the demon hunter volume 1

demon hunting for Beginners

Jacob, a journalist, was returning to New York City by train after writing a story in the Middle East. Upon arriving at his apartment, he encountered his new neighbor, Maria, who introduced herself and invited him in. Inside her apartment, Jacob admired her numerous paintings and accepted her offer of tea. After a while, Jacob excused himself, telling Maria he was going out. As he walked down the sidewalk, Maria watched him from her window, curious about his destination.

Jacob, sensing he was being followed, saw a man dart across a rooftop and decided to give chase. He confronted the man, who introduced himself as Jason, and a fight ensued. Jason threw a knife at Jacob, but Jacob deflected it and stabbed Jason with his own knife, realizing he had killed a demon. Maria joined him on the rooftop, and they encountered a woman named Ava. Jacob recognized her and explained that ava was bitten by  a vampire when she was 25. Maria revealed that Ava had killed her parents when she was young. Jacob insisted Ava come with them, dead or alive. In the ensuing struggle, Maria cut off Ava's fingers, causing her to flee.

Afterward, Jacob suggested they get something to eat. Despite Maria's disbelief, they went to a Japanese restaurant. While eating, Jacob noticed a man disappear behind a wall and found a note asking to meet him out back. Maria recognized the man as Henry, who had saved her 20 years ago from Ava. Henry recounted how he had rescued Maria from her apartment when Ava attacked and killed her parents. Jacob revealed he had witnessed the entire incident from his apartment.

Jacob recounted to Maria that he had seen everything that night from his apartment balcony and apologized. Maria demanded to know Ava's whereabouts, and Henry revealed she was at an old monastery. They went there, finding the place dimly lit with candles. Hiding behind a wall, they saw Ava's mother tending to Ava's wounded hand, causing her to scream in pain, which her parents seemed to share.

Henry then saw a ghost named Saki, responsible for his parents' deaths 40 years ago, and pursued her. Meanwhile, Maria rushed in, cutting off both of Ava's hands. Ava, screaming in agony, was backed against a wall. Maria drove a sword into Ava's stomach and finally decapitated her. Ava's parents turned to ashes as she died.

Henry pursued Saki to his old house, where his parents had died 40 years earlier. He remembered the night vividly: his family was driving down a dirt road when a ghost appeared, causing them to crash into a tree. His father died instantly, while Henry and his mother survived the crash. Saki then dragged Henry's mother away, and he woke up in the hospital.

At his old home, Henry confronted Saki and stabbed her in the heart, releasing all his pain and guilt for not being able to save his mother.

Henry reunited with Jacob and Maria at an old church. Inside, they heard a familiar voice—it was Surfers, the demon. He declared Jacob powerless and demanded his surrender. However, with Ava and Saki gone, Surfers was defenseless. Jacob and Maria killed him by cutting off his head, causing every demon to turn to ashes.

The End