Deku saves a tall mutant woman being attacked by panicking civilians who believe she's a villain, having All Might escort her to safety. While surveying the city with the One For All users, he thinks back to during the conversation with the vestiges when the first user, Yoichi, requests the Second and Third users' help in assisting Deku. They reveal they were from the era when All For One was at the peak of his power and part of a resistance fighting against him, unable to agree with Deku's idealistic beliefs. However, Yoichi reminds them how they had saved him from All For One's capture, rather than killing him like they were originally going to, and that was what allowed One For All to grow in the first place. They eventually are convinced to follow alongside him. Later after taking care of some thieves, Endeavor is lambasted by protesting civilians over his failures and for continuing to keep secrets. Endeavor, Hawks, and Best Jeanist proceed to discuss All For One's plans, believing he intends to completely hijack Shigaraki's body before pursing Deku, and surmising he requires Shigaraki's hatred to steal One For All because he lacks any. Just then, Deku's GPS goes out, while All Might's car is attacked by a smoke bomb. It turns out his phone was sniped by former Public Safety Commission Pro Hero, Lady Nagant, one of the Tartarus escapees sent by All For One to capture Deku. She uses her Quirk, Rifle, to shoot at him from afar, causing him to swing around the city and attempt to evade and defend. Lady Nagant is accompanied by Overhaul, who she had rescued from Tartarus, telling him to hide. A flashback shows that Nagant reluctantly agreed to All For One's request learning about Deku's overt idealism about hero society and accepted payment in the form of a second Quirk, Air Walk.

Deku and the Top Three Heroes, plus The Lurkers, confront All For One at his hideout in Haibori Woods, only to find it abandoned. A recording left by All For One taunts Deku for his failures, telling him it's "his turn", before setting the mansion to explode. The Heroes escape and reconvene to discuss their options, due to the dwindling amount of Heroes left available. Meanwhile, Deku swiftly deals with the second hitman, while All Might desperately attempts to convince him to rest. Deku believes that since he can use practically use One For All at 100% without backlash, he doesn't have to watch over him anymore, and All Might can only look on devastatingly as Deku flies away, leaving him behind. Over the next several days, Deku proceeds to tirelessly travel through the city, saving whoever he can, ignoring the Heroes and the One For All predecessors' advice to take it easy. Because of this, Deku starts taking on a more monstrous appearance, with civilians scared of him and rumours going around that he is a Nomu, yet he refuses to stop, all so that he and everyone he cares about can smile again. He begins to collapse in Kamino where he confronts another hitman, Dictator, who uses his Quirk to attack Deku using nearby civilians. Due to being too tired, Deku is unable to fight and is swarmed by the mob, until he is saved by Bakugo who knocks Dictator out. After having received Deku's letters, Class 1-A figured out that Deku and All Might were working with Endeavor, and use Nezu to summon him to the school to confirm this. They state their desire to help their classmate in his moment of need and Nezu approves of them going out onto the streets to bring him back. Class 1-A confront Deku, who refuses to give in and demands they get out of his way, preparing to fight.