There is a mystical Nine-Tail fox that lives in a forest. It possesses 9 different abilities. Aside from its magical properties, it is just a normal fox trying to live a comfortable life.
In a nearby village, there is a magical human known as the Great Sage. When the Great Sage lays eyes on the creature, the Great Sage does not believe it is harmless. One way or another, the Great Sage and the fox make a deal: the Great Sage will put up a barrier around the forest, confining the fox all the while putting the Great Sage into a sleep stasis which prevents aging, starving and dying by mundane means.

Years pass, and new generations of humans are born. These humans take joy in hunting and taking their prey's heas as trophies. When they hear about the Nine-Tail fox residing in the forest, they instantly have the need to be the first to have its head. Many hunters have gone and have returned with no luck or simply have given up since the fox can use magic to slip through their hunts and traps. One hunter, however, does not give in. The desire and greed drive this hunter.

So, when this hunter meets the fox, the hunter chases the fox relentlessly. The fox uses its super speed to slip by. This only lasts a while since the edge of the forest is as far as the creature can go. Eventually, the hunter catches up. The fox then uses its transformation ability to turn into a woman pretending to be in distress. When the hunter ignores the morphed woman, the fox uses its illusions, conjuring wolves. The hunter hesitates as he contemplates saving a female stranger. He does anyway. He brings her to a cabin. There, the fox tries to charm the hunter and persuades the hunter to stop his chase. Momentarily, the hunter is entranced. The trance breaks when the hunter thinks of the prize. Slowly, the hunter becomes suspicious of the woman. He interrogates her. Going nowhere with the given answers, he swings his dagger at her neck. She dodges and runs to the door. Finding the door locked, she uses another ability to permeate through the door. On the other side, she gets caught in traps laid beforehand and gets injured. As the hunter unlocks his door, the fox heals itself, then runs off.
Sooner or later, the fox gets caught in another trap. The hunter finally catches up. As the hunter strikes the fox, the fox conjures flames to fend for itself. The hunter back a couple of meters. The fox attempts to talk its way out and fails. With seemingly no other choice, the fox uses another ability to separate its soul into 9 pieces and spread them across the world.

Outraged, the hunter curses and vows to scour the earth until the fox is hung on his walls.

Because the fox is no longer in the forest, the Great Sage awakens. At first, since years have passed, the Great Sage has been confused, then quickly assumes the fox has died.
When the hunter enters the village, meets the Great Sage, and explains the events, the Great Sage takes offense in the hunter's careless acts. The Great Sage fears the powers of the fox can not fall into the wrong hands and understands now that trapping the fox is not going to remedy the fears. Though the Great Sage does not like the reckless behavior of the hunter, the Great Sage does not see another determined hunter. So, the Great Sage grants a blessing upon the hunter: by stripping off a part of the Great Sage's soul and planting it into the hunter, this soul piece becomes a blessing, allowing repeated reincarnation until the hunt for the fox is complete.

Decades later, the 9 soul pieces of the Nine-Tail fox find random humans to inhibit and begin their lives anew. The hunter also reincarnates and prepares for the hunt.