Chapter 49

Teach Me (えて) is the forty-ninth chapter of The Promised Neverland manga.

Synopsis
Sonju teaches Emma how to hunt and survive in the Demon World.

Plot
It's the third day of the children's travel through the forest, and they share a good meal made with the help of Ray and Mujika's instructions. Emma smiles, happy at the fact that they're sharing a good meal together.

Later, Sonju tells the group to head south-next, and after leaving the forest from the northern side and travel around it, because if they went south-east, it would mean passing through more "Wild Demon" territory, which is a dangerous risk. The way they've set out, according to Sonju, has no demons and is just wilderness. The journey to the end of the forest should take about five days, and the children will take another day to reach their destination.

For the moment, the two demons offer to teach them essential knowledge and skills to help them survive on their own. The other kids are taught how to cook, whereas Emma learns archery, to the praise of the younger kids for her skill.

Sonju goes out to check the area around since they will have to cross it later, and Emma asks to go with him to get a look at the situation too, to which he accepts. From what they see, the river seems simple enough to traverse, so the demons after them are the problem. However, they don't seem to be there.

He notices quickly that Emma did not ask to go out just for a change of pace, and she wants something more. Emma then reveals that she wants him to teach her how to hunt in order to take a life. Emma mentions that for the past three days they have been taught the correct plants to eat, ones that can be used for medicinal purposes and how to use a bow and spear, but she has never killed a living thing. She believes it's important that she learns it so she can make it into food.

Later, using her bow and arrow, she shoots down a bird from the sky, she touches the dying animal, sadly commenting that it's still warm and still alive. Sonju tells her that the next step is the Gupna Ritual, and pulls out the flower that she saw stabbed in Conny's chest in Chapter One. Sonju explains that it a vampire weed called Vida, which is used in the Gupna ceremony to present their food to the gods for it to be acceptable to eat, if it is acceptable, the flower will bloom; Emma is told to pierce the bird's chest with it, saying that it will also help with the bleeding.

Emma is saddened by this, asking if one has to do that while their prey is still alive, and Sonju says the blood will not drain properly if not done. He reassures her that it is fine because the bird is unconscious and therefore will not feel any pain.

He notices that Emma has seen it before, to which Emma answers "Yes...", and feels worse knowing that Vida was pierced inside all that died from Grace Field House, including Norman, which makes her convulse. She hopes that the bird does not have any horrid memories of fear and pain.

Sonju says that the Gupna shall not be done without respect and tells her to be at ease as he believes her deceased brothers and sisters are not weighted by the painful experiences. Emma says that that is good, but still hesitates, putting the flower down. Sonju asks if she wants to stop, but she says that it is fine, and pierces the chest of the bird.

Emma thinks to herself that this is necessary as the only way for them to live is to eat, so that they won't be eaten themselves. Sonju asks her if something is wrong, to which she dismisses the question, giving a small smile into the distance.

The chapter ends with Ray reprimanding Emma for trying to do things alone again, and after the kids happily get ready to make a great meal again. Tomorrow they cross the river, the journey through the forest will end soon.

A man who calls himself William Minerva announces that he raising the banner of revolution to give the human world back. He plans a breakout from all plantations and then to head to the agreed point to end the "Neverland" forever and seal a new promise. He promises to wait for all of them, though it is not revealed who "they" are yet.

Research Elements
In this chapter we have the following Research Elements:

Trivia

 * They are currently somewhere near at A 04-21.
 * This chapter creates another meaning for the term: Gupna, for which before it pertains only to a name of a demon. Now, it also cites the meat-preserving ritual introduced in this chapter.