Chapter III

After the day of pushing Malia's and Mareth's limits, Tenko wanted to see just how far he could go as well. In the front lawn of the manor, Tenko retrieved his mother's Katana and practiced his sword art a full strength. Everyone was amazed at the way thunder rolled and lightning coated his blade. His speed was magnificent, and his strong sword cleaved through the earth like an oar passing through water.

Malia then stepped forward and took a deep breath. Mareth joined her with a basket of tennis balls and hand Malia a bat. Tenko opened up his senses as Mareth threw up the first tennis ball. With Malia's supernatural strength behind it, she smacked the tennis ball, and it ripped through the air.

Tenko went airborne and twirled through the air before coming down one foot into a horizontal slash. Malia was smirked then took her bat to six more tennis balls that levitated in the air. The balls zipped through the air, and Tenko dodged, slipped, leaped over, and slashed them out of the air. Never breaking stride or flow of his sword art.

"Your turn, babe," Malia spoke to Mareth.

Mareth used her power, and all of the tennis balls rose into the air. Even the ones cut in half were now airborne and revolving around Tenko. The balls then zipped at him like a swarm of angry buzzing bees. Tenko performed fantastically until Mareth's magic simply outpaced him. After the twentieth welt, he believed he sending out lightning, but everyone saw two foxtails strike each other, followed by a wave of energy and the combustion of the tennis balls in blue and white flames.

"Foxfire..." Nikita gasped.

The tennis balls burned to ash and the foxfire dissipated.

Tenko walked by his mother and gave the katana back to her. " I still have room for improvement."

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In the Manor, Nima was anxious to get outside and watch Tenko like everyone else. But she confined to the house as Melissa her a health check. Tenko wanted to know if Nima was doing fine or if the cancer was still present until the next full moon. As the pack walks into the manor, Tenko stops and stares at Nima and Melissa.

Melisssa looked up with a nonexpressive face and said, "She's good to go."

Jack Arlo erupted with excitement, and everyone congratulated Nima and welcomed her to the pack.

"Okay! Okay! Quite down! I know everyone didn't get a celebration, but tonight we will celebrate everyone and our newest Gamma. Jack Arlo! You did well with a lot of things. So you're a beta now. We're still going to fuck with you, but you can command respect in the wild. You earned it." Tenko declared.

Jack Arlo was stuck. This was the second time that Tenko had told him good job, and he was promoted. Jack Arlo's brain was frying, and Nima had to shake him awake as he was laughed at.

"T-Thank you, Boss! It means a lot. You change my life, save my sister's. I don't--"

Malia sped across the distance and covered the idiot's mouth before he said something stupid as always.

"You don't what, Jack Arlo?" Tenko asked.

"Have the words to describe how happy he is." Said Malia.

"And he's going to work extra hard to express what his words can't," Nima added.

Tenko smirked mischievously. " Ahh, for a moment, I thought he was going to say he didn't know how to repay me. Woo! I almost demoted him!"

Everyone laughed as the color left Jack Arlo's face.

"We're just fucking with you, Jack Arlo," Tenko laughed, and Jack Arlo sighed.

"So why do you call him Jack Arlo?" Nima asked, and everyone looked at Tenko.

Tenko shrugged. "I like it. It's kind of catchy. So that's his name. But you're just Nima."

"Back to business!" Said Tenko, "Melissa and Malia are Alpha's now! And Mareth is one badass druid, so we have a lot to celebrate."

Tenko threw a party that very night. But Jack Arlo was in charge of the invitations. Every stray wolf that he sniffed out was invited, Scott as an Alpha was invited, the Agents, druids, The sheriff, and Satomi's pack as they were close enough to cross paths with Tenko's pack.

The party was good. No one died, and everyone acknowledges that Tenko was Alpha of Alphas and Nima Arlo was now apart of his pack. He also did well to claim Beacon Hills. If strays killed humans and left a mess, they will be killed. If Scott or Satomi turned a Human in Beacon Hills without his knowledge, there would be conflict. If the hunters or any of their pals so much as aimed at a wolf without his approval, there would be conflict.

Tenko had two Kitsune Clans coming and plans in motion that required a peaceful and well-regulated Beacon Hills. And that was the last reason to celebrate --Tenko taking over.

To wrap up the minuscule issues for good, Tenko spoke to Sheriff Stilinski and told him that Malia Tate was ready to be found and returned to her grieving father. The investigation of Malia began the next day. It lasted three days until they found her living in the woods like a wild girl.

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During those three days of theatrics that came with Malia's investigation, Layla Sagoko, her husband, and Saito Iwai arrived in Hills with Elder Mars and Akira to speak of the Thunder Kitsunes residing in their village and Tenko leading two clans --Toyotomi(Thunder) and Nakashige(Celestial)

Just as Tenko suspected, the elders weighed his life based on Kitsune traditions. They wanted to know if his life was in order. Thankfully, they arrived during a peaceful time, and no one was challenging his claim on Beacon Hills.

Tenko axed the entire conversation by explaining that he must get Beacon Hills ready for the arrival of a large Kitsune population. As for the two clans under him, He promised to make his first thunder Kitsune child the Toyotomi Clan Leader if his mother didn't have a second child before then.

Layla and Saito found his explanation reasonable and promised to gather names, ages, and skills of Thunder Kitsune before sending them to Beacon Hills. This way, the transition can be smooth, and the first rounds of Thunder Kitsune can help wherever they're needed.

Tenko then swore them to secrecy about his location before showing them and the elders to their rooms in the manor. The Kitsune of the River and Forest clans planned to stay awhile and inspect the new world their family members would be sent to.

After the guest unpacked, Tenko, Mareth, and Nikita showed them around town. Layla missed Malia but settled to see her later that day. For lack of a better explanation, Tenko called Kitsunes dignitaries. The dignitaries were taken through the shops, residential areas, the first responder stations, hospitals, even the high school.

Due to the common features that the group shared, Nikita sold the group as Japanese officials locking over the town to set up a foreign exchange program in Beacon Hills. It was all a load of bullshit, but everyone ate it up like Willy Wonka's chocolate bars.

The only hick-up throughout the day was the Principle looking to show off his Asian teachers and their smart children. Everyone put on a strained smile, as usual. Elder Akira was pretty impulsive when she Kira Yukimura.

It turned out that Kira had no idea that she was in the presents of a group of Kitsune and prestigious Kitsune at that. She had no idea that she was a Kitsune herself as everyone had to dim their eyes or risk being blinded by her wild and unrestrained aura.

Tenko had to step in a few times, even warning Akira that she was overstepping.

By the time they left the school, Tenko and Akira were bickering in Japanese, which Tenko was thankful for as their conversation was wild enough to make them sound like lunatics.

To end the day, Tenko took everyone to the land that was to be the new home of the Thunder Kitsune clan. This time, Layla and Saito had concerns with the distance between the Manor and the clan area. Tenko also saw the problem, but he couldn't tell them that Nikita was initially supposed to be the clan leader and live on the land.

"You handled the elders well." Nikita complimented her son as she poured him a cup of tea that night after everyone had turned in.

"This is just the beginning. Soon our other allies will come to give me their own tests to see if I'm worthy. Politics and finesse is something I need to master." Tenko replied with no sense of joy or expectations for the future.

"Then I should teach you the last lesson to complete your training," said Nikita.

Tenko raised an eyebrow of interest.

"Legacy Transference." she said, "Kitsune innately receive skills from their ancestors. These skills travel through a pipeline from a library located deep in your genes. Legacy Transference allows you to bypass the pipe and walk straight through the front doors of said library: Sword arts, martial forms, techniques to use your abilities, and general knowledge."

That same night, Nikita started Tenko's final lessons as a Kit --Harnessing the legacy. The innate knowledge is passed down to Kitsunes. Tenko will learn how to remember his ancestors' skills and better hone them for his benefit instead of regurgitating them through muscle memory in the spur of the moment. Every move and skill the fox displayed has a name and is apart of a greater technique. Harnessing the legacy allows him to learn the names and perform the techniques properly, efficiently, and entirely.

Harnessing the legacy has two steps. The first was entering the Library and picking what he wanted to learn; this is called Legacy Transference. The next step is closing the Library and the Pipeline to focus and train one technique at a time. If the second step isn't done right, the library and pipeline can be sealed forever, or innate skills will leak out and affect his training. This step is called Legacy Sublimation.

On the second day of Malia's Investigation, Nima moved into the Manor to learn control before the next full moon. Tenko teaches her the way his mother once taught him. Tenko felt this way was best as Nima had a pretty peaceful soul like must Kitsune did. Observing Nima allowed Tenko to see that she was a rarity of bitten werewolves as she displayed control that took bitten werewolves ages to learn.

Malia and Mareth fall in love all over again as they watched Tenko finally become comfortable and adept in his position as an Alpha and all of its responsibilities. However, they weren't the only ones watching. The elders had also watched Tenko and how he handled his pack. They took notes and commented on his strengths and weaknesses. Not only would this evaluation stifle their worry of sending the Thunder Kitsune to him, but it would also become the template of Tenko's character. Said template would be used to establish meetings with other clan leaders to help him reunite the clans.

Mid-day, Everyone gathered on the lawn where a test of Tenko's proficiency with his thunder abilities took place. But they had an unexpected spectator, Noshiko Yukimura. Of course, Elder Akira wanted her to commit seppuku for fleeing her responsibilities. But everyone knew that her fate was Tenko's to decided. And until Noshiko did penance, her dishonor also marked her daughter.

However, Tenko allowed her to watch as her daughter was still a thunder Kitsune. To assure them that he could handle it, Tenko took on his partial form and shocked the dignitaries. A true kitsune form that represented Tenko's bond with the fox within him.

"He is talented." Elder Akira coed from her seat.

"Mother, there is no need to hide your admiration of the Emperor. We all know he is one of the few people that you like," said Saito

Akira tittered along with the others present. "That is true," she admitted.

"Emperor?" Noshiko asked, " I haven't heard of the 13 clans uniting."

Akira sneered. " And who are you to speak of such matters."

Akira's eyes glowed deep green. Noshiko's eyes then took on a cosmic beauty.

"You fled. Our beliefs no longer concern you. Now pay attention, the show is about to begin. Even without legacy transference, or Emperor receives techniques and executes them on an instinctual level that shames us all." Akira spoke humbly with a proudness for Tenko.

In a house of supernaturals, Nikita knew her conversation with Tenko the night before wasn't a private one. But she didn't mind as the admittance of Tenko's lack of training only served to bolster his reputation.

As they watched, Layla's husband voiced his curiosity about Tenko's choice of a sword.

"I told you she married him for his looks." Akira quipped to Mars

Mars had a grumpy face and hummed in agreement.

Layla quickly explained that some of the oldest Kistune techniques of the royal clans use Chinese Jian swords. Inu no Taisho was also Weida De Guo Jianjun during China's Yin dynasty, where many of the main branches were located to be closer to the Kitsune Emperor. It wasn't until later years that the clans relocated to Japan to have more peaceful lives.

In the field, Tenko started with smooth, steady, elegant movements with perfect control over his blade. His finishing moves were solid and decisive. By his 15th movement, smooth and stable had become fast and precise but never lost its deadly force as lightning was riding his sword dance.

"Beautiful. To see such a young heart with this much depth, not to mention he was born a Celestial." Elders Mars reflected on Tenko's display of Thunder Kitsune swordsmanship.

"Thunder and lightning his heavens tribulation to us mortals. Who's to say his identity as a celestial isn't aiding his understanding of Kong Shi's sword," Akira added, but the younger generation didn't know who Kong Shi was as he was an existence deep within their ancestral Library.

Tenko lept into the air as he displayed a defensive sword movement that led to a counter-attack. As Tenko was mid-air, his body opened up as he stabbed his sword towards the earth.

"Haa!" he grunted.

Purple-white lightning coursed down his sword and struck the earth like Divine Will. When Tenko landed, he transitioned into the last nineteen movements that electrified his body and blade. His tails then became weapons and shields. Every arch and thrust created unleashed a devasting attack of lightning.

Everyone watched in awe of the display. But it was Elder Akira who used her power to erect a root wall as Tenko ran his hand along the length of his blade, pushed out as to block an imaginary attack. Tenko's four tails went rigid as his body erupted purple-white lightning, destroying the area around him.

Elder Akira quickly dropped the root wall fast enough to see Tenko sharply move into a forward leap. His body tilts into a spin, and everyone's eyes widen as Tenko puts his sword in a defensive position to use his tails to attack.

The four bushy white tails struck each other, and a devastating arch of white-blue fire whipped out, destroying everything in his line of attack. When Tenko landed for the final time, he twirled his sword, positioned it to his sheath, then exhaled steadily as he sheathed his sword.

"How did I do?" he asked.

"Well enough for us to support you as Ten'no," Layla replied in awe.

"That's not possible..." Noshiko gasped.

"It obviously is for him. Nine Tails or not, Ten'no Tenko has just produced foxfire." Elder Mars spoke.

"And it isn't the first time," Nikita added.

"Marvelous." Elder Akira sang.

"When do you plan to start the migration?" asked Saito.

"When the land is developed, and I am financially ready for their arrival," Tenko replied.

On the last day of Malia's investigation, Malia wanted to relearn how to full shift, but she doubts that she could without access to the Hale vault. However, Tenko had an idea to use his astral abilities to teach her by way of feelings. Combined with his full shift experience, they agreed to work together in the evening as he trained Nima and eventually Jack Arlo during the mornings and Melissa during mid-day.

After Malia left to be found in the woods by Sheriff Stilinski, Noshiko Yukimura is escorted to the Manor by Nikita. Yukimura talks about family responsibility and apologizes for her actions as a young fox. The only way she can become legitimized again and give her daughter a choice to choose her future is for Tenko to acknowledge her birthright and grant her inheritance in the absence of the Yukimura clan leader.

Before Tenko did anything, he asks why Noshiko appeared after so long. She claimed that Kira needed a quiet place to develop her abilities as Kira is a very late bloomer. Though she had awakened a year ago, Kira still didn't have her first tail. And even if she did. Noshiko had no quality obsidian.

"A year ago?" Tenko frowned, "I've met your daughter, and she is completely oblivious to what she is! Imagine if a Garuda happened through the town and saw her wild and untamed Thunder Aura. Your daughter would be stripped of her power, then killed!"

Noshiko shuttered under Tenko's outburst.

Tenko goes on to explain that the fealty between ancient Yukimuras and Nakashiges meant nothing to him. Until he deemed her and her family worthy. The Yukimura clan is still dead to the Kitsune world.

"You can't kill centuries of tradition!" Noshiko exclaimed in panic.

"We may be divided, but the royal decree is backed by Inari and heard by all of our kind. And that is a decree: Teach your daughter properly, educate her on the traditions you seem keen to uphold and prove that you are worthy of the responsibilities that you ran from!"

Tenko knew that Noshiko was hiding something, so of course, he was going to make things difficult for her. But Noshiko didn't plan to just rollover. Noshiko then asks that Tenko help train, Kira. She is a Thunder Kitsune, and Tenko stepped up as Thunder Clan Leader. As a celestial, Noshiko has no idea how to help Kira develop as a Kitsune.

Tenko flat out voices his distrusts and repeats himself by telling Noshiko that her family will have to go through due process.

"Live your life, and I will evaluate you on how you carry yourself and maintain your house, Noshiko Yukimura." he then looked over his shoulder and knew he could be heard from the Manor by the Elders.

"Educate the girl first, and next week she will start her training under my mother. " Tenko compromised, and Noshiko could counter as Nikita was more than qualified to teach her daughter.

"Thank you, Ten'no." She Replied.

When the Elders heard Noshiko, they scuffed as it was obvious that the Vixen was planning something.