I dont think that Kishi would kill of Tsundae just yet, I did like the sage mode, and it is good that things are finally coming together as Pain is arriving. Next couple chapters could be really good or really drawn out. Guess we will have to wait and find out...

And I second you on the brain jutsu defense, seems kind of out there, and to waste that many cells to basically tell us that the guy that was chasing Killer Bee is dead was pointless. I assumed that he was dead....