war throughout the country, harming its people and Amegakure alike.
During the Third Shinobi World War, Akatsuki, an advocacy organization dedicated to quickly securing a truce between the Land of Earth, Land of Wind, and Land of Fire, rose in Amegakure. After judging Akatsuki to be a threat to his regime, Hanzō publicly proposed that Akatsuki sign an agreement with Amegakure's authorities as the village's official negotiating body. He then invited Root, Konoha's Anbu organization, to join him in slaughtering them at the signing site. Akatsuki's leader, Yahiko, along with many Amegakure shinobi, died in that incident. Nagato, whose beliefs had changed drastically, took