Hm, actually.

I believe at this point in time, it's possible to have perfect, or near perfect Mblock Celes, so this is your ace in the hole for a bit of a boost. Go to the colloseum, bet the Soul Sabre from the Tentacle fight for a Falchion, Falchion for Flame Shield, Flame Shield for Ice Shield. With the proper equipment, you should be able to go through every battle.