Hmm. So... just spitballing here.
After SAO, most of the school-age graduates were concentrated on a single school which would otherwise have been closed. So let's suppose that that was Oorai. And as a longer term way to keep the school open, the Student Council are still reviving Tankery. Set this a little after the Fairy Dance Arc.
As someone with leadership experience, Asuna is asked by the council to join the team, joining Mio's actual experience of tanks. But training is tapping into their budget too hard. Cue Asuna talking to Kazuto - who can't play since he's a boy - and he uses the Seed he got from Kayaba to build them a VR training sim. Thus Oorai's team get a lot of experience in a hurry, as the model is refined by comparisons to the real life practises.
With funds still limited, the Student Council get the idea of opening the game up to 'open beta' with a modest subscription fee. And much of the tankery community jumps in, not knowing the game's origins. (The income allows an additional tank to be bought by Oorai, thus Asuna and her crew - Liz, Silica, maybe Argo? - have something to drive. Something russian perhaps). Also to save costs, several other classes start playing out inside simulations. Suddenly the cost of new text books almost vanishes - buy once in electronic format and share across the school. Drama class suddenly has the best sets ever.
As a result the finals begin and not only are Oorai just a bit more practised but also a lot of rivalries from inside the MMO suddenly take life outside the game. Also Oorai is picking up funding as the 'school of the future' taking full advantage of virtual reality.
Edit:
I did a little more thinking and this could work, with the events of GuP spread across the school year (championship matches in September, November, January and March). Shino/Sinon might transfer into Oorai for the final term of her junior year, and Yuuki would be attending remotely at the same time.
And while it might be badass for Kirito and Klein to hold back an entire guild from the boss chamber while the Sleeping Knights go in, perhaps Kirito should use his harem powers for good and have fifty or so Oorai students turning up with him as an army to ensure their Asuna-hime isn't taken advantage of.
D for Drakensis
You're only young once, but immaturity is forever.
After SAO, most of the school-age graduates were concentrated on a single school which would otherwise have been closed. So let's suppose that that was Oorai. And as a longer term way to keep the school open, the Student Council are still reviving Tankery. Set this a little after the Fairy Dance Arc.
As someone with leadership experience, Asuna is asked by the council to join the team, joining Mio's actual experience of tanks. But training is tapping into their budget too hard. Cue Asuna talking to Kazuto - who can't play since he's a boy - and he uses the Seed he got from Kayaba to build them a VR training sim. Thus Oorai's team get a lot of experience in a hurry, as the model is refined by comparisons to the real life practises.
With funds still limited, the Student Council get the idea of opening the game up to 'open beta' with a modest subscription fee. And much of the tankery community jumps in, not knowing the game's origins. (The income allows an additional tank to be bought by Oorai, thus Asuna and her crew - Liz, Silica, maybe Argo? - have something to drive. Something russian perhaps). Also to save costs, several other classes start playing out inside simulations. Suddenly the cost of new text books almost vanishes - buy once in electronic format and share across the school. Drama class suddenly has the best sets ever.
As a result the finals begin and not only are Oorai just a bit more practised but also a lot of rivalries from inside the MMO suddenly take life outside the game. Also Oorai is picking up funding as the 'school of the future' taking full advantage of virtual reality.
Edit:
I did a little more thinking and this could work, with the events of GuP spread across the school year (championship matches in September, November, January and March). Shino/Sinon might transfer into Oorai for the final term of her junior year, and Yuuki would be attending remotely at the same time.
And while it might be badass for Kirito and Klein to hold back an entire guild from the boss chamber while the Sleeping Knights go in, perhaps Kirito should use his harem powers for good and have fifty or so Oorai students turning up with him as an army to ensure their Asuna-hime isn't taken advantage of.
D for Drakensis
You're only young once, but immaturity is forever.