Episode 43

At the bar, Tomura tells Kurogiri the squad can win without him because they far outclass the villains from the U.S.J., and that even a loss would still put fear into hero society.

Wrecked from Muscular, Izuku reasons that if every villain in the forest is that strong then his classmates are in danger, and that specific students are being hunted. He puts Kota on his back, channels One For All into his legs, and runs for camp.

Shota slips Dabi's flames, erases his Quirk, binds him with the capture scarf, then breaks his arms to force answers. Tenya, Koji, Mashirao, and Minoru arrive and the distraction lets Dabi pry himself loose; the scarf passes straight through his liquefying body as he melts away, taunting Shota about the students' safety. The real Dabi is busy sustaining the fire elsewhere, and when Twice needles him about the loss he dismisses the clone as too weak and demands another so the pros stay occupied.

Izuku runs into Shota, who clocks the injuries and the adrenaline instantly. He hands Kota over, insisting he must reach Mandalay first, and Shota lets him go with a message of his own. Izuku arrives in time to intercept Spinner's sword, and has Mandalay broadcast that Katsuki is a target and that Shota authorizes the students to defend themselves.

Shota regrets not ordering Izuku back to the facility. Kota cries, regretting that he never apologized for the punch or thanked him for the fight, and is told to say it louder when they meet again. Mandalay orders Izuku back to base; he runs for the trees instead. Magne, realizing Muscular leaked the plan, moves to kill him, Spinner blocks her because Stain judged the boy worthy, and while they argue Tiger and Mandalay strike them both down.

The broadcast reaches Eijiro, who worries for Katsuki, and Katsuki, who insists he can handle himself and charges Moonfish. Blade-Tooth keeps him at range until Shoto's ice blocks a strike, and Shoto warns him against recklessness and against lighting fires that could spread, while working through the villains' plan to corner their targets. Katsuki is mostly irritated that the change in orders clearly involves Izuku.

Itsuka works out that the poison gas is being held inside one area rather than spreading, so a user must be at its center. Tetsutetsu charges the densest point and finds Mustard, who shoots his mask away, recognizes him from the Sports Festival, and calls the frontal assault foolish for a U.A. student. Itsuka's attack from behind fails because Mustard tracks movement through his own gas. He shoots Tetsutetsu repeatedly while complaining that the public gushes over U.A. students whose powers are unremarkable, and Steel finally gives out along with Tetsutetsu's lungs. Itsuka drives Mustard back into the cloud with Big Fist, then fans her enlarged hands to thin the gas, and Tetsutetsu lands the punch that shatters the helmet and drops him. The gas clears completely.

Searching for Katsuki, Izuku is attacked by Dark Shadow and saved by Mezo, who scolds him for moving around in that condition. One of Mezo's limbs has been severed; he explains that an ambush left Fumikage's Quirk loose, and Izuku remembers that darkness makes it savage and uncontrollable. Fumikage tells the two of them to get clear while they still can.

Adapts Chapters 77 and 78 plus the middle of Chapter 79. The anime moves Mustard's defeat ahead of the moment Dark Shadow attacks Izuku; on the page he was beaten during the rampage itself.