"Are you sure you want to play football, Maxi?" a man in his early 30s asked a boy in the backseat of his car.
"Yes, Dad. I heard Jamal say that he loves football."
The boy looked very cute, with striking blue sapphire eyes.
These blue eyes are the result of a rare genetic mutation that gives him sapphire-blue eyes.
This is just one of many special traits of the young boy.
His full name is Maximus Orion. He is special in more ways than one.
At 6 years old, when he was born, the doctors noticed his eye condition and asked his parents if they could conduct a few experiments on him when he was older, in exchange for some money.
The parents agreed, as no harm would come to their son.
The experiments began when he was 4 years old. They involved harmless activities like playing cards and other fun tasks—no blood tests or similar procedures.
During these experiments, the doctors realized that Maxi was exceptional.
Firstly, he is bilaterally strong in his feet, meaning he has two strong feet.
He also has an IQ of 147, the same as Mario Balotelli, and shows extraordinary talent in spatial perception.
But the most stunning aspect is his pentachromacy. This means he has five color receptors, whereas most humans have three. About 12% of women have four color receptors, while the percentage is significantly lower for men.
There are no documented cases of a person with five color receptors, though there have been speculations. Maxi is the first recorded human to have this condition.
It allows him to see many more colors than the average person. For example, he can see colors beyond blue, red, and yellow, and with enough concentration, he can even see ultraviolet. He can differentiate between colors more easily.
While this ability hasn't had a significant impact yet, it makes him unique.
"Here we are. I hope you have as much fun as your cousin Jamal," Maxi's dad, Carlos Orion, said with a sigh.
Carlos, a half-Brazilian, half-Spanish former footballer, was once a wonderkid in Brazil but never made it into the first team. He later gave up football and married a German woman. More on her later.
Carlos was obsessed with football and had dreamed of becoming a professional. That dream was shattered by harsh reality.
He didn't want his son to experience the same disappointments he had.
Carlos led Maxi to the youth trainer of the team he would be joining, FC Wacker München.
The name Wacker translates to "Brave."
Once a prominent German club in the 1920s, it now plays in the lower divisions.
The trainer who received Maxi sent him to his age group, the G-division (U7).
The trainer instructed him on how to play, and Maxi immediately began.
When Maxi received the ball for the first time, he felt a natural connection, instinctively knowing how to strike it and with how much power to achieve his aim.
Maxi dribbled around the smaller kids, some of whom were just standing and watching, and easily shot the ball into the goal with his right foot.
The youth coach was surprised and thought that Maxi's family must have recently moved here and that he had played football elsewhere before.
In the next two minutes, Maxi scored four goals—two with his left foot and two with his right.
The coach was most astonished by Maxi's ability to score with both feet at such a young age.
He immediately stopped the game and asked Maxi the question that had been on his mind.
"What is your strong foot?"
"I don't know," Maxi replied innocently, his eyes eager to continue playing. He loved football, but his parents' good manners prevented him from simply continuing.
"So both your feet are strong?" the coach asked excitedly, his voice rising to almost a shout.
Maxi just nodded innocently.
The coach nearly erupted with excitement but managed to contain himself. Such a player was very rare. He had found a gem.
"Where did you play football before?" the coach asked, needing this information for league registration.
"Not really anywhere," Maxi answered.
The coach was now completely surprised. He hurried to Carlos and asked him numerous questions.
Satisfied with the answers, he quickly proceeded to register Maxi with the club. He registered him in the F-division (U9), as Maxi was far too advanced for the G-division.
With the registration complete, Maxi and Carlos drove home. Carlos had a contemplative look on his face. He was aware of his son's talents and love for football. Although he didn't want Maxi to face the same disappointments he had, he was determined to support him with all his might.
Upon arriving home, Maxi was immediately embraced by his mother. She was a brunette woman, about 30 years old.
Her name is Sophie Orion.
Sophie was once an Olympian sprinter, though not widely known.
"How did it go, Maxi?" Sophie asked excitedly, pinching his cheek.
"Great," Maxi managed to say, still feeling the pinch.
"I'm going for a run now. Want to join me, Maxi?" Sophie asked. One of her hobbies was sprinting and running.
"Yes, Mom," Maxi agreed. He enjoyed sprinting and running with his mother, who also helped him improve his movements and speed.
With that, he became the fastest kid in kindergarten.
Many kids wanted to play with him.
Maxi waited for his mother to change her clothes, then eagerly began running with her.
After that day, Maxi continued his daily routine of playing football, attending kindergarten, and running with his mother.
He also enjoyed singing occasionally and painting colors only he could see.
In just three months, Maxi was promoted to the E-division (U11).
Next week will be exciting. Maxi will start his first day of elementary school on Monday, and the first big tournament will be on Saturday and Sunday.
It is a local tournament in Munich, featuring several major local teams, including Bayern München and 1860 München, which recently descended to the 2. Bundesliga.
The 2006/2007 season is underway, and it looks like 1860 München will struggle to rise back to the Bundesliga this year.
Perhaps Maxi will be scouted by a bigger club.