I am Thor

"You killed Cull Obsidian?" Gamora asked, finally finishing her reunion with Nebula. She regarded Thor carefully. "No wonder my father's been so erratic recently, pushing Ronan to retrieve the Power Stone. He used to be more… patient."

Thor shrugged. "It makes sense. Thanos was almost ready to act. When I went to Nidavellir last time, he was trying to have the Infinity Gauntlet forged there."

"Nidavellir actually exists?" Rocket's eyes went wide with surprise. "I thought it was just a myth!"

Thor chuckled. "Oh, it exists. I can take you there someday if you're curious."

Star-Lord, who was thoroughly lost, interjected, "Hey, could someone clue me in? What's Nidavellir? And what's with this 'Infinity Gauntlet'?"

"Oh, Quill, you're all mixed up," Drax said, shaking his head. "He's not a 'buddy'—you are a buddy. He's a real man…"

"I'm a man too!" Star-Lord protested.

Rocket rolled his eyes. "Please, Quill, you're one bowl of soup away from getting pudgy."

"Hey!" Star-Lord exclaimed, but his protests were drowned out by the rest of the group's laughter.

He quickly changed the subject. "Okay, back to the main point. What is Nidavellir? And what's this Infinity Gauntlet?"

Gamora took it upon herself to explain. "For as long as I've known him, Thanos has had one ultimate goal: wiping out half the life in the universe to maintain what he calls 'balance.' He usually does this by invading planets and killing half their population—my planet included. But he's decided that the process is too slow, so he's after the six Infinity Stones—Power, Space, Time, Mind, Soul, and Reality. With the power of all six, he could wipe out half the universe with just a snap of his fingers."

Thor nodded. "The Infinity Gauntlet is the device meant to harness the combined power of the stones. And Nidavellir is where such powerful weapons can be forged."

Star-Lord's face went pale. "So… if Ronan has the Power Stone now, doesn't that mean Thanos is already one step closer?"

Thor shook his head. "Not quite. Ronan's self-esteem makes him dangerous, but he's also afraid of Thanos. He'll obey as long as Thanos is a threat, but with the Power Stone, he'll want revenge."

Star-Lord looked dubious. "So… you know Ronan pretty well, huh?"

Thor chuckled. "Twenty years ago, Ronan attacked Earth with his Kree forces, but his entire fleet was destroyed by a certain… lady. After that, he didn't come anywhere near Earth. I was part of that fight too, and now that he has the Orb, I'm pretty sure I'm on his list."

Gamora was starting to get an idea. "Then… you're here to take the Power Stone yourself, aren't you?"

Thor shook his head. "Not really. The stone isn't that useful to me—I already have the Reality Stone and Space Stone. Plus, the Time Stone and Mind Stone are on Earth. No, I'm here for him." Thor pointed to Groot.

"I am Groot," Groot said, extending his hand.

Thor took it with a warm smile. "It's an honor to meet you, the last of the Flora Colossi."

Rocket looked shocked. "Wait, you know Groot?"

Thor smiled mysteriously. "Asgard has some elective courses."

He turned back to Groot, explaining, "I need some of your branches to forge a weapon. I know you shed some daily, but if you'd be willing to help…"

Groot nodded solemnly. "I am Groot." (If you can defeat Ronan, I'll give you my strongest branches—not just dead twigs.)

"Deal!" Thor grinned, thrilled with Groot's offer. The adult Groot's branches would make for a much more powerful weapon. As he agreed, a notification flashed on his system interface.

Congratulations! You've triggered Groot Quest: King of Wood. Completion of this quest will yield a reward!

Quest Summary: The Flora Colossi are the ultimate rulers of wood-based life, having survived multiple cosmic events and gathered the essence of all wood-based materials. They are the kings of all wood materials.

Quest Objective: Although Groot can regenerate from his branches, doing so erases his memory and identity. Defeat Ronan and prevent Groot from facing the fate of death and rebirth.

Quest Reward: The Only Person Qualified for the Artifact — the weapon made with Groot's branches will only recognize its chosen host!

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