There had to be something he could do.

Anything.

But what could he do? The battle was currently at a stalemate, Mirio was too evasive for Overhaul to so much as touch, but the damage Mirio could do was limited against such a massive creature. Itsuka was having the opposite problem, what few blows she could land were quickly healed by Overhaul's quirk while she also had to spend much of her time dodging.

"Just let me hit you!" Itsuka shouted, punching the air in front of her with enough force that Izuku could feel the blowback all the way from where he stood. "Quit hiding behind your bullshit instant death!"

"You're annoying!" Overhaul returned sweeping a line of spiked ground towards Itsuka that she just kind of ignored. If it wasn't for Overhaul's quirk he would have been defeated a while ago. Izuku didn't know how Overhaul's quirk would work with Itsuka's Flex it Off feat that reduced damage based on her strength, her really, really high strength, but it was a risk none of them wanted to take.

Izuku held Eri behind him, his back towards the smooth sealed off wall that Overhaul had made at the start of the fight. After finally getting a bit of strength, after years of being powerless it was beyond frustrating that he couldn't do anything right now. All he could do was summon his spatula, but beyond that he didn't have any of the other systems he relied on.

It honestly felt like such a large part of him had been ripped out of his mind when that bullet hit him. Wait, that was it! The gun! Where was it? It didn't look like Overhaul still had it. It might be over where Itsuka had thrown him before the fight really started.

"Eri," Izuku pressed his hand against the girl's back. "I need to go help my friends okay? Here." He handed her the clipboard. "If you hold onto this Overhaul won't think it's strange that you're here."

He probably should have given her that the first time. It might have done more good if they were both holding it though.

"Umm." Eri looked at the clipboard, her entire body shaking. "I don't want you to get hurt."

"Eri." He patted her head for a moment. "We're going to be fine. Once we're out of here, I'll take you out for ice cream okay?"

"Ice cream?"

"It's really good. You'll love it alright?"

She nodded and he headed for that rubble. He had confidence in Momo's magic item skills, but with any luck Itsuka and Mirio would keep Overhaul distracted enough for both of them. Though Itsuka was making sure that he had his hands full.

The ground was uneven, twisted, and splintered making it difficult to walk, much less find anything. It was on one uneven part of ground where Izuku slipped, cutting his hand along the edge of the stone that he found the pistol. He'd never shot a gun before. Not a real gun at any rate.

But the basic idea of it was simple: aim and shoot. That was all. And with a target the size of Overhaul, he should be fine. But how did the drug work? Was that all Overhaul's body? If he hit him with the bullet in the fleshy mass of muscle and bone that he was currently operating as and not the actual person at the head would that still affect him?

If he was lucky he'd have a few shots before Overhaul could stop him.

Izuku gripped the gun in his hand, blood seeping down the handle as he did so. It was so strange not seeing a damage notification for this. It didn't hurt as much as he thought it would. The still bleeding wound where he got shot hurt more, but even that felt much less painful than he thought.

Maybe those ranks in constitution he'd been getting were actually good for something, despite the sex jokes.

With a breath, Izuku aimed the gun, a task made nearly impossible due to how much his hands were shaking, his heart was pounding in his chest and he could hear the blood rushing around his ears.

He pulled the trigger.

[Press X to hit the target.]

Menu? She was fine? Reality paused. The bright nuzzle flash of his gun was burning into his eyes, but everything stopped from Itsuka's attack to Mirio half phasing out of the wall and even Overhaul's assault. Everything was still.

Bit by bit, numbers, frames, and more began to appear just outside his vision, hiding comfortably where they had always been, the frames looked better too, sleeker, more updated, and provided a bit more information. A targeting reticule likewise appeared helping him aim the gun.

[Press X to hit the target.]

The prompt repeated.

[Itsuka Kendo: Menu's back!

Momo Yaoyorozu: What's happening? I'm trying to break my way in.

Nejire Hado: What Momo said! I found Sir Nighteye but we're stuck on the outside.

Shoko Todoroki: I'm kind of injured, but I can fight.]

More messages flooded in as Izuku found himself crying despite the pause.

Fuck, who knew that he could be so happy his quirk was back? He used to hate it.

[Quit being Sympathetic and press X to make gun gun go bang bang and shoot shoot the bad bad.]

Oh. Right.

Izuku concentrated and pressed the X in his mind.

Time resumed, Mirio vanished into the floor, and Itsuka stopped her attack, jumping backward.

Overhaul screamed when blood shot out from his shoulder.

"You." Overhaul turned to glare at him. Then his monstrous body began to charge at Izuku.

Everything paused again. This time with a large club-like hand barreling down towards him and Itsuka mere inches away from landing a solid hit.

[Boss has been disabled, Would you like to start a game?]

[Y/N]

Uhh

Yes?

A grid grew out from his body, spreading out over the room and shifting the color to blue, it even began to outline Itsuka, Mirio, Eri and even Overhaul. Bit by bit pixels and fragments began to rearrange themselves, not changing the structure of the room but simply building something and clearing the debris.

"Guh, seriously, I blackout for a minute while whatever the fuck happened to me happens?" Izuku heard a very sassy voice call from behind him. A moment later a woman with long purple hair tied into a braid that extended well past her knees walked in front of him. The red-framed glasses, the crooked smile, and the ease that she was moving around with told him exactly who this woman was.

Menu.

Only instead of the short near child-like form he was used to seeing her in, this one was grown up. And while she was still slender, she actually had breasts. That or she was stuffing her bra. The business-like attire she was in was something right out of a fashion magazine, black heels, matching black slacks, a light blue top that hugged her body tightly complete with red trim, and a black jacket that was tossed over her shoulders.

Honestly, she looked kind of cool.

The adult Menu rolled her eyes and smiled. "Seriously, I get an update and the first thing you think about is boobs? Well whatever, they are kind of awesome." She spun her hand around him and he found himself able to move again. "But, look at you, you got fucked up, so let's see here. First, you should probably heal yourself. So-"

[Would you like to make a 'bitch I've been shot sandwich'?]

[Y/N]

Yes?

His feat activated and he made himself a sandwich that quickly healed all of his wounds with a few quick bites. "Menu? What's happening? What happened to you? Why are you not short?"

"I'm only slightly taller than Shoko like this. And I really don't know. Now, exposition later, I have a game to put on." Menu rolled her shoulders, the jacket somehow staying in place. "And I know just the one. So let's get you in costume shall we?"

[Skin Unlocked: Battle Chef]

Izuku watched as his Minato skin vanished, revealing his normal self, but now wearing a chef's outfit, complete with the really tall hat and he even had two pans strapped to his back. He felt like Lunchrush.

"Now then, go stand over there," Menu pointed and a pillar of light appeared where he needed to stand. A fully stocked kitchen began to build itself out of nothing as Menu continued to smile.

"Are you going to have me beat Overhaul in a cook-off?"

"Yep!"

"Is it going to be even remotely fair?"

"I hear you're sleeping with over half of the judges."

"Since when could you do this?"

"Since like, five minutes ago?"

Izuku rolled his eyes and stood on the platform watching as one of those competition kitchens sprung up around him, two sets of judges booths appeared on either side and slowly it was filled by some of his very confused girlfriends. One of them had Itsuka and Momo sitting on either side of a very confused Eri, the one opposite had Shoko who looked just as confused as Eri, Nejire who looked at home in her own confusion and Mirio, who was visibly confused.

Even more confused was Overhaul, who had been forced out of his monstrous form and was now wearing a more simplistic chef outfit. "What the fuck is happening? Why am I here? Why can't I move out of this box? Why can't I use my quirk? Who the fuck are you?"

"Oh, uhh." Izuku blinked and then laughed. "That's right, I was in disguise. I was Minato by the way, and right now, you're uhh, being affected by my quirk."

"Your fucking what?" Overhaul looked around and slammed his hand against an invisible barrier. "I shot you with a quirk-erasing bullet. You shouldn't have a quirk."

Izuku pointed towards Menu as she spun a microphone into existence. "Tell that to her."

"Let go of me before I-"

"And muted! That's enough out of the villain!" Menu held the microphone up to her mouth and smiled. "Alright! The stage is set! So let's beat this boss with some style! For this 1 vs 1 boss battle we will be having a cook-off! Izuku and uhh, Angry Big Bird over here will be making you each one dish! Naturally I suggest that you all act as biased as possible though I highly doubt that will be a problem! Now then, before the game begins does anybody have any questions?"

"Uhh, Ms. Izuku's quirk, lady." Mirio raised a hand. "What happened to the fight?"

"Oh, it's over. We're having a cook-off now."

"Ahh. I see." Mirio then looked towards Izuku and shrugged. "Good luck Izuku."

"Alright, and Eri, what's your burning question?" Menu walked towards Eri as she sat in her booster seat at the judging station and held the microphone for Eri.

"Umm, is this where we get Ice Cream?"

"I think Izuku will make you some." Menu smiled and walked back to the center stage. "Now then! Let's get this - Shoko don't you dare say you want Soba Izuku knows - party started! Three." A big green three appeared, "Two." It changed to a two. "One! Go!"

The numbers changed into a two-minute timer. "You have two minutes to cook six meals! Good luck!"

Oh, this wasn't even remotely fair.

Steak for Momo. Coffee and curry for Itsuka. Soba for Shoko. Salad for Nejire. Ramen for Mirio, and lastly, a small but oh so delicious caramel sundae for Eri.

"And done! Now for the judges to taste the meals!"

To say it was one-sided as all Overhaul had made in that time was six glasses of cooking oil, would be an understatement. But then again, he already figured that would be the case.

Itsuka, Momo, Nejire and Mirio didn't even wait before they hit the button. Shoko started to eat her soba and then cast her vote as well. The last one was Eri, who was staring at the ice cream sundae with wide eyes.

"I can have this?" she asked, a bit of drool coming out of her mouth.

Momo reached for the spoon and helped Eri eat the sundae. "You absolutely can Eri, here, let me help you."

The sound of Eri's legs kicking against her chair echoed throughout the dead silence of the room, as the secondary effects Izuku had placed into the sundae began to take effect. Eri's hair straightened, her face becoming cleaner and all her scratches began to vanish.

[Achievement Unlocked: Saving Eri.

Reward: Feeling like a real hero.]

Izuku looked towards Menu who just winked at him.

"And with a landslide victory of six to zero in this totally not rigged contest the victor is Izuku Midoriya! As a reward he gets to arrest the loser and decide the fate of Eri!" Menu winked and snapped her fingers. Menu, the kitchen, the judges' stands all vanished, the only thing that remained from the contest was Eri's sundae that Momo and Itsuka were helping her eat.

[Sys-admin: For the record. I literally have no idea how I did that! But I did get an upgrade! We can talk about it later! But for now, you got some stuff to take care of.

Izuku Midoriya: I'm just glad you're safe.

Sys-admin: Aww, cute, you do care.

Sys-admin: Wait! Fuck! I wanted to do something while I was like that!

Izuku Midoriya: What?

Sys-admin: Ara Ara.

Izuku Midoriya: You're weird.

Sys-admin: lul I know.]

Izuku looked back at the slumping form of Overhaul, a status bar over his head that showed that he'd be knocked out for six hours. Which was actually useful. "Mirio, we have about six hours before he wakes up, does Sir Nighteye have everything set up?"

Mirio stopped smiling and then shrugged. "I have no idea I haven't talked to him since I came down here."

That was fine, they had plenty of time before Overhaul woke up, and by then he'd be restrained. But now for the question of how they were going to get out of here. Itsuka answered that question by destroying a wall.

XXXX

In less than a day he had lost everything, the abrupt turn about of his life had been completely and utterly destroyed. The fault was on him. He thought he was being careful, but like any germ, they snuck in at the slightest hint of weakness, corrupting his body from the moment he allowed it in.

The name of that sickness was Izuku Midoriya.

Kai let out a deep breath, his hands and wrists were bound in such a way that he couldn't use his quirk. He might even still be affected by his own drug. But that was still temporary. Once he had his quirk back, it was only a matter of time before they made a mistake and he would be free.

Even in a place like Tartarus they wouldn't be able to keep him forever. Not unless they removed his hands. But the public and all those weak willed fools wouldn't ever have the strength to do something so inhumane. He was safe. It was just a matter of time. Even if much of his power base was dismantled, there were still more that he could do out there.

He'd destroy Izuku Midoriya.

He'd get Eri back.

And he'd rule this world.

The armored transport he was in came to stop jostling him in the highly secured seat he had been bound too.

Were they already at their destination?

Was he still affected by that strange, bullshit quirk? Just thinking about it was making his skin crawl again.

The door to the transport was ripped open, and instead of a police officer a ghost walked in. The monster of the underworld, the man without a face, the forgotten king: All for One.

He was wearing a suit, his upper face and eyes were completely scarred over leaving nothing but a cold calculating smile that made Kai know fear. True fear.

"Kai Chisaki is it? I've heard about you." All for One's voice was warmer than he thought it would be, more lively for the oldest man on the planet. He approached slowly, moving like a shadow at the setting sun, inch by inch. "I admit, I've had my eye on your quirk for quite some time, but you were careful, you avoided me. And I was content to allow you to do as you please, I was curious what you could do. I almost saw a bit of myself in you. But now you've messed up."

Kai wanted to scream but the gag on his mouth barely allowed him to breath.

"So, now I'm going to be taking that quirk of yours."

So this was despair.

AN: And that ends the 4th arc. Overall I'm super happy about it. But there was a lot I feel I could have done better with it.

The Idea 8.5/10: I think that using the Yakuza arc at a different time was really good and I was able to do it in a way that I don't think has been done so far. Having Izuku be a spy was a lot of fun.

The Execution 4/10: by far my weak point. I don't think I did a good job executing this idea to its fullest. I could have had more planning, more subterfuge, more spy. But I got impatient and the pace of the arc would be different from the pace of the story.

I also feel like I ended up neglecting the girls. I tried to give them all something in this arc, but it was hard to balance them all. But this was also Izuku's arc so it should have pivoted on him which it did.

Anyways, now that I got this long AN out of the way I have a small announcement.

I'm taking a break from Level Up.

Maybe a month, maybe two. I'm not abandoning this story, just taking a bit of time to recharge myself on this fic. (Plus I'm excited to write other stuff)

Hope you all understand! Until then, see ya!