Smoke Signal

Denki Kaminari, Mina Ashido, Eijiro Kirishima, Rikido Sato, and Hanta Sero are marched indoors by Shota Aizawa for makeup lessons on handling a crisis, and they find Neito Monoma waiting on the same punishment. Mandalay's telepathy cuts in before anything begins, warning every adult and student of the invasion. Aizawa leaves the remedials with Vlad King and steps outside, where the picture looks bad and Dabi is suddenly standing beside him. The villain chides Eraser Head for letting feeling drive him, then buries him in flame before he can call for backup, telling him to keep the Pro Heroes clear because they are not what the squad came for.

Beyond the treeline, Spinner names himself and Magne as members of the League of Villains' Vanguard Action Squad while Magne holds Pixie-Bob's life over Tiger's head. Spinner tells him to stand down, since Stain's judgment decides whether she lives. Tenya Ida hears the name and wonders; Spinner recognizes him as the boy who ended Stain's crusade, unfolds a blade built from dozens of clustered weapons, and declares that he will carry the dream forward. Tiger calls scarring Pixie-Bob unforgivable, and Spinner answers that heroes were never promised happy lives. Mandalay tells him Ragdoll has the students, then orders Class 1-A out with Tenya leading. Izuku Midoriya hangs back to tell her what the villains actually want.

Deeper in the smoke, Itsuka Kendo hauls Yui Kodai and an unconscious Juzo Honenuki along with Big Fist and runs into Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu and Ibara Shiozaki, both masked thanks to Momo Yaoyorozu, with Yosetsu Awase guiding part of Class 1-A toward the Class 1-B safe zone. Tetsutetsu passes out spare masks and then refuses to retreat with them. He tells Itsuka why: Class 1-A pulled ahead because danger kept finding them and they turned it into experience, and anyone who runs from what threatens other people has no business calling himself a hero. He promises to beat the villains and asks her to look after Ibara.

Elsewhere, Muscular corners Kota Izumi. Mandalay's voice apologizes for being unable to reach him and tells him to run for the facility. The villain jokes about the boy's hat, then peels off his mask, and the scar carved across his left eye tells Kota everything. He recognizes the face from the news coverage of the Water Hose killings, and terror pins him where he stands. Izuku arrives in time to pull him out of the strike, but the tumble breaks his phone, nobody knows where he is, and no help is coming. Standing between the boy and his parents' murderer, Izuku promises to save him no matter what and lights up Full Cowl.

Mandalay's warning reaches everyone, and Aizawa is ambushed by Dabi the moment he steps outside, while Vlad King is left guarding the remedial students.

Spinner announces himself as Stain's successor and unveils his patchwork sword against Tiger and Mandalay.

Tetsutetsu chooses to stay and fight instead of retreating to the facility.

Kota meets Muscular and realizes he is the man who killed his parents; Izuku intervenes and commits to fighting him.

Kirishima, Ashido, Kaminari, Sato, Sero, Aizawa, Monoma, and Vlad King appear on the cover. The chapter is adapted in Episode 42 of the anime.

The Dabi who ambushes Aizawa is a double rather than the man himself. Two fights open here: Eraser Head and Vlad King against Dabi's doubles, and Izuku against Muscular.

Horikoshi's author comment mentions finally getting to watch Avengers 2 over the New Year's break.