Chapter 81

The escort squad, together with Ochaco Uraraka and Tsuyu Asui, confronts Mr. Compress over the stolen Katsuki Bakugo. Izuku Midoriya demands him back, insisting Katsuki is his own person and would never work with villains. Shoto Todoroki freezes the tree and misses. Mr. Compress frames the raid as a statement: the U.A. students had their perspectives and values handed to them, with no free will in the arrangement, and the League intends to prove another way of seeing exists.

Mezo Shoji realizes Fumikage Tokoyami is missing as well, and Shoto surmises the villain took both boys from behind. Mr. Compress admits his orders covered Katsuki alone, but watching Fumikage overpower Moonfish so easily made that Quirk too useful to leave. Shoto hands Kosei Tsuburaba to Ochaco and tries Heaven-Piercing Ice Wall; the magician slips it and apologizes for being good at nothing but running and deceiving. He signals the Vanguard Action Squad that the target is secured, the mission is done, and they have five minutes to reach the collection point. Shoto refuses to let it stand and prepares to give chase.

At the rendezvous, Dabi and Twice have heard the report. Dabi says all they can do is wait, grumbles that there is no gas or wall of fire to smooth the withdrawal, and concedes plans rarely hold. Behind a nearby bush, Yuga Aoyama crouches with the unconscious Kyoka Jiro and Toru Hagakure, unable to follow Momo Yaoyorozu's instruction to carry them back while the two villains stand there. Dabi spots the bush and moves to check it, to Yuga's terror, before Twice reminds him the Nomu answers only to him and must be recalled. Yuga is left undiscovered and relieved.

Deeper in the woods, Yosetsu Awase runs with an injured Momo as the Vanguard Action Squad's Nomu fells trees with its chainsaws, drills, and hammers. Momo apologizes for slowing him down. The creature reaches them and is winding up when its weapons retract and it turns back toward the rendezvous, telling Momo that Katsuki has been captured. She creates a small button, apparently a tracking device, and has Yosetsu weld it onto the Nomu before the two make a run for it.

Outside the forest, Mandalay and Tiger have beaten Spinner and Magne, with Pliabody restraining the latter. Beaten, Spinner still declares he will carry out Stain's will by purging degenerate heroes, Tenya above all. Mandalay ignores the speech and mocks him for being too slow with his Quirk. Kurogiri then surrounds both pros with black mist and asks them to step aside.

Seeing Mr. Compress well ahead, Izuku hatches a plan. Ochaco strips the weight from him, Shoto, and Mezo, Tsuyu hurls the three with her tongue, Mezo's arms steer the flight, and Ochaco releases her Quirk once they are in reach. Ochaco and Shoto object that his injuries are too severe, and he insists his way into the throw. It works. The three reach the magician and smash him into the ground at the collection point, pinning him in front of a displeased Dabi, a bewildered Twice, and Himiko Toga, freshly arrived with one person's blood and excited about a boy she has taken an interest in.

Mr. Compress heads for the rendezvous with Katsuki and Fumikage compressed in his pocket, the brigade chasing him.

Momo creates a transmitter and Yosetsu welds it onto the chainsaw Nomu as the creature withdraws.

Tsuyu and Ochaco launch Izuku, Mezo, and Shoto into the collection point, where they take Mr. Compress down in front of Dabi, Twice, and Himiko.

Kohei Horikoshi's eighty-first chapter appeared in issue 14 of 2016 and opens volume 10 within the Forest Training Camp arc. Episode 44 adapts it.

Mr. Compress, Izuku, Mezo, Shoto, Kosei Tsuburaba, and Ochaco share the cover. Horikoshi's author comment mentions a short trip home to Aichi Prefecture to see the family cat.