u/demonmonkey89

Mythical figures appearing in multiple cultures are not the most common from what I can tell, and when they do they are often kept very similar. Gods seem to have a bit more change, being combined with others or altered to fit new cultures. But what I'm wondering is how many heroes of one culture, or good guys at least, were adopted by a culture that was frequently their enemy as a mythical villain. After all the heroes of one side of a war are the monsters to the other. To the Trojans Hector was their hero and Achilles was the invincible monster. And I know that the Romans had a less positive opinion of Odysseus due to cultural differences. I'm just wondering if that kind of thing extends to separate mythologies having the same figure but in opposite roles. Maybe it's because they saw the hero of the other culture as their enemy, maybe it's just opposing cultural views.

Sorry if I tagged wrong, none of the options seemed broad enough for a general question

There is a specific fic I have been reading for a while that serves as an example: Monster? No, I'm A Cultivator! The guy is reborn as a Cyclops in PJO and he does realize this, but he also happens to have been fixated on Cultivation novels in his past life. He manages to forehead his way into cultivation through pure bullheaded stupidity. By all means it shouldn't work, it should've killed him, etc. But he did it.

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So basically what I'm looking for are other crossovers that are more along those lines. People bringing it into worlds where it shouldn't necessarily work but manage through probably stupidity or determination (one in the same sometimes) to force it to work. I've seen a few that take it more seriously and stuff, usually having it be the overpowered way the out of context reincarnated person uses the native magic (either SI or cultivator reborn). Seen two or three in Naruto and at least one in One Piece. Those are ok-ish, but I really prefer the crack vibes of someone doing it the stupid way that shouldn't work. I just can't seem to find any others that match the vibe of Monster I'm A Cultivator.

There are many fics that manage to rescue Obito after Madara has gotten his hands on him and duck taped half a Zetsu clone to his squishy side. I personally love this version of Obito even if I'd probably have over a dollar if I had a nickel for every time it happened. What crossed my mind the other day was a specific summon I think would be funny for him: The Woodpecker. Uchiha already tend to have mixed feelings at best about him when he returns, especially since he has both wood release and usually his Mangekyo. Uchiha also have a couple bird summons associated with them (crows and hawks). Thus Obito gets a bird associated with wood. Specifically one the clan would find ridiculous and unsuited for their pride or whatever.

An alternative for wood related summons is Squirrels but I've always preferred that for Tenzo/Yamato. Don't think I could ever give it to someone else, nor could I give him something else.

I'd like to think I've read a good number of the most popular OC and SI fics, many of which are understandably older (not that I like thinking of stuff from those years as old. Surely it's barely the 2020's, what's that it's 2026 already?). Anyway I figured I should see if there are some nice gems that are slightly more recent, maybe since 2020?

Preferably over 100k which is one of the reasons I'm asking back to 2020. Plus it hurts a little to think of 2020 as old. Stuff that's even longer will make me even happier, I love a hefty fic.

As we all know, Danzo is the root of most evil and causer of problems. If it's not him it's probably Zetsu. Danzo, through sheer dumbassery, manages to be or create many of the Leaf's greatest threats or problems. It really goes to show how much someone who is seemingly intelligent and strategically minded can accomplish when they are primarily fueled by delusion.

Anyway, a while back I had in mind an SI into an AU that would've caused Danzo to die early in a way the Third Hokage wouldn't be able to cover up. Basically more Uzumaki's lived in Konoha, occasionally moving there to be with Mito, making them a smaller offshoot of the clan. The SI was an Uzumaki/Uchiha child and Danzo got it in his head that the Uchiha couldn't be trusted with such a child. Yada yada, kidnapping, missed a tracking seal and brings down the wrath of both clans spoiling his whole deal and leading to his death or execution.

What keeps bouncing back to me, even more so than the concept itself, is just how much would this change? Because honestly, a whole lot of Danzo's plots actually happened after that point. To be specific, the point I had in mind was if I remember correctly around the year Kakashi was born. Hell, if you subscribe to the theory that Sakumo's downfall was a Danzo plot then the particular event I had in mind was before even that incident. It would also be before he fucked over the OG Akatsuki, before he fully got his claws in Orochimaru, before Tenzo, before the Uchiha Massacre (though he probably already had a hand in their poor reputation, not that he had to try hard).

Some of the things I had in mind were Sakumo becoming Hokage, maybe even before the Third War depending on how much Hiruzen would be disgraced with Danzo's fall (undecided how much would be hidden vs gotten away with at that point). Orochimaru is another option, but not one I'm fond of even if he's less him at the time. Minato can still become Hokage, but maybe a few years later in life to give him a bit of extra time and Sakumo time to get tired of the stupid hat. The Uchiha would likely be in a better place. Honestly a lot of random stuff changes since Danzo had his grubby fingers all over the place.

So I'm sure we've all seen fics that have the Tsuchikage or whoever complaining that there must be something in Konoha's water to make them produce so many geniuses and powerhouses. So it got me thinking, are there any fics where there legitimately is something going on? Because Hashirama used wood release quite a lot around Konoha and I'm pretty sure his chakra practically soaks the place even decades later. So I'm willing to bet at least a couple people mentioned offhand in a fic that the chakra in the water supply is part of what causes the unusual number of S-Rank Shinobi that get produced by the Leaf.

Just curious about any fics that make decent use of Ninshu. It's a cool concept even if I don't expect it to be used constantly (it's a communication tool not a combat tool after all). Was inspired by the fic over on QQ called there's no way I'll let these ninjas ruin my pokemon adventure. Since the MC is a bit of a (lovable) idiot and assumed chakra was Aura from pokemon, she naturally ends up using Ninshu from birth. That made me realize that I really haven't seen it super often.

There's a few others I have seen use it though. What does the fox say on QQ has SI!Kurama use it to prove himself a number of times. I think Brick By Brick and Course By Course also used it. Letters To Monsters might've used it as well, they were raised by Bijuu after all, but I'm not 100% certain on that one because their unique chakra situation might've made that harder. Anyway other than those I can't think of any specifics beyond a vague memory of at least one MC demonstrating their love for their SO through Ninshu.

Really curious if other fics make use of it and how they do it.

Like I said in the title, I'm looking to mix things up a bit. I'm in the mood for MHA but Alt-power Izuku with a harem number 847 just isn't doing it for me. Not meaning to dis the usual stuff, I don't mind Izuku alt powers sometimes but they just aren't doing it for me right now. Never harems though, I despise those. Pretty sure the number of harems I've been ok with can be counted on my fingers and I probably won't need both hands.

So yeah, just stuff to mix things up. Maybe it's an OC, maybe an SI, hell I might even give an Izuku alt power a shot if it is pretty different from the usual and does some unique stuff. Though I do lean more towards the first two at the moment. I'd prefer stuff on the longer side, 100k+ is nice but I'll give over 75k a shot if it looks good enough. And of course no harems, such a trash genre. It isn't pokemon, the MC doesn't have to catch em all.

Downside of the request is that I've already had similar moods and read a number of the options out there. I'll leave a few of the examples though since half the time when I'm delving for recs the OP has just as many good ones as the replies and it would be rude not to return the favor. (Ok so looking back after writing them I may have accidentally wrote more recommending stuff than making my request. Whoops)

Knowledge Comes But Wisdom Lingers, a hawks age HPSC pick up with a cool power. Definitely one of the best fics period. SI

https://archiveofourown.org/series/2231094

What Heroes Do, a Todoroki twin fic where she has water and it's states for her quirk. A pretty good one. SI if I remember correctly. Ships with Bakugo and I surprisingly didn't hate it

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30305751/chapters/74698086

Lamarkian, daughter of the hero Native SI with another really cool power. Also if I had a penny for Bakugo ships with startlingly similar vibes I'd have two, but it's weird that it happened twice

https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/lamarckian-my-hero-academia-si.599801/

Just Desserts, an OC with sand powers (think sand logia like one piece), this one was extra fascinating because the plot of MHA was not the focus. Sure, it was happening, but the actual goal the MC was focused on was a separate thing. Also one of the amazing few fics where they set a goal, kept on it, and then completed it in a satisfying way.

https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/38085/just-deserts-revised-edition-mha-oc

The Heroic Chronicles Of A Young Man is technically a Youko Senki crossover but it hardly counts when it's male Salaryman and it's his first reincarnation. So no past as a war criminal. It's also one of my favorite MHA fics period. Does a good job of working the magic from Youko Senki into a quirk, represents the core of the Salaryman with the misunderstanding field activated (doesn't even join the hero class until after he does exceptionally well during the sports festival), and most importantly the fic isn't afraid to tackle stuff outside of the rails of canon. In fact, the specific reason the fic is one of my favorites is because it features the MLA so much more prominently. God do I wish it was featured more prominently in canon instead of existing as an excuse to give the LoV an army. It had so much potential. But that's enough bragging about it, I should mention the most important part which is that it's complete.

https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/the-heroic-chronicles-of-a-young-man-youjo-senki-my-hero-academia-complete.875316/

My Hero School Adventure Is All Wrong, As Expected. This one is actually an Oreigaru crossover and more than just Hachiman is worked in but it worked super well and has some pretty cool content. Hachiman actually works as an excellent MC in a world like MC, he gives a perspective that is quite different from Izuku's naive outlook. Plus cool quirks again, while I love Hachiman's 108 Skills (copy 108 quirks at 1/108 strength) his little sister actually has my favorite quirk (kinda just takes in/copies body enhancing quirks permanently so she's got titanium bones, porcelain skin, is freakishly strong, good nose, etc). If you can't tell this was my most recent one from this list.

https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/my-hero-school-adventure-is-all-wrong-as-expected-bnha-x-oregairu.697066/