Fanfic / The Legendary Shield

The Legendary Shield is a crossover fanfic between My Hero Academia and The Rising of the Shield Hero on Archive of Our Own that can be read here

Midoriya Izuku is just your average kid. He goes to middle school, studies for high school and trains to fight villains in hopes of becoming the world's next symbol of peace. But in a freak accident during a test he and a girl he was trying to save were crushed by rubble from a collapsed building. Now he is in another world with a strange shield on his arm and he can't use any other weapons. Now he has to save the world? Good thing his mentor gave him some better advice on how to control his power then "Clench your butt cheeks and from the bottom of your heart yell SMASH!"

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This fanfic provides examples of:

• Actually Pretty Funny: Queen Mirellia can barely keep a straight face when she learns Raphtalia is trying to ‘Shove her sword so far up someone’s ass that it cuts their tongue from the inside.’
• Adaptational Badass:
  • Thanks to the heightened defense granted by the Cardinal Shield, as well as better advice from All Might, Izuku has a much easier time using One For All.
  • Wyndia becomes the new Vassal Staff Hero after Izuku strips Aultcray of the weapon.
• Adaptational Early Appearance: Izuku meets Pony Tsunotori just before the U.A. Entrance Exam, a good while before her first appearance in the Sports Festival Arc in Canon.
• Adaptational Intelligence: Downplayed with All Might. Instead of telling Izuku to ‘Clench his buttcheeks and yell SMASH!’, he tells him that all of the past users controlled One For All differently and to simply find a way that works best for him.
• Adaptational Jerkass:
  • Itsuki is much worse than his canon self, to the point some readers have outright compared him to Bakugo.
  • A downplayed example with Izuku. He is still very much the kind and heroic person he always was. However, his experiences in Melromarc have made him considerably more cynical, to the point that he is willing to threaten shopkeepers into giving him a fair deal and even fantasizes about brutally killing Motoyasu at one point.
• Adaptational Relationship Overhaul:
  • Izuku and Pony don’t interact much in Canon. Here, they befriend each other just before the Entrance Exam, with Pony becoming one of Izuku’s first party members and later one of his girlfriends.
  • In Canon, the Vassal Staff does not heed Aultcray’s summons but remains with him out of belief that he will eventually come to his senses. Here, Aultcray can still use the staff, but the Staff is said to be happy when Izuku strips Aultcray of the weapon and gives it to Wyndia, suggesting that the weapon has given up on Altcray.
  • Rishia in Canon remains faithful to Itsuki even after he abandons her. Here, she begins to have doubts about his Heroic nature around the time of the Cal Mira Wave.
• Always a Bigger Fish:
  • Glass, as is to be expected, quickly defeats the Three Heroes and doesn’t consider them a threat. This changes when Izuku shows up and almost immediately turns the tables on her.
  • Fitoria, who is Canonically the strongest of the Heroes, finds herself both outmatched and completely intimidated by Izuku’s sheer power.
• Ass Pull: In-Universe example: Itsuki considers the majority of things Izuku is able to pull off thanks to One For All as being this.
• Badass Boast: Izuku regularly introduces himself as the strongest of the Cardinal Heroes. He is in no way exaggerating.
• Berserk Button: Badmouthing Izuku is this for his party, to the point that Izuku muses they might actually kill Bakugo when they meet him.
• Big Brother Mentor: Izuku becomes one to Melty, to the point she ends up joining his party permanently after the attempted coup.
• Big Eater: Filo.
• Blatant Lies: Malty tries to claim innocence regarding Motoyasu’s harassment of Izuku, despite the fact that she was just openly trying to force the two into a duel a few moments prior. Melty doesn’t buy it for a second.
• Body Snatcher: The Vestige of Daigoro Banjo briefly takes control of Izuku’s body and uses Blackwhip to eviscerate the Pope.
• Compulsive Liar: Malty. She continues to do so even after being branded with a slave crest.
• Curb-Stomp Battle:
  • Glass, as per Canon, delivers one to the three Heroes. Then Izuku comes along and delivers one to her.
  • Honestly, pretty much every battle Izuku gets into is this in Izuku’s favor once he becomes able to use more of One For All.
  • Izuku easily brutalizes the Tyrant Dragon Rex, a monster so powerful past Heroes could only seal it away.
• Daddy's Girl: Filo is pretty much this to Izuku.
• Despair Event Horizon: Izuku very nearly crosses it when Malty falsely accuses him of cheating in a sacred duel and has Pony and Raphtalia stripped of their slave crests.
• Defeat Means Friendship: Eclair swears servitude to Izuku after he beats her in a duel for Lordship of Loruluna.
• Didn't Think This Through: A group of bandits Izuku defeats decides to taunt him with the fact that his negative reputation will more than likely result in them being let go. The result is Izuku taking all of their belongings for himself.
• Entertainingly Wrong: Pony’s mutations cause her to constantly be mistaken for a Demi-Human. Pony just rolls with it, knowing there’s no point in trying to explain.
• Everyone Has Standards: While he is quick to strip a group of bandits of their armor, weapons, and other supplies, Izuku isn’t about to deprive them of all their food.
• Expy: Itsuki is one to Bakugo, being an arrogant, entitled brat who doubles down on his attitude instead of learning his lesson.
• Godzilla Threshold: Idol Rabier crosses it when he unleashes the Tyrant Dragon Rex to kill Izuku’s party. It doesn’t work.
• Groin Attack: Filo does this twice to Motoyasu.
• Harem: Izuku gains one consisting of Pony, Raphtalia, and later Wyndia, with all three agreeing to share him.
• Happily Adopted: Filo, Keel, and Rifana all see Izuku as their father.
• Hate Sink: Idol Rabier is a twisted man who enjoys sadistically torturing Demi-Humans, especially children, for his own amusement. He even considers such things to be ‘simple pleasures’. Needless to say, nobody mourns his death.
• Heel–Face Turn:
  • Motoyasu undergoes something along these lines after Izuku captures him and forcibly separates him from Malty. While Motoyasu is still loyal to Malty to a degree, separating him from her toxic influence helps him warm up to Izuku and start treating him more nicely.
  • Ren undergoes one of these after realizing just how out of their league they and everyone else are compared to Izuku. They eventually flat out switch sides after Aultcray sends a small army to try and destroy Izuku’s town, knowing full well that even with the other three Cardinal Heroes, they do not stand a chance against Izuku.
• Hoist by Their Own Petard: Idol Rabier unleashes the Tyrant Dragon Rex, a monster so powerful and dangerous that past Heroes could only seal it away, in an attempt to kill Izuku’s party. He’s very quickly eaten for his troubles.
• Hypocrite:
  • Motoyasu gets chewed out by Pony and Raphtalia when he tries to claim that they shouldn’t be forced to fight, despite the fact that he himself just forced Izuku to fight in a duel against his will.
  • Both Motoyasu and Malty are called out for accusing Izuku of cheating, despite the fact that Malty herself cheated by interfering in what was supposed to be a 1 on 1 duel.
  • Pope Balmus is head of a religion that condemns the Shield Hero as a demon, yet he shows no hesitation in using the Replica Weapon’s Shield Form during his fight with Izuku.
• Internal Reveal: Izuku tells Ren and Pony about One For All shortly after the fight with Glass.
• I Reject Your Reality: Itsuki considers Izuku to be beneath him, in spite of the fact that Izuku is clearly far more powerful than he will ever be and has already curb stomped Itsuki at least once.
• Karmic Jackpot: Izuku’s decision to prioritize the safety of the villagers over fighting the Wave Boss in Lute earns him the good will of several merchants who had family there.
• Killing Intent: Izuku exudes a suffocating aura that is able to intimidate Fitoria.
• My God, What Have I Done?: The mayor of the town that kidnapped and sold Wyndia is a dying old man with many regrets, and so gives Izuku information on her whereabouts willingly.
• No-Sell:
  • Izuku is completely unfazed by the Voice Gengar’s attempts at emotional manipulation, describing it as ‘nothing he hadn’t heard or told himself before.’
  • One For All allows Izuku to bypass the restriction that states Heroes can only use a weapon of a specific type due to it canceling out the pain it would normally cause him. He even ends up using Motoyasu’s own spear against him at one point.
• Oh, Crap!: Izuku’s reaction when he finds a Dragon Hourglass at Cal Mira stating that a wave is a few days away.
• Outside Context Magic: One For All allows Izuku to bypass the otherwise abysmal attack stat granted to him by the Cardinal Shield, making him so powerful that even Fitoria finds herself walking on eggshells around him.
• Point of Divergence:
  • Instead of Uraraka, Pony Tsunotori is the one to save Izuku from tripping at the U.A. Entrance Exam.
  • During the Trial of Aultcray and Malty, Izuku uses ancient magic to strip them of their identities and sends them to wander the lands as nameless souls that nobody except the Cardinal Heroes and the rest of the royal Family can remember anything about beyond the fact that they were important at one point. This not only destroys any chance of Aultcray redeeming himself like in Canon, but also any chance of Malty continuing to manipulate things further.
• Rage Breaking Point: Izuku finally loses it when he thinks the Zombie Dragon has killed Filo, using the Wrath Shield for the first time.
• Refuge in Audacity: Defied. Izuku is so appalled by Malty’s attempts to beg for mercy in spite of all she had done to him that he outright strips her of her identity.
• Refusal of the Call:
  • Filo rejects Fitoria’s offer to become her successor, not wanting to be separated from Izuku. Fitoria informs her the offer is still open in case she changes her mind.
  • Despite still being able to use the Vassal Staff, Aultcray has made no move to fight in the waves despite it being his duty as a Hero. Izuku uses his authority as the Shield Hero to strip him of his weapon and title as a result.
• Sadist:
  • Malty is an irredeemable woman who won’t hesitate to ruin the life of someone she barely know just for the hell of it.
  • Idol Rabier regularly tortures Demi-Humans to death and especially delights in it if they’re children.
• Screw the Rules, I Make Them!:
  • Outright defied. Izuku halts all of Aultcray’s attempts to inhibit him, such as trying to deny him his rightfully earned payment and denying him access to the Dragon Hourglass by pointing out that, as a consort, he does not have the authority to make those kinds of decisions.
  • Defied again when Malty tries to force Izuku and Motoyasu into another duel, with Melty coming along and shutting the whole thing down.
• Screw This, I'm Outta Here:
  • Glass doesn’t hesitate to flee when Izuku lets her, the former having realized she doesn’t stand a chance against him.
  • Ren outright defects to Izuku’s side when Aultcray sends a small army as well as the other three Heroes to try and raze Izuku’s town, mostly because they know full well even with all that manpower they still don’t stand a chance against Izuku, and because they know attacking the town would endanger innocent civilians.
  • The soldiers sent to attack Izuku’s town quickly turn tail and flee when they realize just how outmatched they are.
  • Idol Rainer’s guards wisely decide to flee after Izuku sends the Tyrant Dragon Rex, and ancient and powerful monster that past Heroes had to seal away, flying with a single punch.
• Ship Tease: It is hinted that Melty has a crush on Filo.
• Spared by the Adaptation: Rifana is still alive here, even joining Izuku’s party.
• "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Pony and Raphtalia deliver one to to the Three Heroes during the Third Wave:

  Pony: Izuku is there, using a power he doesn't have full control over, doing what you should have done! If we were stronger, he wouldn't have to do that. You three are supposed to be the strongest fighters in the land! You're supposed to have power! And you could have power! But you don't know what real strength is. Well, take a look! Because that right there is what it looks like!

  Raphtalia: Master Izuku is willing to risk his live for complete strangers. This world has pushed him down time and time again. And yet here he is, still fighting for this world. Still helping. Still finishing the work, you three started! You look at this world and think of it as a game. You don't suffer consequences; you don't realize what effects your actions have on others. And that is why no matter how strong you get, no matter how many levels you gain, you will never be stronger than Izuku. And you will never be even a fraction of the hero he is. And a thousand years from now, people will still remember who he is and what he has accomplished, while you three will be remembered as nothing but failures. Nameless, faceless, failures.

• What the Hell, Hero?:
  • Ren, Itsuki, Pony, and Raphtalia all chew Motoyasu and Malty out after they force Izuku and Pony into a duel against their will, then accusing Izuku of cheating after he wins fair and square, and finally stripping Pony and Raphtalia of their slave crests against their will.
  • Ren is understandably upset when Izuku allows Glass to flee, outright threatening to arrest him and take him to the king unless he gives a good explanation.
  • Izuku chews out a village elder for trusting a cursed seed they knew full well was dangerous simply because Motoyasu was the one to give it to them.
  • Melty rips into Motoyasu for attacking Izuku in a highly public place, causing a lot of damage and endangering civilians in the process.
• Would Hurt a Child: Idol Rabier enjoys torturing Demi-Himans to death for his own amusement, especially if they’re children. He is first introduced torturing Wyndia.
• You No Take Candle: Pony speaks in broken Japanese when Izuku first meets her, due to her not being entirely fluent in the language. Her speech gets much better when they get to the other world due to magic translating it.