Only half a god
That's exactly right. At the 8-tail level, a kitsune still possesses a physical body and has to follow many physical laws. That's why he was cussing a blue streak instead of intercepting the fleeing quetz. Once out of the killbox, there wasn't a damn thing Suzocon could do. He can disguise himself as a quetz, but he can't give himself quetz abilities. He still has to rely on his kitsune magic.
But when he gets the 9th tail? His physical body basically dies, and he ascends to join the other
kami (gods). He wants to be a god of life, but his twisted idea of life is more like Lovecraft's Re-Animator. Classically, the nine-tail kitsune can also see and hear anything, anywhere, and actively drop any illusion they detect. Among other things. They will drive even the most powerful tanuki (raccoon-dogs) absolutely insane.
A nine-tailed Suzocon would wreck the world.
And he may have already done it once before.