Author note: I don't own Sword Art Online, or else I would have expanded upon Kuradeel's character a lot more! XDD

So, I just got into the Sword Art Online fandom, and I strangely took an appeal towards Kuradeel. I felt super bad that he got killed early on and I wanted to try something out with him. So...what if Kuradeel survived Kirito's final blow? If he got away with just one HP left and cheated death?

What would he do if he survived? And that made me think and want to write this fanfic.

Warning: Kuradeelsurvives!AU, takes place during chapter 15 of the light novel (yes, I'm going along with what happened in the light novel version (specifically Sword Art Online: Aincrad vol 1 if you must know)) where Kirito strikes Kuradeel with "Embracer," violence, swearing, made up backstory for Kuradeel and more warnings will be put up if necessary.

I hope that you read, review and enjoy! XD Constructive Criticism is great! XD Thanks! XDDD


Cheating Death (one more time to make it right)


00. 1 HP

Pain seared in his chest.

"Embracer."

He nearly dropped his greatsword, surprised.

He'd left himself open, Kirito took a risk and...

And he lost.

He lost to some loser, some fool—!

Kuradeel gritted his teeth, his silver bangs falling over his eyes. If he didn't move, he would allow all his HP to fall to zero, and he would die.

He would die.

He was too sure that his lip was bleeding as he pulled away, his spare hand fumbling for a crystal, something, anything. Although he'd handed over crystals earlier before they went to this floor, he hadn't given them all of his crystals. He kept something, but forgot what.

He just hoped it was a teleportation crystal as he held it high in the air.

"T-teleport—!"

He couldn't remember what happened after that.


He woke up later on soft, grassy ground, but pain still remained.

Where was he?

He didn't tryto move, a raspy breath escaping his throat as he fumbled for his greatsword. It was on the ground just in front of him. He reached for it—not to use as a weapon, but as a crutch. The sun was not shining, or if it was, it was getting dark. His vision blurred briefly, then became clear after a few blinks of his eyes.

He'd teleported himself outside, somewhere. No idea which level it was, but he would guess it was somewhere safer, judging by the lack of monsters around the area. There were only lower level ones.

Wait...he knew this place. It was Sunshine Forest, on floor 20.

So he wasn't in danger, he figured as he looked beneath him, around him. Multiple layers of cobblestone walls with a plot of grass atop each layer...he was in a safe zone. He could stay here as long as needed.

But...how? Was he alive? That crystal he used (he groaned again as he tried to sit up) was a teleportation crystal, not a healing one. Unless...

Holding his chest with one hand, aware that he was bleeding, painfully bleeding, he checked his HP with the other.

1 HP.

1 HP remaining.

He'd gotten away with that much, a mere inch of his life.

His mind went into a frenzy instantaneously, clutching his chest still, his hand trying to lift his greatsword.

Could he lose all his HP by bleeding to death? I-if that was the case, he could die here. Alone. Dropping his greatsword, he let it lie on the grassy ground beside as he then looked to the insigma of the Laughing Coffin on his hand.

That guild would assume that he died...and the Knights of the Blood would believe him dead. Surely news of what he tried to do to Kirito and Asuna (and successfuly did to Godfrey and that other member) would have reached Heathcliff by now, would have reached even everyone by now in Aincrad.

He needed to stay low (and more importantly get his HP back up to normal).

Cursing himself and his dumb luck, he managed to remove his jacket, pressing it against his chest in an attempt to slow the bleeding as he curled up on the safe area's ground and let himself fall asleep. If he died, well...

At least he'd die in his sleep if he died right now, if anything. Much better than dying when in pain.


His chest didn't hurt when he woke up again, still in the safe area.

What? He sat up quickly (and that was also painless) and he put a hand to his chest, pulling down the jacket also to look.

No scars. Where Kirito had stabbed him...the rips in his clothes remained, but there was not even a scratch remaining on his being. Checking his HP, he found out hat it was completely refiled.

That shouldn't be possible, unless...did someone heal him in his sleep? But who? And why?

Picking himself up, he lifted his greatsword and sheathed it, glancing around him using his Searching skill to see if there was anyone or anything nearby. No. No one. He then took out his greatsword, looking to it quietly, and then to his hair, his long silver hair...

He would cut it. And change his clothes. He doubted that anyone would trust someone who was covered in blood. With caution he held a bunch of his hair, lifting his greatsword with the other, intending to chop it...

And then he realized the insigma of the Laughing Coffin on his wrist was gone.

They must have assumed that he was dead and removed him from the guild. He frowned, chopping downwards and only moments later chunks of hair lay on the ground. Running a hand through his now shortened hair, he winced. It felt strange feeling the breeze against his neck, having been used to his hair being long, but he knew that that was the least of his worries.

The most of his worries now was the Knights of the Blood, the Laughing Coffin, and anyone else that may want him dead for what he did.

Sheathing his greatsword, he quickly looked into his inventory. Any spare clothing? No. Of course not. He wouldn't bring any along, he would usually leave it back at the Guild...

He swore aloud, looking about. For now he'd stay low. He'd have to find clothes by either stealing it from someone or buying it, and if he walked into a shop he was sure that he'd be recognized instantly.

Stealing would be what he resorted to for now.

Taking a deep breath, he walked out of the safe zone.

He needed to get to a village and get a change of clothes, and he was damn sure that something usually simple as that would be harder than usual now that he was recognized as a criminal.