In Bobby's Cellar, a mercenary hideout, Anthony/Tony Redgrave (who's actually Dante) talks with his partner Grue. He then leaves Bobby's Cellar, heading to Goldstein's Shop, run by gunsmith Nell Goldstein. Bantering with Nell, Tony mentions he wrecks guns quickly due to the rate of fire he employs.

Returning to Bobby's Cellar, Tony acquires a lucrative job with Grue. During the job it becomes clear to Tony and Grue that it is too dangerous, so they retreat. Later, as both men evaluate the aftermath of the pitched battle, they are attacked by the corpses. Tony destroys them, though Grue freezes. Afterwards, Grue and Tony eat dinner with Grue's family.

At Bobby's Cellar Enzo Ferino introduces a new mercenary named Gilver (who's actually Vergil), a tall man swathed in bandages who wields a katana. Gilver fights Tony, proving himself equal. Deciding to settle the fight with drinking, Tony wins and Gilver is robbed by the bar patrons. After leaving, Tony is beset by demons and an undead Denvers (some mafia leader from the beginning of the novel who's been trying to assassinate Tony approximately 99 times). Tony awakens in the home of a local woman, who he spurns before leaving. He learns that killing Denvers has led to a bounty being placed on his head by the Oz Club. He leaves to confront the club directly.

Entering a bank, he fights the same demons once again. Defeating them he runs into Gilver, who has slaughtered the Oz Club.

Weeks later, Tony and Gilver are now being paired on numerous jobs and Grue is missing. On the way to work, Tony stops by Nell's home, giving him two handguns and warning him about Gilver.

Tony runs into Grue, who has been taking assassination jobs. After leaving Tony, Grue kills a heavily in debt thug. This sparks a demonic transformation among the thug's friends and Grue's hiding place is revealed by Gilver. Grue ignites a grenade on his chest, trying to kill Gilver.

Tony and Gilver continue as partners, and Enzo reveals that Grue did assassinations because of his oldest daughter Jessica's illness. Tony goes to the hospital and finds it overrun by demons. Tony faces the demon in charge, who is feeding on Jessica's despair. He kills the demon and Jessica, shattering the connection between the human world and demon realm.

Due to the hospital massacre and Grue's disappearance, Tony is publicly scorned by other mercenaries since he's been last seen at ever single crime scene. Gilver converts the patrons of Bobby's Cellar into demons while Tony goes to Nell Goldstein's for rest.

Soon after he leaves, an explosion engulfs Goldstein's Shop in flames. Tony charges in, finding Nell working on two handguns made especially for him: Ebony and Ivory. Giving him the handguns , Nell dies. Tony ceases using the Tony Redgrave alias, making himself Dante again.

Dante returns to Bobby's Cellar and confronts Gilver. Amidst a furious sword fight, Gilver shoots Dante with the shotgun purchased at Nell's shop. Fatally shooting Gilver in turn, Dante is horrified to discover that Gilver is actually his brother, Vergil.

Much later, Enzo drops by Bobby's Cellar and helps Dante leave. In the novel's epilogue, Dante sits in his shop, and then it's to be continued, leading off to the Devil May Cry 1 game.