In My Hero Academia Chapter 318, “Dark Cloud,” Deku continues his search for All For One. He ignores Endeavors and the former holders of One For All’s plea to let his body rest. For Deku, every minute is another minute the villains have to prepare. In the last chapter, we learn Death Arms retired. He grew tired of the constant criticism and negative attention heroes received. Best Jeanist notes that “heroes are quitting one-by-one and the last threads holding them together are starting to tear.” With the general public’s pressure on heroes, mass retirements, the release of the villains from Tartarus, and assassins targeting Deku, All For One has created an unsettling environment.

It always seems odd that Deku felt he needed to leave school and his classmates to pursue All For One. Deku was one of the best students but he wasn’t the best student. One For All may become the most powerful Quirk but it’s not there yet. Wouldn’t he be more successful if he worked with his class? I might be overthinking things. Besides as I always remark My Hero Academia has too many characters. It wouldn’t have been easy for Kohei Horikoshi to have more than a handful of Deku’s classmates with him. Deku’s current manic nature is shown not only in his ragged appearance but in the manner he defeats his pursuers. He jumps from conflict to conflict, dispatching villains quickly.

Deku needs some help

I assume this is deliberate on Horikoshi’s part. The audience develops anxieties like Deku. What will happen next? Who will attack him next? Can he defeat them as he clearly becomes fatigued? The answer to the last one is no. When Deku encounters the villain, Dictator. His quirk is to control the bodies of others. The victims are aware that they’re being controlled. They apologize as they grab at Deku’s mask. Suddenly, Bakugo arrives and hits the Dictator with AP Shot, knocking the villain out. Dictator reveals that All For One “predicted” Deku would exhaust himself. If Deku doesn’t realize that doing what traditional heroes do is what All For One expects he’s going to be overwhelmed and outsmarted. Going at it alone isn’t working for him, hopefully, Bakuga and the others can convince him.