I think it wouldn't be about stats, it would be about function. The thing that makes shortswords boring is that they only work on less enemies than a normal sword and even then only achieve the same while being riskier to use, so you're just gonna use normal swords instead (possibly one that has autoswing which automatically outclasses the only advantage of shortswords), so make a weapon style that actually competes with normal swords in a way where none is largely better than the other.
If anything you could use having LONGswords instead, still only hitting straight forward but with longer range instead of shorter, with the downside of added swing animation startup like holding it behind and spinning it forward with a full swing horizontally, so it's big and strong but takes a moment to come out. And you could keep charging the swing for damage (while keeping movement) to be usable even on bosses and aerial enemies as you fly and sting. Almost sounds like katana iaido now.
You could rename shortswords into daggers and add a throwing feature to them, like if you charge-and-release, or alt-fire, or hold, you throw them so they can do both stabby-stabby after approaching or pelt away as a not-excellent but usable weapon, maybe a worse arc than a shuriken.
And then a new weapon style gets more spreaded as crafting options across the game.