Let's imagine a better ROTSH story

At first I wanted to post about how I would have changed Naofumi's character and powers, but I decided to make some brainstorming instead and to include you guys 😅

Personally, I'd make the persecution that Naofumi suffers at the beginning is better executed, so it doesn't look like "tHe WorLD iS AgaInSt mE FoR No rEaSOn !". The beginning of the story would be relatively the same (gets betrayed by Malty, get falsely accused of rape and becomes depressed). Naofumi only has access to defensive moves and buffs/debuffs, no offensive moves here but he can hit his enemies with his shield a la Captain America (seriously, why didn't the author just went with this simple solution ?) and can maybe bypass his no-weapon handicap : Does a kitchen knife count as a weapon ? Or a hammer or a stick ?

It's with Raphtalia that it becomes complicated. I'd make her a slave that Naofumi buys to immediately free her, so that she owes him (Naofumi would be wary of her and pull the "you owe me your freedom" card to try to control her at first, but part of his character development would be to grow out of this toxic mindset). Raphtalia would either be a child or an adult for the whole story (no body changing to become a waifu), and while she'd start basically the same as in the LN/manga/anime, she'd grow to be more independant and confident. If she's a child, then Naofumi and her would have a relationship similar to Joel and Ellie from The Last of Us. Also, the Pig King and/or the country of Faubrey is mentioned in the background a few times as foreshadowing.

I don't know what to do with Filo and Rishia (I don't really care about them lmao) 😅

Malty's crueler/stupider moments (like her taxing a village or mindlessly lying during her trial even if she has a slave seal) are removed because she needs to look competent but not too evil either for what I have in mind. I'd also introduce Letsy and show her having friendly moments with Malty (a subtle foreshadowing that Malty isn't a pure evil monster that can't form bonds). Melty stays basically the same - maybe I'd keep Malty trying to kill her.

During the trial, Malty admits her actions but defends herself (like the King/Trash did in the anime when he tried to justify his actions to Mirellia). I don't know if I'd keep the names "Bitch" and "Whore" ; if I do it'd be the Queen who suggests these names to Naofumi, as a jab to her daughter's (real or supposed) promiscuity with men.

Afterwards, the plot continues (to be honest, I literally know nothing about Shield Hero's plot outside of Malty's antics, I only invested time in this series because of the hateable villain she was lmao). Naofumi becomes closer to the other heroes including Motoyasu. Then either Raphtalia or Melty is captured by mysterious people that are revealed to be Faubrey soldiers who are looking for a new royal bride. Naofumi tries to save Raphtalia/Melty but fails.

It's at this point that Malty intervenes, offering her help to Naofumi who understandably refuses. She tells him something like "you need me to save Raphtalia/Melty" and they make a truce to, concretely, go against the Pig King (not in the sense of trying to attack him directly, but to save Raphtalia or Melty). During the rescue arc, Malty tells Naofumi a bit about her past - mainly some lore about the Pig King, how her mother planned to send her to a disgusting rapist serial killer since she was 10 and how all she did was to escape a fate worse than death. She also reveals that she wasn't the one who came up with the false rape accusation idea - either her father or the 3HC did.

Naofumi, while still not forgiving Malty, begins to understand her and feel empathy for her, while Malty slowly realizes that the Shield Hero is not the devil everyone around her described since she was a child. Eventually, Malty and Naofumi would collaborate more and more, until Malty could be considered as Naofumi's party member. (By the way, I dunno what to do with Tact)

The final boss would still be the deity behind the Waves, but the most personal enemy would be either the Pig King (who'd side with the Waves for some reason like the promise of being able to kidnap and rape woman across the multiverse) or Mirellia who'd try to screw over Malty because she projects her own flaws onto her, and opposes Naofumi because he'd try to put an end to slavery in this retelling.

What are your ideas guys ?