If they made it there initially before Asuma's death.How well do you think Hidan & Kakuzu would fair if they actually made it into Konoha without Team 10's interference on the way there?
Na Shikamaru needs to be there otherwise Asuma and Neji both die without intel. Neither of the two are figuring out the ritual before their bodies lie in the dirt.If it's before Asuma's death the leaf wins low diff. After Asuma's death (with intel) the leaf Wrecks.
In scenario 1, Asuma already beat Hidan (before Kakuzu's intervention) so definitely a combo of someone like Neji and Asuma will wreck him. The problem is Kakuzu, though he loses too (I don't see him beating guy and Kakashi's combo), even if he does Tsunade takes him high diff (he specialises in elemental jutsus and through out shipudden no body died from any kinda elemental jutsu, and if you believe in the Diamond skin hype then you believe the databook which also states Tsunade has lighting techniques).
Scenario 2, they lose laughable difficulty.
Well it's the whole village so you can add Shikamaru to the list of people that'll fight Hidan.Na Shikamaru needs to be there otherwise Asuma and Neji both die without intel. Neither of the two are figuring out the ritual before their bodies lie in the dirt.
Its not like the whole village is gonna be there waiting for them lol. Theres teams constantly gone on missions.
Also Hidan and Kakuzu were always the ones being ambushed. If they're the ones doing the ambushing, it changes things heavily.